While technically, military members will be working for free until retroactive pay kicks in whenever the shutdown ends, a number of banks are going to be paying the troops anyway.
Traditionally, when there has been a threat of a government shutdown or other issues, such as the government furloughs this summer, a number of credit unions and banks have offered different forms of relief, such as no-interest or low-interest loans and deferrals of payments.
Navy Federal Credit Union, which serves all branches despite their name, is going to cover the Oct. 15 paycheck as long as the servicemembers have their military pay direct deposited into their account. Once the government finally pays up, the bank will deduct it from the account.
The same goes for USAA, which is offering a zero-interest payroll advance loan to members. The bank is also offering some leeway with payment arrangements and deferrals, credit card fees, and insurance fees during the shutdown time period.
Texas-based Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union is also providing assistance to government employees.
"While we hope the government will resolve its budget issues, we are being proactive in providing solutions for our members in the event that a shutdown does occur," Sonya McDonald, senior vice president of planning and market development, said in a statement on their website.
(Disclosure: I still use USAA for my personal banking.)