More of not balancing the budget on the backs of Veterans
Several folks have sent us this link to Stars & Stripes about the Department of Defense’s plans to close down a number of commissaries (run by the Defense Commissary Agency or DeCA) in an effort to save more money.
“If DeCA’s budget is cut to such a magnitude, it would ultimately require DeCA to close stores or change the way it delivers the commissary benefit,” a source with knowledge of the proposed cuts told Military.com. “But those options would mean military families would have to pay more for their groceries, significantly reducing the non-pay compensation benefit provided through the commissaries. Once again, military families are being forced to sacrifice their hard-earned money to achieve deficit reductions by having their benefits reduced or eliminated.”
DeCA’s $1.4 billion annual budget funds employee salaries, utilities and pays for food to be shipped overseas. A congressionally mandated 5 percent surcharge on all commissary sales pays for other operation costs such as construction and building maintenance.
A recent study by DeCA found that using the commissary saves shoppers an average of 30.5 percent annually when compared to other stores off base.
You know, if it was just the commissaries, I’d probably say ‘meh’, but if you add this to cutting COLAs, cutting the pay increases and bonuses of active duty troops, cutting overall manpower, adjusting the retirement plans, raising healthcare out-of-pocket costs for veterans, I don’t see how the president could say that he’s not balancing the budget on the backs of veterans. I guess if you like your commissary, you can keep it, unless you can’t.
Category: Barack Obama/Joe Biden
Can’t agree with the “meh”, Jonn.
Medical and commissary are about the only two significant bennies retirees still have. And they’re significant for the families of those still serving. Hell, without the savings from the commissary a fair number of junior soldiers with families would be choosing between paying bills and buying food each month. 30% of a family’s grocery bill is significant.
It may happen, but it’s definitely IMO not a minor thing if it does. At least not to the junior guys with families still serving.
Death by a thousand cuts. And this administration is just getting warmed up.
At what point do they tell people serving in high-cost areas overseas (Japan, etc.,) that they’re on their own?
This will not stop with the end of the Obama administration and anyone who thinks it will is pissing into the wind.
Obama has just gotten the ball rolling and is going after what were before thought to be untouchable benefits. Now that the seal has been broken, it does not matter what the next presidents political affiliation is, he, she or it will now go after our benefits with a gusto, all the while telling us how much they appreciate our service.
And the “ending” of the long war is just going to make it easier. Veterans and their issues will recede from view and we will be easier pickin’s for unscrupulous, gutless politicians.
Stand by and BOHICA!!
So we can’t touch welfare, social security, funding for illegal immigrants, bogus scientific research, aid to foreign countries or subsidies for windmills.
But somehow going after veterans benefits is going to make it all better. And of course in another ten or twenty years when we get attacked again, Congress will suddenly love us again.
I hear echoes of 1937
I would say to for the those left open prices will shoot up to make up shortfalls, especially for those of us overseas with no other place to by groceries other than the commissary. Prices are all ready high which is understood when things come by ship or are flown in. Folks use Amazon and other things for some dry goods and deal with the mail delay but this will pinch hard on the stuff you can’t ship that is unless base commanders start allowing cows and other livestock as pets in which case military families may then raise their own food. With all the cuts and reductions it will be harder and harder to convince people to join the service. Here is an idea for budget shortfalls, kill the LCS and F-35 or reduce the numbers of that hunk of junk that cost alone would free up money. How about all the money that has gone to everyone with a different uniform? There are ways to trim fat and cut the budget without it being on the backs of service members and vets the problem I suspect it that means cutting pet projects in districts such as when the air force said they had enough C-17’s and had more jammed down their throat despite it.
Do B. Hussein 0bama & Company have brainstorm sessions to find more ways to SHIT on us Vets?
Just as an aside, the local commissary is stocked (product put out) through a contract with a local, not for profit agency that coordinates and promotes jobs for mentally and physically handicapped people.
The jobs pay less but give the handicapped people a sense of worth and purpose rather than just staying home. No additional accommodations need to be made as there are criteria for lifting, standing, etc.
The point I am trying to make is that if other commissaries close, what happens to these workers? They are back totally on public assistance and beholding to the government rather than being independent.
Of course, in the eyes of this administration, that may be a feature not a bug.
What Obama meant was that he would not balance they budget on the backs of veterans because he has no plans on balancing the budget to begin with.
So much for the All Volunteer Force. The funny thing is that when they reinstate the draft nobody will show up. They will have to ramp up the press gangs and empty the jails. The day of the Citizen soldier will be a thing of the past. Only the hardcore unemployed and gang members in search of combat training will apply. Finish boot camp and desert with your weapons will be the new norm. The Army will need to be made up of single soldiers only, as there will be no facilities for dependents. No medical, no commissaries, and very few PX’s if any. The Army won’t be big enough to hold a decent parade. That will be perfect for the progressives, they don’t believe we need a defense department anyway. You can be sure that the New World Order will be on someone else’s terms. Islam’s perhaps, or the Chinese commies.
My daughter at Ft. Bragg told me about this several months ago along with closing a bunch of dining halls and stuff.
island: prices rising if/when there is a major cutback in the number of commissaries is IMO a distinct possibility.
From what I can tell DeCA does a fairly good job of negotiating with its suppliers to keep prices for commissary customers low. Presumably, part of that is due to the sheer size of DeCA’s enterprise – which gives them leverage when negotiating with suppliers.
Fewer commissaries means their negotiators will have less leverage.