Military families have been living with uncertainty as the government shutdown rages on, with the healthcare system warning of lapses in the ability to process or pay medical claims and most recent Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders being frozen in limbo.
While President Donald Trump directed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to ensure that service members receive their October 15 paychecks, it “remains uncertain whether they will receive a paycheck” on October 31 without the government reopening, USA Today reported.
On top of salary uncertainty, other major issues like paying for medical care and figuring out living situations after preparing to follow PCS orders have risen for service members and their families.
While the Army lifted its five-day PCS order freeze for most soldiers last week, there is “one major exception” that still leaves many families “in limbo,” Stars and Stripes reported.
Hundreds of soldiers and their families were already in the process of packing up their belongings and making storage and shipping arrangements for things they could not bring with them when their orders were suspended.
“We know that these changes have already caused a significant amount of stress, and we are very sorry for that,” Col. Rachel Sullivan, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii, said in a social media announcement.
The PCS orders that remain suspended are those ordered before October 1, the day the shutdown began, that require long-term storage of belongings.
Long-term, or “non-temporary” storage is normally used in situations where service members are moving from the continental U.S. to overseas service stations, Sullivan explained.
While some families worry about where and when they will be moving, the government-sponsored health insurance program for service members is also causing concern after it issued a shutdown-related warning.
TRICARE released the following statement as the shutdown took effect:
During the current lapse in government appropriations, you may continue to get care or attend currently scheduled appointments with your civilian providers. Your usual out-of-pocket costs will apply.
You may also continue to fill prescriptions at military pharmacies, retail network pharmacies, and home delivery.
However, TRICARE may not be able to process or pay medical claims received on or after October 1, 2025, until funding is restored. The Defense Health Agency is also working with our TRICARE contractors to also communicate with healthcare providers on potential delays in payment.
We understand this may cause concern and inconvenience, and we sincerely regret the disruption. We remain committed to resuming full operation as quickly as possible once appropriations are enacted.
Some doctors and health care providers who rely on TRICARE to pay for services provided to military members and dependents have said that they are already starting to feel the pinch, Breitbart News reported.
The shutdown had also canceled extracurricular activities within the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) on October 1, halting sports and clubs for more than 67,000 students at 161 schools worldwide, NBC News reported. Fortunately, that move was reversed less than a week later, according to Stars and Stripes.
“Our military doesn’t get to shut down – but Chuck Schumer and the Democrats did,” Pentagon press secretary Kinglsey Wilson told Breitbart News in an exclusive statement. “They are playing political games to fund healthcare for illegals while our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Guardians continue to stand post around the world. The Democrats own every bit of this shutdown.”
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.
