With Government Shutdown, No Death Gratuities To Fallen Soldiers
The Defense Department says that if the government shuts down, the Pentagon will not be able to pay death benefits to families of fallen soldiers.
That is just one ugly reality of the government shutdown for which DoD has been preparing, Pentagon Comptroller Bob Hale said. He told reporters that he hoped “we’re all wasting our time” making preparations for it, and that Washington would ultimately stay open.
The preparations themselves are already taking a toll, Hale said, with DoD employees worrying about their pay checks and the time they’ve spent readying for a government shutdown instead of focusing on other national security concerns.
