‘We honor their service’: Commissaries join nation in honoring sacrifices of military families in November
FORT LEE, Va. – Since 1996, the month of November has been designated to honor the service and sacrifices of military families as they support the careers of our nation’s service members.
The Defense Commissary Agency acknowledges the unique commitment of military families and is proud to deliver a “well-deserved commissary benefit” to them, said Marine Sgt. Maj. Michael R. Saucedo, senior enlisted advisor to the DeCA director.
“There are over 2 1/2 million military family members at home and overseas whose support is critical to their service member accomplishing the mission of protecting our homeland,” Saucedo said. “We honor the service of our military and their families by helping them save thousands of dollars annually on their groceries.”
Each year, the president proclaims November as Military Family Month, acknowledging the support and sacrifices made by military families. The Armed Services YMCA established the observance in 1996.
“Just as the family supports the service member, the commissary benefit exists to enhance the quality of life for our military and their families every month of the year,” Saucedo added.
Part of the benefit’s delivery involves DeCA’s collaboration with its industry partners to feature in-store promotions and high-value coupons that help military families stretch their grocery budget beyond normal everyday savings.
Military families can save even more through DeCA’s Your Everyday Savings! (YES!) program, where commissaries reduce prices daily on hundreds of the most frequently purchased popular brands. They can also maximize their benefit by visiting the Rewards & Saving section on the DeCA website.
The commissary’s private label brands offer families another on shelf benefit with items that are equivalent or better than the national brands. With everything from food, health care and pet supplies, commissary store brands help you save even more. Commissary store brands are sold under seven names: Freedom’s Choice (food items) and HomeBase (non-food items); along with TopCare (health and beauty), Full Circle Market (natural and organic food), Tippy Toes (baby products), Flock’s Finest (wild bird food); Pure Harmony (pet food); and Wide Awake (coffee beverages). TopCare, Full Circle Market, Tippy Toes, Flock’s Finest, Pure Harmony and Wide Awake are not exclusive to DeCA.
“Acknowledging our military families this month is the right thing to do, and we at DeCA are committed to providing them a relevant and vital benefit,” Saucedo said.
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PHOTO CAPTION: A military family shops at the Fort Belvoir Commissary, Virginia, in 2017. November honors military families and the sacrifices they make. (DeCA Photo: Kevin Robinson)
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.