The Army is being accused of taking food out of soldiers’ mouths. A recent report by Military.com showed that more than $151 million was taken from the Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) payments for food costs but was spent elsewhere. This comes at a time when inflation is high and the cost of eggs could break the bank.
According to ZipRecruiter, the average yearly income as of Feb. 10, 2025, for enlisted military personnel is $52,930, or $25 per hour. However, the pay varies: from $17,000 to the majority of salaries currently ranging between $28,000 to $56,500. World Population Review showed that in 2024, “The average household in the United States spends $61,334 a year on expenses.” Meaning, most of the enlisted soldiers make less than the national average. The federal government website on “Military Compensation” explained that “BAS is meant to offset the cost of food for service members” and that “its level is linked to the USDA’s food cost index.”
However, of the $225 million taken from soldiers’ paychecks, only $74 million went toward food, and no one has come forward to explain where the rest was spent. “It’s just returned to the big pool of army funds, and it’s used someplace else,” an unnamed source told Military.com. This accounting was taken from 11 of the Army’s largest bases; however, there are 104 garrisons operated by the military branch, so the amount of unspent funds is probably a lot higher.
“Stealing food money from our soldiers is not how we achieve military readiness,” Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI) told the outlet. “The fact that at least $151 million was collected from soldiers and not spent on food as required demands not just an immediate investigation, but swift accountability.”
BAS pays for meals when military members dine at their permanent duty station but doesn’t cover costs for family members. Despite taking the funds from soldiers’ paychecks and not even using half of what was collected, some bases still reported funding issues. In 2023, Fort Cavazos, Texas, which Military.com explained was the Army’s most extensive base, “was barely able to keep its food services running for much of that summer, with only two of its 10 dining facilities open, leaving soldiers struggling to find meals.” In November 2024, Fort Carson, Colorado, reported “pervasive food shortages” and fed soldiers meals of just a slice of toast and lima beans.
To put that into perspective, here’s what these two bases took from enlisted personnel’s paychecks during the Army’s 2024 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2023-Sept. 30, 2024) and what it spent on food, as detailed by Military.com’s report:
Fort Cavazos, Texas, collected $42.5 million but spent just $11.7 million on food.
Fort Carson, Colorado, collected $22 million from soldiers but only spent $5 million on food.
Questionable Army Accounting
The Army supposedly has a nutrition policy but rarely follows it. It invested in kiosks “which are cheap alternatives to major dining facilities,” the outlet remarked. “Instead of cooked meals, soldiers have access to grab-and-go snacks and prepackaged sandwiches akin to the quality of prepared meals at a gas station.”
In a statement to Military.com, Army Spokesperson Maj. Andrea Kelly said the food service only uses funds “needed to feed the projected number of meals based on previous head counts,” which the outlet explained means “historic attendance at dining facilities dictates how much food is purchased.”
The quality of food provided has been described by service members as undercooked meat, unseasoned meals, a lack of fresh ingredients, and unhealthy menu options. “The substandard, and sometimes dangerous, food in turn leads to fewer soldiers using the facilities – a downward spiral that results in even less money being spent on meals.”
On a side note, the money taken from service members for food is not allocated for dining hall infrastructure or food service worker salaries since those items are attached to a different funding source.
In February 2024, Army officials promised to investigate reports that service members are being forced to pay for meals they won’t or can’t eat due to religious traditions. “We have had Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian [soldiers] request to reclaim their BAS due to the fact that the dining facility on the military installation cannot provide them meals in accordance with their faith traditions,” a chaplain at Fort Cavazos wrote in a letter to Military Religious Freedom. He said it was unfair to make soldiers pay twice for food. “Their BAS [is] automatically deducted from their pay to pay for meals in dining facilities that they can’t and don’t eat and then [have] to pay out of their own pockets for food that they can eat.”
In 2023, the Army faced audits for deducting pay from the BAS when soldiers attend field exercises and eat “Government-provided” meals. At the time, BAS pay was between $311 and $905 per month depending on rank and availability of cooking facilities, according to ArmyTimes. It costs about $15 per field day for a typical enlisted soldier, which could really add up depending on the length of the exercise. Many argued the meals should be included as part of the field training instead of deducting from BAS.
While soldiers sacrifice to serve their country, many struggle to afford nutritious meals due to misallocated funds and poorly managed dining facilities. If the Army truly prioritizes readiness, it must ensure that its soldiers are properly fed and supported.
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