For Soldiers and their Families, the on-post commissary is a valuable resource. Offerings of Commissary goods are expansive, and since they are sold at cost, Families can save a small fortune. On average, goods at commissaries are sold 30 percent cheaper than goods sold through civilian retailers.
But what if the nearest commissary is on a post that is more than 50 miles away? Does this mean Soldiers and Families – particularly Guard Soldiers and Families – not living near a military installation must be forced to miss out on the substantial savings commissaries offer? Absolutely not.
To ensure Guard Families have opportunities to partake in the benefits of commissary shopping, the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) offers the Guard/Reserve On-Site Sales program. On-site sales consist of what is essentially a traveling commissary that brings the entire store to the members and Families of reserve component units.
Here’s How It Works:
- A host commissary coordinates with a National Guard unit of at least 150 local members for an on-site sale.
- The host-commissary and Guard-unit teams, together, set the sale’s location, date and the items for sale. Sale items may include grocery and dry goods, fresh fruits and vegetables, selections of fresh meat, frozen items, chilled items and even deli and bakery items.
- The goods are delivered directly to the site and staged for sale.
- Consumers shop and pay for purchases much like they would at a commissary.
- The on-site sale targets National Guard members, but any authorized personnel may enjoy the sale – and the savings that come with it.
On-site sales average two to three days and offer the same discounted prices available at brick-and-mortar commissaries.
To make the on-site sale experience even more convenient, DeCA also offers a preorder and prepay option where customers order and pay for their groceries online prior to pickup at the designated sales location. On-site sales can be structured as preorder/prepay only, conventional purchasing only or as a hybrid that offers both conventional and preorder/prepay purchases.
Servicemembers are encouraged to take advantage of the low prices available through the commissary, whether at a brick-and-mortar location or at an on-site sale. Commissaries are not designed to net a profit so their base prices will always be notably cheaper than other vendors. Additionally, since commissaries are an agency of the DoD, they do not charge sales tax. With these added benefits, the commissary is irrefutably much more beneficial than the average grocery store.
Request an on-site sale through your unit or review a list of already-scheduled sales at www.commissaries.com/shopping/guard-reserve-sales.
For Soldiers looking for easy recipes or tips on healthy eating, DeCA also offers a healthy living section on the commissary website at www.commissaries.com. Here, Soldiers can find healthy recipes crafted by DeCA dietitians, information on the DeCA Nutrition Guide Program and links to other resources for healthy eating and living.
By Staff Writer Liam Griffin
