U.S. Soldiers with the 4th Battalion, 118th Infantry Regiment, South Carolina National Guard scan the District of Columbia monorail system during a patrol at Dupont Circle on Sept. 29, 2025. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Shane Ga
Thousands of National Guard service members on active duty in the U.S. and around the globe are not being paid during the government shutdown, creating financial hardships for their families.
How National Guard members serve on active duty
The backstory:
Although National Guard units are controlled by the states, they serve both their state government and the federal government.
There are three types of duty statuses that State National Guards/militia and Army National Guard and Air National Guard members serve under: Title 10, Title 32 and State Active Duty.
Title 10
Title 10 of the U.S. Code governs the Armed Forces of the United States. When National Guard members are activated for federal service under a Title 10 authority, their duty is funded and regulated by the federal government.
Title 32
Title 32 of the U.S. Code outlines the role of the United States National Guard. Guard members in Title 32 status fall under the command and control of their state or territory governor, but their duty is federally funded and regulated.
Guard members on active duty in both Title 10 and Title 32 are treated the same as active duty members and during the shutdown are not paid.
State Active Duty
When Guard members are activated as members of the State militia by their state or territory governor, they perform their duties in State Active Duty (SAD) status. Guard members who are called to SAD by their governors are state employees when in a SAD status. Their pay and benefits are determined by state law, and Guard members are not eligible for federal pay or benefits.
U.S. Soldiers from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, assigned to Joint Task Force–Southern Border, move to a patrol base near Tucson, Ariz., May 11, 2025. (U.S Northern Command)
Where are National Guard Troops on duty in the U.S.?
Dig deeper:
There are currently thousands of National Guard and Reserve members supporting operations across the country.
National Guard on active duty with ICE
The National Guard says they are tracking approximately 1,500 Guard members currently on duty supporting Interior Immigration Support for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.
National Guard on active duty with Joint Task Force (JTF) DC
In Washington, D.C., the National Guard says there are approximately 2,500 Army National Guard (ARNG) and Air National Guard (ANG) members from the District of Columbia, West Virginia, Ohio, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota, and Georgia supporting Joint Task Force (JTF) DC. The members were activated on Aug. 11 to support local and federal law in the District of Columbia.
National Guard on active duty in several U.S. cities and the Southern border
The U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) is overseeing Title 10 missions planned or underway in Memphis, Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles and on the Southern Border.
Memphis
Members of the Tennessee National Guard will assist the Memphis Police as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, which got underway Sept. 29, but how many troops and their role have yet to be determined.
Portland
On Sept. 28, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth issued a memorandum for 200 members of the Oregon National Guard to be called into Federal service for a period of 60 days in Portland. The White House says the troops will be used to protect federal immigration facilities.
Chicago
On Sept. 29, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the Trump administration is seeking to deploy 100 military troops to Illinois to protect federal immigration personnel and facilities.
Los Angeles
On June 8, approximately 2,000 California Army National Guard soldiers were placed on Title 10 orders to support the protection of federal personnel and federal property in the greater Los Angeles area.
At the same time, U.S. Army North stood up Task Force 51 as the ground command and control element over the Title 10 forces. Another 2,000 additional California Army National Guard soldiers were activated on June 17, then on July 1, approximately 150 members of the California National Guard were released from the mission.
Southern Border
In January, USNORTHCOM began sending troops to the southern border to support Customs and Border Patrol agents. In March, Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB) was established, providing support to the Department of Homeland Security to detect, monitor, and deter unlawful activity throughout the southern border.
National Guard Soldiers from Arizona, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin are on Title 10 orders supporting border operations.
National Guard and Reserve members can face financial challenges when recalled to active duty
Why you should care:
Members of the Guard and Reserve who are recalled to active duty can face significant financial challenges. Some may experience a loss in income as their civilian job pays more than military active duty. There are resources available to help service members.
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protects service members
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), originally known as the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act, was established in 1940. The law provides financial and legal protections for active-duty service members, including National Guard and reserve members recalled to active duty.
SCRA benefits
Interest Rate Cap on Loans: When service members enter active duty, the interest rate on any pre-existing debt — credit cards, mortgages, or car loans — is legally capped at 6% with the cap remaining in place for the duration of the service member’s active duty period.
Protection Against Foreclosure: For service members who own a home, the SCRA provides protection against foreclosure by preventing a lender from foreclosing on a home or evicting a service member or their dependents without a court order while they are on active duty. This protection extends for up to one year after active duty ends.
Eviction Protection: The SCRA protects service members who rent. If a service member or their family is renting a home, and the monthly rent is below a specific threshold (indexed annually), they cannot be evicted without a court order.
Protection from Default Judgments: Under the SCRA, service members are shielded from default judgments in civil cases. If a lawsuit is filed against a service member, and they cannot appear in court due to military duties, the court must either appoint an attorney to represent the service member’s interests or grant the service member a stay of proceedings until the service member can personally appear in court.
Terminating Lease Agreements: Under the SCRA, service members who receive orders for a permanent change of station or a deployment lasting 90 days or more are permitted to terminate both residential and vehicle leases without penalty. This allows military personnel to break long-term contracts without financial loss when they are reassigned or deployed.
Vehicle Repossession Protections: Lenders are prohibited from repossessing a service member’s vehicle without a court order if the service member took out the loan and made at least one payment before entering military service. This protection applies even if the service member falls behind on payments while on active duty.
Military relief societies offer assistance to service members: There are four congressionally recognized military relief societies that offer financial assistance. The Army Emergency Relief, the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, the Air Force Aid Society, and the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance.
The organizations may be able to help service members with interest-free loans, grants, or a combination of loans and grants. They also offer financial preparedness counseling and tuition assistance.
The Source: This report includes information from The National Guard, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Army Fort Bliss, and The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. This story was reported from Orlando.
