The Department of Defense, working with the Department of Justice is now able to recall half of its work force back to duty. The 400,000 civilian employees will now join as many military members working full time and receiving pay checks.
In a letter released Saturday, Mr. Hagel said that government lawyers now said that under the Pay Our Military Act, the Defense Department can “eliminate furloughs for employees whose responsibilities contribute to the morale, well-being, capabilities and readiness of service members.”
New York Times
According to the Memorandum that accompanied Sec Hagel's letter, some, but not all of the operations that “are providing support to members of the Armed Forces” include:
Examples of activities that provide support to service members on an ongoing basis are:
i)Health Care Activities and Providers;
ii)SAPRO, Behavioral Health, and Suicide Prevention Programs;
iii)Transition Assistance Programs for Military Members in active service;
iv)Family Support Programs and Activities;
v) Activities related to the repair and maintenance of weapons systems and platforms at the Operational and Intermediate level;
vi) Training Activities associated with military readiness;
vii) Supply Chain Management activities in support of near term Force Readiness; viii) Human Resource Activities associated with organizing, equipping, manning and
training functions;
ix) Installation Support and Facilities maintenance;
x) Commissary operations;
xi) Payroll activities;
xii) The provision of guidance or advice to military members when such guidance or
advice is necessary for the military members to execute their functions (e.g., legal advice); and xiii) Necessary support for all activities listed above, including legal, human resources,
engineering, and administrative support.
Examples of activities that contribute to capabilities and sustaining force readiness and that, if interrupted, would affect service members’ ability to conduct assigned missions in the future include:
i) Acquisition Program oversight and management (including inspections and acceptance), financial management, contract, logistics, and engineering activities, which support long term readiness;
ii) Activities related to the repair and maintenance of weapons systems and platforms at the Depot level;
iii) Supply chain management activities in support of long-term force readiness;
iv) Intelligence functions;
v) Information Technology functions; and
vi) Necessary support for all activities listed above determined to be within the scope of
the Act, including legal, human resources, engineering, and administrative support.
There will be much rejoicing within military communities that the commissaries will be re-opening. And in small towns like mine who rely on the DOD as a major employer there will be much relief.