Spekkio
He bowls overhand.
Page 15 doesn't explain anything. It's making a statement with no supporting evidence, just like every other store in existance claims you save money by shopping there.
To the commissary's credit, customers probably actually save money by shopping there. But where are they getting $2.8 billion from? They don't say, probably because it's made up or based on a bunch of unrealistic worst-case assumptions, like buying prime rib at Safeway for $12/lb.
It's also typical for healthcare benefit plans to be more lucrative for people with more unique skillsets.
Also, the cost of healthcare in the military if further offset by physical requirements. They won't take people with various previous conditions. You can work at AT&T if you have to take medication for high blood pressure, but you can't be in the military.
Let's look at who actually shops at commissaries most of the time:
-Retired people.
-People with dependants.
A single E-5 and below has no reason to shop at the commissary; he lives in the barracks, gets BAS and can eat at the base galley or onboard the ship for free. If he shops in town and spends more than $400/mo on groceries, he's doing it wrong and should see the CFC. Closing the commissary costs a single enlisted person $0 because your food bill never exceeds BAS in the first place.
Some single officers or SNCOs may shop at the commissary instead of at the local grocery store, but a single O-1/O-2 or E-6+ can afford the hit to shop at Walmart instead. In fact, I shopped in town as a single O-1 and my monthly food bill was less than my BAS. Closing the commissary costs a single officers and SNCOs $0 because your food bill never exceeds BAS in the first place.
So when you break it down, this benefit isn't really even being enjoyed by every servicemember. It's only for people with dependants and retirees. I'd be interested to know if it even benefits a majority of AD servicemembers. Like I said above, on my sea tour the commissary was closed by the time I got out of work. Every other grocery store stays open until 2200-0000, but the commissary closes at 1700. An AD person on sea duty practically couldn't shop there if he wanted to. Next time you're pissed off that a mom has her 3 kids in the commissary, remember she's doing it because the place isn't open when hubby gets off of work like normal grocery stores. So when I had to pick up a few groceries on the way home, I stopped at a store out in town simply because the commissary wasn't open.
To the commissary's credit, customers probably actually save money by shopping there. But where are they getting $2.8 billion from? They don't say, probably because it's made up or based on a bunch of unrealistic worst-case assumptions, like buying prime rib at Safeway for $12/lb.
Not everyone else pays for healthcare. It's fairly typical for high risk jobs to provide full healthcare. It would be pretty tough to get people to work for you if you wanted to put them in a situation where they can be seriously hurt and then tell them that they're going to have to pay for the resulting medical costs.Why don't we pay for healthcare on AD? Everyone else does.
It's also typical for healthcare benefit plans to be more lucrative for people with more unique skillsets.
Also, the cost of healthcare in the military if further offset by physical requirements. They won't take people with various previous conditions. You can work at AT&T if you have to take medication for high blood pressure, but you can't be in the military.
Well, let's back up a bit here...You are missing the point with your comparison to Walmary, Costco, etc. Those locations are MORE COSTLY to the service member compared to the commissary. The commissary is not a competitive business, it is a cost + 5% BENEFIT.
Let's look at who actually shops at commissaries most of the time:
-Retired people.
-People with dependants.
A single E-5 and below has no reason to shop at the commissary; he lives in the barracks, gets BAS and can eat at the base galley or onboard the ship for free. If he shops in town and spends more than $400/mo on groceries, he's doing it wrong and should see the CFC. Closing the commissary costs a single enlisted person $0 because your food bill never exceeds BAS in the first place.
Some single officers or SNCOs may shop at the commissary instead of at the local grocery store, but a single O-1/O-2 or E-6+ can afford the hit to shop at Walmart instead. In fact, I shopped in town as a single O-1 and my monthly food bill was less than my BAS. Closing the commissary costs a single officers and SNCOs $0 because your food bill never exceeds BAS in the first place.
So when you break it down, this benefit isn't really even being enjoyed by every servicemember. It's only for people with dependants and retirees. I'd be interested to know if it even benefits a majority of AD servicemembers. Like I said above, on my sea tour the commissary was closed by the time I got out of work. Every other grocery store stays open until 2200-0000, but the commissary closes at 1700. An AD person on sea duty practically couldn't shop there if he wanted to. Next time you're pissed off that a mom has her 3 kids in the commissary, remember she's doing it because the place isn't open when hubby gets off of work like normal grocery stores. So when I had to pick up a few groceries on the way home, I stopped at a store out in town simply because the commissary wasn't open.
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