I thought I'd posted about this previously, but I looked back in my threads and couldn't find it.
Anyway, a couple of years ago, it was ruled that veterans enrolled with the VA and had a service connected disability were now eligible to shop at military exchanges (PX, BX, Navy Exchange) and DoD Commissary facilities. Take your VA ID card.
I haven't been on active duty for ages; my last time in a PX or commissary as an authorized person was when I was a member of the Army National Guard on ADT. I remember taking Mrs. Merkt to a commissary at Fort MacArthur, Calif. early in our marriage. We filled two shopping carts, prices were low and we were flabbergasted that we'd spent all of $50 !!! The most we'd ever spent thus far on groceries. I think she still has some spice cans out in the kitchen from that, they are marked 17 cents - and likely are no longer much good.
When we lately got authorized as service connected veterans to use these facilities, I figured I'd go check one out some day. That day was today, finally. We drove up to the Navy Commissary and Exchange at Smoky Point, near Marysville, WA. This is a kinda weird one, because it's not located on a base. It's a separate facility, located miles away from where the ships and sailors are in the Port of Everett. It may only be an impression, but being remote from where servicemen and families actually work and live, I wonder how many AD naval personnel use the facilities. I looked it up, unmarried sailors live in barracks near the dock in Everett. The dependent housing complex is located in Lake Stevens, just as many miles from the Exchange and Commissary as the dock in Everett. They might get some people down from the antenna station at Jim Creek. There is also a US Army Reserve center next door, they may provide some customer traffic on drill weekends.
Anyway, we spent a bit of money there but left feeling it wasn't much of a bargain. The prices of fresh meat were exorbitant. I didn't see one meat item that couldn't be purchased for less money "on the outside." As a testament to slow meat sales, they had two open top freezers sitting out that contained discounted fresh meat items that had hit their sell-by dates and hadn't sold. Even the marked-down prices were higher than fresh meat at Winco or Fred Meyer.
The commissary was clean and modern. The price markers on the shelves were of a type I'd never seen before, they were electronic for each individual item. The place had few customers. It was a Monday, that may have been a reason. But it was just as well, because none of the checkstands were open, only three self check-out kiosks were available and there was a line that moved fast enough. The deli was closed and dark but there were fresh ice cream cakes and such in reefer cases. The staff was small.
Next, we went next door to the Navy Exchange, which is the equivalent of the army PX or air force BX. We walked around the entire store and didn't see any real bargains.
So that's my report. I'm thinking the situation may be entirely different at similar facilities located on and surrounded by a major military installation. Which in future some time I may try, such as Whidbey Island NAS or Fort Lewis. But I won't be buying any ice cream bars that might melt on the long drive back.
Anyway, a couple of years ago, it was ruled that veterans enrolled with the VA and had a service connected disability were now eligible to shop at military exchanges (PX, BX, Navy Exchange) and DoD Commissary facilities. Take your VA ID card.
I haven't been on active duty for ages; my last time in a PX or commissary as an authorized person was when I was a member of the Army National Guard on ADT. I remember taking Mrs. Merkt to a commissary at Fort MacArthur, Calif. early in our marriage. We filled two shopping carts, prices were low and we were flabbergasted that we'd spent all of $50 !!! The most we'd ever spent thus far on groceries. I think she still has some spice cans out in the kitchen from that, they are marked 17 cents - and likely are no longer much good.
When we lately got authorized as service connected veterans to use these facilities, I figured I'd go check one out some day. That day was today, finally. We drove up to the Navy Commissary and Exchange at Smoky Point, near Marysville, WA. This is a kinda weird one, because it's not located on a base. It's a separate facility, located miles away from where the ships and sailors are in the Port of Everett. It may only be an impression, but being remote from where servicemen and families actually work and live, I wonder how many AD naval personnel use the facilities. I looked it up, unmarried sailors live in barracks near the dock in Everett. The dependent housing complex is located in Lake Stevens, just as many miles from the Exchange and Commissary as the dock in Everett. They might get some people down from the antenna station at Jim Creek. There is also a US Army Reserve center next door, they may provide some customer traffic on drill weekends.
Anyway, we spent a bit of money there but left feeling it wasn't much of a bargain. The prices of fresh meat were exorbitant. I didn't see one meat item that couldn't be purchased for less money "on the outside." As a testament to slow meat sales, they had two open top freezers sitting out that contained discounted fresh meat items that had hit their sell-by dates and hadn't sold. Even the marked-down prices were higher than fresh meat at Winco or Fred Meyer.
The commissary was clean and modern. The price markers on the shelves were of a type I'd never seen before, they were electronic for each individual item. The place had few customers. It was a Monday, that may have been a reason. But it was just as well, because none of the checkstands were open, only three self check-out kiosks were available and there was a line that moved fast enough. The deli was closed and dark but there were fresh ice cream cakes and such in reefer cases. The staff was small.
Next, we went next door to the Navy Exchange, which is the equivalent of the army PX or air force BX. We walked around the entire store and didn't see any real bargains.
So that's my report. I'm thinking the situation may be entirely different at similar facilities located on and surrounded by a major military installation. Which in future some time I may try, such as Whidbey Island NAS or Fort Lewis. But I won't be buying any ice cream bars that might melt on the long drive back.
