More than $151M collected from US Army soldiers for food ended up spent elsewhere: report
They’re money grubbing grub money
Millions of dollars collected by the United States Army for a food program were spent elsewhere — with less than half of the funds actually finding their way to soldiers’ plates, according to a report.
An investigative report from found that of the $225 million snatched up from junior enlisted soldiers as part of the Basic Allowance for Subsistence program, just $74 million went towards food.
“It’s just returned to the big pool of army funds, and it’s used someplace else,” an official told the outlet.
The money is collected in what amounts to a tax on troops — taken from their BAS payment of $460 per month and automatically deducted from paychecks of service members who live in barracks. The program is intended to help enlisted men and women to cover food costs.
But records from the 11 largest military bases show in 2024, $151 million of the $225 million garnered from soldiers was not spent on food, according to Military.com.
That number is possibly higher, considering the Army operates 104 garrisons, which all use the same program.
In one egregious example, Fort Stewart, Georgia collected $17 million from soldiers — but spent just $2.1 million of it on grub. That means 87% of food funds were redirected for other projects, according to the report.
All but two bases reviewed left more than half of the money for food unspent, according to the report.
“Stealing food money from our soldiers is not how we achieve military readiness,” Rep. Jul Tokuda (D-Hawaii) told the Military.com, adding, “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.”
The revelation comes as soldiers face an uphill battle when it comes to commissary needs.
The outlet reports that Fort Carson, Colorado, experienced pervasive food shortages that left soldiers to dine on lima beans and toast.
Reports from service members frequently roast the poor quality of food served up by the Army — citing undercooked meat, unseasoned meals, lack of fresh ingredients and unhealthy menu options, Military.com reported.