Army Misuse of Enlisted BAS Fees
Three Lies in One
Over $151 Million Taken from Soldiers’ Paychecks for Food Costs Spent Elsewhere by the Army
The money is collected in what amounts to a tax on troops — taken from their Basic Allowance for Subsistence payments, roughly $460 per month that is automatically deducted from the paychecks of service members
By Steve Beynon
The Army is repurposing more than half of the money it collects from junior enlisted soldiers for food, according to data reviewed by Military.com. The numbers suggest that a large portion of those funds are not going toward feeding soldiers, a diversion of resources coming at a time when troops increasingly struggle to find nutritious food on base.
The money is collected in what amounts to a tax on troops — taken from their Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) payments, roughly $460 per month that is automatically deducted from the paychecks of service members who live in barracks and is intended to help cover food costs. For junior enlisted troops who earn about $30,000 annually, the cost can be consequential.
2024 financial records provided by the service from 11 of the Army’s largest bases show that more than $151 million of $225 million collected from soldiers was not spent on food. Given that the Army operates 104 garrisons, the true amount of unspent funds is likely far higher.
“It’s just returned to the big pool of Army funds, and it’s used someplace else,” one service official with direct knowledge of the situation said during an interview that was arranged by the Army public affairs office, referring to redirected BAS money collected from soldiers.
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In November last year, the publication reported pervasive food shortages at Fort Carson, Colorado. Soldiers were fed meals that were just a slice of toast and lima beans, troops told Military.com.The Army has a nutrition policy on what it is supposed to feed soldiers, though it’s rarely followed and in some cases outright ignored. The service has invested in so-called kiosks, which are cheap alternatives to major dining facilities. Instead of cooked meals, soldiers have access to grab-and-go snacks and prepackaged sandwiches akin to the quality of prepared meals at a gas station.
Doubt this is limited to the Army. I recall paying fees for the pleasure of staying at some really sketchy barracks and wondering where that money was spent, ’cause it wasn’t used for window screens or insect control. Thanks to a Usual Suspect for the link.
Category: Big Army, Guest Link
This article is complete crap and Beynon knows it. No money is taken from Soldiers. The confusion is because law requires all services to show servicemembers how much their BAS is and if they are on meal card (barracks, ships, etc) the cost of their meals is deducted whether they eat in the chow halls or not. It costs the DoD far more to feed servicemembers than what BAS totals.
To be fair, it is confusing because of the different appropriations, but Beynon is spreading BS.
If it cost the Army far more than BAS to feed the Soldiers why is the money being moved to other parts of the budget? There are colors of money in the Government for a reason…to keep people in charge of it from misusing it.
I would agree with the costs of dining facilities, cooks, and managers likely costing the service more than just the food, but there should be a direct correlation between the cost of food and the number of people eating at the dining facility. I saw this explained real well when we still had actual military cooks running the dining facility and my unit getting audited almost every month because we were spending so much money. No one ever left that chow hall with food still on their plate, and no one was denied another helping! I got the signatures on the accounting for every penny. We had the amount for meal cards, and the units funds to pay for the rest.
The money is not being misappropriated at all, that is why Beynon is confused. There is one color for the facilities, one color for the service contract, one color for the food procurement, etc. He just doesn’t understand it.
Also, it was never an issue for meal card holders because they never saw BAS on their LES. That was until 2002 when the services were required to show BAS as an entitlement on the LES ($460ish) and if they have a meal card, there is a deduction of ($398ish).
Steak and lobster on Fridays!!! That was at Chejudo Training Center in 1989.
Only meal I really remember there was thanksgiving 1988.
Military accounting has changed in the era of privatized and contracted support services.
A soldier’s pay includes their food allowance. Which, when living in the barracks, is supposed to be diverted to their dining facility to spend on their food services.
That is not happening. The money is being used for other things. Which is impacting the quality and availability of food services to service members.
that is 100% incorrect. the money is being used for food services, plus additional appropriated funds.
Well at least Phil Monkress (CEO of All-Points Logistics) did not steal it.
It sure is being used on other things. How many woke initiatives has the Army been paying for over the last twenty years?
I tend to agree, but I want to see a more detailed accounting before I make up my mind. I don’t trust any of the parties involved without documented proof.
I think they framed this story the wrong way.
BAS is not “deducted” from a Soldier’s pay when they live in the barracks.
BAS is not a part of a Soldier’s pay. It is an EXTRA allowance given to soldiers who live off base and don’t have regular access to the free food at the chow hall.
So, there’s no element of “taking money from soldiers for food and using it elsewhere”…that’s just bunk.
The scandal is that the Army is trying to save money by feeding their soldiers crap in the chow hall…regardless of whether that money comes directly from the BAS they don’t pay, or from Army general logistics funds doesn’t matter, they should be providing edible food in sufficient quantity and nutritional value for the troops. Period.
30 years ago at Norfolk, we used to go eat at the base chow hall sometimes for lunch, even though we did get BAS and had to pay for it, because although it may not have been gourmet food, it wasn’t bad, it was inexpensive, and there was plenty of it.
I remember the Air Force chow hall in Athens Greece (the only Air Force Base I ever visited regularly) was awesome back in the early ’80’s. Restaurant quality food compared to standard Navy fare.
It’s a scandal if the troops aren’t getting decent food in the Chow halls, but it has nothing to do with them not getting BAS in addition to their regular pay. It has to do with Army (all military?) leadership not fulfilling their responsibilities to the troops.
Sailorcurt that used to be the case. I remember having to put in the 4187 to justify separate rats. Now I am pretty sure that everyone gets BAS and they show a deduction for the meal card… or maybe it is just at the base I am on because the Air Force runs it and the Soldiers work shifts and can’t meet the Chow Hall hours.
It’s very true that things may have changed since I was active duty considering I retired over 20 years ago now.
But what hasn’t changed is that it’s the Army’s responsibility to feed the troops properly. Where the money comes from and whether they do it themselves or contract it out is irrelevant.
I can see this being an issue in a combat zone during war, but at long established Army posts, there is no excuse for substandard rations.
This is a leadership issue pure and simple.
“…leadership not fulfilling their responsibilities to the troops.” And that’s the crux of the matter. The responsibility for the health and welfare of the troops begins and ends with the local level. I know its been a long time since I served, but back yonder whether it was a mess hall, mermac can, or modified C-Rats, having chow for everyone was never an issue. DaHell happened? I remember several Mess Sergeants telling their cooks, and the DROs to treat every meal as if the General his self may show up to sample the wares. And how many of us were sent at some point in time or another to sample said wares and report back? If you take care of your troops…they will take care of you.
Military accounting has changed in an era where most support services are privatized and contracted.
Now the money is accounted as a soldier’s food allowance that is earmarked to be paid to the contracted food service provider for that soldier’s nutritional needs at the dining facility.
So their food allowance it is seen as “deducted” from their pay and earmarked as a payment to their food service provider.
Please see my reply to MIRanger below.
This problem is a non partisan issue that has been happening across administrations.
I despise Trump and Hegseth, but this problem is no a result of their “leadership”.
Though Hegseth could put a stop to it now that it is public. Trump could too, but he shouldn’t have to. Hegseth should be on this.
Congratulations! As I write this you only have a “-1” rating; that’s an outstandingly positive review for you.
Hell they got us hot chow once a day on top of a friggin mountain in Bridgeport in the 80’s in 8 feet of snow. Now guys are eating bread and lima beans, my how things have changed.
“my how things have changed.”
Not really. I can remember a few “meals” that were just as bad 50+ years ago. The army is a bureaucracy, and like any bureaucracy it contains a certain percentage of morons, idjits, and other assorted parasites. We used to call them “lifers”. And, as someone once said, “A fish rots from the head”. If the boss doesn’t give a shit, that shit rolls downhill.
I urged my NCO’s to eat in the dining facility at least once a month, once a week was preferred. The usual answer was that they got separate rats and I couldn’t order them to eat in the dining facility. I agreed with them, I couldn’t order them to, I was the NCOIC not the Commander. I reminded them of when they were living in the “dorms” and I was sure they griped about the chow. I simply said if they occasionally visited the dining facility they’d know how their troops were being served. Was the food good and were the troops using the GI Right to bitch about everything; or were they being slopped like hogs? One can’t tell unless one witnesses it.
That troops were being served toast and lima beans indicates a lack of leadership. The unit commanders should forfeit their monthly BAS and take their meals in the DFAC until morale improves.
That used to be a thing. The OOD/SDNCO were supposed to eat at least 1 meal in the mess hall/chow hall and annotate it in the logbook.
Last time I pulled Staff Duty ( a few months ago) that was no long required by command.
And for anybody who doubts the chow halls, sorry, Warrior Restaurants are pretty craptacular these day, check out HotsnCots
Feed the fucking troops.
Not a request.
Leave it to the military bureaucracy to fuck up what is actually a very simple process; feed your troops.