EDITORIAL: Shutdown hurts Guard training, pay

Source: Tulsa World, Okla.迷你倉Oct. 09--The government shutdown is affecting the pocketbooks of many Americans, including National Guard members.In Oklahoma, the monthly payroll for about 9,700 members of the Guard comes to about $1.9 million. That might not be a significant hit to the state economy, but losing that paycheck certainly causes Guard families to revise their budgets, if only for a short time.The shutdown means that drills have been suspended until Congress and the president make some sort of arrangement to get the government back to work. Of course, the longer the shutdown continues the bigger the economic impact on the state and Guard families.Beyond the economic issue is the fact that the training is vital to a Guard that must be readmini storage for disasters at home and combat missions overseas. Going into harm's way is risky enough but to think some training might be missed or delayed ought to be unacceptable to every American.The shutdown also has delayed the payments -- the "death gratuity" -- to those who have lost a family member in the line of duty. It also has delayed travel payments for families who would like to meet the body of their loved one at Dover Air Force Base as well as burial expenses.Training and paying our fighting forces is a national need. Taking care of the families of those who died for their country is a duty.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at .tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services儲存