{"id":57036,"date":"2020-06-08T21:53:30","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T21:53:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/06\/08\/military-commissaries-seeing-strong-sales-with-newly-eligible-disabled-vets\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:32:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:32:31","slug":"military-commissaries-seeing-strong-sales-with-newly-eligible-disabled-vets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2020\/06\/08\/military-commissaries-seeing-strong-sales-with-newly-eligible-disabled-vets\/","title":{"rendered":"Military commissaries seeing \u2018strong sales\u2019 with newly eligible disabled vets"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Commissaries are seeing \u201cstrong sales\u201d among their newly eligible shoppers<\/a>, even as issues such as the pandemic have hindered these veterans\u2019 ability to shop since they became eligible on Jan. 1, according to the retired Navy rear admiral who leads the commissary<\/a> agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These disabled veterans and other new customers spent nearly $21 million through the end of April, representing about 2 percent of the overall sales in commissaries, said retired Rear Adm. Robert Bianchi, DoD special assistant for commissary operations. During that time there were 273,742 separate transactions. That doesn\u2019t represent the number of individuals, as some people may have made multiple trips to the commissary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In January, heightened security measures because of ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran hampered access for these newly eligible customers at some installations, and the coronavirus pandemic quickly followed. Many of these new shoppers may be less likely to go to grocery stores because they may be at higher risk for being more vulnerable to the coronavirus, Bianchi noted. In addition, some installation commanders have restricted shopping hours for certain shoppers who are not mission essential personnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re very proud and happy to be supporting them. I hope as this pandemic subsides or is at least in somewhat of a remission, we\u2019ll see more of these folks on board,\u201d Bianchi said, during a commissary roundtable conducted by the American Logistics Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These newly eligible customers include all veterans with VA service-connected disability ratings; Purple Heart recipients; veterans who are former prisoners of war; and primary family caregivers of eligible veterans under the VA caregiver program. Previously those with a 100 percent service-connected disability rating, and Medal of Honor recipients were allowed the benefits. They are eligible to shop at commissaries, exchanges, and to use certain morale, welfare and recreation programs. (Many MWR programs have been shut down during the pandemic<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\t