Over $151 Million Taken from Soldiers' Paychecks for Food Costs Spent Elsewhere by the Army
The money is collected in what amounts to a tax on troops -- taken from their Basic Allowance for Subsistence payments, roughly $460 per month that is automatically deducted from the paychecks of service members
The money is collected in what amounts to a tax on troops -- taken from their Basic Allowance for Subsistence payments, roughly $460 per month that is automatically deducted from the paychecks of service members.
www.military.com
14 Feb 2025 ~~ By Steve Beynon
The
Army is repurposing more than half of the money it collects from junior enlisted soldiers for food, according to data reviewed by Military.com. The numbers suggest that a large portion of those funds are not going toward feeding soldiers, a diversion of resources coming at a time when troops increasingly struggle to find nutritious food on base.
The money is collected in what amounts to a tax on troops -- taken from their Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) payments, roughly $460 per month that is automatically deducted from the paychecks of service members who live in barracks and is intended to help cover food costs. For junior enlisted troops who earn about $30,000 annually, the cost can be consequential.
2024 financial records provided by the service from 11 of the Army's largest bases show that more than $151 million of $225 million collected from soldiers was not spent on food. Given that the Army operates 104 garrisons, the true amount of unspent funds is likely far higher.
~Snip~
At
Fort Stewart, Georgia, for example, soldiers contributed $17 million, but the base spent just $2.1 million -- redirecting 87% of the funds.
Schofield Barracks in Hawaii collected $14.5 million but used only $5.3 million, meaning 63% of the money was used elsewhere.
All but two bases left more than half of the money for food unspent.
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska and
Fort Bliss, Texas, left 41% and 49% of funds on the table, respectively.
It's unclear what specifically the additional funds taken from soldiers are being spent on, but they do not appear to be going toward feeding soldiers. Major expenses such as dining hall infrastructure and food service worker salaries come from separate funding sources and, when pressed repeatedly by Military.com, Army officials declined to provide additional financial data.
~Snip~
The following is data for the Army's 2024 fiscal year, which ran from October 1 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024. The rounded data shows the total amount of money collected for food from soldiers stationed at each installation against the money ultimately spent on food:
Fort Stewart, Georgia:
Money collected from soldiers: $17 million
Money spent on food: $2.1 million
Fort Drum, New York:
Money collected from soldiers: $18.2 million
Money spent on food: $3.9 million
Fort Carson, Colorado:
Money collected from soldiers: $22 million
Money spent on food: $5 million
Fort Riley, Kansas:
Money collected from soldiers: $19.1 million
Money spent on food: $5.1 million
Fort Bliss, Texas:
Money collected from soldiers: $22 million
Money spent on food: $11 million
Fort Cavazos, Texas:
Money collected from soldiers: $42.5 million
Money spent on food: $11.7 million
Fort Bragg, North Carolina:
Money collected from soldiers: $34.6 million
Money spent on food: $16.6 million
Fort Campbell, Kentucky:
Money collected from soldiers: $18 million
Money spent on food: $5.1 million
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii:
Money collected from soldiers: $14.5 million
Money spent on food: $5.3 million
Fort Wainwright, Alaska:
Money collected from soldiers: $9 million
Money spent on food: $3 million
Fort Richardson, Alaska:
Money collected from soldiers: $7.5 million
Money spent on food: $4 million
Commentary:
Neo-Marxist Democrats and their Quisling media will defend anything. Their media said that DOGE is lying about DOGE cutting funding for the VA and Social Security...
What really is eye opening is that as far back as the Clinton administration our troops were shorted the food they require. Obama had them on Food Stamps.
This is not something new. Congress sent worm filled bad and sometimes poisoned food and little clothing to our Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. See below..
Seems that 249 years later our troops are still being short change. Who is raking in the money? Generas in charge of procurement, or Congress?
I applaud Trump and Musk for the creation and application of DOGE But DOGE won't be a REAL success until it starts getting convictions.
Secy of Defense Hegseth has also promised to right this wrong in our military...
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