The Navy's senior enlisted adviser said he supports finding cost-saving efficiencies in commissary operations — within reason.
And he said the Defense Department's fiscal 2016 budget request, which would reduce commissary operating days and hours, is "relevant" to that point.
"I believe that there are opportunities to find some efficiencies, and I'm OK with that as long as those efficiencies don't cut into the service that we provide our sailors and their families. So when people talk about cutting hours, that's relevant," said Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (AW/NAC) Mike Stevens in an interview with Military Times editors and reporters.
For example, if a store stays open for extended hours but few people shop during those hours, "you've got to ask yourself, no pun intended, is the juice worth the squeeze, right?" Stevens said. "On the other hand, you might find a store that needs its hours extended; so you can move hours from one place to another place to extend."
Operating hours and days of most commissaries would be reduced under the DoD proposal to reduce the amount of taxpayer dollars going to support the stores. Days of operation would be cut back at 183 stores, although most commissaries would remain open at least five days a week.
In draft budget documents, defense officials acknowledged that the cuts in commissary hours and days could cause larger crowds and longer checkout lines.
And similar to a proposal floated last year, DoD has bigger plans for reducing the commissary budget — and raising prices — starting in fiscal 2017.
"What I'm hearing from sailors and families is they really enjoy the commissary privileges and what those privileges provide them. I believe that we need to maintain a commissary system in place," Stevens said.
He said he has told the secretary of defense, the chief of naval operations and members of Congress that "the commissary system is vital, it provides a great service for our service members and their families, and I am in full support of a comprehensive review and looking for efficiencies where it makes sense so long as we don't degrade the service."
Stevens noted that there is an ongoing internal effort to study and better understand the patronage of the stores, the most heavily trafficked hours and other factors related to commissary shopping.
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book "A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families." She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.
