Defense plan would ‘destroy’ commissaries, industry reps say

[unhappycamper]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/02/19/3646756/defense-plan-would-destroy-commissaries.html

Defense plan would ‘destroy’ commissaries, industry reps say
By Tom Philpott
February 19, 2015

The Defense Department’s fiscal 2016 budget request would slash taxpayer support of base grocery stores by $322 million in 2016 and by $1 billion next year, enough to “destroy” the shopping benefit, warns the American Logistics Association.

ALA, which represents manufacturers, distributors and brokers of products sold in commissaries and base exchanges, released a position paper that contrasts DoD’s plan to “wreck” commissaries with less onerous recommendations of a blue-ribbon panel to consolidate all base store operations to gain new efficiencies.

That would seem to leave Congress with an easy choice. But the Army and Air Force Exchange Service warns in its own position paper that the store consolidation path laid down by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission won’t produce the savings it touts.

AAFES says requiring the three exchange services, including Navy and Marine Corps store systems, to merge with Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) into a new Defense Resale Activity would add near-term costs of $466 million, which wouldn’t be recouped through efficiencies for “85 years.”

[mwrguy]

1. good

[gladium et scutum]

2. Why is that good? n/t