Should PX/Commissary exist only overseas?

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 09:04:03 -0400

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2014 9:21 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 09:21:13 -0400

CWO4 Pettus, thanks for being first responder! As DOD military forces continue to decline, the customer base supporting MWR also declines. Reviews of stateside MWR activities and PXs and commissaries and hospitals have taken place in view of civilian competition/availability and the need to improve services for active forces overseas where the majority of new PXs and Commissaries are built. Hospitals on bases took cuts as have some MWR facilities.
Major installations such as Lejeune seem to be close to self-sustaining yet still require subsidy from MWR sources, etc.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2014 9:33 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 09:33:15 -0400

@SGM Dan Coberly, that's another interesting question that you've posted.

Definitely keep the Exchanges and Commissaries open OCONUS. Clothing, appliances, electronics ,groceries and Class VI can be very expensive overseas Including Alaska and Hawaii); plus you might be "downrange" in BFE.

Whether or not to close down the Exchanges and Commissaries CONUS, there would have to be a couple of factors:

1. Are the Exchanges and Commissaries located on a base that is far from the nearest town, which stocks the same stuff, off post (e.g. Ft Irwin)?

2. Are the Exchanges and Commissaries located in CONUS profitable?

If the answers on both questions are "YES", then my answer would be NO.

Response by COL Jean (John) F. B. made Oct 31 at 2014 9:41 AM

COL Jean (John) F. B. — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 09:41:28 -0400

I believe that the current AAFES/NEX systems should be consolidated into one entity and operate under their current model (although, as stated, as one entity) only in overseas locations.

DoD should contract-out CONUS on-post/base retail facilities to WalMart, Target, etc., but keep the tax-exempt status on goods purchased.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2014 11:00 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 11:00:47 -0400

Yes. WalMart has already offered to sell to servicemembers without charging tax. The military needs to concentrate on being military, and let others do what they do best.

Response by CW5 Sam R. Baker made Oct 31 at 2014 11:43 AM

CW5 Sam R. Baker — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 11:43:02 -0400

I don't so much like the pricing and services offered by AAFES which is a total different entity then the Commissary system. The commissary sells most meats, cheeses and other items for much less than Wal-Mart then discussed by the SGM. I personally base my experience as a shopper who looks at $5 plus prices for a pound of cheese and bacon in WallyWorld versus the 3-3.50 per pound in the comsy. Retirees KNOW the benefit of the commissary as they are on a more restrictive fixed income normally, so that is why you see so many drive great distances to utilize the service. I do know that many folks living off post use Wal-Mart and I wish they could actually compare the issue. The one thing the comsy falls wayyyyy short on is produce. I think the Comsy should stay CONUS and I am not a fan of AAFES most of the time due to excessive pricing to support MWR.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2014 11:54 AM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 11:54:42 -0400

I do not think that they should get rid of the Commissary/AAFES CONUS. When I was at Bliss, my wife and I did shop off post mostly, however, we did use both of these services quite a bit. In fact my wife does now while she is at Fort Stewart and I am in Korea. There are some things that are a better deal on post and some things that are a better deal off post.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2014 2:55 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 14:55:47 -0400

I'd have to agree that we don't need them stateside, to be at all honest. They are priced equal to most places off base, are highly inconvienient at times, that "surcharge" the commissary charges is complete BS when the foods prices equal to the local bakers, and I'd rather support small local businesses at times. Overseas, the BX/Commissary is the only place to get a lot of stuff we want from home...

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 31 at 2014 3:52 PM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 15:52:18 -0400

I for one do not want to lose my BX/Commissary. I use both regularly and it is why I still live here. I would much rather use the commissary then Walmart or WinCo. I can also get some products that are not sold in this area. And by spending at the BX/PX it helps support MWR.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Oct 31 at 2014 4:14 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 16:14:08 -0400

I just wish I lived near a military base so I could use them!

Response by SFC Carlton Crider made Nov 1 at 2014 12:37 PM

SFC Carlton Crider — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 12:37:56 -0400

I am an Army retiree and currently visiting Germany, I was applauded to see how retirees are treated at the military facilities in Germany. German authorities are afraid that visiting Americans are not paying their fair share of tax. This tax situation has created a weird situation for retirees who are married to Germans. A retiree cannot even buy a Star and Strips newspaper and coffee without being harassed and threaten to be put off the installation because of not having overseas privileges ID card. Foreign Soldiers and US civilians who never served in the US military can shop on military installation harassment free. In my opinion a US facility should be treated like an American Embassy and should be considered American soil and therefore an American with proper DOD identification should be able to have full use of that facility.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2014 8:05 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 20:05:07 -0500

Short answer: Yes.

Longer answer: Yes, with an exception for installations that are located too far from civilian shopping areas.

Response by MSG Gary Himert made Jul 15 at 2016 3:35 PM

MSG Gary Himert — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 15:35:25 -0400

If the AAFES/NEX/MCX would consolidate like the commissaries have, it'd eliminate 2 or 3 parallel overheads and allow for economy of scale. Can't speak to the Coast Guard exchange as I've never been in one and don't know how they operate, but I assume they could be consolidated as well. Even if that was the case, in CONUS the exchange gets killed by Amazon, Target, WalMart and some of the Super-Regional grocery chains anyways. I'd say it's time for OCONUS exchanges only, but you'd have to sell Congress as that is taking jobs out of their districts.

Response by LTC Charles T Dalbec made Jul 31 at 2020 6:10 PM

LTC Charles T Dalbec — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 18:10:15 -0400

No ~~ it should be available “stateside” !!