Approximately 20,000 or more military families currently use SNAP or WIC to help feed their families. Now, President Donald Trump wants to further cut these programs in 2020. At the same time, Trump has also refused to support measures that would provide additional food security protections for military families.
Trump is proposing changes to how the income qualifying threshold is calculated, in addition to adding employment requirements. This could result in an estimated 3.1 million Americans losing access to SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
Among those losing access: thousands of military families.
White House Nixes Support Proposal for Low-Income Military Families
According to a 2016 Government Accountability Office report, more than 23,000 active-duty troops used SNAP, once known as food stamps, in 2013.
Actually qualifying for assistance is complicated by the income requirements, which currently include BAH to determine household income. Military advocate Erika Tebbens understands this exact issue.
“When they told me I didn’t qualify because they were counting our housing allowance as part of our earned income, all I remember was just sobbing,” Tebbens recalls.
This issue isn’t uncommon, according to Josh Protas, vice president of public policy for MAZON: a Jewish Response to Hunger. For most federal assistance programs, a service member’s BAH isn’t treated as income. That changes for SNAP, which includes BAH in its calculations.
These calculations, along with Trump’s proposed SNAP changes, put SNAP access for troops at risk.
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Trump Refuses To Support, Acknowledge Food Insecurity for Military Families
Tebbens along with other military food security advocates, like Protas, have pushed for a military clause addressing food insecurity. It’s currently included in the House version of the 2020 defense policy bill.
This proposal would provide an allowance for military families equal to 130% of the federal poverty guidelines minus the service member’s gross income. It doesn’t include allowances, like BAH, in the gross income calculations.
According to a recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate, approximately 10,000 military families qualify for a proposed measure to address food insecurity.
Over four years, from 2021 through 2024, this would cost a total of $175 million. The current proposal covers only 2020 at a cost of $15 million.
Trump disagrees that military troops should need SNAP benefits, or other food insecurity support, at all.
In a July 9 statement, the White House “strongly objected” to the proposal since troops “receive appropriate compensation already.”
“Most junior enlisted members receive pay that is between the 95th and 99th percentiles relative to their private-sector peers,” the Office of Management and Budget asserted in a statement regarding the proposed provision.
Do Troops Receive Adequate Compensation?
An E-4 service member and family living in San Diego, a major military hub with a historically high cost of living, brings in about $5,270 per month. Almost half of that amount is BAH.
An NBC News report noted that at San Diego-area food trucks, many of the dozens lining up to receive food were military spouses.
Currently, San Diego cost of living is approximately 144% of the US average, making this duty station more expensive than many others. Other major military installations, like the DC-region, Alaska and Hawaii, all rank at higher than the average cost of living.
Even school-aged children are experiencing widespread food insecurity. A DoD report noted that 6,500 students at DoDEA schools nationwide were eligible for free or reduced lunch. This number accounts for about 1/3 of all DoDEA students. It doesn’t account for military-connected children enrolled at local public schools.
Given these statistics and anecdotal reports, budgets are likely tight for junior enlisted and even commissioned troops with families.
“Younger enlisted service members with large households are disqualified from getting the help they need from SNAP when their BAH gets treated as income,” Protas explained.
Ongoing Food Insecurity Concerns for Military Families
This issue previously garnered the spotlight in 2017 amind the last government shutdown. Some troops were not paid or had delayed paychecks, leading to gaps in income.
These stretched and limited incomes caused many military families to use food banks and other food security support services in their areas.
“There’s nothing wrong with turning to a food pantry for emergency assistance in time of need, but there’s no reason those serving in our armed forces should have to do so on a regular basis,” Protas said.
With the Trump administration’s proposed changes to SNAP, more military families may soon be turning to food banks as a means of keeping food on the table.
“While I never expected to be flush with cash as a military spouse, I always assumed, perhaps naively, when my husband joined that we would always have our basic needs met,” Tebbens commented.
Yes I do. It’s part of ones income.
I worked for the military for 30 years, I was paid less than my counter partners. They are paid on a24 hr clock, civilians were paid on an 8 hr clock.
Live in nicer housing all utilities paid
Make more than their counterparts
Take time off to play with their children, pets, get cars worked on, haircuts, shopping on the clock
Friday was family days only for the military.
Golf courses, movies, bowling and gym’s at their disposal
drive on base there are better cars than any corporate job
Fridays are family day for the military
no overtime civilians work that
Food why they have their commissary, department stores no tax and cheaper
Snap no, they make more than their counter parts
sign a nondisclosure statement
You said military is paid on a 24 hr basis?? Military are salaried. They get the same pay each month no matter how many hours they work. What Friday “family days”? 15 years married to an enlisted soldier, I never saw that. Maybe once a quarter for mandatory fun days. 8+ hr days, on call for training and emergencies, and all hours. And only got worse the higher up you went. My car was definitely not better than anything I saw out in civilian life corporate workers. 3 kids, we lived on post, shopped at goodwill and yard sales, and I had a $300 per month food budget. And we were fairly good with our money, didn’t drink much, don’t smoke, no changing home decor every move, and were lucky enough to be stationed at “average living expenses” locations. Now tell me that some families don’t need assistance. BAH should never be counted as part of your income.
So making more then a minimum wage clerk is bad? You forgot that you went home to clean sheets, a warm house, and no combat assignments in a war zone. Every military man who raises his hand and swears an oath, writes a blank check to the country to defend us, WITH HIS MIND, HIS BODY, INCLUDING HIS LIFE.. Did you do that?
A bag boy in a grocery store makes more then a private starting out. I can refute each of your foolish points with rational explanations, but why bother. You were one of the people who access to the same commissary, PX, and other facilities the soldiers use. You have your nose in the government trough up to your ears and have the affront to write this. HOW DARE YOU !!!
Finally, Historically the commissary was put there for one group, the military. Now its open to every body. It is a national disgrace that we have military families
on welfare and in food lines. SHAMEFUL !!!
Dear Ms Doe,
To address your statement
“I worked for the military for 30 years, I was paid less than my counter partners. They are paid on a24 hr clock, civilians were paid on an 8 hr clock.”
(Did you ever work more than 8 hours per day and ONLY get paid for 8 hours. Sometimes Military personnel work 12-16 hours, they are on a salary based on rank and sometimes have to work long hours as required and get no extra pay for such. If they are lucky they will get some time off later based on the long shifts worked. In addition, they are trained to go to war, are you trained and prepared to go to war?)
Live in nicer housing all utilities paid
( I agree having all utilities paid would be nice, but that’s only if they live in base housing and not all base housing is created equal, In fact we lived in a small base housing unit, while our connected unit was being cleared of asbestos. Furthermore, there is not enough base housing for all military families to live in and those individuals have to live on the economy and sometimes BAH is not enough to cover rent and utilities)
Make more than their counterparts (Are you trained and prepared to go to war?)
Take time off to play with their children, pets, get cars worked on, haircuts, shopping on the clock
(I’ve not experienced any of this with any military counterparts. Did they arrive early for PT, or work over the weekend, or prepare for deployment/return from deployment and their boss allowed them the extra time/break to handle their business?)
Friday was family days only for the military. (I’m sure that specific to each base and related to military morale and welfare, once again all the unseen extra hours military work and deploy away from family for long periods)
Golf courses, movies, bowling and gym’s at their disposal
(Military benefits – yes, but not FREE, The gym is cost-free to encourage and support the physical fitness of the military, Plus the gym’s are free for the civilian’s working at the base. Some bases do not even have movie theaters)
drive on base there are better cars than any corporate job (Personal choice and finances, not all active military can afford a “better car”)
no overtime civilians work that (Civilians are paid for overtime, military work extra hours as required for training, and other additional duties as needed being prepared to go to war, they are on salary – so no extra pay)
Food why they have their commissary, department stores no tax and cheaper (The commissary has some cheaper prices but I know and will bet that Walmart and Aldi’s can beat most all those prices, It’s nice that AAFES “department store” does not charge any taxes. Once again I have found in most situations department stores such as JC Penney’s, Lowes, Sam’s Club or Kohl’s on the economy are cheaper including the taxes)
Sorry you did not volunteer to become a military hero, But our protectors make huge sacrifices and deserve to have wonderful benefits.
I do not think BAH should be counted toward gross income when applying for food supplements. BAH is for rent and utilities. Until a service member reaches the rank of E-5, pay is not that great if you have a wife and children to provide for. We’re not talking about buying toys, clothing, gas, tobacco or alcohol, it’s food for children! The President could give up 10 trips for golfing each year and that would more than cover the 17.5 million.
Coming from a high cost of living area in CA, no BAH should not be included. If you are lucky to find a rental that is under your BAH you can make it work, however the more family members the bigger the space needed this alone eats up what you get. If you are able to live on a base you see none of this money and its only income, add your bills, child care, gas, school lunchs ( prisoners get 3 of these free a day) & supplies it can become tight. Let us not forget a shut down, member has to buy their own uniforms or pay chow bill etc. You can not assume because someone has a nice car that we are all loving that life. Currently I live somewhere that government employees not just members are allowed to live on the base aswell.
BAH should not be counted toward military troops gross income when applying any food supplements. Until you’ve walked a mile in the lower ranked military personnel shoes you will never understand the sacrifices they make.
When I was active duty, you didn’t get BAH if you lived on base. The intent of this is to help pay for keeping a roof over your head, ie.; rent, electric, water, trash, gas. Food is not a part of keeping the roof over your head. You also didn’t BAH if your cost of living is lower than the BAH you would qualify for. No BAH should not be counted in the income. I was single when I was active and there were many times, once I lived off base, that I only had cereal or oatmeal for breakfast & dinner. I retired in 1994 from the AF and am now preparing to retire for life and have learned that there are wage limits that must be met each year in order to qualify for Social Security quarters. Well, it wasn’t until I was in my 5th year of enlistment and had been promoted to Senior Airman that I met that limit (barely). So in my book the young military members with family are not making enough money to comfortably care for that family if they are not even making enough money to earn SS quarters for their retirement years.
I retired as an E-7 in the late 80’s. I had young E-2,3,4’s with families that were in crisis because of the difference in pay/allowances and the local cost of living. My wife at the time, work for the county welfare system and I would personally take my troops to her office for the intake interview. Each and everyone of them qualified for some form of help.
Supervisors need to help their troops.
Any and all allowed SHOULD NOT be considered as income!