Posted on 08/18/2014 5:58:17 AM PDT by Drango
Despite the economic recovery, more than 46 million Americans — or one in seven — used a food pantry last year. And a surprisingly high number of those seeking help were households with military members, according to a new survey by Feeding America, which is a network of U.S. food banks.
The — conducted in 2013 — found that almost 620,000 of the households using Feeding America services have at least one member currently in the military. That's one quarter of all U.S. military households.
, who's president and CEO of the Maryland Food Bank in Baltimore, says she isn't surprised. Last year, her food bank started working with groups like the USO to provide food aid to families affiliated with nearby military bases like Fort Meade.
She says, so far, they've used their mobile food pantry to distributed more than 200,000 pounds of food to military families.
About 20 percent of all the households using Feeding America services include a member who is serving or has served in the military. Of those, 620,000 households have at least one member currently in the military, which is one quarter of all U.S. military households.
"They're not unlike any of the other families that we serve," says Flateman. "They meet hardship and they need assistance with food."
And other food banks and pantries say they're seeing a similar increase.
Margaret Young is with the Calvary Assembly of God Church in Dover, Del., about a mile from Dover Air Force Base. She says she noticed about four years ago that more military families were showing up at the church food pantry for help. She says they're usually young, junior-level service members with kids.
"And then of course they have younger spouses," says Young. "And the spouses, you know, when you have to relocate every couple of months or every couple of years, however that works, it makes it harder for them to find jobs. I think that's the primary reason." Logan Kovach, 6, Matthew Kovach, 2, and Allyson Kovach, 5, eat a lunch distributed by the YMCA in Hopkins County, Kentucky. A woman and her daughter shop at a Greenmarket in New York City using Electronic Benefits Transfer, or food stamps. Government data show that fewer people were receiving the benefits in February 2014 than at the peak in December 2012.
of Feeding America says that's what they found in their survey: Both military and non-military families are having a difficult time making ends meet. She says even though most of their clients work, they often have to make difficult choices.
"Between things like food and paying for their utilities, food and paying for transportation, food and paying for medicine or housing," she says. "So these are literally choices that people have to make between eating, putting a roof over their head, keeping the lights on."
In a written statement, Pentagon spokesman Nate Christensen told NPR that the Defense Department is reviewing the survey results. But he also said that military pay and benefits compare favorably with the private sector, and if a service member has financial troubles, counseling is available.
But Joyce Raezer, executive director of the , a nonprofit group that supports military families, says service members are often reluctant to seek such help. That's especially the case now that the military is downsizing, she says.
"People are afraid to call attention to themselves. They don't know who's getting picked to be asked to leave and who's going to get to stay and what the criteria are. And so a lot of these families are just laying low," says Raezer.
And it can also be embarrassing to admit you need help with food. Raezer wasn't at all surprised that we were unable to get any military families to go on record for this story.
"The reason they go to the food bank is it's anonymous," she says.
But Raezer has no doubt the need is there, even if the Feeding America numbers seem high to her. She says some families have trouble managing their finances, with all the disruptions of military life, and especially if there's an unexpected bill for something like a car repair.
"Which may mean at the end of the month, things are a little tighter than they should be," she says.
And free food at the pantry might be just what they need to get by.
That's disturbing if it's true.
“The Congressional Budget Office recently estimated that the average active duty service member receives an Army benefits and pay compensation package worth $99,000. Noncash compensation represents almost 60 percent of this package. Noncash compensation includes health care, retirement pay, child care and free or subsidized food, housing and education. Coupled with regular cash compensation, this adds up to attractive military compensation for Soldiers.”
http://www.goarmy.com/benefits/total-compensation.html
E5 over six in average US town.
$2734.50
(BASIC)
+
$357.55
(BAS)
+
$1197
(BAH)
+
$0
(COLA)
=
$4289.05
per month
That’s one quarter of all U.S. military households.
That’s disturbing if it’s true.
Here is a good take from many, MANY decades ago. At the core, nothing’s changed:
We’re in the Army now.
We’re not behind a plow.
We’ll never get rich diggin’ a ditch.
We’re in the Army now.
We’re in the Army now.
We’re in the Army now.
We’ll never get rich on the salary which
We get in the army now.
We’re eating Army grub.
And let me tell you bub,
We know what it means
They’re feeding us beans
We’re in the Army now.
We’re marching everywhere.
It’s getting in our hair.
We follow the rules
and follow the mules
We’re in the Army now.
BTW, I do consider volunteering for the army to be considered a textbook case of indentured slavery.
Prior to my retirement last year I worked with and counseled Soldiers regarding their financial situations. In at least 90% of all cases I worked the Soldier had no idea where their money was going each month. When I would prepare their budget (with their input) they were most often shocked to find out the truth. Many were spending on frivolous things and small items (daily). They work five days a week and but two energy drinks per day at ($2 each) and that adds up.
I had one who was spending money on porn and I asked if his wife was aware of it. There is a serious problem with Soldiers not meeting their financial obligations but most of what I have seen it is either the Soldier or their spouse (or both) pissing away their money.
The predatory lenders are more than willing to loan to Soldiers and too many take them up on the offer. I always told them that if a company has a patriotic sounding name (Patriot Loans, USA Discounters etc) STAY AWAY!
As for female Soldiers with kids, I found the majority are not getting child support and don’t want to pursue it because they don’t want to cause problems with their ex. I would say “What do you care? He’s your ex!”
When I would do an assistance packet for them I would explain to their CO or 1SG what their issues were and it was up to the CO to approve the packet prior to being submitted to AER (Army Emergency Relief).
And yet, in another article, those who do nothing are getting more than the median worker.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3194066/posts
In another example of how out of control spending is, a station I listen to out of Grand Junction advertised for beef sold from trailers... RIB EYE STEAKS... they accept EBT cards. Rib eye steaks on an EBT card? Rib eye steaks are better than what I eat. I have not seen anything but chicken and hamburger for ages.
Childcare and housing are not “noncash” subsidized. If a Service-member lives on post they forfeit their BAH (Basic allowance for housing). Childcare on base is paid for by the Service-member although the rate is determined by their rank.
As for healthcare, believe me it is not what it’s cracked up to be. Often you don’t get to see a doctor but end up with a physician’s assistant or a nurse practitioner. They do the bare minimum for you and usually just offer medication and physical therapy (which is sub-standard).
“What do you care? He’s your ex!”
____________________
They care because ex’s will ask for full custody to get child support, and leave the kids with their grandparents. or will want to split custody which is impossible at times for the full time working woman.
“If a Service-member lives on post they forfeit their BAH (Basic allowance for housing).”
And how much do they have to pay for their on-post housing ...
And how much do they have to pay for their on-post housing ...
Base housing is whatever the amount of the BAH. At Fort Carson I (E-7) received approximately $1500/month for BAH and it all went to base housing when I moved on post. An E-4 could get the same size (if not bigger) house (size determined by family size) for a lower rate as their BAH is lower.
They have also started charging for utilities. Each house is allotted a set amount and if you go over you must pay the difference.
In 1981 I worked as an eligibility worker in the Food Stamp program. We used to process boxes and boxes of case renewals for the guys at Edwards Air Force base. It has always been true. If they have families the lower ranked guys usually don’t make enough money to disqualify them from the program. Since they have lowered the requirements I would think that even more qualify now.
It was a rhetorical question in response to your saying that one loses BAH when living on base. However, thanks for informing me that on-base electricity is subsidized.
I didn’t say anything about if they ‘could’. I said they have qualified for ages.
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