About Us

Your Commissary and Exchange Benefits are in Jeopardy

Recent activities by Congress threaten to eliminate the saving you get when you shop at the Commissary. If passed, these actions could also significantly reduce the money set aside to pay for MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreations) activities for military families.

How could this happen? In an environment focused on reducing the deficit, law makers must cut expenses from the budget before agreeing to pay for new programs. Why does this affect the commissary? Unlike other grocery stores, the commissary does not make a profit. By law, commissaries can only charge consumers 5% more than the item costs to stock the shelves. This unique pricing allows military families to save more than 30% on their grocery bill. This works because the costs to operate the commissary is paid by a subsidy in the federal budget.

Earlier this year, the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee voted to eliminate the federal subsidy for military commissaries and recommended the Department of Defense (DoD)consolidate the operations of the commissaries and exchanges in order to pay for the Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2011 (S.277). We strongly believe these families’ health care needs must be met, but we are adamantly opposed to doing so at the expense of other military families. There is still time to act. This bill still needs to be voted on by the entire Senate and then approved by the House, but it poses a very real threat.
Senator Tom Coburn’s (R-OK) “Back to Black” report also calls for consolidating military commissaries and exchangesinto a single, nonsubsidized retail system over five years.
There is growing concern that the $1.3 billion subsidy to operate the commissary will be targeted by the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction or “super committee” tasked to find at least $1.2 trillion in savings over the next decade.

If this bill is passed, prices in the commissary and exchanges will go up in order to make up for the loss of federal funds. You’ve told us how important your commissaries and exchanges are, especially those of you who live overseas or in remote locations, and we’ve shared your thoughts with Congress. You can also tell Congress what you think. Share your story at www.saveourbenefit.com.

If the additional step to consolidate the behind the scenes operations of the commissaries and exchanges takes place, the $300 million earned to pay for MWR programs that support critical quality of life programs could go away. In 2006, after spending $17 million to study the issue, the Department of Defense determined that consolidation was not the answer to budget concerns. It wasn’t the answer then and it is not the answer now.

For more information on the Commissary benefit, we suggest you read Tom Philpott’s article, Commissary boss: Critics overlook the efficiencies. We have also provided a list of important facts on the commissary and exchange.

Important Facts:

Military families currently save an average of 31% by shopping in the Commissary.
Military families save an average of over 20% by shopping in the Exchanges.
The commissaries and exchanges pay $800 million to more than 50,000 military family members employed by them.
Exchanges generate $300 million in dividends which are used to support Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs for service members and military families.
For the $1.5 billion spent annually, commissaries and exchanges generate $5.6 billion in savings.

We urge you to let Congress know how much you value your Commissary and Exchange Benefit! Please leave your comment below.

Comments

Thanks for submitting your feedback. If your comment is personal in nature, please email info@MilitaryFamily.org.

Items 51 - 100 of 354

Comment: It is extremely said that service members and their families are being punished for poor budgeting. How is it far that the very people who sacrifice so much already some even their lives are getting cut once again? This isn't far.
Submitted by: MsAutum on November 16, 2012

Comment: You are taking away from the very people who go without a lot in life for the benefit of this country. When the revolt comes that you all are planning for do you really think the men and women that you are doing a disservice to are going to defend you against the people they are sworn to defend. You need to get your priorities straight don't provoke the beast that has kept the wolves away or that beast may keep you away and will most likely be supported by the people who support them. Do your duty for your country
Submitted by: Devildoc on November 16, 2012

Comment: Its so frustrating that the first thing congress wants to cut is military! What happens when they cut so much the military will be useless! Take away their pay for even one month and it will drastically change our debt! Cut their pay!
Submitted by: ruthie on November 16, 2012

Comment: My hausband served in the military for 20 years. Many of those years we were separated because of deployments and work related trainging. I have seen our benefits being cut over and over again. Our family has sacrificed so that this country could be protected by the men and women in the military. How much more is our government going to take from those that have sacrificed so much? This is wrong!!
Submitted by: on November 16, 2012

Comment: It's infuriating to even consider this as an option, when those people in charge make triple or more what the military personnel in harms way makes. How about not giving the Senate full retirement benefits for two years worth of lies and paper-pushing? The bottom line is that there are families on food stamps in the military, how can you pay these personnel so little and then take away their ability to buy food at a lower price? Is this your way to reduce the force? 'Force them out by taking away their benefits?
Submitted by: fedup on November 16, 2012

Comment: Hey Congress, why don't you try living by the same standards you impose on everyone else before you start punishing the only group of Americans that sacrifices to the extent that we do and is willing to die for their country. You can't even sacrifice your undeserved retirement checks! Hypocrites!
Submitted by: Infantry79 on November 16, 2012

Comment: Military personnel and family sacrifice a great deal to provide protection to the nation. Stop taking away from the military. Why not take your pay and leisure? It's fine and dandy for Congress to keep their great pay and lavish lifestyles while they take away from everybody else.
Submitted by: Kreese on November 16, 2012

Comment: I wonder if Congress thinks it will be less expensive to pay a COLA allowance to every military member instead of commissaries? Our pay simply does not increase enough to account for the increase in cost of food. The commissary is important to me, but essential to families overseas. Expecting military families to live on local food markets not only is impossible on their budget, even with COLA, but puts their safety at risk, as host nation food standards are often not as stringent as US standards. Please, compromise on this issue. We all know there is more cuttable spending that doesn't adversely affect members or their families.
Submitted by: yorktownmom on November 16, 2012

Comment: This is just shocking. I am so hurt emotionally by this. What has happened to our country? It is hard enough to serve as an Army wife when there are so many civilians who detest my husband and what he does, yet, benefit from the security his work provides. Now, our very own ELECTED officials want to impoverish us? How does that help our country's economy? We will certainly have to cut back. We may not make it to 20 years now. Even if we did, would there be any retirement benefits? You are severing an understood relationship with your own military! How can that ever be a good idea?
Submitted by: Jenny on November 16, 2012

Comment: I understand we are the easiest thing to cut since we have no control, it's just ashame! Are husbands have sacrificed so much including their lives & this is how their families are repaid!!! : (
Submitted by: Saddenedarmywife on November 16, 2012

Comment: Amazing that a congress would take away a benefit from young military families and old vets who have earned the benefits. Try dipping into their own salaries and benefits before dipping into ours. An unpatriotic, selfish, mindless act. Eventually the people will rise to revolt for this chipping away at everything but for what makes the politicians richer and there won't be much help for them then.
Submitted by: Outraged vet spouse on November 16, 2012

Comment: Without a pay raise as well then this is going to seriously hurt military families! Or is the objective to have MORE people on foodstamps/welfare? Perhaps Congress wouldn't be so quick to attempt to balance the entire budget by cutting military benefits if they actually lived on our paychecks .... just livid!!!
Submitted by: TimsArmyWifey on November 15, 2012

Comment: Take care of all military families (retired and active)!! Stop taking away our benefits. Don't even think of such things. Uncool.
Submitted by: shervin on November 15, 2012

Comment: We are currently stationed overseas in South Korea. We already pay higher prices in our Commissary and Exchange than usual as a result. If we lose this benefit, our cost of living here will increase significantly. These stores not only help us out monetarily, but bring us some of the comforts from home at reasonable prices. We've always appreciated the benefits of the Commissary and Exchange in the states, but we are relying on them more than ever before.
Submitted by: ArmywifeKatie on November 15, 2012

Comment: We were stationed overseas twice. There wasn't a WalMart. We needed the reasonable prices at the commissary and the US goods at the PX to make ends meet, especially when the dollar was weak. We also lived on bases rather distant from the nearest town and Walmart. There is already an impression that today's politicians TALK about supporting the military while we watch the force size shrink, the deployments lengthen and happen more often and the weapons and facilities age and rot around us. Commissaries and exchanges are an implied promise that we shouldn't have to be fighting to keep supported.
Submitted by: AF wife NAVY mom on November 15, 2012

Comment: This is wrong. We deserve these benefits for all of our sacrifices.
Submitted by: ADG on November 15, 2012

Comment: I always thought that the commissary and exchange benefits were to help financially because our pay was less than similar work in the civilian sector. If you remove or reduce this benefit then military pay will need to be increased or people won't be able to afford serving in the military. Consider the second and third order effects.
Submitted by: Armywifemaryward on November 15, 2012

Comment: My husband worked hard and sacreficed for this country now you want to take away what his blood and sweat earned him. I feel so bad how this country is turning out.
Submitted by: Deb on November 7, 2012

Comment: Whats next they going to take away the GI bill, or the benefits received from the VA? What BS! The commissary is there as a benefit for our Military for serving OUR country. This shouldn't be passed!
Submitted by: Ronson on October 20, 2012

Comment: As much as our military families sacrifice, compared to the salary and benefits they get...it still comes short...instead of taking away they should be given more.The cuts should start with those that serve one term in any goverment office and retire with a substantial salary for the rest of their lifes and did not sacrifice 1/16th of what our service men/women do...
Submitted by: Sandy on October 12, 2012

Comment: We would not make it in Guam if we did not have the Commissary and Exchange. They are our lifeline. Please do not take them away.
Submitted by: Prelude on September 28, 2012

Comment: The Commissry is the places where all the Military families make groceries trying safe a little money and we get that benefit but is nothing if we compare that with urs husbans, wifes, sons or another member of are families are fithing for this country so if that benefit is take cut off well then send urs families member back and let the rest of the world in PAZ dont help dont expend the money out of the U.S. wher we really need it... WE NEED THE COMMISSARY AND THE PX, THE BX AND ALL THE BENEFIT THE MILITARY SOLDIERS FOR YEARS USUALLY HAVE!!!!!!
Submitted by: Colombiana on September 27, 2012

Comment: Don't mess with the few benefits I have left. If I'm not going to make a high salary, at least offset my living expenses with continued commissary and exchange privileges.
Submitted by: ikey on September 27, 2012

Comment: Please support the men and their families that have given so much. Please respect us stop taking away benefits we have earned. Our blood was spilled to keep you safe..Stop taking from us and start honoring us. Keep the Commissary and Exchange Benefits for us.
Submitted by: bebert on September 15, 2012

Comment: Military Families sacrifice much, over a 20+ year career. This includes, member, spouse and children, who "uproot" their lives multiple times, forsaking careers, friends, and family for the sake of safeguarding this country. Stop with the lip service, and protect the benefits of those who protect your freedom. "Taking care of those, who bore our burden." Abraham Lincoln.
Submitted by: THUMPER on September 5, 2012

Comment: I have to agree with WhoopityDoo on this one. Wal-mart is cheaper on the majority of things already and anyone who is claiming that they are entitled to shop here just to be in neater stores than civilians really shows how much they care about "their america" umm civilians are the majority and what we are all about protecting in the first place. I say close them, at this point with the prices being the same or higher than wal-mart, Id rather shop in civilian stores, atleast the selection is better.
Submitted by: ChristmasElf on July 29, 2012

Comment: Make them open to everyone in order to keep costs down - otherwise they are an old fashioned concept costing tax payers money to run and operate. The entire idea of a commissary is very antiquated and useless. Open them to the public or close them all together. No loss either way really. Wal-mart is just as cheap if not cheaper on the vast majority of items - been there done that.
Submitted by: WhoopityDoo on July 29, 2012

Comment: My dependent elderly mother depends on the lower prices at the commissary for her monthly shopping. My nephew, who is active duty Air Force; and his wife also depend on the commissary for the essentials in their lives. Without the Commissary and PX they would have to do without. They now have a small baby and the lower prices keep them in food, formula, etc. Don't cut these benes that our soldiers gave their lives for. There are other areas to be trimmed
Submitted by: SD on July 24, 2012

Comment: Being retired Navy man and a Viet Nam vet and retired civil service (DOD) employee I feel this law would decrease my, and many other Vets, quality of life. Why are we not being treated like the true American patriot that have put our self, voluntarily in harms way to allow our country to remain the best in the world. Most are middle to lower middle class Americans. Please don't punish us because we are no longer needed.
Submitted by: jim on June 24, 2012

Comment: Fort Campbell Ky commissary prices are way to expensive. They just built a new building and it is now even worse. Walmart is 1000% cheaper.
Submitted by: duff on June 17, 2012

Comment: As a military wife and a volunteer at the local food bank I help a lot of young military families get food boxes because the don't have enough food to make it to pay day and they make too much to qualify for foodstamps. The savings we get by shopping at the commissary helps the military family so much. I hope thoses of you making decisions in congress will take off your rose colored glasses and look into the lives of these young military families who have enough to worry about; they or should I say we shouldn't have to worry about taking food off a table that is already hard to set.
Submitted by: Trisha on April 26, 2012

Comment: Let's see...AAFES takes over, prices go up, patrons shop elsewhere...cheaper, say Amazon or Walmart, costs overtake revenue, and ...what happens then?
Submitted by: Tman on March 14, 2012

Comment: TAKE OUR BENEFITS,RAISE OUR PAY" Benefits are not something that is a favor or just doing something nice for the workers it "benefits". It is in LURE of payment. Military wages are very low because of the benefits we are supposed to receive. Benefits are factored into the salary charts and the recruiting and retention programs used to entice members of the military. So actually if you are not using the "Benefits" you are not receiving your entitled payment for your service. (your choice) However if the benefits are reduced or removed it is like reducing actual payment. If congress cancels benefits the money should then go to the salary's of those who received the benefits because now the wages need to be raised to equal the loss of the benefit to assure the same quality of life...for the same service. BUT the problem with this is that the cost of the benefit favors the employer, usually not costing as much as the benefit offers the individual. (That is why the employer gives benefits in the first place) In the long run the government is saving money by using benefits in lure of payments. The first place civilians look to save money is reducing benefits to military personnel because they think we don't deserve it and we are "Volunteers" and can give more as Obama has stated. What if we stop federal funding of the housing projects that have crushed many of our cities? Many of the people that occupy those areas don't work at all and don't contribute a dime to society. Stop their payments and "benefits"(why do you have a benefit for nothing???) I agree with some of the others...just because we are in the military doesn't mean we don't have a voice. We are loud enough to the rest of the world not to mess with the US! Make our Voices (votes, letters,emails, letters,) known directly to the Government. We need to stand up for ourselves as we stand up for the United States!
Submitted by: "TAOB ROP" on March 2, 2012

Comment: I see all of the comments below and yet I wonder how many of these people took the time to send an email, write a letter to their elected official, or picked up their telephone and made a phone call...I hope every single one of them did. Also, please consider writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Peace.
Submitted by: Lori in FL on February 25, 2012

Comment: Our Commissaries are a great value to us. Without them our quality of life would be greatly reduced. The stores are much neater and cleaner than the civilial stores. This issue will greatly imfluence our votes in the upcoming elections.
Submitted by: Jerry on January 29, 2012

Comment: When are you Senators going to realize that an enormous amount of militay are already on food stamps to make ends meet,NOW THIS!! COME-ON-MAN,Give them your pay raise that you don't deserve.
Submitted by: Jim on January 6, 2012

Comment: I am not going to say please or be kind to the military. Instead I will conduct a well thought out operation to spend as little as possible anywhere off post. When your constituents feel real economic pain that will result from passing this bill. You will certainly hear about it and see it in drops in campaign funding. In short 1. I will not patronize franchise eateries on post. 2. I will not spend any discretionary money locally. 3. If I need something amazon is a mouseclock away. Time to do what we do so well, organize , improvise and deliver pain unto our foes. Money speaks louder than words , so fight back with a closed wallet.
Submitted by: M on December 17, 2011

Comment: I drive almost an hour every week just to shop my nearest Commissary. My husband is a career (17 year) Marine, soon to be a Lt Colonel. If my benefits are reduced I will certainly push him to get out of the service at his 20 year mark & retire. We sacrifice enough as it is following our husband's careers around. If anything, benefits should be increasing in this area...prices are not nearly as good as I've seen in previous years.
Submitted by: Andrea on December 9, 2011

Comment: after 46 years serving his country, that is the least the country an do for the soldiers. Shame on these men that make these decisions. How many served themselves? Do the job then tell us how "easy" it is!!
Submitted by: sitalevy on December 8, 2011

Comment: I am a retired military that served in Korea and nam. I am also now a disabled vet.I Thought the commissary and Exch privilege would always be there for me and families in the Service. We have all seen the comparisons made between the military and civilian pay scales and the Comm and Exch is one of the things that help make up some of the difference. IMO If it is changed or eliminated it would be a great disservice to all of the military that put it all on the line for our country! I know this benefit has been threatened before, And hopefully our supporters will come forward again!
Submitted by: Don on December 6, 2011

Comment: We're retired Air Force. The combination of inflation and fixed income makes our commissary a much appreciated benefit, and one that we use all the time.
Submitted by: comshopper on December 2, 2011

Comment: Please keep the benefits of the Commissaries and our Navy Exchanges. The military forces depend greatly on the benefits of both. The commissary is the only place that my family utilize, because the prices elsewhere are too expensive. Please reconsider and listen to our voices.
Submitted by: Pamela on December 1, 2011

Comment: I am a wife of a retried Navy. If congress the current saving we are getting at the Exchang and Commissary it will make it very hard for us to pay our monthy bills.I urge Congress not to pass this bill that will change our benafits.
Submitted by: Rumel on December 1, 2011

Comment: I would like to apologize (about my earlier comments) to those who have served in harms way, in particular to Senator John McCain. Still, it is appalling to even consider taking away these privileges. Thank You.
Submitted by: MacAllen on November 29, 2011

Comment: This is an outrage! First of all, why is that Congress NEVER gets any cut backs in order to balance the budget? Leave the military alone! My husband did not serve in the submarine community for 31 years just to be treated this way! And don't even get me started on those we are currently sending into harms way. (My son has served in Iraq and will go to Afghanistan early next year.) You should be ashamed! You wallow in all your benefits and pay for life and you want to cut the commissary and exchange benefits for our military, and their families, who sacrifice so much. Maybe I will consider letting you have your way if you would put into law an exchange program for our military - sort of like they had in the Civil War, but the reverse. You let my son stay home and instead send one of your congressmen or senators in his place and then you can take away their commissary and exchange.......Yea, right. I didn't think you would want to go there, live in those conditions, suffer in the heat, put your life on the line, and watch your buddies die. Yea, I'm angry. Start with your own benefits Mr. Congressman.
Submitted by: MacAllen on November 29, 2011

Comment: Please keep our commisary!
Submitted by: Juanita Carlton on November 28, 2011

Comment: I would urge congress to not forget how much we already sacrifice. Their pay is not the greatest and some of us have children who require special needs like my son and I can not work since daycare is so expensive for such a child. We are barely surviving to say the least and for congress to slap us in the face with cuts that directly affect our children is just not acceptable at all. I save so much money and heavily rely on being able to shop at the commissary especially since it is only a mile away it crucial to militiary families survival and I can tell you we love the commissary and the great discounts that we get to benefit from.
Submitted by: Heyli on November 28, 2011

Comment: We find it extremely helpful to be able to save on items such as meat, bread and other necessities for our family of 5. Please support our commissaries and exchanges.
Submitted by: Carbru on November 28, 2011

Comment: My husband served the National Guard for 27 years, through many deployments over seas and stateside. Because he is 46 and retired we fall in that "gray area". We had to come off the health insurance until actual retirement age (or pay FULL price which no one can afford), he can't draw his retirement until then as well. The only benefit we have for 27 years of service is the Commissary and Exhange benefits. He has served this country since he was in High School. He is self employed and this last deployment has really hurt his business of 20+ years. Soldiers make so many sacrifices for their service...and yet you keep taking away the small benefits they do receive. CUT SOMEWHERE ELSE!! DON'T TAKE AWAY THE ONLY BENEFIT WE HAVE.
Submitted by: Spouse of Retired Service Member on November 28, 2011

Comment: As a military wife I rely heavily on the Commissary and the Exchange please do not cut off these benefits - I am a registered Republican and my husband has proudly served in the Navy for over 14 years and counting.
Submitted by: Corie Sullivan on November 27, 2011

Items 51 - 100 of 354