US soldiers based in Germany told to use food banks as pay halted by government shutdown
As the federal shutdown enters a record 37th day, around 37,000 troops stationed in the country have been told there is uncertainty over this month's wages
US soldiers in Germany have been given food bank advice as their November pay may not arrive because of the government shutdown.
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As the federal shutdown enters a record 37th day, around 37,000 troops stationed in the country have been told there is uncertainty over this month's wages.
The Pentagon told soldiers they would be paid at the start of November, but did not have the funds to stretch to fund mid-month pay packets.
Read more: US government shutdown begins after last-ditch Senate vote fails
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent told CBS News: "I think we'll be able to pay them beginning in November, but by November 15 our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives aren't going to be able to get paid."
Soldiers have been directed to emergency social benefits, loans, and food sharing organisations including Tafel Deutschland - the umbrella organisation of more than 970 food banks in the country.
This information was shared via the US Army website, with some of it later removed from the page by the military garrison in Bavaria.
It comes as the US federal government shutdown officially became the longest in history on Wednesday.
Because of the lack of funding, airports have been plunged into chaos due to air traffic control shortages, leading at least 3.2 million travellers affected by the tens of thousands of slight delays.
More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 Transportation Security Administration agents have been forced to work without pay.
As a result, transportation secretary Sean Duffy announced he was ordering a 10 per cent cut in flights at 40 major US airports from Friday.
The 40 sites affected by the cuts were not named by the government, but the country's busiest airports - including those serving New York City, Washington DC and Chicago - are expected to be hit.
The move would reduce as many as 1,800 flights and more than 268,000 airline seats, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
A shutdown occurs in the US when Congress fails to agree on funding legislation to finance the federal government before the next fiscal year begins.
If the October 1 deadline is missed, parts of the government run out of money, leading to hundreds of thousands of federal workers - such as military personnel, Secret Service agents and air traffic controllers - being furloughed or required to work for no pay.
This latest shutdown was triggered by politicians failing to pass a new funding bill following a stand-off between Democrats and Republicans over healthcare spending.
Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate. But 60 votes are needed to pass any funding bill.
The dramatic aviation disruption is being used by the Trump administration to pressure Democrats to vote to reopen the government.
But the Democrats have yet to be moved and blame Republicans for refusing to negotiate over key health care subsidies.