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Posted: 5/23/2015 8:44:48 AM EDT
[#1]
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The only people I see being upset about this are those government employees who run the current system. The vendors who are running the no-bid contracts for supplies and those who get the kickbacks are the ones who hate this the most. 
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Posted: 5/23/2015 8:52:30 AM EDT
[#2]
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 8:55:13 AM EDT
[#3]
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You're just not paying attention. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 9:01:02 AM EDT
[#4]
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No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. The commissary should be privatized, maybe should be a post to post contract not just some huge conglomerate gets the whole shebang. really the ones conus aren't much different than offpost, I had usually shopped offpost at walmart/target anyways. I could get behind making conus ones private and leave the oconus ones alone. when i was in the housing sucked, i had some squirrels living in our roof and couldn't get anything done about it, till i filled out some survey with my unit and i guess it went up to the base commander and he was pissed. By that time i was out of the army. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 9:09:12 AM EDT
[#5]
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The only good thing about the commissary at Hill are the prices. The selection sucks, the service sucks, and most of the food quality is crap. But it is cheap as hell. yup and I buy most of my meat there. for a while with their coupons I was getting 1lb of brand name bacon for 2.50 id get 20-30 lbs at a time to stock my freezer. bout once every 3 months or so I head on up there to hit the class VI and the commissary. pretty much the only retirement benefit I use. the other stuff doesn't kick in till I'm 60 |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 9:13:03 AM EDT
[#6]
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No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. 
Privatized housing is extremely successful for the company running the privatized housing. It fucks the people living in it over grandly, however. So again, you haven't been paying attention. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 9:20:31 AM EDT
[#7]
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Privatized housing is extremely successful for the company running the privatized housing. It fucks the people living in it over grandly, however. So again, you haven't been paying attention. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful.
Privatized housing is extremely successful for the company running the privatized housing. It fucks the people living in it over grandly, however. So again, you haven't been paying attention. You are looking at it all wrong. This is about keeping benefits viable for the future, the cost savings of privatized housing allow for the choice to live on base or off. The privatization of the commissaries will allow the choice of buying on base or off. The DoD cannot afford to keep wasting money and manpower where it is not needed because if they do, we will have to either cut service members, missions or benefits. Which of those always come first? |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 9:26:43 AM EDT
[#8]
I use the commissary to buy meat only. Still a good price break there. Everything else at Stop-n-Rob.
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Posted: 5/23/2015 9:27:11 AM EDT
[#9]
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You are looking at it all wrong. This is about keeping benefits viable for the future, the cost savings of privatized housing allow for the choice to live on base or off. The privatization of the commissaries will allow the choice of buying on base or off. The DoD cannot afford to keep wasting money and manpower where it is not needed because if they do, we will have to either cut service members, missions or benefits. Which of those always come first? Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful.
Privatized housing is extremely successful for the company running the privatized housing. It fucks the people living in it over grandly, however. So again, you haven't been paying attention. You are looking at it all wrong. This is about keeping benefits viable for the future, the cost savings of privatized housing allow for the choice to live on base or off. The privatization of the commissaries will allow the choice of buying on base or off. The DoD cannot afford to keep wasting money and manpower where it is not needed because if they do, we will have to either cut service members, missions or benefits. Which of those always come first? You think privatizing the commissary is going to save money? The kind of money it would take to make any difference in the bottom line of the defense budget?
And you say I am looking at it all wrong? 
What colour is the sky in your world? |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 9:32:14 AM EDT
[#10]
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You think privatizing the commissary is going to save money? The kind of money it would take to make any difference in the bottom line of the defense budget?
What colour is the sky in your world? I'm sure you have plenty of insights and you work on a Service level staff somewhere? |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 9:35:55 AM EDT
[#11]
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I'm sure you have plenty of insights and you work on a Service level staff somewhere? Quote HistoryQuoted:
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You think privatizing the commissary is going to save money? The kind of money it would take to make any difference in the bottom line of the defense budget?
What colour is the sky in your world? I'm sure you have plenty of insights and you work on a Service level staff somewhere? What kind of a dumbass question is that? |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:07:55 AM EDT
[#12]
I do the grocery shopping for my family at the commissary. Wife doesn't look at prices when she buys at local grocery store.
I will gladly drive 10 miles out of the way to shop at the commissary. Everything I buy is significantly less expensive at the commissary. Ribeye $9+ per lb at commissary, $15+ per lb in town. I would be pissed if private company decided they need to make a profit and raise the prices. 
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:27:29 AM EDT
[#13]
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Never had a problem wherever I was. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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I went to the Redstone commissary a few months ago. Deli was closed. Seems the old vendor didn't renew contract, no one to replace, so it was just closed down…until. "No ham for you!!!!!!" I remember how the commissaries in Hawaii years ago would run out of stuff for weeks at a time. The commissary at Hickam AFB ran out of soup. Seriously. Not a can in stock for two weeks. How incompetent do you have to be as a 'grocery store' to run out of Campbell's soup? Perfect example of how big, central .gov control doesn't work. Didn't work for the USSR, won't work for the USA. 
Never had a problem wherever I was. Or anywhere I've been. Commissary is not for profit. Do you think a business will do that? Screwing more soldiers! Awesome. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:29:32 AM EDT
[#14]
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I don't get the outrage. What are you afraid will occur if you lose government run retail stores? ...oh, an poll fail. Surprise who is here. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:34:31 AM EDT
[#15]
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No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. Ha! Dude really. Do you work at a garrison command? Hahaha.....successful. All these privatization scams cost the government more money. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:35:13 AM EDT
[#16]
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HEB could do a much better job running the Ft. Sam Houston commissary then the military while improving selection and lowering price. How is HEB going to do better than cost plus the seven percent surcharge? |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:43:28 AM EDT
[#17]
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Ha! Dude really. Do you work at a garrison command? Hahaha.....successful. All these privatization scams cost the government more money. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. Ha! Dude really. Do you work at a garrison command? Hahaha.....successful. All these privatization scams cost the government more money. Ha, garrison command, about 10 years ago I worked at a base level command. If you think privatization costs the government more money then you need to do some research. Obviously you have forgotten or you are too young to remember what housing looked like in the 90s. Most was so bad it should have been condemned but funding couldn't be justified for new milcon to renovate or replace it. You know what the solution was? Privatized housing is the answer. The private sector took on the bulk of the cost to restore housing to livable conditions for less money than the government could ever do it for. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:50:11 AM EDT
[#18]
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A private company has to be more efficient than AAFES. Shit I would go ask when I could have something tailored. The eye rolling and next week. Go off post to the Koreans, wait now, I do now.  The prices also started to creep and the commissary was worthless in CONUS.I'm for it too. The laziness that I see from commissary workers show that they don't need there jobs. If they can get a private company to come in there and do the job more efficiently and cheaper I'm all for it. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:54:11 AM EDT
[#19]
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A private company has to be more efficient than AAFES. Shit I would go ask when I could have something tailored. The eye rolling and next week. Go off post to the Koreans, wait now, I do now. The prices also started to creep and the commissary was worthless in CONUS.DECA is not AAFES. 
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Posted: 5/23/2015 10:54:22 AM EDT
[#20]
If Inhoff is against it then so am I.
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:00:04 AM EDT
[#21]
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Ha, garrison command, about 10 years ago I worked at a base level command. If you think privatization costs the government more money then you need to do some research. Obviously you have forgotten or you are too young to remember what housing looked like in the 90s. Most was so bad it should have been condemned but funding couldn't be justified for new milcon to renovate or replace it. You know what the solution was? Privatized housing is the answer. The private sector took on the bulk of the cost to restore housing to livable conditions for less money than the government could ever do it for. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. Ha! Dude really. Do you work at a garrison command? Hahaha.....successful. All these privatization scams cost the government more money. Ha, garrison command, about 10 years ago I worked at a base level command. If you think privatization costs the government more money then you need to do some research. Obviously you have forgotten or you are too young to remember what housing looked like in the 90s. Most was so bad it should have been condemned but funding couldn't be justified for new milcon to renovate or replace it. You know what the solution was? Privatized housing is the answer. The private sector took on the bulk of the cost to restore housing to livable conditions for less money than the government could ever do it for. I bet I was -and still am more - familiar with housing than you think. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:01:15 AM EDT
[#22]
I've been overseas for almost ten years, and the commissary is a life saver. Those of you with US grocery stores just outside the gate can suck it. For people overseas the commissary is the only supplier of many us type and brands of foods, period.
My only gripe against DECA is that well meaning protectionist idiots legislated long ago that we couldn't pretty much only get US sourced produce, meat, etc. You know just how good the produce is in Japan, after rotting in a port in Seattle for a week+, shipping over the pacific, and finally making it to the shelves? It's fucking nasty, is what it is. Rotten before you even get it home. Japan has some of the highest quality produce on earth, but you have to do downtown to get it because the commissary isn't smart enough (or allowed) to purchase and resell it. The same goes for the meat selection and quality. Old nasty brown hamburger for $4/lb. For non-perishable goods they do a great job though. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:06:11 AM EDT
[#23]
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I do the grocery shopping for my family at the commissary. Wife doesn't look at prices when she buys at local grocery store. I will gladly drive 10 miles out of the way to shop at the commissary. Everything I buy is significantly less expensive at the commissary. Ribeye $9+ per lb at commissary, $15+ per lb in town. I would be pissed if private company decided they need to make a profit and raise the prices.  Do you take orders?
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:21:32 AM EDT
[#24]
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Do you take orders?Quote HistoryQuoted:
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I do the grocery shopping for my family at the commissary. Wife doesn't look at prices when she buys at local grocery store. I will gladly drive 10 miles out of the way to shop at the commissary. Everything I buy is significantly less expensive at the commissary. Ribeye $9+ per lb at commissary, $15+ per lb in town. I would be pissed if private company decided they need to make a profit and raise the prices. Do you take orders?Ribeye at my commissary in Japan is $15/lb. The shittiest grade of ground beef is $3.99/lb. I can buy steaks and ground beef offbase cheaper, and Japanese people don't even eat much beef.
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:28:13 AM EDT
[#25]
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A private company has to be more efficient than AAFES. Shit I would go ask when I could have something tailored. The eye rolling and next week. Go off post to the Koreans, wait now, I do now. The prices also started to creep and the commissary was worthless in CONUS.Shut all CONUS commissaries down. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:33:23 AM EDT
[#26]
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I've been overseas for almost ten years, and the commissary is a life saver. Those of you with US grocery stores just outside the gate can suck it. For people overseas the commissary is the only supplier of many us type and brands of foods, period. My only gripe against DECA is that well meaning protectionist idiots legislated long ago that we couldn't pretty much only get US sourced produce, meat, etc. You know just how good the produce is in Japan, after rotting in a port in Seattle for a week+, shipping over the pacific, and finally making it to the shelves? It's fucking nasty, is what it is. Rotten before you even get it home. Japan has some of the highest quality produce on earth, but you have to do downtown to get it because the commissary isn't smart enough (or allowed) to purchase and resell it. The same goes for the meat selection and quality. Old nasty brown hamburger for $4/lb. For non-perishable goods they do a great job though. The commissary is required to purchase and resell a certain percentage (I don't remember exactly what it is) of local produce. There's always local produce on the shelves at the commissary here, along with produce from the US. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:34:26 AM EDT
[#27]
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Ribeye at my commissary in Japan is $15/lb. The shittiest grade of ground beef is $3.99/lb. I can buy steaks and ground beef offbase cheaper, and Japanese people don't even eat much beef.Quote HistoryQuoted:
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I do the grocery shopping for my family at the commissary. Wife doesn't look at prices when she buys at local grocery store. I will gladly drive 10 miles out of the way to shop at the commissary. Everything I buy is significantly less expensive at the commissary. Ribeye $9+ per lb at commissary, $15+ per lb in town. I would be pissed if private company decided they need to make a profit and raise the prices. Do you take orders?Ribeye at my commissary in Japan is $15/lb. The shittiest grade of ground beef is $3.99/lb. I can buy steaks and ground beef offbase cheaper, and Japanese people don't even eat much beef.Where are you at? Here it's the reverse. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:36:24 AM EDT
[#28]
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Where are you at? Here it's the reverse. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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I do the grocery shopping for my family at the commissary. Wife doesn't look at prices when she buys at local grocery store. I will gladly drive 10 miles out of the way to shop at the commissary. Everything I buy is significantly less expensive at the commissary. Ribeye $9+ per lb at commissary, $15+ per lb in town. I would be pissed if private company decided they need to make a profit and raise the prices. Do you take orders?Ribeye at my commissary in Japan is $15/lb. The shittiest grade of ground beef is $3.99/lb. I can buy steaks and ground beef offbase cheaper, and Japanese people don't even eat much beef.Where are you at? Here it's the reverse. The Kanto plain/greater Tokyo area. I can get steaks that are as good as the commissary cheaper at Seiyu, among other places. I'd be surprised if you can't. With the yen rate at 120ish it makes it an even better deal. ETA: You know I'm a nerd, so I sit there in the aisle at Seiyu with my xe.com app doing the currency conversion, and converting the grams to ounces with another app. Steaks there are <$10/lb last time I bought them but I've been out of the country for a couple months. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 11:44:59 AM EDT
[#29]
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No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. You're just not paying attention. No, I have been paying attention my whole career and it is unnecessary and should be privatized just like housing which has been successful. lol yea successful...on the verge of bankruptcy |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 12:43:39 PM EDT
[#30]
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I went to the Redstone commissary a few months ago. Deli was closed. Seems the old vendor didn't renew contract, no one to replace, so it was just closed down…until. "No ham for you!!!!!!" I remember how the commissaries in Hawaii years ago would run out of stuff for weeks at a time. The commissary at Hickam AFB ran out of soup. Seriously. Not a can in stock for two weeks. How incompetent do you have to be as a 'grocery store' to run out of Campbell's soup? Perfect example of how big, central .gov control doesn't work. Didn't work for the USSR, won't work for the USA.
Commissary at Fort Sill used to have the best deli in the damn state and its closed now. We really only shopped there for the deli. The prices in conus aren't that great, at least not here in OK. I can get the same or better prices at numerous other grocery stores and not have to deal with the bagger mafia. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 12:45:54 PM EDT
[#31]
It depends on the numbers. Personally, I don't see a huge difference between a trip to Walmart or the Commissary. If it is unsustainable, the fiscal conservative thing to do is to do away with it.
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Posted: 5/23/2015 12:48:56 PM EDT
[#32]
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It depends on the numbers. Personally, I don't see a huge difference between a trip to Walmart or the Commissary. If it is unsustainable, the fiscal conservative thing to do is to do away with it. There are some items that are drastically cheaper at the commissary. Ever comparison shop battery prices?
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Posted: 5/23/2015 1:19:29 PM EDT
[#33]
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A private company has to be more efficient than AAFES. Shit I would go ask when I could have something tailored. The eye rolling and next week. Go off post to the Koreans, wait now, I do now. The prices also started to creep and the commissary was worthless in CONUS.I don't know where you found a useless commissary CONUS. Every commissary I have been to in the last few years has been cheaper than off base. Especially for meat and dairy products. Do they have the selection of things you can find off base? Not always, but they definitely have all the staples for damn good prices. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 1:57:34 PM EDT
[#34]
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The vendors who are running the no-bid contracts for supplies and those who get the kickbacks are the ones who hate this the most. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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The only people I see being upset about this are those government employees who run the current system. The vendors who are running the no-bid contracts for supplies and those who get the kickbacks are the ones who hate this the most. Ding! Ding! Spot on Bama. I have been in commissaries all over the US and Europe and there always seems to be a certain type of person that is employed in the commissary. I wont call them workers cause every time I have tried to get them to help me they seem pissed that I am bothering them. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 1:58:10 PM EDT
[#35]
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There are some items that are drastically cheaper at the commissary. Ever comparison shop battery prices?
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It depends on the numbers. Personally, I don't see a huge difference between a trip to Walmart or the Commissary. If it is unsustainable, the fiscal conservative thing to do is to do away with it. There are some items that are drastically cheaper at the commissary. Ever comparison shop battery prices?
Basically anything that is name brand to name brand or no brand to no brand (like meat and produce) the Commissary wins. It's only when you get to store brands that they can compete and that's because DECA doesn't have their own. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 1:59:07 PM EDT
[#36]
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I don't know where you found a useless commissary CONUS. Every commissary I have been to in the last few years has been cheaper than off base. Especially for meat and dairy products. Do they have the selection of things you can find off base? Not always, but they definitely have all the staples for damn good prices. Quote HistoryQuoted:
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A private company has to be more efficient than AAFES. Shit I would go ask when I could have something tailored. The eye rolling and next week. Go off post to the Koreans, wait now, I do now. The prices also started to creep and the commissary was worthless in CONUS.I don't know where you found a useless commissary CONUS. Every commissary I have been to in the last few years has been cheaper than off base. Especially for meat and dairy products. Do they have the selection of things you can find off base? Not always, but they definitely have all the staples for damn good prices. Mine I can order online and they bring it all out to your car at a scheduled time. Wicked easy. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 2:22:29 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Basically anything that is name brand to name brand or no brand to no brand (like meat and produce) the Commissary wins. It's only when you get to store brands that they can compete and that's because DECA doesn't have their own. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: It depends on the numbers. Personally, I don't see a huge difference between a trip to Walmart or the Commissary. If it is unsustainable, the fiscal conservative thing to do is to do away with it. There are some items that are drastically cheaper at the commissary. Ever comparison shop battery prices? Basically anything that is name brand to name brand or no brand to no brand (like meat and produce) the Commissary wins. It's only when you get to store brands that they can compete and that's because DECA doesn't have their own. I think this is an important pretense in the equation. I typically don't buy name brand things unless I know there is a huge difference. If Walmart has the same essential thing that just isn't name brand and costs in the same ballpark, what is the point in being superficial on the back of the taxpayer? |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 2:25:27 PM EDT
[#38]
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I think this is an important pretense in the equation. I typically don't buy name brand things unless I know there is a huge difference. If Walmart has the same essential thing that just isn't name brand and costs in the same ballpark, what is the point in being superficial on the back of the taxpayer? Quote HistoryQuoted:
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It depends on the numbers. Personally, I don't see a huge difference between a trip to Walmart or the Commissary. If it is unsustainable, the fiscal conservative thing to do is to do away with it. There are some items that are drastically cheaper at the commissary. Ever comparison shop battery prices?
Basically anything that is name brand to name brand or no brand to no brand (like meat and produce) the Commissary wins. It's only when you get to store brands that they can compete and that's because DECA doesn't have their own. I think this is an important pretense in the equation. I typically don't buy name brand things unless I know there is a huge difference. If Walmart has the same essential thing that just isn't name brand and costs in the same ballpark, what is the point in being superficial on the back of the taxpayer? On the back of the taxpayer? The total cost out of pocket for DoD to run DECA is something like a million dollars a year. The rest is self-funding. I've spent a million dollars in parts on one shift before.
The reason brand name shit is cheaper is because it is priced at cost+5%. The civilian stores charging you $12 for four Duracell AAs are fucking you, the commissary is not. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 2:27:58 PM EDT
[#39]
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HEB could do a much better job running the Ft. Sam Houston commissary then the military while improving selection and lowering price. Yup |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 2:37:51 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted: On the back of the taxpayer? The total cost out of pocket for DoD to run DECA is something like a million dollars a year. The rest is self-funding. I've spent a million dollars in parts on one shift before. The reason brand name shit is cheaper is because it is priced at cost+5%. The civilian stores charging you $12 for four Duracell AAs are fucking you, the commissary is not. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: It depends on the numbers. Personally, I don't see a huge difference between a trip to Walmart or the Commissary. If it is unsustainable, the fiscal conservative thing to do is to do away with it. There are some items that are drastically cheaper at the commissary. Ever comparison shop battery prices? Basically anything that is name brand to name brand or no brand to no brand (like meat and produce) the Commissary wins. It's only when you get to store brands that they can compete and that's because DECA doesn't have their own. I think this is an important pretense in the equation. I typically don't buy name brand things unless I know there is a huge difference. If Walmart has the same essential thing that just isn't name brand and costs in the same ballpark, what is the point in being superficial on the back of the taxpayer? On the back of the taxpayer? The total cost out of pocket for DoD to run DECA is something like a million dollars a year. The rest is self-funding. I've spent a million dollars in parts on one shift before. The reason brand name shit is cheaper is because it is priced at cost+5%. The civilian stores charging you $12 for four Duracell AAs are fucking you, the commissary is not. Is it really necessary to have a bureaucratic agency so you can buy batteries? If they can sell name brand items at cost + 5%, why can't they have Krazy Uncle Krunches Krazy Berry flavored cereal at cost + 5% as well? It seems to me that buying name brand goods at the same price as brand x at Walmart is an unnecessary luxury. We're 16,000,000,000,000 in debt, if we continue on this track of fiscal irresponsibility, we're going to be fighting our adversaries with rocks and crudely fashioned spears and all of this will be trivial. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 2:42:24 PM EDT
[#41]
I guess you're right. Let's just get rid of DECA and increase troops' pay to offset the benefit that's being taken away. We will also have to readjust the cost of living pay overseas. But that's bound to be cheaper.
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 2:45:44 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I guess you're right. Let's just get rid of DECA and increase troops' pay to offset the benefit that's being taken away. We will also have to readjust the cost of living pay overseas. But that's bound to be cheaper. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile We could close all the US commissaries with very little impact to DoD, but the overseas stores are a whole different ball of wax. If they sold DECA to say, Walmart, they would promptly double the prices on everything they sell overseas. Shipping stuff all over the world is expensive, you know.
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Posted: 5/23/2015 2:45:44 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
DECA is not needed and is a waste of money. For those saying they save money at the commissary, you must have really shitty local supermarkets because there are very few things I would actually save money on vs the local economy (not just here, last 6 bases at least). My comments are directed toward CONUS installations. Over 26 years, in CA, CO, TX, OK, VA and NC I have yet to find that to be true. The Commissary actually sells the food at cost, the surcharge is there to pay for cost of employees and capital improvements. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 2:48:10 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm sure you have plenty of insights and you work on a Service level staff somewhere? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
You think privatizing the commissary is going to save money? The kind of money it would take to make any difference in the bottom line of the defense budget?
What colour is the sky in your world? I'm sure you have plenty of insights and you work on a Service level staff somewhere? You are the firsts person I have heard say privatization has been successful And yes, I spent 4 years at a service HQ on the service chief's staff. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 3:41:50 PM EDT
[#45]
It's funny to read all the posts supporting "government run" retail stores. Basically, soviet style socialism. Like there is something magical about command economies, socialism, and government employees.
But I tend to agree with others in this thread. This privatization effort will turn into just more political cronyism. There won't be any true market competition. With that said, it will accomplish one thing, it should eliminate some government employee expense.. Anything that can cull the heard of government workers is probably a good thing. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 3:44:27 PM EDT
[#46]
Quoted:
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/on-base/2015/05/15/privatize-commissaries-senate/27365845/ Lawmakers have taken a first step toward privatizing commissaries, approving legislation that would require a pilot program to test the concept of private companies operating at least five commissaries at large installations. The Senate Armed Services Committee approved the plan Thursday as part of its version of the 2016 defense authorization bill. According to the committee, the legislation also requires a report on a plan to privatize the Defense Commissary Agency, entirely or in part, and directs the Government Accountability Office to assess potential costs and benefits of having private companies run the stores. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said he fought hard against the provision in committee and plans to introduce an amendment on the Senate floor to reverse it when the the defense bill comes up for consideration by the full chamber. Commissary sucks ass. Prices aren't competitive, you have the pan handlers masquerading as bag checkers, and the same Korean/Philipino lady working every register all over the world. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 6:34:38 PM EDT
[#47]
OP, privatization of the commissary system is the beginning of the end for one of our best benefits that we were promised.
Back when I served my 23 years, I don't remember them ever saying "Well, you can have your commissary benefit until the progressives take over. Then we will need the commissary support money for millions of illegal immigrants." |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 6:44:25 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
OP, privatization of the commissary system is the beginning of the end for one of our best benefits that we were promised. Back when I served my 23 years, I don't remember them ever saying "Well, you can have your commissary benefit until the progressives take over. Then we will need the commissary support money for millions of illegal immigrants." What's the benefit? It serves as a place to buy stuff when it's impossible, or impractical, to leave the base and get it. As far as "deals" go, if you're stateside, what kind of massive savings are you guys seeing? Also, what the fuck is "progressive" about privatization. What's "progressive" about the free-market? Not that I think this is going to be a stellar example of the "free-market" at work, too much government will be involved and they'll most likely turn it into another avenue of graft and corruption, but still calling privatization progressive is a stretch. When Dad retired he settled near a large Air Force Base, I asked my mom why they didn't shop on base more, and her response was that she could get higher quality and better prices downtown. So, I'm not seeing the "benefit". |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 6:46:58 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
What's the benefit? It serves as a place to buy stuff when it's impossible, or impractical, to leave the base and get it. As far as "deals" go, if you're stateside, what kind of massive savings are you guys seeing? Also, what the fuck is "progressive" about privatization. What's "progressive" about the free-market? Not that I think this is going to be a stellar example of the "free-market" at work, too much government will be involved and they'll most likely turn it into another avenue of graft and corruption, but still calling privatization progressive is a stretch. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
OP, privatization of the commissary system is the beginning of the end for one of our best benefits that we were promised. Back when I served my 23 years, I don't remember them ever saying "Well, you can have your commissary benefit until the progressives take over. Then we will need the commissary support money for millions of illegal immigrants." What's the benefit? It serves as a place to buy stuff when it's impossible, or impractical, to leave the base and get it. As far as "deals" go, if you're stateside, what kind of massive savings are you guys seeing? Also, what the fuck is "progressive" about privatization. What's "progressive" about the free-market? Not that I think this is going to be a stellar example of the "free-market" at work, too much government will be involved and they'll most likely turn it into another avenue of graft and corruption, but still calling privatization progressive is a stretch. They need to leave DECA alone. It's a non-profit organization, that is nearly entirely self-supporting. It costs DoD a fraction of a fraction of a percent of its budget. AAFES needs an enema, but DECA does not. |
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Posted: 5/23/2015 7:08:45 PM EDT
[#50]
If you like your commissary you can keep your commissary.
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