It's been three weeks since the government shut down. Earlier this month, the Trump administration moved money to ensure military members were paid.
But where the next paycheck comes from isn't clear, and bills still loom ahead. Further, while active-duty military got their paychecks, other people -- like national guard reservists or civilian military employees -- are struggling.
"I know of one family that's got a brand-new baby and a four-year old," said retired colonel Rob Maness. "The baby's less than a month old and the individual's on a furlough."
Maness used to be a commander at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. Now, he lives in Gulfport, near Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi.
Some of those concerns extend to retired members like him. As a disabled veteran, Maness said so far, he's been able to get care at the VA in Biloxi.
"But the longer this goes, the higher the risk becomes that those funds will get cut off and people's retirement pay will get cut off and disability pay will get cut off," he said.
NPR reports that nationally, the Armed Services YMCA saw a 30% increase in demand for services in the last few weeks.
Food banks around Mississippi bases didn't have those same stats but are also hearing from local military families. Brandy Rae runs Wesley House Community Center in Meridian near the Naval Air Station.
Military parents and spouses who she's spoken with are just trying to stay ahead -- and plan around a lot of unknowns.
"Maybe they're not necessarily struggling now, but they're afraid that if they don't get this next check that they won't be able to pay their bills next month or they may not be able to get groceries," Rae told MPB.
Scott Burns, a former marine, works with disabled veterans as Founder and CEO of 7 Days for the Troops in Tupelo.
He said so far, they haven't heard from any active-duty members in need of assistance specifically because of the shutdown.
But even before the last few weeks, he said they regularly hear from active-duty military members needing help.
"We get calls monthly from people that are serving -- active-duty -- that just can't meet the requirements to pay theirbills," he told MPB.
"I only imagine the calls that we're going to start getting here in a couple weeks because they didn't receive a check and they are behind."
And, as much as he wants to help those families, he said they're not always able to -- and encourages people to donate to or volunteer with organizations like his to meet those needs.
"We can sit and complain about what we see going on or we can be active and do something," Burns said.
According to Military State Policy Source, Mississippi has over 11,000 active-duty service members and over 17,000 National Guard and reserve members.
