KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Monica Bassett, married to an active-duty service member at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, understands the anxiety facing military families as lawmakers in Washington continue budget negotiations.
"We're at this standstill and that panic, that's panic on real military families," Bassett said.
Bassett founded a food pantry that serves military families and has been closely monitoring the looming shutdown.
"We're going to have an influx of people attending the pantry and needing services," Bassett said.
Ennio Valente, a veteran in Kansas City, has experienced the impacts of government shutdowns before. He served in the Air Force when he was 18.
"It's a game that they play. It's a political game," Valente said.
In an email to KSHB 41, the press secretary for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said a shutdown would close regional offices, and public affairs services to veterans would stop. However, he said VA benefits would continue and veteran health care would not be impacted.
"It doesn't matter if it's a day or an hour, you know, it's still not for the benefit of people and for vets, period," Valente said.
Congressman Mark Alford said a shutdown would impact communication that's already in need of work within the VA.
"The problem is those case workers here in the Kansas City-area reaching someone in DC with whom they need to speak, and a lot of times in a shutdown, those persons are deemed non-essential and are not there to pick up the phone," Alford said.
Valente said there are impacts every time these budget deadlines approach.
"Who are the pawns on the chess board? The American people, okay? And like I said, everybody... it affects the vets and their families," Valente said.
For Bassett, this is a time to keep doing what she knows best: supporting those who serve.
"It is unfortunate, though, that we get to the last minute when military families are at their toes wondering what will happen," Bassett said.
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