Should Service Members be allowed to choose BAS or DFAC?

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2016 22:05:46 -0400

http://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/2016/02/27/soldiers-korea-must-eat-dfac-pay-out-pocket-under-new-policy/80940666/

When you lived in the barracks do you think you were "grown up" enough to make your own nutrition choices?

Soldiers in Korea must eat at DFAC or pay out of pocket under new policy

Soldiers rotating South Korea will see a change in their paychecks.

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made May 17 at 2016 10:08 PM

SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL — Tue, 17 May 2016 22:08:53 -0400

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member you better believe it, but I was always in the field, maneuvers and the range. I really had no say so back in the early 1990s until the 2000s.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2016 10:19 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2016 22:19:32 -0400

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member Sir. There's a topic somewhere in the depths of RP referencing room inspections and some of the nastiness found in rooms. Kind of relevant to your question don't you think? Now not all Soldiers act like that, but it doesn't take but 1 or 2 to ruin it for all does it?

Response by MCPO Private RallyPoint Member made May 17 at 2016 10:28 PM

MCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 17 May 2016 22:28:23 -0400

No, no, NOT EVER!!!

College students that NEVER get physical exercise eat nothing but ramen and pizza... and on that kind of diet (which our junior members WOULD eat - along with lots more beer), their physical abilities would go right in the toilet. And when members lose BAS for trips to the field and deployments, the junior members that have ALWAYS had great money management skills (/sarcasm) would lose everything with the loss of $230+/month.

DFACs suck - _BUT_ you can always get BALANCED meals there. In 30+ years of eating in chow halls, DFACs, mess tents, and Dining Establishments (damned Air Force!), the brown gravy ALWAYS tasted scorched, and things tended to have too much salt - BUT - it was nutritious.

Response by SGT Kyle Johnson made May 17 at 2016 11:32 PM

SGT Kyle Johnson — Tue, 17 May 2016 23:32:43 -0400

Even when I was married I ate in the DFAC most of the time. Wife worked, I was a shift worker. But, when I went to BNOC, we were living in two man rooms, kitchen on the first floor and were NOT allowed in the DFAC because of all the AIT students. I HATED it! 6 months of frozen TV dinners, cup o soup.. No breakfast! Or go off base and pay too much for a meal. Was never so glad to get back to my unit and the dang DFAC!
Flip side.. TDY for 4 months to an AFB... thank you Air Force! That was the best DFAC I ever ate at!

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made May 18 at 2016 12:46 AM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Wed, 18 May 2016 00:46:54 -0400

From having seen how "Joe" is in the barracks, I would say that it should be on a case by case basis, and should never be felt like as a right. I have had soldiers that when left on their own would have drunk their paychecks away and survived on Pop Tarts and top ramen. NCOs that live in the barracks should be allowed to have BAS, but new privates, not so much.

Response by PFC Elmer Baysinger made May 19 at 2016 7:46 PM

PFC Elmer Baysinger — Thu, 19 May 2016 19:46:44 -0400

Eat what they serve you and be satisfied

Response by PO3 Sherry Thornburg made May 19 at 2016 11:23 PM

PO3 Sherry Thornburg — Thu, 19 May 2016 23:23:23 -0400

I did. Was a good choice for me.

Response by PO1 William "Chip" Nagel made May 20 at 2016 8:44 PM

PO1 William "Chip" Nagel — Fri, 20 May 2016 20:44:26 -0400

Most of 21 years I was on Comrats and got paid and I chose where and what I ate. Of course that wasn't the case at Diego Garcia or Onboard Ships Underway. Just because I was a shift worker and some of the places didn't even have a "Chow Hall" NCU London had no such critter.