Customers at 10 commissaries may have to wait weeks for fresh seafood in their stores.
That’s because the vendor has closed its business.
The stores include some of the largest commissaries in the system, such as the one at Fort Belvoir, Va. “The vendor had to shut down operations in all 10 stores because their supplier would not continue supplying product,” said Kevin Robinson, spokesman for the Defense Commissary Agency. “DeCA is working on getting the new contractor, Fish R Us, ramped up as soon as possible.”
The timeline for Fish R Us is set for Sept. 1 in those 10 stores, but officials are hoping to get the contractor to start as early as mid-August, Robinson said. “Their ability to start early depends on staffing.”
Meanwhile, DeCA officials are working on several other options, such as pre-packaged fresh seafood to offer some selections starting July 27 in the stores, until Fish R Us becomes fully operational.
A sign posted in the commissary at Quantico Marine Corps Base, Va., stated that as of Sunday, July 19, the seafood vendor, Carytown Seafood, would be closing its business.
“We would like to thank all of our customers for your patronage and loyalty in our 20 years servicing your commissary. It was an honor to have served our military families.”
Carytown Seafood officials couldn’t be reached for comment.
The affected stores are:
Maryland: Andrews Air Force Base and Fort Meade
Washington, D.C.: Bolling Air Force Base
Virginia: Quantico Marine Corps Base, Fort Belvoir, Fort Lee, Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base, Norfolk Naval Station, Fort Eustis and Langley Air Force Base.
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.
