We recently published an article, “Commissary Closures: It’s All or Nothing,” and received quite a bit of feedback on it, especially about commissary privatization. Emotions run high when the topic turns to the potential of commissary privatization or even worse, closure.
Don’t panic; your commissary benefits are currently safe.
Commissary privatization isn’t the answer. Photo courtesy U.S. Air Force.
The government is however trying to do away with the cost associated with the operation of the commissary. After our article was published, a lot of MilitaryShoppers readers voiced their opinions. Here is what they said:
Char Johnson said
Privatization is NOT the answer! How many benefits do you think taking away from our military (active or retired) will be acceptable! What happened to honor and trust, something our members of Congress don’t seem to recognize? I am a military wife of a retiree. I/we travel to the commissary and exchange at least three times per month, and we utilize our privileges to the max. Don’t take away something that has been earned and promised. Start taking away from those who vote against what we have and what our soldiers have earned.
Mrs. Johnson makes an excellent point, where will the cutting of benefits end? Service members are promised benefits when they join the military. That is a recruiting tool. If men and women are willing to put their lives on the line, getting a few benefits for themselves and their families make a big difference.
Many have already seen significant cuts to what they were promised.
Tricare has had several changes over the years, many of which are not ideal. Retirement benefits have shrunk in size and increased in cost. Education benefits have improved, and the exchange and commissaries have remained a constant. Service men and women, along with their families, have earned these benefits and were promised them.
Now the government wants to save money by taking away some of the $1.3 billion annual Department of Defense subsidy the commissary receives. Millions of dollars have been spent researching how to keep the commissary running without government funds. Many options have been considered including commissary brand products, commissary privatization and variable pricing. So far, none of these are the answer. In the meantime, military families keep shopping at the commissary.
The majority of service members and their families shop at the commissary. It might be just once a year for some but for many, it’s multiple times a month. The slogan “it’s worth the drive” is true. I no longer live near a big commissary, even though we are active duty. The tiny 6-isle commissary 35 minutes away is worth the drive just for the savings on meat alone.
Daryel Covington also makes the drive. He said
I travel about 150 miles round trip sometimes twice a month! BTW, I’m a 70-year-old retiree and need the saving! And no I will not support a price increase nor could I support privatization.
Mr. Covington travels to the commissary to save money and realizes that if the prices go up, the commute won’t be worth it. For some, saving money isn’t the main reason they shop at the commissary though.
William C Simmons said
I am a retired airman who served 26 years. My wife and I are today over 80 years old and shop the commissary once every week. Our children have long left home and we live alone. The commissary is a great convenience to us. Of course we could shop local grocery stores; it would not be the Military Family we loved for so many years.
I share the same sentiment with Mr. Simmons. I love saving money of course, but I mostly like to shop at the commissary because of the military community or family feeling.
I grew up doing our weekly grocery shopping with my mom at the commissary and now I do it with my son. While the Simmons don’t have any children of their own left at home, they feel like they can still shop at the commissary and have that military family feeling.
If commissary privatization is realized, that sense of family may get pushed out of the way for corporate profits.
That’s what all of this comes down to, money. The government wants to save money and we just want to save our benefit. They have spent millions of dollars researching how to save money. Commissary privatization isn’t the answer.
Charles leaves us with this thought. He said
The amount the commissary gets subsidized is a small price given to our active duty troops/retirees and their families for the many contributions and sacrifices they gave to our country. So much more funds could be saved by eliminating the enormous careless [government] spending.
Now do you believe Illegals and Refugees have better/more benefits/aid/assistance than retirees or active military members but also from the American people. Cutting benefits from military personnel and Senior Citizens to continue giving to the Illegals and Refugees who we say we don’t want to be here is not the answer.
Govt has billions to give away to foreign countries for almost no return. And millions to spend on worthless studies. Keep the commissary like it is. No privatization. It can only mean higher prices.
Why is the email address of the person in charge of AAFES a mystery? Gas prices and cigarette prices are now the same as the nearest town. Sad.
Vote Trump.
If you think Trump is the answer I hope you never have to find out what this liar, draft dodger, and racist would do to this country and the military.
How can they justify taking commissary privileges away while sending billions of dollars overseas that will never be returned. Use that money for our troops. Don’t they and their families matter. My answer would be cut the spending budget for other countries help and use for our military budget.
We too, travel 120 miles round trip to shop once every three weeks at the commissary. Yes, it does cost the military some money to run this system but the military also saved a lot of money when these GIs were expected to work sometimes 48 hours at a stretch because of some emergency and these men and women were never paid for any extra time worked. They also gave up week ends, worked while sick, and missed vacations because it was expected of them to work extra hours and days with no compensation. Well, now they expect the commissary to be there for them always with the same savings that are presently available. They paid their dues and now it is time for the Powers that Be to make sure they make this benefit secure for the present and the future.
I’m a retiree. I love the local commissary and shop there often. They have better produce and meat than the local Walmart which is the only other grocery in this town of over 23,000 people which is adjacent to the south of the post. The only way to cut expenses and reduce the need for money from congress seems to me to be to raise prices and cut operating hours. The local commissary is already closed on Monday’s and has reduced hours on Sunday’s. Reducing hours of operation is tricky because you still have to maintain high enough volume of sales to support the produce and meat sections of the operation. Prices could go up some, but only a small amount, it could be done gradually to allow observation of the response of the customers. Long run I think the best answer would be to bring back the draft and require all who serve in congress to have also served in the military, so they can understand the problem from our point of view. 😉
CUT THE VACATION TIME THEY GET ALONG WITH PAY THEY RECIVE AND THEN TAKE AWAY THERE PERKS THEY RECIVE
This is the last benefit that we have as retired military so please do not cut this benefit other than TriCare all other are gone..TriCare was supposed to be free to us as a military wife we all still use the Commissary daily.
The commissary can longer list prices on their advertisements or newsletters either. Ridiculous.
Since my first enlistment in 1969 I’ve seen almost every benefit promised diminished or eroded. When will it stop? In the mean time, Congress gets a full salary retirement after only one term, exceptional medical treatment and a host of other benefits that seem to keep on expanding. I’d only like what they’ve voted for themselves. Keep the commissaries open, I can’t live on the regular grocery store prices.
Its not broke dont fix it so its broke
I have always felt that you give retired civilians access to services on the base, why not allow them to use the commissary and bx, which is run by services…we use the gym, bowling alley, clubs, etc and our money is as good as anyones, but your still maintaining security for the post/base…and getting additional money…
I’m sorry, should have been a little more clear on the retired civil service civilians…not just retired civilians!
The voters need to cut many of the benefits that our politicians have voted in for themselves. I don’t see to many of our political staff serving in our military organizations. The American voter who has elected these people in Congress have not voted on all there free benefits, yearly salary, travel benefits, medical care, and retirement benefits that they get.
Maybe the American people ought to vote on our salary, travel expenses, medical care, and workers expense. Then make it a law like Congress. We all need free stuff for doing nothing too.
I agree with the comment on giving access to civilians – civilian DoD employees. Why not allow DoD civilian employees access to the commissary and PX? That would increase revenue significantly.
In my opinion, the commissary is a joke. Publix has much better quality fruits, vegetables, and meat. Some things are cheaper on base, but some things are actually cheaper at Publix. By the way, there is no surcharge at Publix.