What's affected by the government shutdown

Here’s what the current shutdown means for veterans, servicemembers, their families and national security.

With Congress locked in a budget battle and unable to reach a compromise, the U.S. government went into a partial shutdown at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1.  While some critical government functions will continue to operate, others will be paused.

Those U.S. citizens who collect Social Security – including retirees, disabled Americans and the dependents of deceased workers – won’t see an interruption in their monthly payments during the shutdown. Food assistance programs will continue until they run out of funds.

While U.S. military operations will continue during a shutdown, U.S. servicemembers will miss at least one paycheck if a budget deal isn’t in place by Oct. 15. A shutdown also will force the furlough of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) civilians, including those in public affairs and community outreach personnel, financial management personnel and acquisition personnel. 

For the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the department estimates that 97 percent of its employee will continue to work during a shutdown. VA benefits will continue to be processed and delivered, including compensation, pension, education and housing benefits. However, VA benefits regional offices are closed.

VA medical centers, outpatient clinics and Vet Centers remain open.

Here is an overview of how VA services, other DoD operations and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security are affected.

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Programs not impacted

·       Burials will continue at VA national cemeteries. Applications for headstones, markers, and burial benefits processing will continue.

·       The Board of Veterans’ Appeals will continue decisions on veterans’ cases.

·       Call Centers: VA’s primary call center (1-800-MyVA411) and the Veterans Crisis Line (Dial 988, Press 1) will remain open 24/7. The VA Benefit Hotline (1-800-827-1000) will be available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. ET.

·       Suicide prevention programs, homelessness services, and caregiver support will continue.

Impacted programs

·       VA will cease providing transition program assistance and career counseling.

·       Call Centers: VA’s GI Bill (1-888-GIBILL-1) and National Cemetery Applicant Assistance (1-800-697-6947) hotlines will be closed.

·       VA benefits regional offices will be closed.

·       Public Affairs and outreach to Veterans will cease, including social media, VetResources emails, and responses to press inquiries.

·       No grounds maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries.

·       Applications for pre-need burial at VA cemeteries will not be processed.

·       No printing of new Presidential Memorial Certificates.

·       No outreach to state, county, tribal, municipal, faith-based, and community-based partners by VA Central Office.

U.S. Department of Defense

·       Operations. Subordinate leaders in the DoD have the authority to evaluate and determine whether activities are “excepted” for supporting high priority efforts and for the safety of human life and protection of property. As of September 2025, the department considers the following among its highest priorities: Operations to secure the U.S. Southern Border, Middle East Operations, Golden Dome for America, Depot Maintenance, Shipbuilding and Critical Munitions.

·       Servicemember Impact. Though not getting paid, active-duty servicemembers, including reserve component personnel on federal active duty, will continue to report for duty and carry out assigned duties. National Guard servicemembers performing duties under Title 32 will be terminated unless such duties are in support of excepted activities defined by the department. Reserve servicemembers performing Active Guard Reserve (AGR) duty will continue to carry out AGR authorized duties for the period of their AGR tour. Reserve servicemembers will not perform inactive duty resulting in the obligation of funds, except in support of military operations necessary for national security, disaster response or fulfilling pre-deployment requirements. And Temporary Duty Travel (TDY) scheduled to begin after the shutdown may be cancelled if not in support of an excepted activity, such as returning to one’s official duty station. Those on PCS orders attending training and educational activities may continue to attend classes only if the instructor is military or is a contractor paid with prior year funds. PCS orders for duty station changes may be impacted if not funded with prior year funds.

·       Quality of Life Impact: On the medical side, inpatient care, acute and emergency outpatient care in DoD medical facilities will continue during a shutdown. Elective surgeries and other procedures may be postponed or canceled. Private health care through TRICARE will not be affected. Services and counseling for victims of sexual assault, religious, suicide, substance abuse, counterdrug activities and operations of mortuary affairs will still be provided during a shutdown. On the education side, schools that are operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity will remain open, but sports and extracurricular activities will result in a pause during a shutdown. Mess hall operations, physical training and “childcare activities required for readiness” would continue in a shutdown. Meanwhile, the operation of childcare centers is still to be determined. During past shutdowns, childcare centers depended on the level of base staffing and demand. Thus, a shutdown would affect childcare on a case-by-case basis.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

·       Impact to operations. DHS secures U.S. borders and critical infrastructures, while protecting the U.S. from hybrid threats. A shutdown would disrupt DHS’s ability to work effectively, leaving Americans less safe. Without proper pay, both members of the U.S. Coast Guard and border agents may have less productivity due to financial uncertainty, further decreasing DHS’s ability.

·       U.S. Coast Guard: The 40,000 active-duty members of the U.S. Coast Guard will continue to work and will only be compensated for their unpaid work if an appropriation is passed. Members of the Coast Guard are unable to file for interim support that would supplement their income. During the longest government shutdown (2019), members needed severe assistance for the costs of shelter, food, utilities, clothing and health expenses.

·       Border Patrol: U.S. border crossings will stay open, and border agents will continue to work without pay. Along the U.S. northern and southern borders, roughly 19,000 Border Patrol agents will be required to report to work. Most agents patrol the U.S.-Mexico border region, staffing field stations, interior checkpoints and temporary holding facilities. Approximately 25,000 U.S. customs officers would be required to work at some 300 land and airports of entry without pay.