What proposed changes do you support for the commissaries?
The commissary. It’s one of those bread-and-butter military perks that comes with having your military ID. The commissary is where military families, old and young, get their milk, meat and cereal. It’s used by active duty families and retirees alike. Shopping and saving money at the commissary is one of the benefits available to our military community.
The commissary also seems to be one of the first benefits discussed every year when Congress, the Department of Defense and lobbyists are debating ways to trim the defense budget. This year isn’t any different.
Tucked in the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission’s 15 recommendations to modernize the military is a proposal to combine the commissary and exchange systems into a single defense resale organization. The commission’s final report was released in late January. You can read the entire report here.
Currently, the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) operates commissaries that provide groceries to authorized patrons (you and me and anyone else with a valid military ID) at cost with a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. DeCA promotes that commissary shoppers “save an average of more than 30 percent on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings that amount to thousands of dollars annually when shopping regularly at a commissary.”
On the flip side of military retail coin is the DoD operated exchange system that includes the Army Air Force Exchange System (AAFES), the Navy Exchange (NEX), and the Marine Corps Exchange (MCX). Exchanges have everything from beer to military uniforms and sell their merchandise at a profit. The benefit of the exchange is no sales tax.
Keep in mind that the “gross profits (from the exchanges) are used to support the exchange system, covering operating and other expenses; recapitalize facilities and systems; or are provided as dividends to fund MWR programs.”
When you’re stationed overseas, both the commissary and exchange are vital to your quality of life. Both retail organizations hire military dependents and veterans.
Together, commissaries and exchanges provide goods and services with total annual sales of more than $17 billion in 2013.
Based on an in-depth study that included town hall meetings and quality of life surveys, the bipartisan Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission unanimously recommended a consolidated resale organization.
A consolidated resale organization, with combined resources, increased operational flexibility, and better alignment of incentives and policies, would improve the viability and stability of these systems. It would sustain the benefit while reducing the combined reliance on appropriated funding over time. The increased flexibility and opportunities available to a consolidated organization could enable a deeper level of cooperation to improve quality and drive the efficiencies recommended by numerous studies. The many similarities, overlaps, and redundancies in processes, staffing, and support infrastructures favor the consolidation process. Establishing an executive structure and means of oversight that ensures alignment with the needs and goals of Service members and the Military Services is critical.”
–the 2015 Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission Final Report
The proposal also said that a portion of profits would continue to support MWR programs and the commissaries would keep their current 5-percent surcharge. The surcharge was set at 5 percent in 1983.
This consolidated system would “allow the sale of convenience items in commissaries at a profit, including products and services typically found in commercial grocers.” Food and other “essential items” would still be sold at cost.
The report also said “This expanded commissary product line would include beer and wine, but those sales must align with DoD’s efforts to deglamorize alcohol and reduce its abuse.”
Basically in a nutshell, this proposal is intended to reduce the overhead costs of operating the commissaries and exchanges separately. It’s not expected to affect the costs of shopping at either store and if approved, this consolidated system may make shopping on-base more like shopping at Walmart.
No
Don’t combine exchange and commissary
No do not combine. Please leave our commissaries as they are.
We are retired air force and shop at Shaw AFB Commissary. Sometimes if the commissary does not have something we have to find it downtown. Some things might be cheaper
downtown but on the whole the commissary cannot be beat.
The Base Exchange on the other hand is very expensive on everything. You have to look at the good it does on base.
We have lost enough benifits that was promised.
If something needs triming trim the salaries of congress and the senate. They just give themselves raises when they feel like it. LEAVE our commissaries alone we earned them.
Thanks,
Lee
The article says the prices will not change they will just be in the same building. Our local commissary is little bigger than a mini mart and because of cuts the last few years it is closed on Mondays. During the furlow it was closed Monday and Tuesday and they almost kept it that way. We have to drive 45 minutes to the main commissary.
If they combined our little commissary and our little px our commissary would be open 12 hours a day 7 days a week instead of the current 8 hours 5 days and 7hours on Sunday’s.
The biggest downside I can see is that in many cases they will have to construct or reconstruct the complex to accommodate a single building feel. Also as it says they employee many spouses and if the consolidate staff meaning less staff. Between our two stores they usually have 5 checkers, 3 px and 2 comm, but somethimes the px has 5. If they combine they will most likely never have more than 5 so the other 2 will lose their jobs or everyone will take an hour cut.
Anytime something like this happens there are benifits and down falls, but hopefully if they do this the benefits will far out weigh.
I agree with. Lee. Do not combine
Keep commissary alone yes sometimes downtown cheaper but u have to drive from store to store
Do not combine
Yes it makes sense to combine. More convenient for all
I have seen places with both in one building and they seemed to work OK. I liked bases/posts with them separate. Combining meant somebody working for tips carried my purchases to the car. I fear combination as a way to do a block-grant type cut, reducing both benefits. I know better than to trust anything said by Congress or Daesh. Both lie and have permission from their leadership. Being retired, I have watched other promised benefits diluted snow disappear. The US Congress keep their good benefits but cut mine. For example, my medicine co-pay went up 60% this month. The promise of vision and dental at a military facility was made in 1970. All gone! .
Totally agree with you C, that combining will end up reducing both benefits; as well as that our promised benefits (my husband is retired Navy, retired in 2003) have been going bye-bye day by day. I’ve seen a few bases where they were separate, then later combined, and every time both ended up giving up several things that they sold, leaving us customers with much less to choose from and in turn heading out to town and paying higher costs for things that we could no longer get at the combined places.
I totally disagree with combining, and pray that they don’t. But considering Congress never listens to us pions (however spelled, lol), I guess we can all look forward to losing yet again another benefit that we were promised when enlisting. Life, it sure does suck a lot lately. 🙁
My biggest concern is during construction. Our local comm and px will have to be shut down during construction. I can see it taking as long as two years to tear down and re build as they would need to reconfigure the entire complex
Do not combine them. Leave them separate and keep our benefits!
I agree that the commissary should remain separate from the PX. myself and my wife ;both shop at the commissary on several times a week since I retired from the military in 2001.
Instead of combining them stateside. How about eliminating them all together in areas that are flooded with retail supermarkets and instead offer the retail chains a tax break for selling there goods at 20-30% discount to active duty and retires. Honestly other than Meat and some dairy products, we can find similarly priced items at our local publix or walmart after we pay the surcharge etc. In large areas like Charleston, its just not as convenient for families to jot down to the base and get a gallon of milk, especially since the majority live off base in private housing. If they combine, we will be paying just as much on base as off base. AAFES is for profit. and marks all of there items up for a 30% profit.
Perhaps in areas like yours that makes sense, but I think yours is the exception not the rule. Yes it takes us a little longer to get to our commissary, but without it it would be impossible to feed my family now that my daughter and her family has moved back in with us. The only thing I can find “downtown” cheaper than on base is the wal mart brand bread. I comparison shop on a weekly basis, and even if our local markets gave a 30% break to military, I would still have to double my already stretched food budget. Not to mention our tax rate is higher than 5%. For families in places like Mobile, Al, (where the sales tax in 10%) it is still cheaper to travel to Gulfport, MS 1 or 2 times a month and buy than to shop the weekly sales. Honestly though, even if the prices were an exact match, I would still travel the extra few miles to shop in an environment where I feel totally safe.
Some good ideas here. Everyone knows the military posts and communities are not a one size fits all.
With AAFES pricing being high on clothes I am afraid of that type of up pricing on groceries.
The article says the prices will not change they will just be in the same building. Our local commissary is little bigger than a mini mart and because of cuts the last few years it is closed on Mondays.
If they combined our little commissary and our little px our commissary would be open 12 hours a day 7 days a week instead of the current 8 hours 5 days and 7 hours on Sunday’s.
Do not combine. Commissary is cheaper than exchanges. What they should do.is opnen a commissary in Atlanta. The closest commissarywe have near Atlanta is more than an hour away.
An hour,thats all? Try living in a state where there is one small size commisary and its 3 hours away one way and its only open on select days. An hour is nothing. Active duty for 24 years and the privileges of commisary and px werent available in the state i was in for 10 years of those 24 years. No COLA either and living in one of the most expensive states. Get rid of both. Work to get discount cards to off post supermarkets for groceries. AAFES pays a starting wage of$7.45 an hour,no matter experience and prior work history w AAFES. Meanwhile,DFAS pays well but you must know someone personally to get hired or you havent checked the appropriate boxes to even get looked at. Get rid of both. The Army will survive.
NO,please don’t do away with our Commissaries. I save at more there than at local grocery stores and you couldn’t pay me to go in a Walmart. We hardly ever go in the Px, they are more expensive on many things we buy, it’s just not always worth it.
I have a problem with combining them. The Commisary keeps me coming back because of competitive pricing. The PX on the other hand, is far from competitive with its pricing. Even with the price match promise, the hoops you have to go through now to get that price match is just ridiculous. It’s much easier to just go to the store with the lower price. So until the PX can be competitive in fact and not in word, no. Do not combine them.
NO, commissary is crowed enough already .I try to stay away from super Walmart for the same reason I believe the exchange is overpriced get rid of it or keep it online only would save much more. I never see many people there except at Christmas, a tv comparison I did was $400 more at the exchange for the same exact model just keep the package store it makes a bundle,
Instead of congress always looking to cut military benefits, when will they start looking to cut some of their benefits ??????? It appears they are ALWAYS looking to the public instead of a self portrait.
Do not combine. We would loose our privilages.
KEEP our Commissaries ….PERIOD! I put importance of Commissary up there with Tricare!
However, WalMart and Target or SAM’s and Costco are about same prices or most times cheaper than PX/BX. Shopping at Kohl’s, Dillard’s and Macy’s have better sales and selections than PX/BX majority of time.
Home Depot and Lowe’s usually beat PX/BX every day on majority of items carried at PX/BX.
Suggest AAFES sell online only with better selections at greater savings!
Perhaps the top 25 selling PX items could go into section at Commissary. I do like many of the Exchange Select Brand items and all those could be processed by DECA..
Leave well enough alone. We need all the brakes we have earned. You higher uppers have no idea how it is to count all your change in your pocket to see what we can buy. Any combining of stores would also put several thousand people out of work, namely baggers and clerks.
All these comments about “benefits” are misleading. As a retired USAF Vietnam veteran serving almost 28 years, I was promised free health care for life after retirement, plus Commissary and BX privileges. These were called entitlements, not benefits. I, and others that enlisted before me, were given these promises each time we reenlisted. But as time went on, congress changed the rules, entitlements became benefits, except for members of congress who are entitled to great health care and many more perks. So when I hear or read about active duty, retired, or their spouses stating “our benefits”, all I think of is no wonder congress acts the way they do. They believe military consider entitlements as benefits so why not cut benefits? My retired military pay is an entitlement; I earned it. My social security is an entitlement ; I earned it. My health care is an entitlement ; I earned it. So regardless whether congress and DAD consolidate Commissaries and BX’s doesn’t bother me. What bothers me if these so called “benefits” are reduced to us paying the same as in civilian stores and grocers.
Please do not change.
Don’t combine. In fact, the BX or PX can just be eliminated altogether. The prices are not competitive at the Exchanges. The electronics available aren’t the newest models. Commissaries are already crowded enough, combining them will just add to congestion. Combining them will, more than likely, require new buildings to be constructed to house the combination. Where do you think the funds will come from for this new building (or renovations)? In the short term, our prices will go up in the commissary. The commissary seems to be the last great benefit military retirees have kept without dramatically costing them more (i.e., Tricare costs, BX discounts). Young active military members need the commissaries to help keep their family costs down as well.
Not a good idea. Just do away with the exchange except for the service stations, and concentrate on making the commissaries even better than they are now. However they are very good now.
I agree to do away with the Exchanges, seems like they carry more top of the line goods and no choice for lower prices. I am retired from the Marine Corps but moved to Phoenix for a better job before becoming completly retired and now use an air force base. I don’t know how it is at other locations but here they did away with the base gas station and tire sales that were tax free. They now have a Firestone dealer with sales tax on all tires and services. Years ago they did away with cheap gas and fuel prices are better in town. I joined a Sam’s Club and get waaay better prices (Michellins) than on base. I can also remember some of the junior troops who worked nights or had days off worked part time as baggers in the commissary, no tips and you hauled your own cart to your car unless you were disabled.
I do like the idea of keeping the small stores like class 6 or package sales where emergency items can be bought or ordered. Milk, eggs and booze comes to mind and maybe they could put the weapon’s sales in the same place. Yes, I like target shooting. Being politicaly incorrect, I remember when there was a commissary officer or senior NCO if you had a complaint. Now, there seems to be some civilian in charge who cares less.
No
The exchange buyers work at Macy’s therefore explains why prices at the San Diego exchanges are sky high.
The commissary is one of the very benefits Congress has not managed t0 mess up
Please, please leave the commissary in tack.
Terry
With the Federal law in place since the 1960’s which makes the commissaries and exchanges price items which will not be lower than the surrounding area of retailers you might as well combine the two. Retail lobby won that battle long ago.
The Commissary has competitive pricing with many items costing less than local stores. The BX on the other hand, typically has prices much higher than comparative store. Sure they will price match but it’s usually not worth the fight to do it. Leave the commissary alone and make the BX (AAFES) an ON-LINE only store.
Before Congress tries to dismantle what we have earned: let them take stock of how they can them selves reduce their costs that us taxpayers are paying for. A prime example is Obama Care. Congressional personnel are subsidized by us taxpayers because they cannot afford to pay the premiums. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa tried to correct this but our Commander in Chief allowed these staffers up to 75% off for their health insurance and we the taxpayers are paying for this. I would think that this is a lot of money and that could be better spent in support of our well-earned benefits.
Do not combine the two. It will mean nothing but higher prices. When AAFES took over pricing of cigarettes, the prices soared. This combining will be nothing but a bad idea which will not be able to be reversed. AAFES is not known for their great store management.
I like the idea. This now means however on things you wouldnt normally pay tax on such as TV or Camera once you purchase it from the commissary that 5% surcharge is now getting hiked up beacuse they go off your total purchase price. I dont know if I like this much more. If they do this then I think a compromise of allowing the surcharge to go down to 3% would be a good compromise seeing as how the buildings a now merged they wont have to have as much going out the door in expenses with the merging of it all into one building now.
Total cost of ownership /purchase was why I bought my 48 in TV at the PX. It was no tax, making for a better price for exactly the same model. Walmart had one for less but a stripped down version. The Commissary charges a surcharge. If combined, how will that impact sir charges? If the PX had charged 5%, I would not have bough myth there.
It’s a very bad idea. The BX/PX could easily be eliminated since they’re only marginally competitive at best.
Frankly, I’d bet there’s already a lobbying group that’s figured out how they’re going to profit from a combining of this sort. I’d also bet that plans are already on paper to find excuses to raise prices once this combination has been accomplished, thus turning a long-established entitlement into a train wreck just so someone can pad their bank account at the expense of the military population in general.
Enough! We already paid the price..
Not sure the NEX was ever sure who its target customer is. Low income customers have to look elsewhere. If Walmart can have low prices, and they do, NEX needs to learn from them and stock at least some low price garments, accessories, etc. Instead of cancelling NEX or combining with the Commissary, make the NEX a more relevant store for the majority of its low income customers. For this E-7 retiree, keep the Commissary as it is, but make the NEX better.
I depend on the commissary for great pricing. I know people say that we can get the same price at Wal-Mart but, since I don’t like shopping at Wal-Mart I don’t get the same pricing!
There are a ton of grocery stores in urban areas granted however, not every base is in an urban area.
Pricing at the commissary is consistently better than in town! I like shopping at the commissary, talking to the families of active duty men and women that work there and getting a good bargain! This would not be the case if it combined with The Exchange!
Please do not combine the two!
My Mom depends on the prices at the Commissary. I do her shopping there. I could live without the PX..
Leave the system alone. It pays for itself. My wife and I earned this benefit. Our elected officials have no problem targeting the military for budget cuts. Why do they have a problem with cutting all the social programs that have developed since the “war on poverty began” under Lyndon Johnson? The cost of maintaining our commissary and exchange services does even come close to what these social programs cost the tax payers. Our government officials have no problems taking their perks for their service, so why should we not get our what we deserve for our service?
NO… My husband is retired Army and we depend on the Commissary. I agree with the others of the fact that enough services have been taken away and more services will be taken away in the future. The Retired and Active Military personal and families have sacrificed their lives to serve our country and they get rewarded by stripping them of all services that they were promised. Congress needs to award Military families not punish them. Congress should stop giving themselves large raises and support the common Military personnel who fight for this country yours and mine to keep us free.
Our military men and women put their lives on the line for this country and no benefit should ever be taken from them. On the other hand, if the politicians want to cut costs, let them cut their benefits. I wish we had more retired military in the government!
After nearly 40 years of active duty , reserve and civilian service, I have seen many benefits either changed or taken away. It never ceases to amaze me how those who give themselves pay raises, have more benefits than anyone else, as well as a free pass to Wall Street, take every opportunity to steal from those who make the least. In some places the only way people can survive is the commissary. And you want to take that away too or as you say combine the two which is a joke. Shame on you!
I want the commissary and NEX separate. Just leave the way things are. We have small benefits compared with politicians and the bureaucracy. Yet we are the one who put our lives on the line to protect this country.
I dont see the savings happening because to house both facilities they will need to builda new building at what cost? They didn’t.say anything about that. At Ft Stewart a new building would be needed. I can see millions of dollars in construction and that doesn’t equal savings to the military budget in my opinion.
Since Obama has mandated that the commissaries be self-supporting, our AAFES is quite often more expensive than our local Walmart. The only savings I see is in the meat department and quality of the products there have really gone downhill.
However, please do not combine these two entities. The prices of goods in the Exchange are no longer competitive. Shop there only when using price match and then only if it is more convenient. We are retired Air Force and appalled at how our government have pulled the rug (promised benefits) from under military families’ feet. Families sacrifice so much and Washington has gotten very stingy.
Let’s get real here! What we signed up for and what we get are two different things. As a former employee of AAFES for 25 years starting in Europe, I have a pretty good idea of what the majority of us go through day by day. My husband died young, only 44, and had retired only three(3) years prior from the Army. The commissary whether four miles, four kliks, or forty miles away was/is the superstar of our existence followed closely by the PX/BX. My AAFES tried to combine the two (Commissary/AAFES) back in the’80s in order to save money, inventory, and resources by making a profit while keeping our military “benefits” non-appropriated funds. It didn’t happen. Now in 2015 I hear rumors that they want to close our commissaries. Do you really think the big wheels care? So what do you want to do about it?
Leave the Commissary and Exchange separate. I don’t trust politicians. They will find a way to make money off the Commissary by raising prices and doing away with the 5% surcharge. I am a widow of a retired sailor. I could not make it without the savings on food, etc. at our Commissary in Jacksonville. I drive approximately 40 miles one way to save on groceries once a month (my main shopping). Locally for staples in between month visits. PLEASE keep our Commissaries safe. Thanks..
Commissary is one of the benefits of our service. Next war let the people who are changing our benefit go fight it. Then let us remove their benefits, like put them on Obamacare, stop their retirement & put them on social security etc. etc.
I served honorably for almost 35 years in the Army. I was always that I would be “ENTITLED” to shop at the PX & Commissary after retirement for the rest of my life. Now, they (the do next to nothing and get over-payed for doing it) want to take away our entitlements. I live in El Paso, TX and Fort Bliss has just enlarged the PX and built a beautiful huge Commissary. There is a large number of soldiers on and off post, plus a large amount of veterans living in the community. I shop at the PX, Commissary and the class 6 stores at least once a week, sometimes more. I agree, some of the PX clothing is high quality, well known brands, but also too high priced. Undergarments are always lower priced than off post. If I find a like item off post at a higher price, I price challenge, without a problem. The commissary’s prices are always lower than off post. The commissary sells select and choice beef. I buy the choice and would do so if I had to buy it off post. The meat department will cut the meat anyway you want it, just ask. Always friendly helpful staff in all departments. PLEASE, leave these ENTITLEMENTS alone. Cut somewhere else, like Congress’s pay and benefits.
In my area the commissary and BX almost already share a parking lot. It would waste a great deal of money to build a new building to join an addition to one of them and tear
the unused building down. What would that accomplish?
I also agree with others about being promised perks and then having them threatened
because Congress wants to diminish them.
I agree with all the people that they don’t want the Commissary and the Px/Bx together. Enough is enough. They can close them but not the Commissary. PX and Bx just want more money. It is a shame. LEAVE THE COMMISSARY ALONE PLEASE.
Keep DECA and AAFES separate. My money goes farther in the commissary.
AAFES does not have low prices.
An interesting read of opinions.
I’ll add a really wild one !
Change the election laws for the elected persons
in Congress & White house, that
THEY MUST HAVE Served in the US Military for
at least 2 years, and have received an Honorable Discharge !
I am a retired Air Force veteran. I am not in favor of combining the commissaries and exchanges. I am in favor of members of Congress reducing their salaries and benefits since they no longer do any worthwhile work and are trying to destroy this country by playing political games on every issue. Since they are now being controlled by big corporations, why should taxpayers have to pay their salaries and retirement funds. There are many places where the government can save money but military members shouldn’t h be tasked to do the saving also. It is enough that we fight and die in these stupid wars while protecting all the corporate millionaires.
Consider less than 15 Per Cent of the Congress and Senate has ever worn a uniform and are completely clueless as to what benefits mean to active and retired service members. Go to any commissary, package store (class six) and it is abused by by unauthorized patrons. I have seen as many as two carts loaded not with bottles of spirits but CASES and paid for by cash. Same goes for the commissary. Carts loaded with meat, enough to feed six families for a month. ABUSED. It is time to get tough on the management and civilians of these establishments which are under DOD and getting high salaries, access to any MWR facilities, able to shop at exchanges and obtain military lodging anywhere in the world and most have never spent a day in uniform. Lodging booked at military bases reducing active duty and retirees who served the opportunity to obtain lodging and it is not prioritized.
No where in the article is there a comment or fact about the “cost” of either the Exchange or the Commissary to the Military Budget. Before jumping into a huge change, and therefore an unknown result, maybe it would be helpful to document a few negative facts which need correction. Could the whole problem be solved with a small increase in the commissary surcharge?
Please do not combine NEX and Commisary. We travel to Newport to get medicines at Reg.Center, and while there shop at NEX, but recently it has become a store that caters to expensive clothing, mens wear and top brand purses. We have a great comissary, well laid out, with a great selection of meats and vegetables, etc.
I cannot imagine not shopping and doing all our purchasing on base, for the savings between the medical, food, and exchange.
US Navy Retired in ’81 after 20.
Not only NO, but most emphatically NO..
The commissary stores are not broken,, do not “fix”” them by combining them with the exchanges.
Both the commissary stores and the exchanges have areas with room for improvement, but I can accept imperfection.
no. just another feint maneuver. the real target is the commissaries (deca). remember congress does not have too many vets to stand up for us. vote your vets into office. we must be vigilant against all probes of our retirement benefits!
NO DO NOT COMBINE!!!!
I love the commissary and shop there for all of my needs. I drive 1/2 hr to shop and enjoy the prices I get. I pay the surcharge fees for the store. I don’t mind paying the fees knowing that I have a wonderful place to shop and the foods are discounted way more than any grocery store.
If I can’t find it at the Commissary I often can at the PX on some things. But the prices are way higher.
The PX has good sales but normally their sale price items are even higher than a regular store. (On food and household items.) Electronic and other items they are good values.
Coupons that are attached to items need to be left alone as well. As you don’t see those in a normal store.
I don’t want to shop in a store that offeres everything…..I like the commissary the way it is. I just hate the fact they remodeled it and moved all of the foods around. Something that totally confuses everyone!
Having two homes we shop two different commissaries so I value my time shopping at each. Ft. Ben Harrison and also Ft Lewis. Both are clean stores and offer a great variety.
Our service members deserve the best and offering the Commissary pricing to them is something they have earned. Do Not Take that away from them too! As my myother in law “out sorced” and kicked off the base to civilian medical providers and forced to pay co-deductibles. Something wasn’t in the plan after my father in law had made his career in the army. The budget can’t take another blow after serving so many years and being promised “free” medical for life to only be out sorced to pay for her medical expenses.
Leave alone the commissary and the PX each has it’s own benefits and it’s a privilage to shop there! I love my commissary and have to laugh as I watch the prices flucuate on items weekly. If you don’t know what your shopping for and the normal price you can often pay more than what you should.
As is the commissiary raises prices weekly on some items and lowers them on others. I’ve seen this as much as $1.50 per item. Yet alone, on the 1st and 15th the prices on so many items are raised on purpose. Leaving you the impression that the commissary isn’t working for you but against you. I guess in shopping you need to be aware of what it is your buying and the price you expect to pay. I could be a professional grocery shopper as I have shopped for groceries at a regular store and bought over $400 worth of groceries and walked away with the store owing me just under $5 and everything was free due to coupons.
Our service members sacrifice their lives and families and they should be treated with respect. Not disrespect by the huge price fluxuation’s you see going on.
In Washington state the fast food workers are paid $15 per hour plus tips and yet our service men/women are paid poorly. It just doesn’t make sense. Leave the pricing commissaries and Px’s alone! It’s a privilage that we deserve for the sacrifices we have made!
I think combining the Exchange and Commissary would be a huge mistake. In a few cases it might make some sense but overall I do not belief it would provide better or more efficient service to military personnel and their families. I think merging the two could be the first step in a commissary business model to mirror that of the Exchange. Not a good idea at all.
Here we go again…..another comission requested by a 5 Star requesting recommendations on why we should combine both the BX/PX/NEX with the comissaries. Sounds like the comission was bias from the start. and our bias “5 Star”….do you actually shop at the comissary?
This is like comparing apples and organges. It can’t be done…you have one “for profit” organization and one “non-profit” organization that charges a surcharge. You know that if you combine them, the prices in the commissary will only go up and the service will get worse. Personally, I think that the exchanges are one of the most mismanaged retail stores in the country.
Do you notice the signs in the exchanges that acknowledge how much money the exchanges give back to the bases out of their profits? Yes, thats our money! The money that they are overcharging us.
In 2009, I went back to Okinawa as a civilian working for the Air Force (and yes I am retired military). I didn’t take a TV with me because mine was old & bulky. I figuared that I should be able to pick up a nice Sony pretty cheap. Sony is made in Japan. Long story short….I could have bought one fron Best Buy, had it ship over and it still would have been $300 cheaper than what the Exchange wanted. I asked about the price guarantee, but was told that only covered local Okinawa stores.
The last few years I have worked on different Air Force bases and you can’t beat comissary prices. Yes, the prices are different at each store, and they do vary. For example; one day you may pay $1.69 for a can of Hormel chili and a few weeks later it will be $.99. I do price compare quite often and I have found that off base I will pay an average of $1.50 to $2.00 higher for each items that I purchase weekly.
Of course the comissaries are not making as much as the did in the past….there is less of us. How many “Reduction in Forces” have we had in the past 30 years. Less forces…..means less retirees……means less money to run our comissarys. It can be fixed!
I don’t know about you but I am not willing to give up my entitlements that I have earned. We all…..and I mean all….need to start writing your Senators and Congressmen and complain.
I agree with one of the commentors who said that all Senators, Congressmen and I will even go one step further and say President…should have served a minimum of one four year tour and received an honorable discharge.
I find it is cheaper then downtown
I totally agree with all the above comments……….PLEASE LEAVE OUR COMMISSARY AND PX SEPARATE!!! The PX is definitely over-priced. The only time I find a good deal there, is if items are marked down and then there’s a separate percentage off that mark down price. It’s sad to see how overpriced items are in the PX. On the other hand, the commissary still have good prices on most items. I fear if they’re combined, eventually the prices at the Commissary would start to rise.
My husband is a Viet Nam vet, retiring after 32 years………he too was promised free health care when he signed up in 1967, That has gone by the wayside.,,,,,,,,,and that’s a biggie!! Please don’t take any other privileges away from us. Keep the two store separate………..PLEASE!!!!!