“Defense Department leaders are in ‘triage mode’ as the Pentagon scrambles to adjust domestic and international operations in anticipation for a government shutdown,” according to The Hill.

“Senior Pentagon and military officials are attempting to cope with a slew of ‘grey area decisions’ where leaders are forced to pick and choose which U.S. national security priorities to preserve if the government grinds to a halt on Oct. 1.”

“Key Department of Defense (DOD) offices are wasting ‘thousands of hours of employee time’ that could be used to address pressing national security issues facing the United States, Pentagon Comptroller Bob Hale said.”

John Bellinger: ”The rank-and-file who work long and stressful hours protecting the country may technically remain on the job, but they and their leaders (including agency heads) already are having to spend much of their time dealing with the distractions of the coming shutdown… In short, if there were another attack against the United States or its facilities around the world… Members of Congress who had forced a government shutdown would themselves be blamed.”

Crossposted from Wonk Wire.