When I read the headline DoD Requests Plan to Close Stateside Commissaries and the article about DoD’s recent efforts to consider offering up stateside commissaries in response to ongoing budget battles, I knew our military community was in for a rough ride.
According to the article, the defense comptroller and the Joint Staff directed the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) to look at closing all commissary stores in the U.S. This could free up as much as $900 million annually for other military operation and maintenance support needs like flying hours, steaming days, and troop rotations. There is also some indication that DoD is looking at cutting DeCA funding by upwards of 66 percent in the 2015 President’s Budget—all as part of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s efforts to put all programs on the table to meet budget caps tied to the 2011 Budget Control Act.
I don’t know about you, but this is getting exhausting. As a beneficiary, I don’t know from one day to the next which of the programs my family counts on will be around or not.
Cuts to our military benefits seem to be in the news almost every day, but with increasing volume—and urgent messaging that is not only scary but very worrisome to our service members, retirees, veterans, survivors, and their families.
That messaging sounds like “We are non-essential” to military recruiting, retention, and readiness.
Pawns in a chess match? This raises questions in the minds of beneficiaries about what we can do to turn this tide so our voices are heard.
First and foremost, let’s be clear: Nothing could be further from the truth that benefits like commissaries, exchanges, and other resale programs aren’t mission essential!
So here are some little-known facts about the Military Resale System you may not be aware of from Save Our Benefit:
- The Military Resale System is one of the most important benefits to military families—second only to health care—and helps retain highly qualified service members.
- Military families save 20 to 50 percent by using this benefit.
- It’s an important source of savings for National Guard and Reserve families who must make do with one less paycheck while these service members are called to active duty to serve our nation.
- Exchanges manage the military’s school lunch program.
- The system provides “welcome home” programs for returning combat veterans.
- It offers vital support for Fisher House, Wounded Warriors, military family programs, and families of deployed combat forces.
- It is the vital underpinning of the military’s transportation system and base and combat support infrastructure.
And finally, according to Save the Benefit Resale Fact Sheet, many of you may not know there has been“No growth in public support funding for these programs while Defense spending has doubled. The cost of commissary programs has remained constant, even as the cost of other quality of life programs such as medical care, housing, and family support services has doubled or tripled over the past five years.”
These benefits are more important today than ever before.
Commissaries and Exchanges aren’t “relics burdening a financially stressed force” as the article suggests military leaders may believe. And, we military beneficiaries aren’t burdening the system. We are the critical elements of our national defense system.
We are, after all, the reason the military has been able to execute its recruiting, retention and readiness mission. Take these people and their earned benefits out of the system, and then you don’t have a system; you have a hollowed force with broken trust.
So here’s my challenge! Exercise your voice by doing something:
- Send your stories and comments on the importance of Commissaries and Exchanges to MFAN.
- Connect to Save Our Benefit to learn more about your resale benefits and join the coalition of organizations and individuals that are all about saving them.
- Join a military or veterans service organization like one listed at The Military Coalition.
- Or all the above!
Remember, You Do Make Difference!
Happy Holidays to you and yours.
