The Daily Caller – by Caroline May
Food stamp redemption at military grocery stores, or commissaries, has nearly doubled since the beginning of the “Great Recession,” topping out at $103.6 million in fiscal 2013, from $31.1 million in 2008.
While the amount of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or food stamps, have soared over the past five years, the rate of increase has slowed, according to data from the Defense Commissary Agency and published by CNN Money Monday.
From FY 2009 to FY 2010 the level of spending jumped from $52.9 million to $72.8 million; from FY 2010 to FY 2011 the amount of SNAP benefits redeemed increased from $72.8 million to $87.8 million; from FY 2011 to FY 2012 it increased from $87.8 million to $98.8 million; and from FY 2012 to FY 2013 from $98.8 million to $103.6 million.
The period from FY 2008 to FY 2009 experienced the most dramatic jump, from $31.1 million to $52.9 million, or an increase of about 41 percent.
According to the Army Times, the Agriculture Department’s most recent tally of active-duty military members on food stamps was in 2011, when about 5,000 were enrolled. At the time, that number made up about 0.01 percent of all SNAP recipients and .36 percent of the active-duty population.
Commissaries only track the benefits used, not the status of the individual using them, like whether they are retired or active-duty.
Pentagon officials told CNN that while the military does not track who is receiving assistance, the military members likely to be on food stamps are those at the bottom of the ranks with children, where base pay — not including housing or food — for a new soldier with a spouse and child is about $20,000. With housing and food allowances, an Army private with two years experience would make about $40,000.
Despite the hardships facing some junior enlisted members, the amount of SNAP benefits spent at military commissaries pales in comparison to the national totals, which has topped off in recent years at $80 billion annually, with some 47.6 million beneficiaries in 2013.
A new recruit is eligible at $20,000.00 a year – really LOL yea LOL for sure. I know some disabled 20 yr. vets living on only about 10,000. – 12,000. and not on stamps, and yes they are takein` care of their kids at that but don`t ya know though that they get all their free meds – ssri`s and maoi`s lol. WTF.
How do these guys rate in the article?, as it sounds like they all got it pretty good compared to the rest of us that get nothing and living on way less than even that $10,000. .
Perhaps every one should be on the SNAP program as it seems to me that a good part of the country is living in poverty, at least where I am from anyway.
Yea, if ya do not take advantage of it it will just be used for some govt. party or shipped over to jew land or something in that order. 🙁
My daughter is married to an E-4 with one year in the Army. They don’t qualify for a dime of food stamps. They also have no children, so that may be factoring into it.
It is way past time to storm the castle. Or I guess in our country it would be the house.
The Sadness concerning the American Military….is, it was not designed to go around the world and police(kill,murder,destroy independent countries) and all the rest. It’s originality, with the founding of our United States, was to defend our land…i.e. shores. that’s it! Defense….
Then in came the money makers, the profiteers, who gouge the clueless into joining….so that they ,those who profit off (all wars) have their pawns to place on the board of life. A life they, those in power, already know the outcome of some planned event, just as it is starting via their preplaning….and the youth who are duped, just die, become wounded or eventually escape somewhat for the wiser….Never enough wisdom, though, to convince the next generation not to do the same thing they just went through….
And so the wheal just keeps on turning, yes, right here in our US also…
Nam Vet– in country…1969….US Army…draftee