‘DON'T LEAVE MONEY ON THE TABLE’: DeCA senior enlisted advisor promotes commissaries to eligible patrons
NOTE: To see a DeCA video related to this release, click here.
FORT GREGG-ADAMS, Va. – Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael Saucedo is on a mission to ensure the Defense Commissary Agency’s newest eligible patrons, disabled veterans and Purple Heart recipients, take full advantage of the savings they can achieve by shopping their commissaries.
“Last year we saved customers an average of 25 percent on their groceries,” said Saucedo, senior enlisted advisor to the DeCA director. “Just think of that, our customers saved at least 25 cents on the dollar. For our newest patrons -- disabled veterans, Purple Heart recipients and their caregivers -- that is a significant savings.”
One of Saucedo’s priorities is to get the word out about the commissary benefit to all eligible customers, whether they’re active duty, reservist, retired, or disabled veterans.
“We as leaders owe it to our community to educate them on all the benefits available, especially those that can save them precious dollars,” he added. “As I travel around to different installations, I want to meet with leaders to ensure our message of saving money using their benefit is getting out to all our eligible customers.”
As well as engaging with base leadership to spread the word on the commissary benefit, Saucedo is also actively engaged with DeCA’s outreach initiatives.
“Just recently we attended the Vietnam War Commemoration in Washington D.C. where I had the opportunity to communicate the value of their benefit with hundreds of eligible customers,” Saucedo said. “In addition to saving 25 percent or more on their groceries, I also tell them about the convenience of commissary shopping with programs like our Commissary CLICK2GO, online ordering, and our curbside pickup option.”
The commissary doesn’t just provide convenience and savings for its customers. The commissary is also a place that provides a sense of community in a modern, clean, safe environment as well as thousands of name brands, Commissary Store Brands and healthy living options with dietitian-approved products, fueling stations and recipes, along with exceptional customer service.
“I am so proud to be able to get out and educate our patrons on their commissary benefit,” Saucedo added. “They earned it by serving their country honorably, and I think if they shop the commissary once, they will see their benefit at work and will continue their commissary shopping experience.”
For more information on what your local commissary can offer, visit commissaries.com.
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About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.