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If Federal Shutdown Lasts Two Weeks, USCG Will Be Working Without Pay

USCG
File image courtesy USCG

Published Oct 1, 2025 4:49 PM by The Maritime Executive

The U.S. Coast Guard may soon be back to working without pay again. Thanks to a spending dispute in the Senate, the federal government entered a shutdown on Wednesday. Effective October 1, the government lacks authority for most spending on salaries - but "excepted employees," including all military members, must keep working anyways. 

The last time this happened was during the 2018-19 holiday season. This time, the circumstances could be more difficult: unlike last time, coastguardsmen will not receive their mid-October pay if the shutdown keeps going past October 13. If the shutdown extends past that date, servicemembers and excepted civilian employees will have to wait for back pay until after the shutdown ends. "Non-essential" civilian employees will be furloughed without pay. 

In the interim, servicemembers still have to pay their bills, and Coast Guard salaries are not ample to begin with. The Coast Guard recommends that servicemembers seek assistance from food banks, nonprofits, and affiliate groups like the Coast Guard Foundation, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance (CGMA) and the Chief Petty Officers’ Association (CPOA). During the 2018–2019 government shutdown, CGMA alone provided $8.4 million in aid to more than 6,200 Coast Guard members and families.

“When the Coast Guard you love can’t pay you, it impacts your family and home,” added Alena Howard, Chief Development and Communications Officer at CGMA and a Coast Guard spouse. “Our donors are an incredible network of people who embody the spirit of Helping Our Own. Their generosity ensures Coast Guard families have the support they need most during times of crisis.”

Military-adjacent banking institutions may also be able to provide zero-interest loans to help servicemembers bridge the gap until the next paycheck. 
 
"Non-essential" public-facing services are visibly affected. The Coast Guard's online presence has been curtailed, and its web portal will not be updated until the shutdown ends. For merchant mariners, the Regional Exam Centers (RECs) and the National Maritime Center (NMC) are closed, bringing mariner credentialing to a temporary halt.