Posted on Oct 31, 2014
Should all veterans have access to the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) and Navy Exchange?
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There has been much discussion in recent years of allowing all veterans to have access to AAFES and NEX. Many oppose it because of "benefit creep", where they think that will just lead to veterans getting more benefits later. Some think that erosion of benefits for active duty service members (and reserve component members when on active duty), as compared to the public at large, would result.
The proposal now is to allow all veterans on-line access to AAFES (not shopping in the actual stores), as the attached article discusses.
What do you think?
http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20141030/BENEFITS07/310300062/Online-shopping-privileges-all-vets-likely-official-says
The proposal now is to allow all veterans on-line access to AAFES (not shopping in the actual stores), as the attached article discusses.
What do you think?
http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20141030/BENEFITS07/310300062/Online-shopping-privileges-all-vets-likely-official-says
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 31
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I went in to AAFES recently with my nephew, when I was visiting for his Air Force BMT graduation. Honestly, if it was offered to Vets, I don't think I would bother. I looked at several its that I was familiar with, and pretty much came to the conclusion that I could do better online, price-wise. AAFES definitely isn't the great deal it used to be.
Also, I'm on the local Navy base and a few surrounding other bases fairly regularly, as my company is a DOD contractor. Last time I was on, I had just filled up with gas that morning, and I noticed that the gas price on post was actually $.02 higher than I had paid 2 miles down the road.
Also, I'm on the local Navy base and a few surrounding other bases fairly regularly, as my company is a DOD contractor. Last time I was on, I had just filled up with gas that morning, and I noticed that the gas price on post was actually $.02 higher than I had paid 2 miles down the road.
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COL Jean (John) F. B.
SGT Richard H.
I go on post periodically, as I live and work in locations that have military bases (Augusta, GA - Ft Gordon and Fort Worth, TX - Joint Base Carswell). Plus, as the company I work for has contracts on and around many military facilities in CONUS and overseas, I am frequently around them.
I have found that there is no real savings and certainly would not shop there exclusively. Seems to me the DoD should possibly consider contracting with WalMart or someone to run the exchanges, like they now do in the food courts and some on-post/base eating establishments.
Exchanges and commissaries were first put in place when military installations were remotely located and they were the only close-by places for military personnel and families to buy their goods. That is certainly not generally the case today, except in remote overseas areas. I think the exchanges should remain in overseas locations, to offer US merchandise (that would probably not be available in local stores) to military members/families and that CONUS exchanges should be replaced by civilian chain stores (WalMart, Target, etc.).
Commissaries are a different animal altogether, as they are partially subsidized and the 5% surcharge (is that what it is now?) added to the totals help pay for the overhead. Since I believe commissaries still allegedly charge for items at cost + 5%, it is still a pretty good deal. It, too, however, is under fire by the grocers' associations and lobbyists and it is expected they, also, will become a thing of the past or undergo significant price increases. If that occurs, maybe Publix, Kroger, etc. should come in and run the commissaries.
I can't remember the last time my wife or I set foot inside a commissary...
Back to my original comment ... Erosion of benefits for military personnel and their families.
I go on post periodically, as I live and work in locations that have military bases (Augusta, GA - Ft Gordon and Fort Worth, TX - Joint Base Carswell). Plus, as the company I work for has contracts on and around many military facilities in CONUS and overseas, I am frequently around them.
I have found that there is no real savings and certainly would not shop there exclusively. Seems to me the DoD should possibly consider contracting with WalMart or someone to run the exchanges, like they now do in the food courts and some on-post/base eating establishments.
Exchanges and commissaries were first put in place when military installations were remotely located and they were the only close-by places for military personnel and families to buy their goods. That is certainly not generally the case today, except in remote overseas areas. I think the exchanges should remain in overseas locations, to offer US merchandise (that would probably not be available in local stores) to military members/families and that CONUS exchanges should be replaced by civilian chain stores (WalMart, Target, etc.).
Commissaries are a different animal altogether, as they are partially subsidized and the 5% surcharge (is that what it is now?) added to the totals help pay for the overhead. Since I believe commissaries still allegedly charge for items at cost + 5%, it is still a pretty good deal. It, too, however, is under fire by the grocers' associations and lobbyists and it is expected they, also, will become a thing of the past or undergo significant price increases. If that occurs, maybe Publix, Kroger, etc. should come in and run the commissaries.
I can't remember the last time my wife or I set foot inside a commissary...
Back to my original comment ... Erosion of benefits for military personnel and their families.
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SGT Richard H.
COL Jean (John) F. B. it's really a shame that the DOD has fallen victim to those lobbies. Unless I'm mistaken, a large part of the point of Exchanges and Commissaries was to give SMs a way to help compensate for the fact that pay scales were typically under that of civilian jobs. I will say that I've noted a significant increase in Military pay scales, but not on par with inflation.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
I still find the Commissary is a good deal and Hanscom AFB, MA where i go is a large Commissary. As to the exchange, mostly i can do better elsewhere, Wouldn't make a special trip there but do use it from time to time. In both case though I'm going to buy a number of items, its to far away (40 minutes drive) to pickup odds and ends. As to the Base service station, I can usually get the gas for less off base, I've used it but not often.
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Every Veteran who has served their country honorably should have the benefit, which they've earned, of using the Exchange program. This benefit should not be extended to veterans who have been discharged under other than honorable conditions.
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As long as you retired or seperated honorably, then yes, they earned this benefit with their service to the nation. Other than honorable or dishonorable, no, not at all.
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