The Air Force is telling roughly 50 airmen and Space Force guardians who had expected to separate in November that their time in the service is being extended for 60 days due to the government shutdown, a Department of Air Force spokesperson told Task & Purpose.
The service members affected by the extension have scheduled separation dates, but they have not yet applied for official separation of service, the spokesperson said. The extension ensures that these service members will receive benefits during the shutdown and backpay when the government reopens.
Airmen and guardians are not required to stay in the Air or Space Force for the full 60 days if the federal government reopens before then, the spokesperson said.
The Department of the Air Force announced the extensions in an email th

 Task and Purpose
 Task and Purpose

 KPTV Fox 12 Oregon
 KPTV Fox 12 Oregon AlterNet
 AlterNet Raw Story
 Raw Story ABC News
 ABC News WFVX WVII News
 WFVX WVII News Detroit Free Press
 Detroit Free Press FOX 5 Atlanta Crime
 FOX 5 Atlanta Crime The Daily Beast
 The Daily Beast Fox 11 Los Angeles Sports
 Fox 11 Los Angeles Sports Tech Times
 Tech Times