Despite the continuing shutdown of the federal government, the military will be paid through Oct. 31, including the Coast Guard workforce at Coast Guard Training Center-Cape May, according to published reports.

The shutdown affects roughly 1,800 Coast Guard personnel there, including about 500 permanent members.

The Coast Guard, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, receives pay twice a month, at mid-month and at the end of the month. There were concerns that there would be no end-of-October paychecks.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that a deal was worked out to pay Coast Guard personnel, adding that President Donald Trump did not want any military personnel to go without pay.

The Military Times quoted an Associated Press article saying Vice President J.D. Vance said on Tuesday, Oct. 28, that military members would be paid.

There are currently about 1.33 million members in the U.S. combined military forces. In fiscal year 2024, the cost of the military was about $14.7 billion per month.

Noem continues to blame the Democrats for the federal shutdown, and the Homeland Security website contains political campaign-style announcements. There have been 13 votes in the Senate to attempt to pass stopgap legislation to reopen the federal government, but none of them has passed.

As the shutdown, which began with the new fiscal year Oct. 1, came to the one-month mark, Vance said he was was hopeful but did not have an explanation for how the military would be paid until the shutdown ends.

On Oct. 25 Trump announced the government had received a private donation from an anonymous source of $130 million to go toward paying military personnel. It was later revealed that the money came from billionaire Timothy Mellon; however, the $130 million falls far short of what is required.

Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or call 608-886-8600, ext. 128.