What's the consensus on dependents using rank based reserved parking at exchanges/commissaries?

I don't think there should be ANY ranked based parking spaces. With that being said spouses should definitely not be parking in those spaces.

I honestly HATE those spots. They’re empty 95% of the time. Mostly at the hospital when I’m trying to take my child in for her checkups. The parking lot is always packed except for those 7-8 spots, and based on the honor system, I skip them. I’m not pregnant anymore so I skip those 4 spots also. But when it’s raining, snowing, or I’m just plain running late due to a tantrum trying to leave the house, I SERIOUSLY consider parking in one since they’re so close to the entrance.

It's garbage. I recall on more than one occasion almost getting run over by some COL or GOs snot nosed teenager as they zoomed through the parking lot and park in the "COL/GO" parking spot. I remember commenting to my spouse and she countered with where are the "Expecting Spouses" parking? Great question. Within a matter of days, I observed a pregnant woman whose husband was deployed, walking in the rain from deep in the parking lot while carrying another child and holding the hand of yet another. Made me sick to see this while there were at least 6-8 close parking for COLs, GOs, and even CW4-5s... After discussing with garrison leadership, there were a couple of expecting mothers spots designated in a matter of a few days... I also know of another post where the CG overheard some COL talking about parking... He immediately had the garrison remove ALL designated parking for all ranks around the public areas... Get over yourselves...

Should just get rid of rank based parking to begin with.

Agreed. I wouldn’t park there if my husband wasn’t with me. That’s HIS spot, not mine. I didn’t earn it.

Spouoshould not park in those designated spots. I retired from the AF and would never park in the space designated for my husband who is still active duty. It is his rank not mine. It is annotate spouses feel they deserve to park there. (I’m sure this will piss some spouses off but they will be ok). If they want to park in those spots then let them put the uniform on and earn it.

I’m a military spouse and my identity has nothing to do with my husbands career. It may move us around and cause us to have to be apart now and again, but I am not the one who puts on the uniform, and although I support him with everything I have, I am not the one who serves. That would be like saying because I work in the automotive industry he should be able to use that as an excuse to receive all free car stuff. (Although I’m sure he’d find that legit). I just think there’s a huge culture with mil spouses and I think, not assuming but thinking that most of these people have no sense of independence and have never had to completely 100% take care of themselves. Thus they use their spouses identity as their own and gives them something to be passionate about and feel like it’s their “job” too. We can support with out going full dependapotomus people.

Agree. Privilege ends with the person wearing the rank.

The spouse and vehicle should not have RHIP extended to them without the Service Member wearing the rank, present. This is what I was always taught.

I have no opinion on the reserved parking spots, but the spouses that wore their (usually) husband’s rank would get on my last nerve. At one place I was stationed, a general’s wife decided it was appropriate to ram me with her shopping cart in the commissary because I was where she wanted to be. I was a lieutenant at the time. She almost ate that shopping cart.