MILITARY.COM | Published February 15, 2025
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 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.
“It’s just returned to the big pool of Army funds, and it’s used someplace else,” one service official with direct knowledge of the situation said during an interview that was arranged by the Army public affairs office, referring to redirected BAS money collected from soldiers.
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.
How to feed the force is an equation service planners continue to grapple with. In 2023, Military.com reported that Fort Cavazos, Texas — the Army’s most extensive base — was barely able to keep its food services running for much of that summer, with only two of its 10 dining facilities open, leaving soldiers struggling to find meals.
In November last year, the publication reported pervasive food shortages at Fort Carson, Colorado. Soldiers were fed meals that were just a slice of toast and lima beans, troops told Military.com.
Soldiers were recently served toast and lima beans for dinner at Fort Carson. (Image provided by Hots & Cots)
The Army has a nutrition policy on what it is supposed to feed soldiers, though it’s rarely followed and in some cases outright ignored. The service has invested in so-called kiosks, which are cheap alternatives to major dining facilities. Instead of cooked meals, soldiers have access to grab-and-go snacks and prepackaged sandwiches akin to the quality of prepared meals at a gas station.
Military.com reviewed the menus at those kiosks and found that it’s virtually impossible for soldiers to stay within healthy nutrition guidelines, with most offerings being heavy in sugar and low in protein. The service’s previous top enlisted leader, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston, sought to heavily invest in healthy foods, seeking to feed soldiers more like professional athletes and dramatically expand meal options to include fresh protein shakes. But those efforts never came to fruition after getting snagged in bureaucratic difficulties.
“Stealing food money from our soldiers is not how we achieve military readiness,” Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, whose district includes Schofield Barracks, told Military.com when presented with the numbers. “The fact that at least $151 million was collected from soldiers and not spent on food as required demands not just an immediate investigation, but swift accountability.”
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SOURCE: www.military.com
RELATED: Shocking Scandal: Over $151 Million Intended for Soldiers’ Meals at 11 Major Army Bases Spent Elsewhere
THE GATEWAY PUNDIT | Published February 15, 2025
A bombshell report has exposed that more than $151 million meant to feed soldiers at 11 of the Army’s largest bases was repurposed for undisclosed uses.
This revelation, first reported by Steve Beynon of Military.com, comes as junior enlisted soldiers struggle to access nutritious food on base, with some being forced to survive on substandard meals.
The funds in question are deducted directly from service members’ Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), a monthly $460 allotment meant to cover food costs for soldiers living in barracks.
For junior enlisted personnel earning approximately $30,000 annually, this deduction represents a significant financial burden. Yet, instead of using these funds to provide adequate meals, the Army appears to be diverting them elsewhere.
Incredibly, out of $225 million collected across just 11 bases, a staggering $151 million was not used for food expenses. With the Army operating a total of 104 garrisons, the true amount of unspent funds could be far higher.
The Army refuses to disclose what the extra funds are being used for. Major expenses like dining hall infrastructure and food service worker salaries are covered under separate budgets, and despite repeated inquiries from Military.com, officials have declined to provide any transparency.
When pressed, the Army provided only a vague statement, claiming that food expenditures are based on past attendance at dining facilities. But that explanation doesn’t account for why the vast majority of BAS funds are not going toward feeding soldiers.
The following data obtained by Military.com represents the Army’s fiscal year 2024, spanning from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. It provides a rounded comparison of the total funds collected from soldiers for food at each installation versus the actual expenditures 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
More from the news outlet:
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.
[…]
How to feed the force is an equation service planners continue to grapple with. In 2023, Military.com reported that Fort Cavazos, Texas — the Army’s most extensive base — was barely able to keep its food services running for much of that summer, with only two of its 10 dining facilities open, leaving soldiers struggling to find meals.
In November last year, the publication reported pervasive food shortages at Fort Carson, Colorado. Soldiers were fed meals that were just a slice of toast and lima beans, troops told Military.com.
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