FORT LEE, Va. – Once upon a time, a number of commissaries had small branch stores that allowed customers to conveniently phone in their orders, drive up to that facility and pick up their groceries.

It wasn’t quite Commissary CLICK2GO, but it was a precursor of things to come.

“When you look back into the history of military commissaries it’s amazing to see the roots of services like the curbside pickup we’re offering today,” said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, senior enlisted advisor to the Defense Commissary Agency director. “It’s a testament to the fact that a good idea doesn’t have a shelf life.” 

So, what’s the story about commissaries and their drive-up branch stores?

The number of commissaries grew during and after World War II, but not nearly fast enough to keep up with the number of military bases or the military family population. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, most commissaries still remained low on the priority list for funds for renovations and new facility construction. 

This funding shortage forced most bases to “make do” with whatever facilities they already had. One common solution was to create a store annex or a branch store. These smaller operations allowed customers to quickly run in and pick up a few items such as bread, milk and paper towels.

The Troop Support Agency, the organization that managed Army commissaries, called these stores “Mini Coms” and the Air Force Commissary Service dubbed theirs “Wee Serve,” which reflected on their motto “We Serve Where You Serve.”

Sometimes these annexes were established as separate “neighborhood stores.” In some instances, the branch operations were separate areas within the main store building, but were walled off from the rest of the store. They kept different hours than the main store and were accessed by separate entrances. 

Several of these branch stores allowed customers to call in their order over the phone, select a time to pick their groceries up and have them brought out to their car when they arrived. Although most annexes and branches were walk-in stores, a few had a window service that turned them into “drive-ins” – also known as “drive-throughs” or “drive-thrus.”

Most of the branch stores with drive-up service were open longer hours to serve customers later in the evening or early in the morning before the regular commissary opened.

The drive-in made possible incredibly quick shopping trips, during which the customer never left the vehicle. A customer could purchase a half-dozen items and be on his or her way in a matter of minutes. Such was the case at Port Hueneme, California, in 1961. The drive-in annex was attached to the main store, but it reduced congestion in the main store and in the parking lot by enabling customers to shop without getting out of their cars.

Some stores used the drive-in concept exclusively for parcel pick-up. This was especially popular at locations where there were not enough baggers to carry every customer’s purchases to their cars. Customers would walk through the store as usual, selecting items, but at the register their groceries would be tagged with a number, and when the customer drove up to the pick-up window, he would present a matching claim ticket to the attendant. Some stores, such as the main store at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1965, provided a roof or a partial overhang for the parcel pick-up area.

Yesterday’s branch store call-in and pickup operations have evolved into today’s Commissary CLICK2GO.

“Our online ordering-curbside pick program makes shopping fun with features offering helpful product details, a robust selection of recipes, featured sales and promotions and now you can even pay online,” Saucedo said. “You arrive at your commissary and we’ll get your groceries loaded and off you go. It’s as easy as that.”

DeCA’s evolution of convenience continues with its testing of a delivery service at eight stateside installations that began June 1 and ends Aug. 30. The service allows patrons within a 20-mile radius of the participating commissary to order groceries online via Commissary CLICK2GO, and have them delivered to their front door. The test period is one of the tools the agency is using to determine future expansion of Commissary CLICK2GO delivery.

-DeCA-

NOTE: Portions of this article came from “The Illustrated History of American Military Commissaries” by Dr. Peter Skirbunt, former DeCA historian

The military commissary began in 1825 as a place to purchase goods at Army posts, paying at-cost pricing. Initially, the commissary was open only to active-duty military, and then in 1841, it opened to family members as well. The goal of the commissaries was to provide nutritious food no matter where the military was located – from near a city to the frontier away from the developed areas. A commissary was at every Army post, no matter the location. This included expanding to the Philippines and China in the early 1900s.

The Defense Department commissioned a study in 1989 that recommended the consolidation of the different military service branches’ commissary systems into one and in 1990 the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) was established. The commissaries of today continue to provide groceries and products to military families at a lower costs. Congress has mandated a 5-percent surcharge on the items to cover the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing and updating current ones.

When living in areas of a high cost of living, and in overseas locations where it may be difficult to get familiar groceries, the military commissaries have relied upon resources. The savings of groceries including no sales tax can save families lots of money. In a time when the cost of living is increasing all around the world, every little bit helps.

The patron list has historically included active-duty members and their families and expanded to include military retirees and their families in 1879.  Now that COVID-19 restrictions have lessened, the patron groups are open to disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war and their certified primary caregivers.

The Defense Commissary Agency, DECA, has been planning for grocery delivery and it starts June 1 at 8 military bases.

In April, DECA awarded grocery delivery contracts to two veteran-owned companies. The pilot program will run through the summer, ending August 30^th.  After the contract award, the delivery companies integrated and tested their technology with the commissary grocery ordering system. The plan for the same-day delivery is that grocery delivery within 3 hours for orders placed Monday through Friday.

The contract for the eastern commissaries is ChowCall based out of Chesapeake, Virginia.  The contract for the commissaries on the west coast is YouUp Delivery Inc, out of Roswell, Georgia.

East coast Commissaries participating in grocery delivery through ChowCall are:

– Fort Belvoir, Virginia

– Scott Air Force Base, Illinois

– Fort Bragg South Commissary, North Carolina

– MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

– Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia

West Coast Commissaries participating in grocery delivery through YouUp are:

-Fort Lewis, Washington

-Miramar Naval Air Station and San Diego Naval Station, California

The doorstep delivery cost is planned range between $3.80 and $4.15. This is much less than grocery delivery fees from big box stores. The plan is for delivery to be provided within a 20 miles driving distance from the commissaries. The hours of operation for delivery were not readily listed or available.

The co-founder of YouUp Delivery, Inc, Harold Earls is a retired captain from the Army. He remarked on his personal desire for convenience when it comes to grocery cost. He said he has specifically created his company with the goal to serve the military community, specifically through the commissary.

The CEO of ChowCall, Todd Waldemar, is a retired Marine. He currently works with restaurants on military bases and is excited about adding grocery delivery to their support.

The goal of both companies is to hire military spouses to work with the company to provide grocery delivery. Working for the delivery company will come with hourly wage plus tips. Per http://www.youup.us/hire, the hourly wage will be around $20 an hour. ChowCall is also hiring per their LinkedIn. That is quite a wage for grocery delivery, and much higher in comparison to other large companies that provide grocery and meal delivery around the U.S.

Like Click2Go, the commissary employees will still shop for the items that the military family desires from the store. Then the filled orders will be ready for pick up for the grocery delivery contractor. The application for grocery delivery will group the deliveries in the best and most efficient order.

The commissary provides about 20% cost savings in comparison to other grocery stores. Even with the few dollars grocery delivery fee, there will still be a grocery savings for military members.

The website for coordination of grocery delivery was not readily available at this writing. Will you use commissary grocery delivery?

In both 2020 and 2021, the National Defense Authorization Act discusses combining the military commissary and exchange system. In August of 2019, Deputy Secretary of Defense David L. Norquist wrote a memorandum recommending the consolidation of the Defense Commissary Agency (DECA), the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEX) and the Marine Corps Exchange (MCX). The movement to consolidate was financially motivated.  A 2018 study determined that “the benefits of consolidating the defense resale entities far outweigh the costs.” A Government Accountability Office (GAO) review reached a different conclusion.

Currently, the exchange system uses its profit to support on base programming. Overseas, the exchanges operate movie theaters, food outlets and provide school lunches. Across the world, the exchange profits are put back into programming that support the military members and their families on the bases. When the consolidation was first introduced, the concern was raised if these programs would be continued to be supported.

The military commissary provides tax-free grocery shopping to military families on items that are at lower costs than off-base stores. While the prices differ across the country, the commissary is a constant no matter what military base around the world the military family moves to.

Current Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks has rescinded the memorandum requesting consolidation and advised the Department of Defense (DOD) “to cease all efforts to consolidate the Defense resale entities.”  A reported from the DOD in later 2021 stated that the consolidation was no longer feasible.  The initial 2018 study stated that consolidation would save $700 million to $1.3 billion over a period of five years. New analysis in 2021 determined that consolidation would require $1.5 billion in costs.

While cost-savings is the reason for cancelling the consolidation, other concerns were raised by the National Military Family Association and Military Officers Association of America. The two organizations noted concerns that programming supported by the exchange would end if the consolidation would occur. In addition, the cost would be passed onto customer. There are already increased costs of items in some locations overseas due to the cost of shipping items overseas. Adding an extra cost to them could be significant for military families.

Current law prohibits consolidation of the commissaries and exchanges and with the move away from consolidation, the same services are to continue.

FORT LEE, Va. – As the world celebrates 52 years of Earth Day on April 22 and the awareness it brings, the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) is highlighting the steps it takes every day to reduce its environmental footprint through recycling and diversion, food donations and the sale of environmentally friendly products.

Since the inception of its environmental program in 2005, DeCA has recycled or diverted over 1.9 billion pounds of solid waste from landfills worldwide. That’s the equivalent of 1,939 fully loaded Boeing 747 jumbo jets being eliminated from landfills.

“It’s not just about Earth Day,” said Steven Edlavitch, DeCA environmental program manager. “The agency has made the commitment to our communities and that means we must also ensure we are doing everything we can to protect and bring sustainability to those communities.”

To fulfill its mission of reducing the agency’s footprint, commissaries recycle and divert different types of commodities. DeCA then sells the commodities and the proceeds are added to the surcharge funds, which pays for the construction of replacement stores, renovations, maintenance and repairs of existing stores, and the purchasing of new equipment and store-level information technology systems. The sale of cardboard, plastic and office paper has generated over $57 million in surcharge funds since 2005. In 2021, DeCA recycled or diverted the following commodities:

• Aluminum cans – 1,587 pounds
• Cardboard – 70,182,331 pounds
• Compost – 8,487,554 pounds
• Fat and bones – 1,076,858 pounds
• Food donations – 4,466,361 pounds
• Food recovery (organics) – 77,320 pounds
• Local farm – 610,711 pounds
• Metal – 54,410 pounds
• Office paper – 44,348 pounds
• Other recyclables – 29,081 pounds
• Plastic – 4,074,070 pounds
• Rotisserie chicken oil – 82,227 pounds
• Toner cartridges – 72 pounds
• Wood – 2,614,418 pounds
• Wood pallets – 3,291,821 pounds

The agency also sells outdated or surplus equipment. “By using a liquidation service to help sell out-of-use items, we have supported the environment by diverting 1.5 million pounds of used equipment from landfills,” said Edlavitch. “We also boosted the commissary benefit at the same time with the sale of these items, generating over $4.1 million in surcharge revenue.”

Another part of DeCA’s environmental program is the agency’s food bank program that donates edible but unsellable food to local food banks around the country. In 2021, the agency donated over 4.4 million pounds of edible but unsellable food. Since 2012, when the program started, the agency has donated over 32 million pounds of food, eliminating approximately 2.6 million pounds of methane gas, a detrimental greenhouse gas. DeCA currently has 196 approved (DoD) food banks and 174 commissaries supporting local foodbanks.

“The pandemic created a large demand for food donations,” said Edlavitch. “Helping food-insecure families is our social responsibility. And as an added bonus, donating food also reduces our environmental impact. We will continue to look for opportunities to donate food to help support our communities.”

DeCA also participates in the Feds Feed Families Food Drive, a voluntary federal-wide and nationwide effort for employees to collect and donate food for those in need. The USDA oversees the program and DeCA manages the DoD Feds Feed Families program. The 2021 campaign, which was conducted from June 1 to Aug. 31, collected just over 7.5 million pounds for donation to food banks. Commissary customers and DeCA employees were responsible for donating 2.4 million pounds or 66 percent of the DOD wide total of 3.7 million pounds. 

Even the commissary buildings contribute to the overall mission. Many of them have been built to or have been renovated to minimize their carbon footprint. Many of the stores have glass doors on their refrigeration units, they take advantage of natural light and use solar power units and LED lighting when possible. Some stores also have low- to no-maintenance flooring which helps to reduce the chemicals and equipment needed to strip and polish floors reducing the overall cost to run stores. The agency is also working to convert or upgrade existing HVAC units and other store technologies to help reduce the footprint further. 

The last part of the agency’s mission is offering environmentally friendly products for commissary customers. Products that can reduce the customers’ impact on the environment can be found in almost every section of the store. Customers can choose from organic produce, energy-saving compact fluorescent and LED light bulbs, high-efficiency laundry products and environmentally friendly cleaning products.

Customers can also find products with reduced packaging like paper towels and bathroom tissue without the cardboard tubes.

The commissary also features a commissary store brand, Full Circle Market, that provides sustainable, simple and better choices through all-natural ingredients, while not costing a fortune or sacrificing taste. According to the brand’s website, their “organic foods are farmed and produced without chemical treatments and processing. Full Circle Market organic foods have been produced using cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that support the cycling of on-farm resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.”

Customers can also buy reusable shopping bags while shopping in their commissaries to help reduce the number of plastic bags being sent to landfills.

“While Earth Day may bring awareness to the systems and processes we have in place to help protect the environment, sustainability is something that is ingrained in how the commissaries do business,” said Edlavitch. “Our customers can count on us to be good stewards of the military and global communities.”

-DeCA-

Grocery shopping is a necessary activity to support daily life. It doesn’t mean it has to be boring. In fact, there are some gems at the Commissary on the post if you know where to look. Here are a few of my favorite things at the Military Commissary.

1. Canned Coffees. It isn’t a surprise that caffeine is necessary for survival on some days. Deployments, work-ups, PCSing are times of high stress often coupled with less sleep, making caffeine essential. Canned coffees come in a variety of options. Check out the international aisle of Japanese coffees and even milk tea. Check out the dairy section for refrigerated canned coffees with oat milk, no milk, or milk in a variety of concentrations. If you can’t find what you are looking for, check the beverage stands by the cash registers.
2. Pre-Cut Fruit and Veg. When we are heading to the beach, PCSing or just looking for a shortcut for the week, the pre-cut veg and fruit are a go-to. There are packs of veg cut for stir fry and fruit in all varieties. This saves on time during a busy week, and helps when PCSing and staying in hotels without kitchens or just grabbing a healthier option for lunch on the go. Check out the produce section or the fridge in the entryway.
3. Platters. Another big shortcut for a busy week or when hosting a get-together is the deli platters. There are sandwich, vegetable, fruit, and meat and cheese platters of a variety of sizes at reasonable prices. Again, providing a shortcut at a reasonable price. When PCSing, the sandwich platters can feed movers and packers for a decent price, and even provide chow for the family for the day. The fruit and veg platters can be divvied up for meal planning for lunches, adding the valuable resource of time to the day.
4. Frozen Meals. Whether PCSing or entering a busy season of life, let’s face it – sometimes frozen meals enter the weekly meal rotation. TV dinners in all varieties exist – but there are even some healthier options with vegan, low-salt in addition to cuisine varieties like Indian, Mexican, Asian flares. Check these out if you are in the temporary lodging facility, or even after a big grocery trip to lessen the stress for the evening meal.
5. Frozen Meat. Have you ever seen the freezer by the meat section that is full of pork, chicken, veal, and beef? The combo freezer is for meat that has been frozen prior to their sell-by date and is discounted. This is a great way to grab meats that you would throw in the freezer for crockpot or instapot meals later anyway and at savings.
6. Local Finds. Each commissary has different stock because they negotiate with local vendors for items. We have found pies and even seafood from local vendors at Commissaries across the United States. This is a great way to grab local finds, like Julian Pies from the Camp Pendleton commissary, without the hour drive to Julian. There has even been local honey found before – a great way to get a jump start on treating those local allergies (just remember that honey cannot be fed to children under 1 year).

What are your favorite things from the military commissary?

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:        15-22                                                                             

Date:                              March 24, 2022

Media Contact:           Kevin L. Robinson, public affairs specialist

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

E-mail:                         kevin.robinson@deca.mil

By Kevin L. Robinson,

DeCA public affairs specialist

Facebook-friendly version: Select commissaries and exchanges worldwide are planning recognition events to honor veterans, surviving spouses and their families for Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29. Vietnam War-era veterans who served from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975 will receive commemorative lapel pins. Participants are advised to check with their local commissaries and exchanges for scheduled ceremonies.

Click here  to read more on the DeCA website.

FORT LEE, Va. – Select commissaries and exchanges worldwide are planning recognition events to honor veterans, surviving spouses and their families for Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29.

Vietnam War-era veterans who served from Nov. 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975 will receive commemorative lapel pins. Participants are advised to check with their local commissaries and exchanges for scheduled ceremonies.

Defense Commissary Agency Director and CEO Bill Moore said it is only right that commissaries join the nation in recognizing the service and sacrifice of Vietnam War-era veterans and their families.

“When our nation called, they answered,” Moore said. “We at DeCA are privileged to acknowledge their proud legacy of service. We also want to continue welcoming the millions of eligible veterans and their caregivers who are now authorized to shop on-base.”

Approximately 9 million U.S. military members served on active duty during the Vietnam War era. Out of the 2.7 million U.S. service members who served in Vietnam, more than 58,000 were killed and more than 304,000 were wounded.

Vietnam Veterans Day was first established by presidential proclamation in 2012 leading to the start of annual observance events in 2014. The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 further established the events as a national observance to recognize Vietnam War-era veterans for their service.

At DeCA, supporting the military is part of the DNA of its workforce, with more than 65 percent of commissary employees having a direct connection to the military as a veteran, a retiree, a military family member or a reservist.

“We appreciate the opportunity to serve our military veterans because we’re in essence honoring family,” Moore said. “My dad was a Vietnam combat vet, so this is personal for me. He became disabled as a result of his service, like so many of his fellow Vietnam veterans. They deserve the honor and respect of our nation for their selfless service and sacrifice in that war.

“On this special day, March 29, we are taking time out to honor our Vietnam War-era veterans,” he added. “And for any of those vets who are disabled and can shop in our stores, we want to reach out to them and let them know the commissary is here to deliver savings on their grocery bill.”

To learn more about the National Vietnam War Commemoration effort, go to their website.

-DeCA-

Grocery delivery has been an amazing plus. When you have sick kids at home, are sick yourself, and your partner is deployed, gone or at training, grocery delivery means you don’t have to drag yourself out the door or pack up sick kids into the car. Grocery delivery has grown as an option to many stores over the last couple of years. It looks like the Defense Commissary Agency, or DECA, is looking to add this benefit to its stores.

A contract solicitation for grocery delivery was published by the Defense Department on January 31^st. The pilot program states that grocery delivery could be provided within a 20-mile driving radius of select stores.

The eight stores where the pilot program is proposed includes:

• Naval Base San Diego, California
• Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
• Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington
• Scott Air Force Base, Illinois
• Fort Belvoir, Virginia
• Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia
• Fort Bragg South Post Commissary, North Carolina
• MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

While the pilot program does not list a specific timeline for when the program would be executed, grocery has been a goal of the new Defense Commissary Agency Director Bill Moore. The ultimate goal is for all the commissaries in the continental United States to provide this service. There will be a service charge, keeping in line with other large stores’ grocery delivery services. A proposed service charge was not listed in the solicitation, but would likely be determined by the contractor who provides the delivery.

Grocery Pick Up is a currently provided service at the Commissaries. Click 2 Go provides free grocery pick up at Continental U.S. Commissaries. There is no minimum for grocery pick up and can be ordered all online, including digital coupons. The ability to grocery shop online without leaving your home, and then selecting a pickup time is great for meal planners, those who just don’t want to shop in the store or have napping children. The addition of grocery delivery would mean you wouldn’t even have to leave the house to get your favorite grocery items.

Will you use grocery delivery from the Commissary?

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.