SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Payday has arrived, which means relief for more than a million active-duty service members and the Coast Guard, but for how long?
President Donald Trump announced Saturday on Truth Social that approximately 1.3 million active-duty U.S. military personnel will not miss their Oct. 15 paycheck despite the ongoing government shutdown.
Ashley Camac, CEO of Zero8Hundred, a San Diego–based nonprofit that helps transitioning service members, said families braced for missed pay.
“I think our military families feel a sense of relief that, for [Wednesday], they’re going to receive their full paycheck,” Camac said.
She says before Trump’s announcement, many military families were already exploring bank loans or emergency credit options to make ends meet.
“The effect of pulling hard credit to get non-interest-bearing loans and things like that has really caused an enormous amount of stress on our active-duty and federal workers,” she said.
Camac told ABC 10News that military members and families received confirmation directly from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service on Tuesday and were notified through their myPay accounts that a payment was being processed.
Still, she said Zero8Hundred has seen a rise in calls and new enrollments since the shutdown began.
“We are all seeing an uptick in the enrollments and the outreach,” Camac said.
Zero8Hundred is also a part of an emergency action group that includes the San Diego Military Advisory Council, Feeding San Diego, Armed Services YMCA, Zero8Hundred, and Support The Enlisted Project. The coalition was formed to help service members and their families through crisis, and even prepared for the government shutdown.
“Financial crisis can mean a mental health crisis for some,” Camac said.
According to ABC News, the Department of Defense identified about $8 billion in unused research, development, testing, and evaluation funds from last year to cover the Oct. 15 pay period.
But uncertainty remains for the next pay period, which will be on Nov. 1.
“There’s an uncertainty of what will happen between now and the next pay period,” Camac warned. “We have a lot of active-duty families who are thinking, 'How am I going to pay the rent?'”
Camac advises military families to contact their landlords now to discuss contingency plans in case the shutdown continues.
ABC 10News contacted the Department of War to see whether the $8B will cover the Nov. 1 pay period.
A War Department Official responded, saying, "Thanks to President Trump's leadership, service members received their mid-month salary, and their Leave and Earnings Statements (LES) are now available in myPay."
