I smell cronyism and “Walmart welfare.” As I read the article, this means that in places where food costs are high, Commissary prices will go up.
However, DoD computes a local cost of living allowance, or COLA for GIs at every location. If the market-basket food costs go up due to increased Commissary prices, the COLA will go up. There is no saving of tax dollars.
However, if GIs don’t shop in the Commissary because of increased prices, Sams club, Walmart, Costco, etc., will benefit. How convenient!
Sounds like one or more Washington politicians will be getting campaign contributions, perhaps?
100% politics and paying off big donors and this support will come from both parties. Politicians don't see military benefits as anything that helps themselves. They would much prefer hand out more free stuff to larger numbers of voters. Military beneficiaries actually earned what they received through service and dangerous work. The government chose to defer some of their compensation after their service, and now they are reneging on their promises. Notice that they won't do that for the folks in the Hood.