News Release

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        06-22                                                                                                                        

Date:                              February 1, 2022

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

Heart Health Month

Commissaries offer customers plenty

of product selections

to boost their cardiovascular wellness  

By Kathy Milley,

DeCA public affairs specialist

Facebook-friendly version: February is American Heart Month and a perfect time to focus on heart health. Many of the factors of cardiovascular health are under our control. One of the most significant weapons is the food we eat. The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) offers customers plenty of opportunities to make better product selections for their heart health while saving significantly in the process.

Click here to read the story on the DeCA website

FORT LEE, Va. – February is American Heart Month and a perfect time to focus on heart health. Many of the factors of cardiovascular health are under our control. One of the most significant weapons is the food we eat.

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) offers customers plenty of opportunities to make better product selections for their heart health while saving significantly in the process.

“Heart disease doesn’t occur overnight, it is a result of lifelong choices,” said Deborah Harris, DeCA’s dietitian and health and wellness program manager (who holds a master of Public Health degree and is a registered dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist).

“One of the best ways to keep our hearts healthy is to make food selections that will help us protect our hearts,” she added. “As you shop the commissary aisles, start with a few heart-healthy changes, like reading nutrition labels and choosing “Dietitian-Approved Thumb” tagged items, then begin to add others.”

According to the American Heart Association, when making the following choices, it will help ensure you are eating nutrient-dense foods for a heart-healthy dietary pattern.

• Eat a variety of fruit and vegetables – all forms (fresh, frozen, canned and dried) and all colors
• Choose whole grains
• Select healthy sources of protein, mostly from plant sources like legumes and nuts, fish or seafood, low-fat or nonfat dairy and lean cuts of meat
• Limit red and processed meats, sodium, added sugars and alcohol
• Choose foods and oils with healthy fats, avoiding saturated and trans fats
• Scan the entire nutrition label to identify nutrient-dense foods. Look further down the label to identify beneficial nutrients such as calcium, potassium and fiber. This analysis has already been done for commissary customers. Simply look for the “Dietitian-Approved Thumb”-tagged items on the commissary shelves

As you menu plan and shop, the commissary places these heart healthy choices at your fingertips. Try some new recipes like Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower Topping , Shrimp and Grits, or any of the other dietitian-approved recipes found on commissaries.com.

Use the monthly menu planning resources: the Printable Nutrition Month Dinner Meal Plan or the Tasty. Simple. Nutritious Dinner Meal Plan to add variety to your heart smart choices.

Even when shopping online using Commissary Click2Go, the commissary’s online ordering service, instantly add the ingredients of your favorite dietitian-approved recipe to your virtual grocery cart by selecting the recipe you would like to add to your meal plan for the week and simply click the “Add to Cart” button beside each of the ingredients you need to prepare the meal.

“The commissary has made it easy to stock your fridge and pantry with nutrient-dense foods that are kind to your heart. These food choices will help you achieve success in transforming to a heart-healthy diet that will support your heart health in the years to come,” Harris said. “Small steps like these now can lead to big strides toward better heart health later.”

-DeCA-

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

By Rick Brink, DeCA public affairs specialist

Facebook-friendly version: Commissary CLICK2GO, the Defense Commissary Agency’s online shopping and curbside pickup service, extended its services Oct. 25 to commissary customers in all 50 states who participate in the Electronic Benefits Transfer/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or EBT/SNAP. Click here to read the full story online.

FORT LEE, Va. – Commissary CLICK2GO, the Defense Commissary Agency’s online shopping and curbside pickup service, extended its services Oct. 25 to commissary customers in all 50 states who participate in the Electronic Benefits Transfer/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or EBT/SNAP.

            “We’re pleased with the ongoing evolution of our online shopping program to be able to offer its convenience to our customers,” said DeCA Director and CEO Bill Moore, “There’s a catch, though, that for now, and until some electronic payment issues are resolved, EBT/SNAP customers can shop online, but will have to go inside the store to pay for their purchases.”

            EBT/SNAP is only available in the U.S., not at overseas locations. Customers use a card that’s similar to a credit or debit card to access their benefits. The EBT/SNAP account of a participant is debited to reimburse the store for food they purchase. The Commissary CLICK2GO payment processor currently only accepts Mastercard, VISA, Discover and American Express for online and curbside payments, which is why EBT/SNAP participants have to go inside the store to complete their purchases.

            “I can assure you we are working to resolve the issues as quickly as possible, but we don’t have a timeframe, yet, of when that will be,” Moore said. “This year we finished an all-out press to expand Commissary CLICK2GO worldwide, and we are continuing to make it better as we strive to be the grocery store of choice for our patrons worldwide.”

-DeCA-

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        61-21                                                                                                                        

Date:                              August 17, 2021

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

‘How are we doing?’

Customers can evaluate their benefit through

 annual Commissary Customer Service Survey starting Aug. 23

By DeCA Corporate Communications

Military customers worldwide will have the opportunity to evaluate their stores through the annual Commissary Customer Service Survey (CCSS) starting Aug 23. To read the story on the DeCA website,click here. To see it on DVIDS, click here.

FORT LEE, Va. – Military customers worldwide will have the opportunity to evaluate their stores through the annual Commissary Customer Service Survey (CCSS) starting Aug. 23.

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) survey will be available for 10 consecutive shopping days ending on or before Sept. 8, depending on the commissary’s operating schedule. Customers will be able to take the survey at the commissary entrance area before they shop.

“This CCSS allows us to benchmark commissary performance during a fixed period of time,” said James Taylor, chief of DeCA’s store operations division. “We’re committed to delivering a premier customer experience in every store, and this survey platform continues to be a powerful tool to help us do that.”

            Customers will be asked at random to participate in the survey which evaluates areas such as customer service, pricing, savings, product availability and selection, cleanliness, store layout, and produce, meat, grocery deli and bakery quality.

            After agreeing to participate, customers will be presented with three options:

• Scan a QR code and take the survey on their own mobile device
• Have the store employee ask the questions and enter responses in the store’s iPad
• Or personally complete the survey on the store’s iPad

Commissary associates will use disinfectant wipes to sanitize the iPad between uses, and provide gloves to each customer electing to use the store device. The precautions are part of the safety measures used during the 2020 CCSS cycle to help prevent COVID-19 exposure.

“Care will be given to continuing social distancing measures,” Taylor said. “We are working with our associates at each location to ensure the proper safety protocols are in place.”  

Last year, more than 20,000 shoppers rated the commissaries an overall 4.46. The score is based on a 5-point scale, ranging from 1, “Poor,” to 5, “Excellent.” Customers gave commissaries high marks for helpful and courteous employees, store cleanliness and layout, and convenient hours.

In addition to the annual CCSS, DeCA also employs ForeSee, a robust survey platform that gives commissaries a real-time snapshot of patron feedback throughout the year, accessible at the link provided on the bottom of every purchase receipt. 

“These surveys give our customers opportunities to determine how effective we are in delivering their commissary benefit,” said Brian Myrick, management and program analyst. “We use the data from their responses to help improve their shopping experience. In effect you can say they’re helping themselves by participating.” 

-DeCA-

By Kathy Milley, DeCA Corporate Communications

July 13, 2021

FORT LEE, Va. – The average grocery store shopper spends 41 minutes per shopping trip, not including travel time, and makes 1.5 trips per week according to the Time Use Institute. That equates to 53 hours per year spent grocery shopping.

The Defense Commissary Agency offers ideas to help shorten your shopping trip, allowing you to divert some of this time back to family and leisure activities.

“When your schedule is tight, our tips can help you shave precious time from your commissary shopping trip, where you can save about 25 cents on the dollar,” said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, DeCA’s senior enlisted advisor to the agency director. “But when your schedule permits, take some time exploring your commissary and talking to department managers. There are always new products to discover, great promotions throughout the store and department managers willing to share helpful shopping tips.”

Tips to shave time from your shopping trip:

1.  Use Commissary CLICK2GO

         The best way to save valuable shopping time is to use Commissary CLICK2GO, the online shopping and curbside pickup service, available at select locations. Shop from the comfort of your own home and schedule a pickup time. The commissary staff will do all your shopping and have it ready to load in your car when you drive up to the pickup location. And it just got better.  The Commissary Click2Go service fees have been waived for a limited time. Currently Commissary CLICK2GO is available at 52 locations with more locations coming online each month. Keep checking for the new locations coming online on commissaries.com.

2.  Create a master plan

         Planning is the most effective way to cut time from your in store shopping trip and to minimize the number of visits per week. Choose what meals you plan to make during the week and jot down needed ingredients. Commissaries.com offers many recipes that will help with your weekly meal plan. Then check your pantry, refrigerator and cabinets, crossing out the items you already have on hand. Sort the remaining items on a shopping list by category. When you get to the store, you’ll know exactly what to buy and where everything is located. Use this helpful Weekly Meal Plan Worksheet to make it even easier. Save your meal plans and corresponding shopping lists to use again saving even more time on future shops.

         As you are shopping, you might see an item that sparks an idea for an additional dinner that may need several ingredients. Once the inspiration hits, place the item in the child’s seat of the cart as a reminder that you need to pick up the other ingredients or, if you have a pen, jot them down on your list under the appropriate department.

3.  Look up Sales and Recipes Ahead of Time

           Before going to the commissary, look at the sales flyer on commissaries.com to find savings on the items on your list. If a specific brand is on sale, make sure to jot that down beside the item on your shopping list. It will save you time in the store if you know exactly what brand is on sale.

4.  Organize Coupons Before you Get There

         Visit the Savings Center on commissaries.com before your commissary trip, to find resources with lots of printable coupons. Download digital coupons right to your Commissary Rewards Card. Print coupons for the items on your list and organize by category. You may also find industry coupons in the store displayed near the items you purchase.

5.  Avoid Shopping at Peak Hours

         Choosing off-peak hours is a great way to avoid crowds and long lines at the commissary.  If unsure of the peak hours for your store, ask your store director.

6.  Don’t Shop Hungry

         This is a fundamental rule to help you save money when grocery shopping, but it is just as effective when trying to save time. Hunger can be a distraction when you are trying to get in and out of the store as quickly as possible.

7.  Have a Backup Plan for Essential Items

         Know your essential items or brands when you do your shopping and have a backup plan in your mind. On the off chance that a product is not available, having a backup prepared will not derail your quick shopping trip.

8.  Talk to your commissary department managers

         During a shopping trip when time is not a factor, talk to the commissary department managers. They have a wealth of information that can help you decide the best times to plan a quick shopping trip. Ask them about their delivery days, when certain products will be at their freshest or anticipated mark-down times.

9.  Use science to choose your checkout line

         Choosing a line with one person with a loaded cart may actually be faster than a line with several people with fewer items. Little’s Law, the science behind selecting a queue, takes into account the idle time and interaction between each customer and adds that time to the length of each interaction. With all those “between customer” time additions, it may be quicker to choose the line with the fuller cart.

“We have lots of things competing for our time, so any free time we have has never been more valuable,” said Saucedo. “Use Commissary CLICK2GO, these simple tips and the downloadable Weekly Meal Plan Worksheet, to make your next grocery shopping experience the most time-efficient one yet.”

-DeCA-

NOTE: Graphic by Kathy Milley, DeCA Corporate Communications

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

Defense Commissary Agency

Corporate Communications

1300 E Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801-1800

Tel:  (804) 734-8000, Ext. 8-6105  DSN: 687-8000, Ext. 8-6105 

FAX: (804) 734-8248  DSN: 687-8248

www.commissaries.com

Release Number:        44-21                                                                                                                        

Date:                              June 21, 2021

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

Tel.:                               (804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

‘Exceptional quality’

Fisher House awards 500 scholarships to military children from pool of over 3,600 applicants

By Mike Perron,

DeCA public affairs specialist

The Scholarships for Military Children program once again came through for 500 students from military families who were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship grant for the upcoming 2021 – 2022 school year. The program, created in 2001, recognizes the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and celebrates the commissaries’ role in enhancing the military’s quality of life. To learn more,click here.

FORT LEE, Va. – Even as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on college and university academic schedules nationwide this year, the Scholarships for Military Children program once again came through for 500 students from military families who were each awarded a $2,000 scholarship grant for the upcoming 2021 – 2022 school year.

The program, created in 2001, recognizes the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and celebrates the commissaries’ role in enhancing the military’s quality of life. It’s administered by the Fisher House Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps service members and their families.

It was Fisher House’s efforts in recent years to modernize the entry process and bring it fully online which left it well prepared for a year complicated by a global pandemic, according to Marshall Banks, Fisher House Foundation’s director of community relations.

“We were very happy with the application process for the 2021-2022 scholarship programs,” he said. “The quality of applications received this year was exceptional. We received a total of 3,657 applications from 220 commissaries.”

While the application process went off without a hitch, the usual celebratory ceremonies held at commissaries for local scholarship winners had to be cancelled due to COVID.

“While we would normally hold a ceremony at the commissary, during these uncertain times with social distancing, ceremonies could not be held this year,” said Marye Dobson, the Defense Commissary Agency’s scholarships program liaison. Instead, scholarship winners were notified by mail and will receive an official certificate mailed to them by the commissary where they were selected as the recipient.

Scholarship applicants submit their official transcript indicating a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale for high school applicants, or indicating a cumulative minimum GPA of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale for students already enrolled in college; and an essay of 500 words or less, no longer than two pages.

Eligibility is determined using the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System database. Applicants must ensure that they, as well as their sponsor, are enrolled in the DEERS database and have a current military dependent ID card. The applicant must also be planning to attend or already be attending an accredited college or university, full time, in the fall of 2021 or be enrolled in a program of studies designed to transfer directly into a four-year program.

Applicants who are awarded a full scholarship to attend a college or university or receive an appointment to one of the military academies or affiliated preparatory schools are not eligible to receive funds from this program. A full scholarship is usually defined as one that provides for payment of tuition, books, lab fees and other expenses.

All rules and requirements for the program, as well as links to frequently asked questions are available at the Scholarships for Military Children website, as is the full list of this year’s winners.

“The window to apply for the 2022-2023 Fisher House Scholarships for Military Children should open in December and close in February, but the exact dates have not been determined yet,” said Dobson. “Be sure to check the scholarship page in mid-December for the opening of the program.”

Fisher House also recently added a custom scholarship search engine to the site, tailored to military families, called “Scholarships for Service.” It’s free, easy to use, and available on mobile devices or computers at militaryscholar.org.

“Fisher House Foundation is proud of our partnership with the Defense Commissary Agency that provides scholarships to well-deserving military children,” said Banks. “Over the last 21 years, we have provided $21,126,000 in scholarships.”

Fisher House Foundation is ranked a Four Star Charity by Charity Navigator. No government funds are used to support the Scholarships for Military Children Program. Commissary vendors, manufacturers, brokers, suppliers and the general public donate money to fund the program.

-DeCA-