Military Life News

Military Life News, Commissary Rewards and Military Discounts

Do Special Privileges for the Military Magnify the Civilian-Military Divide?

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Do a quick online search for military discount or military offer and thousands and thousands of webpages come up.

And it’s not just restaurants or retails stores, car rentals, apartment rentals, colleges and car dealerships all offer special pricing and discounts for active duty service members, veterans, National Guard and military spouses.

Add in our medical coverage, housing pay, debt relief, and educational and retirement benefits, and it’s not hard to see why some feel that service members and their families receive too many special privileges and considerations.

Do Special Privileges for the Military Magnify the Civilian-Military Divide?

Despite the stereotypes, members of the military community aren’t cheapskates. We’re not sitting at home hoarding all the savings we get from military discounts.

But even though we know more than anyone that these benefits and privileges are earned by our service members, it can be disheartening when we find ourselves in the crosshairs of public opinion.

Often when these arguments are raised, we feel like we are standing on the other side of some kind of cultural divide.

Can the average American truly appreciate our way of life?

Can they understand why these special provisions are available for military families?

At the same time, we must consider our own motivations. Are we asking for too much?

The Difference Between Benefits and Privileges

To those who think we are, as a community, overpaid and over-privileged, a quick review of the difference between benefits and privileges is in order.

The housing, educational, retirement and medical benefits are just that – benefits.

Just like any other job, these benefits are part of the total compensation package offered by an employer to an employee upon the acceptance of a position.

Yes, these benefits are funded by federal taxes, a system our community also pays into, but any American who chooses to apply and accept a position in the military is entitled to receive them.

These things are not privileges, they are earned compensation.

That being said, it is important to understand that there is a limit to these benefits. I’ve heard military spouses complain about the military not paying for an airline ticket home for a funeral or about how school loan debt for dependents should be forgiven.

While arguments could be made for additional benefits in both cases, the truth is, the military isn’t a I-want-it-so-give-it-to-me free for all. We cannot simply expect that our every need and want be subsidized by the American taxpayer.

The U.S. military is not a welfare state. We must be careful about considering ourselves to be a community more deserving than others. We are no more American than our civilian neighbors.

Benefits earned should be benefits received. Everything else is on us to manage.

All Those Military Discounts

While most businesses offering a military discount do so as a way to give back and say thank you, let’s not lose sight of the fact that it is still a marketing technique used to attract customers.

The U.S. military community is fairly unique as far as our spending habits are concerned. Job security offers our community of consumers the ability to spend more than their civilian counterparts in many areas. Offering a discount attracts customers from the million plus strong military community.

It’s no different than offering a discount to those who have student ID or are over 55 years old.

And when you consider that a lot of military folks I know tend to spend more when there is a military discount offered or leave bigger tips, any military discount is funneled right back into the economy.

Despite the stereotypes, members of the military community aren’t cheapskates. We’re not sitting at home hoarding all the savings we get from military discounts.

A Community Apart?

We are a community unlike any other in that we exist because our nation demands a strong and professional military. And while our role as citizens is unique, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are part of much larger whole and should continue to serve our country with grace and humility.

We must not close ranks, but instead remain open and engaged in the conversation about the future of this country, including its military.

After all, while long and distinguished, even a career of service in the military must come to an end. And we will need to cross that cultural divide and rely on the strength and acceptance of our civilian communities to help us make that transition.

Do you think that military discounts add to the cultural divide between the military community and civilians? Share your opinion in the comments section.

What the Military Community Wants from Washington

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Dear Washington,

Election season has passed, and a new administration is getting ready to take office. That means it’s time for you to take stock of our military capabilities, troops and their families. Yes, the U.S. military is a huge organization and encompasses so much.

However, please take a minute to listen to us, to me, to find out what we want and need from you, right now and for the next 4 or so years.

First, take a hard look at the budget.

Actually look at it with a critical, non-partisan eye. Is there a place where we could trim a little bit of fat without reducing force readiness and family support?

We know that this department has become a huge and growing part of the annual budget. And we also know that something probably needs to change. Please try to do this judiciously, cutting or reducing funding for the (many) redundant portions of the budget while preserving those parts that serve a major purpose in our lives.

We don’t want military funding at the expense of other services we depend on, like education and other programs that serve the general population.

We use these, too. We want them funded and functional.

Next, we need more than lip service about your support.

It’s all well and good to “support the troops” in your speeches and press conferences, but will you actually follow through? A great first step is making sure that our equipment is funded for proper maintenance. With this, include money for adequate training on the equipment. If you want troops ready at a moment’s notice, then they need to be able to access perfectly running equipment AND know how to use it.

Cutting corners here can lead to deadly accidents.

Our fighting force is now a family. That means spouses and kids who depend on the military for both financial and lifestyle stability. If you cut programs that help support military families, you will quickly draw our ire and disdain. This includes medical care, employment programs, child care facilities, commissaries and family readiness programs.

If you want the troops to be ready to go, the whole family needs to be prepared and supported. When those on the homefront feel unstable, that deployed service member can’t do his or her job well.

Don’t forget the veterans, either.

For years now, we have watched the endless saga of corruption and mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Hospitals and VA health care facilities have endless waits, leaving many in the lurch. These waits have added extra stress to those suffering from mental and physical health conditions.

Take this department to task and shape it up. Get rid of practices or personnel that are costing lives every day and streamline the process to receive care.

Veterans wrote a blank check to our nation and were willing to sacrifice their very lives to protect ours. The very least we owe them is top-notch medical and mental health care when they leave service.

Help us connect with the other 99%.

About 1% of our country serves in the military. That leaves most Americans without a connection to our troops and their families.

In years past, the entire country banded together to support our troops through war bonds, rations and taxes. Right now, it seems that most Americans just don’t understand what it means to serve our country. Help us to show everyone else what it means to live this life.

Highlight our sacrifices, beyond just the feel-good stories about homecomings and the devastating stories of loss. Help people understand that we have been at war for over 15 years. This war isn’t funding itself.

Pay us what we are worth.

Have you checked on the salaries for our service members from top to bottom lately? Without the “luxuries” of the commissary and military health care, many families wouldn’t be making it financially. Even with these benefits, there are too many military families who qualify for WIC, welfare programs and food stamps. That’s unacceptable.

In addition, due to operational tempo and frequent moves, many military families are trying to make it on just one salary.

Pay our troops what they are worth, based on the work that they do for our country. And pay them without factoring in the “benefits” we all count on just to make it from payday to payday.

These are just a few thoughts, Washington. If you need more ideas, just ask.

MilitaryShoppers readers, what do you want from Washington?

Now Is the Right Time to Transfer Your GI Bill to Your Kids

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A benefit for military service members is the GI Bill. While many take advantage of the great opportunity to go to college with this financial support, others choose to pass it on to their spouse or children.

This option wasn’t always available and might not remain so, which makes now a great time to decide if transferring your GI Bill is the right move for your family.

Now Is the Right Time to Transfer Your GI Bill to Your Kids

Talk to your spouse and children to see if transferring your GI Bill benefits to one or all of them is the right decision for your family. Don’t wait until politicians change, take away, or make receiving these benefits harder.

What is the GI Bill?

The GI Bill is a government program that helps service members meet the financial needs of continuing their education once they leave the military. It was initially only available to the service members who met certain qualifications. Over the years the rules and benefits have changed.

The Post-9/11 GI Bill is the latest form of the bill. It provides money for approved educational programs for up to 36 months of school for service members, which must be used within 15 years after leaving active duty.

In 2009, a law was passed to allow service members to transfer these benefits to their spouses, children or both.

Who is eligible?

Any service member that completed 90 days of aggregate active duty service after Sept. 10, 2001, that is on active duty, or that was honorably discharged or discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days is eligible.

What is covered?

Monetary funds are available to cover up to 36 months of educational courses for approved programs that include higher education, vocational training and now flight school for example. Other financial support may be provided to cover a monthly housing allowance, annual books and supplies and one-time rural benefits.

Am I eligible to transfer my GI Bill?

In order to transfer your GI Bill, service members must meet certain requirements. Anyone on active duty or Selected Reserve, officer or enlisted, who is eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill and also meets these requirements may transfer benefits:

  • Has at least 6 years of service in the Armed Forces (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of approval and agrees to serve 4 additional years in the Armed Forces from the date of election.
  • Has at least 10 years of service in the Armed Forces (active duty and/or Selected Reserve) on the date of approval, is precluded by either standard policy (by service branch or DoD) or statute from committing to 4 additional years, and agrees to serve for the maximum amount of time allowed by such policy or statute.
  • Transfer requests are submitted and approved while the member is in the Armed Forces.

Why transfer your GI Bill now?

If you, as the service member, do not have any intention of using the entire 36 months of educational benefits, you might want to consider transferring some or all of the benefit to family members. The government started this program as a way of helping service members transition out of the military as well as an incentive to join the military. You have earned these benefits, so don’t let them go unused.

Last year Congress discussed changing the GI Bill benefit to make it more difficult to transfer to family members. They talked about increasing the number of years the service member must commit to in order to transfer the benefit. They also discussed limiting the scope of the benefit.

No legislation on this has been brought up, but the possibility is there. Why leave it to chance if you don’t have to?

How do I transfer my GI Bill?

Active duty service members may designate, modify and revoke a Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) request on the Transfer of Education Benefits (TEB) website.

After approval, there is one more form to turn in before a family member can use these benefits. Family members are required to apply to use the transferred benefits by submitting a VA Form 22-1990e with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Is there anything else I need to know about transferring the GI Bill to my spouse or children?

Family members enrolled in DEERS that are eligible for benefits at the time of transfer are able to use the benefits.

Spouses are able to use the benefits at the time of transfer, but children must wait until the service member has completed at least 10 years of service. The child or spouse can use it while their sponsor is actively serving or after they leave the military.

Military children cannot use the transferred GI Bill until they finish high school, or an equivalent, or turn 18 years old. The child is entitled to the monthly housing allowance even while their sponsor is on active duty, but the spouse is not. A spouse has 15 years to use the benefits once the service member separates from active duty, but the child does not have this restriction. They do however age out of eligibility at 26 years old.

Talk to your spouse and children to see if transferring your GI Bill benefits to one or all of them is the right decision for your family. Don’t wait until politicians change, take away, or make receiving these benefits harder.

Has your service member transferred his or her Post-9/11 GI Bill to you or your children?

 

What You Can Do to Help Save Your Commissary Benefit

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It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the commissary. My family has been shopping there since I was a baby and I continue to shop there today! Ironically enough, when my parents were visiting this past week, what did we do? We ran into the commissary for the typical bread, milk and eggs run.

The convenience and cost-effectiveness are the primary reasons military families visit the commissary. But, as the new National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is being discussed in Congress, our commissary budget is on the chopping block, yet again. That could mean more commissary closures, reduced hours and days, among other things.

The House of Representatives approved the fiscal year 2017 NDAA, H.R. 4909, on May 20, which authorizes $610 billion in funding for national defense. Now it’s the Senate’s turn to debate it.

While negotiations are in the works, this is our time to speak up! Although it may seem like military families are alone on this one, there are organizations out there lobbying and fighting for our cause.

Join forces with these organizations and they can help amplify your voice.

Blue Star Families (BSF) is a wonderful organization that provides resources, programs and partnerships for military families. Each year, they release a descriptive military lifestyle survey that indicates the concerns of military families. The best part of the survey is that the right people are reading it and it’s making a difference in influencing decisions.

The 2015 survey results showed that military benefits and pay were top issues for military families. Our commissary is looped into the mix there. To make sure our benefits continue to be in the forefront of budgetary decisions, fill out their 2016 survey. Time is running out, so hurry because the closeout date is May 30!

In addition to Blue Star Families, the National Military Family Association (NMFA) is another fantastic organization that strongly lobbies for military families. They provide scholarships and kids’ camps (i.e. Operation Purple Camps) as well as resources for military family and health care issues.

They are also monitoring the defense budget saga and provide detailed explanations to better understand the situation because let’s be honest, it can get really confusing. NMFA recently broke down the defense budget concerns, including the commissary issue here.

With the backing of BSF and NMFA, military families can have a stronger voice. Keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities and ways to contribute to these organizations.

You can also connect with The Coalition to Save Our Military Shopping Benefits. This coalition is “working to protect service members and their families EARNED commissary and exchange benefits, and the critical savings they provide our military community,” according to its website.

You can also contact your state senator  to encourage their vote in the proceedings. This is when you, as an American voter, can and should get your issues heard. Here is how you can contact their offices (be sure to select the U.S. Senate).

That reminds me, have you registered to vote?

Lastly, I want to encourage you to patronize your local commissary because that will also influence the decision-making process.

Every time you shop at your commissary, it’s counted and every dollar you spend is calculated. If the numbers are there, it’s undeniable proof that the commissary system is beneficial.

Are you concerned about proposed changes to the commissary? What are you doing to voice your concerns?

Proposed Changes to the Commissaries in 2016

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For the last 40 years the commissaries have been put on the chopping block only to come out strong.

Last year the Senate and House debated privatizing the commissaries over the next several years to save money. They wanted to cut the $1.3 billion annual Department of Defense subsidy for the commissary system. Luckily, this proposal didn’t make it through.

Don’t relax too much thinking the commissaries will be safe now. This year the politicians are at it again.

The House and Senate have come together on a new plan for the FY 2016 Defense Authorization Act. This consists of:

  • reducing the FY 2016 commissaries budget cut from $322 million to $30 million;
  • they scrapped the idea of privatizing the system and are now requiring a DoD plan to make the commissary and exchange benefit “budget neutral” by the end of 2018;
  • authorized DoD to conduct pilot programs to evaluate ways to achieve commissary and exchange budget neutrality; and
  • specified that these must maintain high levels of customer satisfaction, provide high-quality products, and sustain the current level of savings for customers.

What does this mean for the average shopper at their local commissaries? The most notable change would be prices. Some patrons would notice their prices going up while a select few might find them going down.

How could this be?

What lawmakers are considering here is variable pricing. Currently, prices are set at commissaries across the board. Under this change, commissaries would see price changes based on location.

Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., a brigadier general in the Army Reserves chairs an Armed Services subcommittee that lead the hearings recently on overhauling the stores. He says commissaries could improve how they sell products and become more efficient if they utilized a variable pricing method. Following commercial grocery stores strategies, prices would be set by the market.

For example, prices at commercial grocery stores are higher in New York then they are in Alabama. Just reading this proposal, Fort Drum patrons will be balking at the idea, whereas those at Maxwell AFB may be more open to it since they would be the ones possibly seeing the lower prices.

Heck hopes this plan will help get commissaries to a break-even plan. He says that they currently lose money on every sale.

If that doesn’t do the job, the other plan proposed is to create a commissary brand, much like commercial grocery stores have. Selling items under a Defense Commissary Agency label was part of a consultant lead study that was presented to Congress last fall. This is likely to be the main topic of discussion on the Hill this year.

The worry here for most people is that the quality of the products might not be the same as the commercial brands that are currently being sold at commissaries. The study claims that the products would be at the same level and patrons would still save money over local grocery stores. To match that quality however, there would likely be an increase in prices.

If either of these proposals get enough lawmakers to support it, they could be added to the National Defense Authorization Act, which is a huge bill that shapes military policies and takes most of the year to work through.

Will commissaries see changes this year or are they safe, at least for another year?

Only time will tell, but if the last 40 years of failed proposals to cut the DoD subsidy have a standing basis then maybe things won’t change.

Once the presidency changes, initiatives might as well. Everything is a big “if” for the moment and commissary patrons will be watching closely to see if one of the greatest nonpay benefits for service members will see a big change.

What do you think of these proposals to make changes to the commissaries?

Is the Commissary an Outdated Military Benefit?

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The commissary has a long history of serving the military community. The idea of purchasing goods at-cost came about in 1825 to help Army personnel. It provides a huge relief to the service member when it’s tough to get necessities at a decent price.

The commissary we’re used to today began in 1867, which means the commissary has been operating for almost 150 years, offering groceries and other household goods to military members.

Overseas commissaries started at the end of the 19th century in the Philippines and China. Of course, it’s since multiplied to other OCONUS locations. In addition, the benefit now includes all branches of the military including Guard, Reservists and their family members in addition to retirees. In 1990, the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) was founded, which consolidated the commissary program. By forming DeCA, it allows for a streamlined and unified way to supply all commissaries.

The commissary benefit has helped military families generation after generation. My parents still shop at the commissary and my father joined the Air Force in 1979. They manage to get lots of different items at reasonable prices and my husband and I also benefit from shopping at the commissary. I have to mention my grandparents too. Between the three generations, my family encompasses Navy, Air Force and now Army ties!

Savings for military families average at about 30% compared to civilian grocery stores. That percentage offers a pretty substantial discount over brand name products. Although the commissary provides lower prices, big-box stores like Walmart and Super Target can be competitive when compared to the commissary. Another argument is that the commissary doesn’t offer generic goods.

My husband and I tend to stick to the commissary mostly because the grocery goods we commonly get are priced cheaper there. Also, we’re still a relatively small family, so the bulk goods we purchase are all economical. Not to mention when we buy during a case lot sale, we don’t need certain items for months and months! There are so many other reasons why I prefer the commissary. MilitaryShoppers has an awesome list of reasons why you should shop at the commissary.

One of my favorite reasons for shopping at the commissary is the international aisle. It’s one of the only local locations that offer Filipino cuisine, so I can get my cultural fix. My parents drive to their local commissary in Texas for the same reason to stock up on the different Filipino groceries because it’s priced well. It’s difficult to find certain items sometimes! No matter where you’ve been stationed, I’m sure there is a good representation of it at your commissary. I love that there is a chance to try international food without having to be stationed there too.

The commissary continues to modernize by incorporating online resources to help families get the most out of their commissary experience. Military families can sign up for the commissary rewards card and app. The commissary rewards card gives you the capability to redeem coupons online. In addition, they have the Click 2 Go program for select commissaries that allows military families to buy goods online and pick them up at a later date. It saves time and is convenient.

Despite its age, the commissary is still a wonderful resource for the military community. That’s why I keep shopping trips to the commissary on my agenda.

Why do you think the commissaries are a good benefit for military families and retirees?

America’s Support for the Troops is Lip Service

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I am a pessimistic military spouse. In my heart, I want to believe that when Americans say “support our troops” that this statement means more than buying a reservist a cheeseburger for lunch and putting a camouflaged bumper sticker on the back of their Buicks. keepyourpromise

I want to believe that their support for the U.S. military means that they will choose to sacrifice for those who volunteered to serve in the Armed Forces.

Their civilian sacrifice means that they demand that service members receive an annual pay increase every year. It means that Americans pay higher taxes so that a disabled veteran has free health care for the rest of his life. Supporting our military means that Americans encourage their representatives to cut other benefits (services that will directly impact their well-being) so that military families can afford to buy food at an overseas military commissary or have the option of living off-base.

But that’s not reality.

We live in a country where the leadership at the Pentagon proposed cutting benefits for the military. I thought those top ranking officials were appointed to fight for the interests of everyone in the military, from the youngest recruit to the oldest World War II veteran. Earlier this month, the House Armed Services personnel subcommittee voted unanimously to leave intact the current military health care system, the housing allowance and much of the Pentagon’s $1.4 billion in direct subsidies to the commissaries. The news shocked me. It pleased me. Then I remembered the subcommittee’s recommendations are a long way from the President’s desk. We’ll see what version of the defense budget and which reductions reach the chopping block this summer. See, I really am a pessimist. But I am a patriotic pessimist.

MilitaryShoppers wants to hear from you: Why should Congress support military benefits?

Post your answer in the comments section between Thursday, May 15 and Tuesday, May 20 to be entered to win a $50 military commissary gift card, courtesy of MilitaryShoppers.

If you tweet it, use #KeepYourPromise.