Military

Reserve and active-duty Coast Guard members will receive their regular paychecks on Monday in spite of the federal government shutdown. However, future paychecks would require an act of Congress.

There’s a heavy demand from scientists to use the Coast Guard’s icebreakers to do research in Arctic waters. But with only two icebreakers in its entire fleet, the Coast Guard’s capabilities are limited.

A C-130 cargo plane loaded with presents for children was stopped on the runway as the earthquake hit. The plane was part of Operation Santa Claus, an annual tradition of the Alaska National Guard and the Salvation Army.

If President Donald Trump gets the funding he wants for a border wall, it could mean Alaska’s congressional delegation would lose out on one of its top priorities: a polar icebreaker.

A steep decline in Alaska Native rates of service is due, in part, to changes in recruitment practices at the Alaska National Guard and the military overall.

“We need everybody’s help,” said Major General Laurie Hummel. “We need veterans to talk about their experiences, and to mentor young people, and to help keep them on the right path.” Hummel and her staff were in Sitka last week as part of a new rural engagement initiative.