Eligible veterans can access post commissary, exchange, programs starting in January

[longknife]

Even after the small service charge, shopping at the commissary is a money-saver as long as you don’t need to use a lot of fuel getting there. Because of some ignorant rules, Post Exchange prices aren’t all that better than civilian discount stores or many online sites.

Access to shop post commissaries and exchanges or access post recreation will expand to certain veterans by Jan. 1, officials said.

The Department of Defense is expanding on access authorized by the Purple Heart and Disabled Veterans Equal Access Act of 2018, officials said.

The expanded access will include: Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, veterans with documented service-connected disabilities and individuals approved and designated as the primary family caregivers of eligible veterans under the Department of Veterans Affairs Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers.

Officials said eligible veterans will need a Veteran Health Identification Card, meaning they should be enrolled with VA healthcare services to obtain the card.

It comes at the end, but this is a big deal in savings:

The expansion also will allow eligible veterans to enjoy certain Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs on post, including golf courses, bowling centers, movie theaters, recreational lodging and more.

It’s been a very long time since I played golg but I’m willing to bet that base courses are just as good for a whole lot less.

From Eligible veterans can access post commissary, exchange, programs starting in January

 

[whitehall]

I can understand restricting some benefits to Purple Heart recipients but it is kind of strange that the government would restrict services to Americans who surrendered and became POW's and not Americans who fought and didn't surrender.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

I can understand restricting some benefits to Purple Heart recipients but it is kind of strange that the government would restrict services to Americans who surrendered and became POW's and not Americans who fought and didn't surrender.

POW's suffered a lot in all the wars that still have survivors. They are treating them just like disabled.

 

[Sunni Man]

I can understand restricting some benefits to Purple Heart recipients but it is kind of strange that the government would restrict services to Americans who surrendered and became POW's and not Americans who fought and didn't surrender.

Not all POW's hold up their arms or wave a white flag to surrender.

Some were seriously wounded or rendered unconscious by a close explosion and captured. I've read stories of pilots who parachuted from their damaged airplane and landed on the ground, and were quickly surrounded by armed enemy soldiers. Many times soldiers had completely ran out of ammunition while fighting against overwhelming odds and were captured.

But regardless of how a U.S. soldier became a POW, they were all physically and mentally tortured, lived in a small rat infested cell, while existing on a starvation diet for years.

Former POW's deserve any and all benefits for the hell they went thru in the hands of the enemy. ...