Routine training has been suspended, drill weekends have been called off, and many personnel are working without pay, according to officials from various state National Guard units.
As reported by the Daily Caller, only units preparing for mobilization or conducting mission-critical activities are continuing their training. Other drills have been indefinitely postponed, leaving thousands of National Guard members in limbo, unpaid, and with force readiness on the decline.
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Democratic Colorado Sen. John Hickenlooper, when asked about the cancelled exercises, said, “That’s not good. Definitely not good. It’s an essential part of that safety net. It’s not the most important — I mean, I can give you 25 reasons why we need to open the government back up tomorrow, right?”
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Despite his concerns, Hickenlooper, along with the majority of Senate Democrats, has voted against a House-passed bipartisan spending measure to end the shutdown eleven times. He will have another opportunity to advance a stopgap measure that would reopen the government and restore the National Guard's usual rhythm later on Wednesday.
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The shutdown has posed unique challenges for National Guard personnel across the country, especially those not on active duty who have not received pay for the month of October. Retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, president of the National Guard Association of the United States, expressed concern about the shutdown's impact on readiness.
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He said, “Some are still required to work despite the lack of pay. Others are furloughed, their responsibilities piling up, which reduces the Guard’s readiness to respond to state or nation. Most are frustrated. Many now worry about how they will pay their bills.”
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In Mississippi, only units with upcoming mobilizations are authorized to conduct training. Maj. Heather Bennett, director of public affairs for the Mississippi National Guard, stated that “all other units have suspended drill weekends, training exercises, and temporary duty assignments.”
Civilian personnel not supporting “excepted activities” have been furloughed and all Guard personnel are continuing to serve without pay until funding is restored.
The Connecticut National Guard is in a similar situation, with Maj. Michael Wilcoxson, director of public affairs for the Connecticut National Guard, reporting that non-essential training events and drill weekends have been suspended or delayed. He added that while troops remain in a normal duty status, they will not be paid until appropriations resume.
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Guard officers from Illinois, Maine, Georgia, and South Carolina also reported that the shutdown is disrupting their normal activities. Democratic Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly acknowledged the importance of military units' training but hinted that Democrats are unlikely to change their shutdown strategy soon, blaming President Donald Trump for the impasse.
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Republican lawmakers have criticized Senate Democrats for keeping the government closed despite the increasing financial strain on service members and the impact on military readiness. Republican Texas Rep. August Pfluger and 27 other Republican Study Committee members wrote in a letter to Schumer on Oct. 15, “Your decision has halted advanced training and drastically reduced readiness and lethality. Could this be your intention?”
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Republican Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, when asked about the point at which cancelled National Guard exercises will become a national security concern, said, “You’ll have to ask the Democrats. I’ve been voting to open it up. You need to talk to the Democrats, they’re voting to keep it shut down.”
The ongoing shutdown continues to test the resilience of the National Guard and the nation's military readiness, with no clear end in sight.
