The commissaries were essential to me as a junior enlisted. Now as a retiree, they are a definite "nice to have," but not essential.
Seriously, though, I think that having an on-post grocery store is essential for the troops. Particularly considering that a lot of posts are not located in major metropolitan areas where there are a lot of choices out there for grocery shopping.
There is ZERO reason, though, why they couldn't be outsourced and operated at zero cost to the taxpayer while still giving a really good value to the troops. With nationwide buying power, they could negotiate good prices from manufacturers and sell the food at cost, having the competitors bid on a flat rate surcharge to cover the operating expenses (salaries, logistics, utilities, and maintenance on the buildings).
Bingo! Walmart could provide the same service with its existing logistics system at zero cost to taxpayers. Privatization already works with on-base restaurant franchises, and it would work with groceries and other items. The only thing threatened is the boondoggle of unnecessary government jobs in an antiquated, parallel system.
Besides, today's military is not poverty ridden; our members are actually quite well paid compared to both "the old days" and today's civilian job market. Beyond the base pay rates, which range from modest to decent to quite comfortable depending upon one's rank and time in service, there are significant non-taxable allowances for food and housing - the latter of which is even adjusted for duty in high cost locations.
I don't disagree...however, the article states that 90% will be CLOSED...not realigned, not outsourced, CLOSED.
I know that as a Jr. Enlisted I couldn't have made it without the commissary...
As a retiree as well, yes, the commissary is nice to have and we patronize ours as much as possible because foot traffic and sales help determine which stores remain open...
Some folks here seem to have a real bug up their ass about the commissary and I'm not getting that their responses are rational or logical...they're militant in that they want the stores eliminated.
The point to me is that again, the military is being forced to endure the pain before or for that matter, alongside any of the slugs who feed at the troughs...$2B for 0bamaphones per year, but it's the commissaries and retiree COLAs that need to be cut in order to save a billion or so per year.
Give me damned freakin' break already...so tired of the lying, inane and downright stupid bs being flung around FR and other venues that I could knock the head off the next dumbass who says the military needs to endure the pain as well...as well my ass, the military are the ONLY ones being told to endure the pain.