Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Why Are We Fine with DeCA Employees Shopping at the Commissaries, But Not Purple Heart Recipients?

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Commissary employees have just been given the approval to shop at base commissaries. Do you agree with this new policy?

Why Are We Fine with DeCA Employees Shopping at the Commissaries, But Not Purple Heart Recipients?

A commissary cashier checks groceries at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Photo credit: U.S. Air Force/Margo Wright

There are roughly 14,000 people employed by DeCA and half already have shopping privileges for reasons such as being a military spouse, family member or a retired service member. That means there is still a potential additional 7,000 people that will now be able to shop at the commissary.

For years, there has been a debate over who should have commissary shopping rights. Do you think commissary employees have earned this benefit?

To be clear on the guidelines, commissary employees will be allowed to shop at the commissary starting at the end of the month, but their families will not.

There is no retirement benefit of continual shopping rights for commissary employees.

Once they no longer work for DeCA, they lose their shopping rights.

Commissary employees will not be able to buy tobacco or any controlled substances. Once wine and beer become available at commissaries later this summer, that will also be excluded.

Robert Bianchi, interim DeCA director and chief executive, said

Ultimately, the department believes that extending these limited benefits will further improve commissaries by giving employees a greater sense of ownership and understanding of the goods and services delivered to the millions of authorized patrons in commissaries worldwide.

I can see the reasoning behind that, but it doesn’t mean I agree with it. From an employee’s standpoint, working for a company and not being able to purchase the products you’re surrounded by would be frustrating.

Could you imagine being a cashier ringing up groceries all day and when your shift ends, you have to drive to a grocery store to buy what you need?

I’m not so much against commissary employees being able to shop where they work as much as I’m frustrated that they are the group that was chosen to receive this right. There has been a push to get the commissary shopping privilege extended to former military service members that some feel deserve the right to shop and have earned the right to do so, but do not qualify for one reason or another. Why are we denying these patriots a benefit but are OK with letting an average citizen have it?

A bill introduced in April known as the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018 would expand the right to shop at the commissary to Purple Heart recipients, all veterans with a service-connected disability, Medal of Honor recipients, former prisoners of war, as well as veteran caregivers.

This isn’t the first time this proposal has been made. It was shot down before for reasons such as this is an “earned benefit” and where would they draw the line at defining that term.

Also, commissaries are funded with government subsidies. A large portion of that funding goes to pay commissary employees. If the pool of shoppers was opened up to include disabled veterans, then the need for a larger workforce and more infrastructure would cost the government much more money.

These are sound reasons, however, why did those get set aside when the topic came up of commissary employees getting the right.

How have commissary employees “earn” this benefit?

One thing I’d like to point out is that baggers are not commissary employees. They will not be able to shop at the commissary unless they have the right to do so for another reason.

Do you think a shelf stocker or custodian has earned the right more than baggers? Either way, since baggers are not commissary employees they won’t be spending their tip money on toilet paper sold at cost plus 5% at the commissary.

I hope that lawmakers take a serious look at the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018. If they can open shopping up to commissary employees, they should be able to find a way to make it work for former service members that have given so much and gotten so little.

Now it’s your turn: What do you think? How have commissary employees earned the benefit of shopping at the commissary?

What the New GI Bill Means for Military Families

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Brace yourselves. Changes are coming to the GI Bill as we know it.

President Donald Trump signed the Forever GI Bill into law in August 2017. With this new bill, changes are in the works, including transferring benefits, housing allowances and the deadline to access GI Bill funds.

What the New GI Bill Means for Military Families

Time Limit

Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, beneficiaries had 15 years to use their earned education benefits. With the new GI Bill, there is no time limit to complete a degree, license or education program.

This is arguably the most important change to the bill since it extends the time that beneficiaries have to complete their education.

It allows for unexpected life events or changes along the way.

This is limited to veterans, troops and designated dependents who became eligible on or after January 1, 2013.

Housing Allowance

Under the current GI Bill, non-active duty students rate the Overseas Housing Allowance (OHA) for an E-5 with dependents based on the location of their school. Additionally, students receive a portion of the total allowance based on how many credits they are taking. In order to qualify, students must be enrolled at greater than half-time.

Starting Jan. 1, 2018, the housing allowance will be calculated using the reduced BAH schedule.

Previously, the GI Bill has been exempted from the yearly 1% BAH reduction started in 2015 and ending in 2020. Students using the GI Bill before January 1, 2018, will continue to receive their current housing allowance rates.

Additionally, the location used to calculate housing allowances will be tied to the location where students physically attend classes. This could impact students who attend a satellite campus in a location with a lower BAH rate. This change goes into effect on Aug. 1, 2018. Students enrolled before this date will follow the current rules.

Housing for members of the reserve will be prorated by quarter, semester or term starting on Aug. 1, 2018.

Expanded Access

Currently, eligibility for GI Bill benefits is calculated based on time in service or discharge due to service-related injury. Under the Forever GI Bill, all Purple Heart recipients will be rated at the 100% funding level or with 100% of their tuition and fees of in-state tuition paid for.

Additionally, certain members of the Reserve will be eligible for benefits under certain conditions. If Reserve troops deployed to support a combatant command or within their state in response to a natural disaster, they may now be able to access GI Bill benefits. This includes Reservists who deployed in these capacities after 2009.

Reservists who used the Reserve Education Assistance Program (REAP) will now be able to access the GI Bill under certain circumstances. Students who qualified before Nov. 25, 2015, but whose benefits have expired may choose to have that time in service credited toward the Post-9/11 GI Bill. This change applies to coursework started after Aug. 1, 2018.

Previously, students could be considered eligible for 40% of total GI Bill benefits (40% of in-state public college tuition and fees paid for) based on time in service. This category has now been eliminated.

Instead, the 60% level has been expanded to include more veterans. The minimum benefits level is now set at 50%, meaning that up to 50% of tuition and fees at an in-state public college would be paid by the VA.

Overall, more veterans and designated beneficiaries will be able to access higher education or career training with increased funding possible.

Transferring Benefits

Veterans can designate a dependent to receive GI Bill benefits. In the past, if that person passed away, the benefits disappeared.

Now, veterans are able to select another eligible dependent should their original designee die. Dependents who have received benefits are also able to pass on the GI Bill to another designee. This is only able to happen after the veteran who earned the benefits has passed away.

This now allows GI Bill benefits to continue on beyond the veteran or original designee in the event of death. This could prevent these valuable benefits from going unused.

Extra Protection

If your college closes before you earn a degree, the GI Bill now offers protections. Time spent at a college that has closed can now be partially or fully reinstated.

Students can also potentially earn GI Bill time back for courses that were not approved or for courses in which no credit was earned.

This is retroactive to programs, courses and colleges that were discontinued after Aug. 1, 2015. The change takes effect 90 days after the bill was signed.

Programs and Licenses

Students may begin using their benefits at accredited area career and technical schools that provide post-secondary education and/or vocational skills. This allows students to pursue a career path outside of traditional college level education.

Veterans at the 100% benefits level, with at least 60 credit hours of work and who will be reaching the end of their benefits before they complete an eligible degree in science, math, engineering, medicine or certain teacher training programs can apply for an extension.

This is a one-time 9-month benefit bonus. It cannot be transferred or be used in conjunction with the Yellow Ribbon Program. There is a $30,000 cap. This change begins on Aug. 1, 2019.

Entitlement charges for professional licensing and certification exams will be prorated based on the actual amount charged for the test.

Additional Benefits

Spouses and dependents who qualify for the Fry Scholarship may now also access the Yellow Ribbon Scholarship as well. This opens up new funding possibilities to supplement the GI Bill at private colleges or out-of-state schools. Purple Heart recipients will also be qualified for Yellow Ribbon Scholarships. These changes take effect on Aug. 1, 2018.

Beginning on Aug. 1, 2022, active duty troops using the GI Bill will be able to access the Yellow Ribbon Program. This will expand their ability to complete coursework at a larger number of institutes of higher learning while still serving their country.

Students who were eligible under the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance program now have 36 months of benefits instead of 45 months. This change applies to students who enroll after Aug. 1, 2018.

This same change increases the amount payable per month to $1,224 for full-time students, $967 for students enrolled at three-quarter time and $710 for half time enrollment. This increase is effective Oct. 1, 2018.

Will these changes to the GI Bill impact your family? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Disabled Veterans May See Increase in Benefits

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Thanks to Congressman Ralph Abraham of Louisiana, disabled veterans may see an increase in benefits at the end of the year. Dr. Abraham’s HR 5588, the Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act of 2016 was signed into law this summer and takes effect on December 1, 2016.

Disabled Veterans May See Increase in Benefits

What do you think of legislation aimed at increasing and expanding benefits for disabled veterans?

The bill quickly made its way through the House and Senate and was signed into law by the president in under a month. The bill itself is quite simple:

(Sec. 2) This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase, as of December 1, 2016, the rates of veterans’ disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.

Each such increase shall be the same percentage as the increase in benefits provided under title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance [OASDI]) of the Social Security Act, on the same effective date.

In short, each year legislation has to be drafted to approve an increase in cost of living allowance (COLA) for disabled veterans. The increase will match that of social security. While social security automatically increases each year as the cost of living does, the Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act does not have a stipulation for automatic adjustment.

To me, this seems to be an outdated way of doing things. If social security can automatically increase with the cost of living, then why doesn’t the Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act?

Abraham looked at this process and introduced HR 677, the American Heroes COLA Act. This bill would enable the veterans’ COLA adjustments to be automatic each year freeing up the House to work on other bills and saving veterans and their families the frustration of waiting to see what will happen with their pay each year. The House quickly passed this bill, but the Senate has not done anything with it.

For now, disabled veterans can plan their finances for the short term knowing the Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act of 2016 was signed into law.

They will have to wait for the politicians in Washington to decide if they will pass the American Heroes COLA Act and make it an automatic adjustment each year.

Note however, while the Veterans’ Compensation COLA Act of 2016 has been signed into law, it does not mean that an increase in pay is guaranteed.

The amount that disabled veterans may see as an increase will be the same increase as social security. The last time social security did not increase was in 2000.

It won’t be until the end of the year that the exact amount of an increase will be known. It will only be increased if there is an increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

The compensation programs for disabled veterans were originally put into place to help relieve the financial burden disabled veterans face by not being able to earn wages due to injuries sustained during military service. The amount of benefits disabled veterans receive is based on the degree of disability they qualify for.

Abraham, a veteran of the Army Reserves and National Guard, has been working to get disabled veterans better benefits. These 2 bills are not his only accomplishments in regards to veterans’ issues since being elected to office.

He has also chaired the VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. He has worked toward getting disabled veterans the help they need when they need it and at locations convenient to them through the Veterans’ Choice Program. This program would make it easier for veterans who live in remote areas to seek medical treatment from doctors near them, rather than wait for an appointment at a VA facility.

Last year Abraham also cosponsored HR 1994, the VA Accountability Act. This bill passed the House but the Senate has yet to consider it. If the VA Accountability Act were to become law, the VA would become accountable for its actions. They would finally be able to fire or demote employees that have failed to do their job.

Thanks to Abraham, disabled veterans might be getting better benefits in the future.

What do you think of legislation aimed at increasing and expanding benefits for disabled veterans?