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He might mean well, and it might even be a good idea. But the issues are simply too far apart in the budget process. The generals will have their budget really tightly wound together when it goes to Congress. For a senator, it's like coming in at the end of a really complex game of Jenga. You can't just yank a piece out of the bottom and place it on the top.
Sometimes Congress tries, and the generals will allow unintended consequences break something just to teach Senators a lesson. Do you remember the brou-ha-ha in 2007 when it was reported that wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan were in horrible conditions in a run-down Walter Reed military hospital?
Well, the reason it was run-down was because Congress had voted in 2005 to close it. The military isn't going to budget refurbishment for a facility that Congress has ordered closed. Congress: "Did we do that?"
Congress, every year or two: "Oh, my God, it's a broken procurement process! It takes too long! The troops don't get what they need/want! How could this happen?!?! We must find and punish the people who did this!"
Procurement is the way it is because Congress voted the Federal Acquisition Regulation and its dozens to hundreds of nitpicky little rules designed to stimulate small businesses, at the expense of efficiency, into place.
I do almost all of my shopping at the Commissary. For one thing, it is closer and easier to get to than Walmart or Costco. Moving every 2-3 years makes Costco less of a bargain, since I have to throw out so much food every time we move. I also find the prices of the food cheaper at the Commissary, meats especially, and when you add in the tax free benefit (which is an 8.25% discount) it is even cheaper. I know I'm not the only one, either, since the place is always absolutely packed, and near payday the line can be an hour or longer. I avoid pay day.
If they cut out this benefit, there's no way they are increasing our pay. No way. They'd take that money and put it in the CEO's of Boeing's pocket. Not ours.
I expect some rough cuts in the next few years. Tricare rates go up. Retiree benefits cut. Active duty funding severely slashed. Unless the sequester is repealed, the next couple years for the DOD is going to hurt.
Thing I don't understand with cuts is why aren't we making it a priority to get those out with the drug violations, malingerers and people who want to get out?
At least in the Army, everyone is talking about RFI this and RFI that. There are a lot of people who want to get out, pretty much everyone at Ft. Polk yet they don't want to let volunteers out. They keep saying they want to keep the best in. I understand that but there are people who are going to get out anyway. So you have people who you boot out and then people get out on their own later.
What's going to happen when, not if, the next war starts? We're going to be stuck with a depleted NCO and FGO corps.
As for the commissary, for myself, I don't use it very much as it's on the other side of post and going there puts me out of the way. Yes, the savings are there but for me, it's not worth going out of my way that much.
I would say it's really post dependent. At a place like Ft. Polk, most of the military personnel will shop at the commissary as the only other game in town is at Wal Mart and if you've been to Leesville, you'll know not to go to Wal Mart after dark without a fire team...
My question is why do service members need a commissary when they serve in the 50 states? I understand why it is necessary abroad, but virtually every place with a military base has shopping available.
I think it would make more sense for the government to give soldiers and sailors a cash stipend that would reflect the difference between grocery store and commissary prices.
Operating the commissary has to be pretty expensive and it does not directly add to military readiness.
when i was in military "news" was a joke as the reporters seemed to get their stories from the dumpster after committee brainstorming budget cut sessions. oh, and the sky never fell. and i never say never.
Operating the commissary has to be pretty expensive and it does not directly add to military readiness.
Healthcare programs for dependents also do not directly add to "military readiness". Would you be in favor of scrapping those too???
The commissary is an earned benefit. Not only does it save its users money, but, as something that is only available to those who serve (and who have served), it helps set us apart from the general populace and directly contributes to esprit de corps and morale.
I am especially disappointed in Sen Coburn for lumping the Commissary system in with so many EGREGIOUS examples of fraud, waste and abuse in DoD. Of course, I would not expect him to understand the needs of the military since he never served a single DAY in uniform......
, it helps set us apart from the general populace and directly contributes to esprit de corps and morale.
...and morale adds to military readiness. You didn't quite finish the thought.
You can't expect a Soldier to be focused on being 'ready' if he's worried about his spouse and children having access to groceries, healthcare, housing, etc. Those ancillary services do impact his ability to effectively train and deploy. Thus, commissary = good idea in many places, even in CONUS. E.g., Ft. Irwin: 40 miles from anywhere. Cancel it there? It's in CONUS, after all...
...and morale adds to military readiness. You didn't quite finish the thought.
You can't expect a Soldier to be focused on being 'ready' if he's worried about his spouse and children having access to groceries, healthcare, housing, etc. Those ancillary services do impact his ability to effectively train and deploy. Thus, commissary = good idea in many places, even in CONUS. E.g., Ft. Irwin: 40 miles from anywhere. Cancel it there? It's in CONUS, after all...
Well said, Transplant.
Our "leadership", from the brass to the civilian authorities, seems hell-bent on transforming the military from a proud, strong uniformed force into nothing more than civilians with guns. We are NOT civilians, and deserve to be treated with the respect due us, since we DID take an oath to defend this country, with our lives if need be.
We shop commissaries when available. I appreciate the manufacturers that keep their prices low and add military coupons for the same products. I don't like Costco, Sam's... HATE Walmart.
I didn't think there was much cost involved - I guess the people who are on payroll (which doesn't include baggers who have to pay for their shifts) I know it doesn't turn a profit. They have an awesome selection. Maybe they should generate a little profit like the Exchanges do...
Here on Oahu there are 4 commissaries. Seems a bit excessive... especially 2 on Joint Base Pearl Harbor/Hickam.
Our "leadership", from the brass to the civilian authorities, seems hell-bent on transforming the military from a proud, strong uniformed force into nothing more than civilians with guns. We are NOT civilians, and deserve to be treated with the respect due us, since we DID take an oath to defend this country, with our lives if need be.
What has to be faced is that: 1. federal spending has to be cut; and 2. virtually no matter where it gets cut, some group is going to feel pain.
Some people think that virtually any expenditure for the military is sacrosanct and should be protected. Yet, this same group might think nothing of drastically slashing medicaid expenditures for children. That isn't going to work.
I personally believe everyone is going to have pay part of the price in order to deal with this problem. The commissary reportedly costs taxpayers $1.4 billion a year. I'm not saying it should be eliminated without doing anything in return for servicemen and women. However, I don't see the rationalization for maintaining the commissary when a military base is adjacent to a city or town with Walmart and other grocery store chains. If the prices at these stores exceed what the soldier or sailor is paying at the commissary than I think it would make more sense to simply give them a cash stipend (yearly, or monthly) that approximates this difference.
What the taxpayer would save is the cost of building the commissary buildings on base, maintaining these buildings, and employing the workers on a government wage scale.
If a base is unduly far from a city or community with decent grocery stores than an exception could be made to the rule. I suspect when it comes to the USA that this exception would only be in about 5% of the cases. I think one would also find that chain grocery stores might build stores nearer to military bases to accommodate servicemen and women once they were no longer competing with the commissary.
I would also suggest that if military people want to avoid this idea, than it is incumbent on them to find other savings in the DoD that would equal or exceed the savings from this plan.
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yet they don't want to let volunteers out. They keep saying they want to keep the best in. I understand that but there are people who are going to get out anyway. So you have people who you boot out and then people get out on their own later.
