Shutdown Lowdown

If the federal government shuts down, what will happen to the Defense Department's acquisition workforce? Will program managers and other acquisition personnel still be on the job? That will be decided on a case-by-case basis as senior officials identify which jobs are essential, DOD spokesman Col. David Lapan said today. Essential DOD jobs in this context are considered "excepted," he noted. Guidance issued today by Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn provides the framework for deciding who must keep working during a shutdown, though all uniformed military personnel automatically fall into this category, Lapan said.

“Operations and activities that are essential to safety, protection of human life, and protection of our national security, are ‘excepted’ from shutting down," Lynn said in a statement issued today. "The DOD will continue to conduct activities in support of our national security, including operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Japan; Libya-related support operations; and other operations and activities essential to the security of our nation. The department must also continue to provide for the safety of human life and protection of property."

“Other excepted activities," Lynn adds, "will include inpatient and essential outpatient care in DOD medical treatment facilities; emergency dental care; non-appropriated funds activities such as mess halls and child care activities; certain legal activities to support ongoing litigation and legal assistance for deployed DoD personnel; contracting and logistics operations that are in support of excepted activities; certain education and training activities to include the DOD education activity schools; and financial management activities necessary to ensure the control and accountability of funds."

Lynn will issue further guidance regarding specific activities that are considered excepted or non-excepted. "However," he adds, "the secretary and I understand that the military departments and defense agencies and individual commanders must tailor this guidance to many different situations around the world. Therefore, should there be a government shutdown, DOD personnel will be informed through their chain of command about how a shutdown may affect them personally."