To do what? Were you feeding a family? When I was in the Navy, three squares a day were always served up on the messdecks.
And while I really don't want to get into the specifics of your particular situation, but if you were trying to feed a family, what made you think you could do that on E-4 pay?
Wife and 3 kids.
Wife and 3 kids. Family came before and during my Navy years. And FU for judging me.