UPDATE: Paychecks have been secured for the October 15th pay date
Although a Presidential order may give them a crucial lifeline as the government shutdown continues, Coast Guard families in your neighborhood need your help. On Saturday, President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Defense to use any available funds to pay the 1.3 million members of the military their next paycheck. According to Reuters, the department will draw on its $8 billion research and development fund to cover payroll. While the Air Force, Space Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps fall under the guidance of the War Department, the Coast Guard falls under the Department of Homeland Security. Punchbowl News reports that U.S. Coast Guard members could get paid during the shutdown through funds approved through the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” but nothing has been confirmed as of Monday morning.
Kevin Osgood from the Sturgeon Bay Coast Guard City Committee applauds the work of the county’s food pantries, the United Way of Door County, and local businesses for helping Coast Guard families with many of their needs. He encourages others in the community to find other ways to support their neighbors that are a part of three Coast Guard units in Sturgeon Bay.
Osgood hopes that residents will also rally behind efforts to ensure that Coast Guard members get paid during government shutdowns in the future, like other military branches.
You can find more information on how you can help local Coast Guard families here.
Other links and information
You can donate gift cards to the United Way of Door County to be distributed to Coast Guard families.
https://uscgcpoa.org/i4a/
