Posted on 08/04/2025 2:30:45 AM PDT by MoraBlack
Inflation has caused increases in grocery prices across the country, but for military families who are more vulnerable to increasing costs due to frequent moves, putting food on the table is a growing struggle for many.
(Excerpt) Read more at youtube.com ...
“If you live on base you can always go to the chow hall.”
Does that include the whole family?
lower enlisted pay sucks. when i was in the late 90s as a lower enlisted with a family we had a very hard time making ends meet (there were some special circumstances) but i have no doubt that after the last 10 or 15 years of inflation that its very very hard for them
Our son-in-law enlisted after marriage and birth of their first child. His LT called him in to “counsel” him about the benefits available to soldiers with families. The LT knew neither our son-in-law nor our daughter had signed up for food stamps nor WIC. Our daughter was livid. Her comment was we feed our child! Yeah, we drive an older used car and defer some things we would like to have, ie big screen TV’s, but we take care of our child. Our daughter thought the whole thing was insulting and intrusive.
Not to criticize you, but of course it does, it's just like any other entry level job without experience. But at least you were afforded a housing allowance and free health and dental benefits. What did you expect when you enlisted?
I wouldn't advise anyone with an existing family to join the military.
The dumbass grandson of my elderly neighbors joined the navy. After his six years enlistment, all he ended up with was a kid and a divorce from the black mother of the child.
No. For people who live off base there are separate rations pay supplements.
I think what they are expressing is that the military families are facing the same hardships as the civilian population. And it's not because of the military life.
Military personnel have an advantage over civilians in that they do have free dental and health care as well as other financial aspects that civilians don't have access to. As well as job security......
Military personnel have an advantage over civilians in that they do have free dental and health care as well as other financial aspects that civilians don’t have access to. As well as job security......
I have a buddy who is putting his son through a well known private military college on his GI Bill. Kid is going to have a tidy pile of cash saved up when he graduates, too.
### 📜 Historical Context
- During WWII, **base pay for a Private (E-1)** in the U.S. Army was **$50 to $75 per month**, depending on the year and whether they received additional allowances.
- In **1942**, the base pay was **$50/month**, but by **1944–1945**, it had increased to **$65/month** for many enlisted personnel.
- This amount was before deductions and didn’t include bonuses for overseas service, combat zones, or technical specialties.
### 🪖 What $65 Meant Then
- Equivalent to about **$1,100–$1,200/month today**, adjusted for inflation.
- Enough for basic living, but many soldiers relied on **free housing, food, and uniforms** provided by the military.
Exactly!!!
Thanks for sharing. I have not been to any *.*X in decades.
I blame pedo-joe. President Donald J. Trump is working on fixing the problem but it’s going to take a while.
Somewhat true, but not nearly as much of a deal as it was decades ago. We also go to the commissary about every three or four weeks, for certain items. Other things we get better prices at Walmart and Costco, and both of those are much shorter drives.
✅ I agree completely !!!🙏🇺🇸
Thanks for the info.
And Thank You for Your Service.
Yes, pedo-joe sure Forked things all up...
Military Families have access to the PX, BX or whatever?X they are called these days.
The place that sells food and resembles a grocery store is the Commissary store. Different services use NEX, PX or BX to describe Navy Exchange, Post Exchange, or Base Exchange.
An Exchange is a non-appropriated activity. It is not funded by Taxpayer dollars. Like WalMart, it supports itself by marking up the cost of products to pay for all operating expenses and salaries. Employees work for the Exchange system or the local base and are not Civil Service employees of the Federal government. Profits go to the military recreation fund.
A Commissary is an appropriated fund activity. All operating expenses are paid using Taxpayer dollars. Employees work for the Civil Service of the Federal government. The shelf price of items is the cost price to the Commissary. There is no markup. There is no tax added. There is a 5% surcharge to cover spoilage and damaged goods.
Eligible service members, for example shift workers, may draw commuted rations (COMRATS). They may pay to eat at the chow hall (Mess Hall, Dining Facility, Subsistence Building). They pay for the food only. If they ate all meals at the chow hall, they should pay exactly what they were given for COMRATS. It covers the cost of the food and would not fully pay for eating at an Exchange facility or restaurant.
I do not see WalMart being competitive with the Commissary store.
In our area, Walmart/Cosco is on par or better for most (not all) fresh fruits, generic brand cereals and snacks, etc. And there is no tax (or service fee) in our state on groceries.
But meats, fish, canned goods, and many other items are better priced at the Commissary.
I have always been curious about the Commissary signs at check out "Baggers work for tips only". I tip my baggers but it seems like the govt is in a bit of the slave labor business if those signs are legit. How can they not be getting federal minimum wage?
WOW !!! I was not aware of how all of that worked. Thanks so much for the detailed explanation.
Now I just have to study the details for a bit to try to get all the new acronyms and abbreviations correct in My pea-brain.🙏🇺🇸
“Food Insecurity”?? I am positive my food doesn’t have feelings.
Going by the size of some of the “soldiers” I’ve seen here at Ft Hood, I would say that the insecurity is what the food feels, not the soldiers or their families.
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