The Defense Commissary Agency does not have the authority to establish commissaries. The appropriate military department must endorse the establishment of a commissary. The establishment request goes to the Commissary Operating Board for review and recommendation to the Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness), who makes the final decision.

Department of Defense establishment criteria states that, as a general rule, commissaries are established on military installations that have an active mission and a minimum of 100 active duty personnel assigned to the base or on closed installations where active personnel remain in the immediate area.

Although the current criteria considers "total force" for continuance of commissaries on closed installations, only full time active duty are considered for establishment of a commissary where one has not previously existed. Total force is considered when building a new store and in closure decisions.