A general view of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on March 21, 2025. Kent Nishimura/Reuters

As the US passes the record for the longest government shutdown in history on Wednesday, civilian employees of the Defense Department — many of whom are veterans and military family members — are questioning how the agency is treating their federal service as some struggle to make ends meet amid missed paychecks.

Eight Defense Department civilians, stationed everywhere from Hawaii to Germany, told CNN morale is low and falling fast as the government shutdown drags on with no clear end in sight. Several said they and others they know are actively looking to leave federal service after years or even decades of prior commitment, while others said they feel a responsibility to stay despite the i

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