Should the military allow privatized grocery stores on post instead to take their place in the U.S.?

Nicely stated, SSG Bryant! We don't want to lose sight of the best interests of the service member

The commissaries over the years have been significantly less expensive; mainly, they can do this because they were be subsidized by the government. Since the government is cutting 2/3 of their budget by Oct 2017, not sure they will continue to be cheaper

SFC Olivero Rodriguez

I might agree with you if the Commissary or PX/BX were selling item for less than the WalMarts and Super Targets are to our solders? The reason the Commissary and PX/BXs are in trouble is because the super stores are eating their lunch? Let's go for a Win Win.

So I read this brief article about aafes and the commissary potentially merging because the budget is being cut from $1.2 billion to $400 million. With that kind of hit, even cutting labor isn't enough to absorb the bang. I included the link. check it out

http://www.military.com/military-report/proposed-aafes-and-deca-merger

Funny thing to bring up, I only say this because I make the trek to the commissary rather than use HEB (Texas grocery chain), Super Walmart or Target grocery stores. After retirement, I moved off post and decided to shop in the civilian side. I used the 3 that I mentioned above, and after a year and half now, my decision to go back is truthfully warranted. I am a single dad with 2 toddlers, and I eat pretty healthy choices, and along those choices are my favorites, which are meats and vegetables. Hands down, I can say the commissary is unbeatable in these two areas alone. I even went so far as to purchase the same items at 3 locations in 3 months... The prices for meat are astronomically different. I remember when the holidays would come and my ex mother in law would go with me and we would stock up for the dinners, she always commented on how unfair it is that we had such luxuries... that is why I divorced my wife. . . lol just kidding. As someone stated in the forum earlier, let the private sector come in, but at the same cost that the commissary provides, i. e., Tax free, and prices. The only problem with that is simply that it isn't lucrative for them if they can't turn a buck. I only say this because he also said that the military support they would be providing wouldn't hurt them because they could recoup their money elsewhere. The sad part about that is grocer stores don't give military discounts. BTW, in my own frugal defense... I may be retired and collecting a check, but I am a full time student, and kids are expensive! lol.

Whereas many military families live off post, I was thinking about single, unaccompanied, and service members that live on post housing should also still have access to it. That's why I tend to favor moving private stores on post rather than depending on off post resources

SFC Michael Jackson, MBA , I see your point... alternatively, so serve the needs of the service members living on post, AAFES (or NEX) could simply expand their lines in the shopettes or take over the commissaries as a 'for profit' rather than 'break even'. Either of these would more than likely be more viable since they already have facilities and relationships on the installations.