10/15/2025
This IS SO WRONG!!!!😡
EDITED TO REFLECT CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS:
As of this morning, paychecks are either pending or deposited for military families. While I am grateful that we have a mid-month paycheck, I have concerns about the guarantee of future paychecks should the shutdown continue. This also does not negate the fact that we never should have gotten to this place to begin with, and thousands of federal employees continue without pay. It does not release Congress of its obligation to pass appropriations bills and it does not recuse institutions like USAA from clear messaging, accountability, and support for service members.
***
I am so angry right now I’m shaking.
So far I have refrained from writing about the current government shutdown, despite the fact that it has directly affected me as a military spouse of an active-duty family.
As of writing this, my husband, along with 1.3 million fellow active-duty service members and hundreds of thousands of Reserve and National Guard members and Department of Defense civilians, is currently working without pay.
Nevermind that this could very easily have been avoided. The Pay Our Troops Act of 2026 (H.R. 5401) would ensure all active-duty service members and DOD civilian employees are paid until regular appropriations are passed into law. The bill has the support of 122 bipartisan co-sponsors, which means BOTH Republicans and Democrats are in favor of it.
However, House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to take up this legislation as a stand-alone bill. He sent the House home on recess until October 13th, which means it is almost guaranteed that servicemembers will miss their October 15th paychecks.
Meanwhile, every single member of Congress is getting paid.
The level of stress and anxiety is growing exponentially in the military community. Although back pay is assured by law, there is no timeline for when it will show up and the reality is that bills don’t disappear and families need to eat.
Funds for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which many military families rely on to offset food costs, are critically low. (The fact that some servicemembers earn salaries low enough to qualify for WIC in the first place is a whole separate rant.) We are being encouraged to seek out local food banks.
Read that again.
The men and women in uniform who faithfully and loyally serve this country and are regularly called upon to sacrifice on its behalf, are being told to go stand in line at a food bank.
Not only are military families being failed by our government right now, we are also being failed by the financial institutions that have committed to supporting us.
One of the most helpful resources being advertised to us during this shutdown is an interest-free loan from our banks. Many service members bank with institutions that exclusively serve members of the military, veterans, and their families. Both my husband and I rely on USAA, where we have always had our checking and savings accounts, car insurance and renter’s/property insurance policies. We have been loyal customers for decades because we have been impressed with USAA’s customer service and their dedication to helping military members.
However, in order to receive a loan during this shutdown, USAA is requiring service members to undergo hard credit checks that could potentially lower their credit scores and impede their ability to secure future loans.
So let me get this straight—because my family signed up to serve our country and our own government has failed to pay us, we now have to take a hit to our personal credit in order to receive money that we have rightfully earned and worked for?
Our credit, which may already be lower than usual due to an involuntary military move in which we were required to transport our entire household, buy or rent a new house, establish new utilities, and purchase new vehicles or appliances?
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT USAA IS SAYING NO.
I am personally reading and hearing from other military spouses who have been denied loans from USAA.
USAA is saying, “You serve our country, you have entrusted your money to us for years, you receive a regular guaranteed paycheck every single month from the government for your service, and yet you do not qualify to receive a TEMPORARY loan for the amount of said paycheck, EVEN THOUGH IT IS GOING TO BE PAID BACK AS SOON AS THE GOVERNMENT REOPENS.”
Shame on you, USAA.
And SHAME on every single complicit party who is putting politics or profit over the welfare of our troops.
You know, the people who miss birthdays and anniversaries and holidays and sacrifice their own personal safety and well-being and time with their loved ones to serve this country.
SHAME.
ON.
YOU.
