{"id":59727,"date":"2018-05-03T22:08:05","date_gmt":"2018-05-03T22:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/05\/03\/commissary-exchange-consolidation-plans-move-forward-with-new-task-force\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:21:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:21:58","slug":"commissary-exchange-consolidation-plans-move-forward-with-new-task-force","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/pay-benefits\/2018\/05\/03\/commissary-exchange-consolidation-plans-move-forward-with-new-task-force\/","title":{"rendered":"Commissary-exchange consolidation plans move forward with new task force"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The next step in an ongoing Defense Department plan to consolidate the commissary and exchange systems<\/a> is expected to begin in July, a Defense Department spokesman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A task force will delve into the financial feasibility of the move and develop organizational and operational plans for \u201cabove-the-store\u201d structures of the Defense Commissary Agency, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Navy Exchange Service Command, and Marine Corps Exchange. A memorandum establishing the task force is in draft form, said Christopher Sherwood, a DoD spokesman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The creation of a single consolidated organization<\/a> offers the greatest potential to achieve the economies and efficiencies necessary for the survivability of the defense resale enterprise and the continued availability of these benefits<\/a> to our Total Force and their families,\u201d per a copy of the draft memo obtained by Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such an organization would have lower overhead and operating expenses, Sherwood said, and would \u201cpreserve the many benefits\u201d of the current system, \u201cincluding spousal employment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some military advocates have questions about the plan, including how much it will cost to consolidate the four entities, and what DoD would do with any boost to its bottom line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the expectation about what the exchange profits will fund?\u201d asked Joyce Raezer, executive director of the National Military Family Association. \u201cWill they be taking money from [Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs] to meet the payroll at commissaries? MWR funding is for things the military services are not funding. Are you robbing one service to pay for another?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part of the profit from military exchanges goes to fund MWR programs. The draft memo doesn\u2019t outline how that profit would be used under a consolidated system. However, a draft legislative proposal would allow an unspecified amount of those profits to be used to supplement taxpayer funding to operate the commissary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raezer also questioned how pricing would work under the new system. The draft legislative proposal for the consolidation states that commissary and exchange stores could be combined or separated physically, but that any \u201ccommissary\u201d portion of an exchange store would sell its goods at commissary prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d Raezer asked. \u201cDoes that include toilet paper and diapers?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t