1.28M Active-Duty Troops and 750K Defense Civilians Face Payroll Lapse

Approximately 1.28 million active-duty military personnel and roughly 750,000 Department of Defense civilian employees faced a payroll lapse when the October 2025 government shutdown began. Active-duty troops were required by law to continue reporting for duty despite the missed paychecks. Defense Department civilians were furloughed unless deemed essential, creating a two-tier workforce operating under financial duress.