The 6-week-long government shutdown has fallen on Veterans Day this year, many of whom are wondering what is next.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Veterans Day 2025 is one that service members across the country will remember for a long time, as it lands during a government shutdown.
The shutdown, which is now the longest shutdown in the nation’s history falling on its sixth week, has impacted service men and women who are either employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or rely on their services. Nearly 40,000 employees have been furloughed since October and programs such as career counseling have been put on pause.
Natalia Smith, a data analyst at JEA who transitioned out of the military, was in service during the last government shutdown in December 2018. While receiving benefits from JEA, she still received VA benefits, but is no longer due to the shutdown. Smith encourages giving veterans “some extra TLC.”
“Once your service is done or once you’re no longer active, there’s like a different status. You’re not a civilian, but you’re not military. You’re like in no man’s land,” Smith said. “So to know that there’s still help and people still care and those things that you still were afforded based on your service can still be accessed, it’s really helpful.”
In response to the shutdown, companies like JEA are offering support to customers by reducing late fees and erasing payment extensions.