Furloughed Iowa National Guard soldiers back to work

Officials with the Iowa National Guard announced Monday they have recalled nearly all of the more than 1,000 full-time federal technicians furloughed last week due to the federal government shutdown.

Guard spokesman Col. Greg Hapgood said the action was the result of the interpretation of the Pay Our Military Act by the U.S. Departments of Defense and Justice.

Monday's announcement meant that 21 Guard employees were on unpaid furlough, he said. Five federal technicians remain furloughed until the shutdown ends or until notice of recall by the Department of Defense, Hapgood said, and 16 state employees in Iowa continued to be temporarily laid off.

An additional 96 state of Iowa employees are scheduled for a 30-day temporary layoff beginning Oct. 18, he said. About 2,100 full-time Iowa National Guard employees remain on duty, including active guard and reserve (AGR) military personnel and federal technicians, he noted.