Report Exposes Discrepancies in Money Collected Versus Spent on Military Food Programs
By The Blog Source
Only $74 million of the $225 million the U.S. Army raised for a food program intended to feed junior enlisted soldiers was actually used for meals, according to a recent investigative report. Concerns over accountability and military preparedness were raised when the remaining $151 million was diverted to another location.
According to data examined by Military.com, the Army is using more than half of the funds it receives from junior enlisted soldiers for meals. A large portion of those funds is not being used to feed soldiers, which is a waste of money at a time when it is becoming harder for soldiers to get healthy food on base.
The funds are collected through a tax on troops, which is deducted from their Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) payments. This payment, which is approximately $460 per month and is routinely deducted from the paychecks of service members who reside in barracks, is intended to assist in the payment of food expenses. The cost can be significant for junior enlisted personnel, who earn an average of $30,000 annually.
Financial records from 11 of the Army's main bases in 2024, which were provided by the service, indicate that over $151 million of the $225 million collected from soldiers was not allocated to food. The actual quantity of unspent funds is likely significantly greater, as the Army maintains 104 garrisons.
The additional funds from soldiers are not feeding them, but their purpose is unclear. The Army officials declined to provide additional financial data when pressed by Military.com, despite the fact that major expenditures such as dining hall infrastructure and food service worker salaries are funded from separate sources.
The following is data for the Army's 2024 fiscal year, which ran from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. The rounded data shows the total amount of money collected for food from soldiers stationed at each installation against the money ultimately spent 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
The disclosures come after numerous accounts of food shortages and subpar meals at military installations such as Fort Carson, Colorado, where soldiers have been fed toast and lima beans. The problem has been made worse by the fact that many soldiers have completely avoided base dining facilities due to complaints about undercooked meat, bland meals, and a shortage of fresh supplies.
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