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Iowa National Guard furloughs hundreds as government shutdown threatens military pay
About two-thirds of the Iowa National Guard’s 1,000 civilian employees are furloughed, and pay for 1,800 deployed service members could be delayed as Congress remains deadlocked
Oct. 6, 2025 3:36 pm
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The federal government shutdown is forcing hundreds of civilian Iowa National Guard employees to stay home without pay and could soon delay paychecks for uniformed soldiers and airmen, including those deployed overseas.
Guard officials said Monday that while military operations and training will continue, the effects of the funding impasse in Washington are starting to ripple across Iowa installations.
Roughly 1,000 full-time federal civilian employees work for the Iowa National Guard, and about two-thirds are being furloughed until Congress passes a new spending bill, Guard officials said Monday. Federal law guarantees back pay once an appropriation is approved, but employees will go without pay in the meantime.
“National Guard personnel in an active-duty status will remain on duty to maintain military operations, as will other employees working in functions deemed necessary for daily safe and effective operations,” said Jackie Schmillen, director of public affairs for the Iowa National Guard. “We are continuing to analyze the contingency plan provided by the Department of War to determine essential personnel based on mission requirements.
“During a lapse in appropriations, impacts are realized throughout our entire full-time force,” Schmillen continued. “However, furloughs mostly impact our civilian federal workforce.”
Deployed service members could face delayed pay
The Guard currently has more than 1,800 Iowa soldiers and airmen deployed, many supporting Operation Inherent Resolve in the Middle East.
Nationally, about 1.3 million active-duty troops and hundreds of thousands of National Guard members could miss their Oct. 15 payday if Congress does not act by next week, according to Reuters. Congressional aides told Reuters that lawmakers must pass legislation by Oct. 13 for payroll to process on time.
An agreement to end the shutdown — or to pass separate legislation to pay the troops — appeared unlikely Monday, as President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats remained at an impasse. The White House has threatened additional layoffs of federal workers after cutting hundreds of thousands of jobs earlier this year.
Lawmakers are considering the “Pay Our Troops Act,” which would ensure service members continue to receive pay during the shutdown. Unlike a continuing resolution, the bill requires separate action by Congress.
A similar “Pay Our Military Act” passed during the 2013 shutdown allowed troops to be paid, but this year’s version — introduced by Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans of Virginia — did not advance before the House left Washington last week. The bill has 91 bipartisan co-sponsors, but House leaders have given no indication when it would be brought up for a vote, Reuters reported.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said the House would be away this week as well, with members told they could be called back with 48 hours' notice of any votes, Politico reported.
Trump addressed the issue Sunday at an event marking the Navy’s 250th anniversary, promising service members will receive all back pay and voicing support for a raise. A proposed 3.8 percent military pay raise for 2025 has bipartisan backing in Congress.
Operations continue at Cedar Rapids Armory
At the Cedar Rapids Armory, personnel are still reporting to duty, and the unit is scheduled to drill the weekend of Oct. 18 to maintain readiness, Schmillen said. The Iowa Guard said the shutdown “will not impede our ability to uphold our state and federal missions.”
Despite the uncertainty, Guard officials said they are prepared to assist affected families. Service members and employees experiencing financial strain can access assistance programs offering financial or emotional support, Schmillen said.
“We take seriously our obligation to take care of service members and their families if they face financial hardship during government shutdowns,” she said, adding that past shutdowns “have historically not lasted very long.”
No upcoming Iowa National Guard deployments are expected to be disrupted by the funding lapse, Schmillen said.
Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com
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