Here’s how federal shutdown impacted Fort Benning, medical facilities

As Congress was in the process of pushing through a measure Monday funding the federal government through Feb. 8 — ending a nearly three-day shutdown — Fort Benning officials were in action mode, sending home civilian employees not deemed absolutely essential to the post’s mission, and identifying other cuts to services.

Less than 25 percent of the nearly 4,000 federal civilian workers on the installation received furlough orders during the day, said Ben Garrett, public affairs officer at the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence. Asked how quickly the furloughed employees might be recalled as the budget crisis ends, he hedged a bit.

“When we are directed to, we’ll definitely start opening back up,” Garrett said. “We’re monitoring the same thing as everybody else is about the (Senate and House) votes and everything else. But there are procedures that have to occur and directions, and we’ll follow those directions from our higher commands that direct us to begin an orderly opening of the government again.”

Following the Senate’s passage of a temporary funding measure earlier Monday, the House of Representatives did so as darkness fell on the nation’s capital. It was then headed to President Trump for his signature.

Regardless, Monday’s flurry of activity at Fort Benning and other federal government agencies could be a dress rehearsal for yet another furlough and cuts in services if Congress doesn’t adopt a long-term budget for the balance of 2018. Thus far, negotiations between Republicans and Democrats have been contentious on several issues, including an immigration policy, health-care taxes and the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

What played out Monday at Fort Benning could be repeated if permanent funding isn’t put into place by Congress. The higher profile cuts on the table at Fort Benning included the possible closure of the Commissary on Marne Road, which was scheduled to go dark on Wednesday barring federal funding legislation. On the other hand, the Post Exchange, convenience stores and Department of Family, Morale and Welfare services were to remain open.

By early afternoon Monday, Fort Benning officials were preparing a statement informing the public that federal civilian workers were being told to go home until the budget impasse was resolved. The installation issued the statement indicating what was unfolding on its federal property.

“Based on guidance received from our higher headquarters, Fort Benning leaders are taking prudent measures and preparing for an orderly shutdown, which includes identifying civilian employees who will be in furlough status, and identifying risks and impacts of a potential shutdown,” the U.S. Maneuver Center of Excellence said in a statement issued mid-afternoon Monday.

In the statement, the large military infantry and armor training installation on the south and eastern boundary of Columbus in west-central Georgia said it already had given notices to civilian employees “deemed non-mission essential,” and that they would return to work only when their supervisors contacted them.

Fort Benning, in its statement, said those government staffers considered mission essential, or critical for training and support of the post, would be remaining on the job during the government shutdown. That, naturally, included all soldiers and most non-federal contract employees. Essential services include law enforcement, medical, Martin Army Community Hospital, dental facilities, child-care facilities, access control points, emergency services and fire services.

As the Senate and House votes progressed into the late afternoon, Fort Benning leadership stressed that, even under the cutbacks, the base would “remain open” with limited services during the shutdown, which began at midnight Friday.

“Fort Benning has a mission to prepare soldiers and leaders in support of our nation’s defense,” it said in the statement. “We will continue with our mission to support our Army. We will move forward with difficulty — without our valued civilian workforce.”

Throughout Monday, Fort Benning and its medical facilities were operating normally, but keeping a close eye on congressional efforts for a compromise. There has been occasional budget brinksmanship by lawmakers in Washington through the years, with shutdowns occurring on occasion. It last took place in 2013, with Fort Benning workers being furloughed and the commissary closing its doors temporarily, selling off as much of its perishable goods as possible before doing so.

“In the past furloughs we’ve had, you close the government down for a week and most people stay home. Then they come back to work and you pay them anyway for the time they were gone,” said Fort Benning media relations specialist Nate Snook.

On the medical side of the house, Martin Army Community Hospital, as well as the troop clinics and satellite medical offices elsewhere that fall under the hospital’s authority, were operating business as usual Monday, said Terry Beckwith, public affairs officer with the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity on post.

“Right now there’s no worry for our patients,” she said late Monday morning. “We’re here to take care of them. Employees have been notified to report for work and, if people didn’t show, we’ll be sending them a certified letter to let them know they need to come to work.”

Beckwith explained that the hospital and clinic staff received an “exception” order from higher command to report to work. The exception means the staffers are mission essential. It also calls for workers who were on paid leave to return to the post for instructions on what is occurring.

“We don’t know if we’ll be paid. It’s on the assumption that the government will pass something,” she said. “But, yes, we come to work because we have an exception to the furlough at this time because we are providing health and human services. So we’re deemed essential at this point.”

Aside from Martin Army Community Hospital, the Fort Benning medical activity includes outlying troop medical clinics on post that take care of soldiers in training. There also are clinics at the military camps at Dahlonega in north Georgia, near Eglin Air Force Base along the Florida Panhandle coast, and at Anniston Army Depot in Alabama. There also is a satellite medical office at Brookstone Centre in north Columbus.

All of the facilities remain open, said Beckwith of the medical operation, which has about 2,100 employees altogther, including federal civilians, contractors and military personnel. It also relies on the assistance of Red Cross volunteers.

“As of right now, we are 100 percent fully operational and we’re here to take care of our patients and our trainees on Fort Benning, and our retirees,” she said. “Right now, nothing has changed at Martin Army Community Hospital. The pharmacy is open; the lab is open ... We are closely monitoring the local news, the national news. And, of course, as we receive further guidance from our higher headquarters, if decisions would be made to have to furlough or shut down then, of course, we’ll make sure we get that information out.”

This story was originally published January 22, 2018 at 1:34 PM with the headline "Here’s how federal shutdown impacted Fort Benning, medical facilities."