Dem Shutdown Would Have ‘A Terrible Impact’ On Our Military

SECDEF MATTIS: In A Shut Down ‘Over 50% Altogether Of My Civilian Workforce Will Be Furloughed’ – That’s 300,000+ Americans

Total number of Department of Defense civilians: 693,684 (“Military and Civilian Personnel by Service/Agency by State/Country,” Defense Manpower Data Center, September 2017)

SECRETARY MATTIS: “There’s any number of projects we have underway that keep me at the top of my game and our military at the top of our game that are handled by civilians. All these things are going to be disrupted…. Over 50% altogether of my civilian workforce will be furloughed. And that’s going to impact our contracting. It’ll impact, obviously, our medical facilities.” (Secretary Mattis, Press Conference, 1/19/2018)

• SEC. MATTIS: “I would just tell you … our maintenance activities will probably pretty much shut down. We will not be able to induct any more of our gear that need maintenance.” (Secretary Mattis, Press Conference, 1/19/2018)

• SEC. MATTIS: “I would just tell you that we do a lot of intelligence operations around the world and they cost money. Those obviously would stop.” (Secretary Mattis, Press Conference, 1/19/2018)

SECRETARY MATTIS: “And I would just tell you that training for almost our entire reserve force will stop. And you must understand the critical importance of our reserves: they’re the only shock absorber we have. It’s not like the old days where you could draft somebody in and 18 weeks later have them in combat with the skills they need [as] today’s infantrymen…. They still take a year to train in order to have them ready to use the gear they have on them and make certain they have the ethical and tactical abilities to deal with the battlefield today.” (Secretary Mattis, Press Conference, 1/19/2018)

• SEC. MATTIS: “Those troops [going to do their weekend duty] will arrive there at their armories, by the way, and [will be] told, ‘Go home’ if there’s a government shutdown …” (Secretary Mattis, Press Conference, 1/19/2018)

SECRETARY MATTIS: “…for those out there right now in the field, at sea, in the air, the ones sitting in the ready room over here at Andrews Air Force Base, I just tell you that they deserve full support and we have got to come to grips with this as a nation.” (Secretary Mattis, Press Conference, 1/19/2018)

• SEC. MATTIS: “It’s got a huge morale impact, I’ll just tell you. How long can you keep good people around when something like this happens? It is always a question that’s got to hover in the back of my mind.” (Secretary Mattis, Press Conference, 1/19/2018)

• SEC. MATTIS: “…the value of the American military is grossly enhanced by the sense that the American model of government—of the people, by the people, for the people—can function and carry out its governmental responsibilities….” (Secretary Mattis, Press Conference, 1/19/2018)