Government shutdown affects DAFB, National Wildlife Refuges

Delaware is feeling the affect of the government shutdown.

Dover Air Force Base is the biggest site in the First State to see the immediate effects of the shutdown. According to a release from the base, all military personnel on active duty and reserve personnel on active duty will continue to serve normal duty without pay until Congress appropriates money to pay them for their service.

However, “all civilian personnel paid by appropriated funds will be furloughed (which means non-work and non-pay status), except for the minimum number necessary to accomplish excepted activities that are essential to daily operations.”

Civilian personnel already faced a furlough this summer and Col. Rick Moore, 436th Airlift Wing Commander, said it’s taking a toll on morale at the base.

“The uncertainty that is building up within our civilian personnel is beginning to take a toll in a very real way,” he said during a town hall meeting held at the base Monday.

There are approximately 10,826 total active duty, guard, reserve, civilians and dependents at Dover AFB.

Refuges, Congressional offices shuttered

In southern Delaware, public access to Prime Hook and Bombay Hook National Wildlife refuges are closed and public events canceled until further notice.

Additionally, the offices of U.S. Senators Tom Carper and Chris Coons and U.S. Representative John Carney are also closed until further notice.

“One of the things that pains me the most about this shutdown is that it will affect the people of Delaware directly,” said Sen. Carper on his Facebook page. “Like hundreds of thousands of federal employees, a majority of my staff won’t be able to work during the shutdown. As such, my state offices will be closed and my staff and I will be unable to answer your phone calls and emails during this time, we will not be able to update our website with additional information, and I will not be able to use my official Twitter and Facebook accounts until my colleagues and I fix this mess.”