A bombshell report has uncovered that greater than $151 million meant to feed troopers at 11 of the Military’s largest bases was repurposed for undisclosed makes use of.
This revelation, first reported by Steve Beynon of Navy.com, comes as junior enlisted troopers battle to entry nutritious meals on base, with some being pressured to outlive on substandard meals.
The funds in query are deducted straight from service members’ Primary Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), a month-to-month $460 allotment meant to cowl meals prices for troopers dwelling in barracks.
For junior enlisted personnel incomes roughly $30,000 yearly, this deduction represents a major monetary burden. But, as a substitute of utilizing these funds to supply ample meals, the Military seems to be diverting them elsewhere.
Extremely, out of $225 million collected throughout simply 11 bases, a staggering $151 million was not used for meals bills. With the Military working a complete of 104 garrisons, the true quantity of unspent funds could possibly be far greater.
The Military refuses to reveal what the additional funds are getting used for. Main bills like eating corridor infrastructure and meals service employee salaries are coated beneath separate budgets, and regardless of repeated inquiries from Navy.com, officers have declined to supply any transparency.
When pressed, the Military offered solely a obscure assertion, claiming that meals expenditures are primarily based on previous attendance at eating services. However that rationalization doesn’t account for why the overwhelming majority of BAS funds will not be going towards feeding troopers.
The next knowledge obtained by Navy.com represents the Military’s fiscal 12 months 2024, spanning from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. It gives a rounded comparability of the overall funds collected from troopers for meals at every set up versus the precise expenditures on meals.
Fort Stewart, Georgia:
- Cash collected from troopers: $17 million
- Cash spent on meals: $2.1 million
Fort Drum, New York:
- Cash collected from troopers: $18.2 million
- Cash spent on meals: $3.9 million
Fort Carson, Colorado:
- Cash collected from troopers: $22 million
- Cash spent on meals: $5 million
Fort Riley, Kansas:
- Cash collected from troopers: $19.1 million
- Cash spent on meals: $5.1 million
Fort Bliss, Texas:
- Cash collected from troopers: $22 million
- Cash spent on meals: $11 million
Fort Cavazos, Texas:
- Cash collected from troopers: $42.5 million
- Cash spent on meals: $11.7 million
Fort Bragg, North Carolina:
- Cash collected from troopers: $34.6 million
- Cash spent on meals: $16.6 million
Fort Campbell, Kentucky:
- Cash collected from troopers: $18 million
- Cash spent on meals: $5.1 million
Schofield Barracks, Hawaii:
- Cash collected from troopers: $14.5 million
- Cash spent on meals: $5.3 million
Fort Wainwright, Alaska:
- Cash collected from troopers: $9 million
- Cash spent on meals: $3 million
Fort Richardson, Alaska:
- Cash collected from troopers: $7.5 million
- Cash spent on meals: $4 million
Extra from the information outlet:
At Fort Stewart, Georgia, for instance, troopers contributed $17 million, however the base spent simply $2.1 million — redirecting 87% of the funds. Schofield Barracks in Hawaii collected $14.5 million however used solely $5.3 million, which means 63% of the cash was used elsewhere.
All however two bases left greater than half of the cash for meals unspent. Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska and Fort Bliss, Texas, left 41% and 49% of funds on the desk, respectively.
It’s unclear what particularly the extra funds taken from troopers are being spent on, however they don’t seem like going towards feeding troopers.
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Tips on how to feed the drive is an equation service planners proceed to grapple with. In 2023, Navy.com reported that Fort Cavazos, Texas — the Military’s most intensive base — was barely in a position to hold its meals companies working for a lot of that summer time, with solely two of its 10 eating services open, leaving troopers struggling to seek out meals.
In November final 12 months, the publication reported pervasive meals shortages at Fort Carson, Colorado. Troopers had been fed meals that had been only a slice of toast and lima beans, troops instructed Navy.com.
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