Asked about this, a Defense Ministry spokeswoman said in an email that the defense secretary`s office provides “continuous” information to military departments and has “recently” distributed some of it for use in training the facility`s security personnel and resale and MWR personnel. Currently, all honourably released Veterans can make purchases over the Internet through the Veterans Online Shopping Advantage. You can create an account for any of the military exchange websites: Army and Air Force Exchange System, Coast Guard Exchange, Marine Corps Exchange, Navy Exchange Command, and Veterans Canteen Service. Eligibility: Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Members, Military Retirees, Medal of Honour Recipients and Authorized Family Members. These buyers have ids issued by the DoD. Commissioners can also make purchases, but their family members cannot. To use the Service, access CLICK2GO by logging into your my.commissaries.com account. There you can select your items as well as the pickup time. When you arrive to pick up your order, you will need your military or dependent ID, a confirmation email, and an electronic payment method. You can place orders at any time and even several days in advance. The service allows flexibility for your schedule and streamlines the grocery process.

About 80,000 disabled veterans in San Antonio and millions more nationwide are now eligible to shop at military base stores after a law passed in 2018 that extends personal purchase privileges to several new categories of veterans went into effect on Jan. 1. Depending on the location and individual access rules, experienced shoppers can bring guests to the store. However, customers are not allowed to make purchases. Have you ever thought about hiring your local commissioner, or are you an old pro with purchases on the base? Regardless of your buyer`s status, you`ll soon learn how to use the commissioner and save money in the process. The commissioners are essentially a grocery store for military installations. You can buy groceries and other household items, often at a discounted price. Commissioners around the world are managed by the Defense Commissary Agency. The U.S. armed forces have been shopping in police stations since 1867, and the benefits have only improved.

Items are sold at cost with an additional 5%, which benefits new and updated commissioners. It is estimated that with each buying frenzy, a saving of 30% can be achieved compared to local options. According to his own calculations, the Commissioner boasts of an “average global economy of 23.7% compared to commercial grocery purchases”. While it doesn`t impose a national or local food tax, it does have a 5% surcharge designed to help with the maintenance and construction of new stores. For the duration of a soldier`s career, attending a military exchange is just about everything. To take advantage of the new police station and exchange rules, your VHIC card must display your eligibility status on the front of the badge below the photo to be admitted to the facilities. Veterans who shop with the Commissioner and are not 100% service-related disabled or military retirees also pay a 1.9% fee for using a credit card and a 0.5% fee for a debit card at the cashier. These rates are set by law. The Department of Defense has been working with the VA, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury for the past year to integrate these new customers into the complex security systems of military facilities so they can make their purchases.

To ensure that only authorized buyers use the store, the commissioner scans the user IDs at checkout. This means that it`s not enough to go to the base to shop – you also need to have an acceptable and scannable ID card. The best advice I can give you is to look at sales. Things go on sale about every 12 weeks. When you look at sales, shop at the commissioner` office, match ads, and use coupons, you`re doing everything in your power to save most of your family`s dietary needs. You`ll also save time and gas by shopping at home. Another useful suggestion would be to join a “Fort/Base/Army/Navy/Air Force, etc. Wives”, group on Facebook.

Insert your fort and you are sure to have a few groups near you. While some of these groups are just dramaturgical cat fights, some people actually use them to inform each other about the affairs that are going on at the commissioner`s house. If you want to be up to date, join a group of spouses who are happy to brag about the great price they received when shopping at your local commissioner. Effective January 1, 2020, the National Defence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 expanded the pool of eligible exchange buyers and commissioners to include all disabled veterans, Purple Heart beneficiaries, prisoners of war veterans and key veterans. The benefit was also extended to MWR`s “revenue generating facilities”. All approved groups can sign up for online accounts on the MyCommissary portal to sign up for the rewards card and access flyers and services. Learn more about advanced commissary and exchange privileges on the base for veterans and caregivers. The new commissary and exchange rules allow anyone belonging to one of the following groups to make purchases on the basis: Prices and savings: Commissioners add a 5% supplement to the cash register, which is usually used for the construction and renovation of stores and the purchase of equipment. Since commissioners receive taxpayers` money each year for most operating costs, they can offer food at prices that are generally lower than those of civilian stores. The law requires that the overall average savings of commissioners match the base savings of 23.7%, compared to civilian grocers outside the door. The Commissioner`s Agency compares prices with up to three commercial grocers, including a supercenter, in each commissary`s local area in U.S.

Guard/Reserve on-site sales: This program allows Guard and Reserve members and other authorized customers to order items and have them delivered to areas not close to a commissioner. Units can call their nearest commissioner to discuss the possibility of an on-site sale. Upcoming sales will be listed on the commissaries.com website under the “Shopping” icon. .