Military redirecting hundreds of thousands collected from soldier BAS pay meant for meals companies elsewhere: report
The U.S. Military is redirecting hundreds of thousands of {dollars} it has collected from the Fundamental Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) pay for troopers residing in barracks away from meals companies, in response to a report.
The cash is meant to assist troopers with meals prices, however a Army.com investigation discovered that of the $225 million collected from enlisted troopers’ BAS pay final yr at 11 of the Military’s largest bases, $151 million was directed elsewhere.
Enlisted troopers obtain round $465 {dollars} in BAS every month, in response to the U.S. Military’s web site, and what’s primarily a tax on troops, is taken from that, the outlet reported.
“It is simply returned to the large pool of Military funds, and it is used someplace else,” an official advised the outlet of the redirected BAS pay in an interview that was scheduled by the Military public affairs workplace.
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The U.S. Military is redirecting greater than half of the cash it collects on the Fundamental Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) pay for troopers residing in barracks, in response to a report. (U.S. Military Nationwide Guard photograph by Spc. Matthew A. Foster)
The official, who requested to stay nameless, had direct data of the scenario.
The outlet’s investigation discovered that each one however two of the bases they regarded into – Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska and Fort Bliss in Texas – had redirected greater than 50% of the cash away from feeding troopers.
It’s not clear what the redirected cash is being spent on.
Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, stated the info must be investigated.
“Stealing meals cash from our troopers will not be how we obtain navy readiness,” Tokuda advised Army.com. “The truth that at the least $151 million was collected from troopers and never spent on meals as required calls for not simply a right away investigation, however swift accountability.”
In 2020, Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio raised the difficulty with then-Military Secretary Ryan McCarthy at a price range listening to, saying, the Military is both “losing half the meals, or the cash will not be being spent on the troopers’ meals and it is being spent on one thing it isn’t appropriated for.”
US Military senior officers serve up the meals to navy personnel within the eating corridor to have fun Thanksgiving Day on the US navy ahead working base (FOB) Camp Salerno close to Khost on November 27, 2008 within the south jap province of Khowst, Afghanistan. ( Paula Bronstein/Getty Photographs)
The query, which got here simply earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic hit, wasn’t adopted up on.
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Meals service employee salaries and eating corridor infrastructure funds come from separate supply, the outlet famous.
The Military has struggled to supply meals for troopers in recent times, the outlet reported, noting that its most intensive base, Fort Cavazos in Texas, solely had two of its 10 eating halls open in the summertime of 2023 and final November, Fort Carson in Colorado was pressured to serve troopers meals of simply lima beans and toast.
U.S. Military trainees eat lunch within the subject whereas going via fundamental coaching at Fort Jackson on September 29, 2022 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Scott Olson/Getty Photographs)
Some bases have additionally began serving prepackaged meals from kiosks – that the outlet discovered have been typically excessive in sugar and low in protein – a less expensive various to cooked eating corridor meals.
Spokesperson Maj. Andrea Kelly advised the outlet that the variety of meals was calculated “based mostly on earlier head counts” at base eating halls.
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Officers prior to now have pointed to decrease curiosity in eating corridor meals as troopers incessantly report undercooked meat, a scarcity of recent components, and unseasoned meals being served there.
Fox Information Digital has reached out to the Military for remark.
