You may be under the impression or myth that civilian or military government workers get fabulous pay. That is true only for those in the upper echelons of government. The rest of the ordinary workers actually make less than their civilian counterparts outside of government employment. I’m sure government workers would like to save more but cost-of-living raises aren’t automatic and they aren’t always granted. When you go without pay for over a month, you will find that your savings will be depleted. Below is a chart of wages and raises of ordinary government workers:

I do agree with your point that we should always save more for emergencies but I understand why the workers ended going to food charities for help. Thanks for your story, Sarah!