OT....for Vets.....

[peabody]

It seems that the VA has finally finished the process to let ALL veterans buy stuff from the PX....
I just spent some time on the phone, because even though I am a Premium VA Healthcare guy, the DEERS cannot identify me.
Nice guy walked me through the process and I should be notified by mid-month that I am eligible.
The place to start is:  www.vetverify.org

Have fun!

[john e. holliday]

I don't have to worry as Uncle Sam rejected me.  But, I still support our troops and vets.

[Mike Griffin]

Thanks Rich.  I will check it out.

Mike

[Mike Griffin]

It seems that the VA has finally finished the process to let ALL veterans buy stuff from the PX....
I just spent some time on the phone, because even though I am a Premium VA Healthcare guy, the DEERS cannot identify me.
Nice guy walked me through the process and I should be notified by mid-month that I am eligible.
The place to start is:  www.vetverify.org

Have fun!

Rich I went to the site and signed up and immediately got verified.  Thanks so much for sharing this as I had no idea this program was even in effect for veterans.

Mike

[Terrence Durrill]

What can you get at the PX you can't get from Walmart, what's the motivation? Honestly, I haven't checked it out.

MM

             Motivation.................GREAT PRICES and the fact that YOU DO NOT PAY TAXES  on anything bought on a Military Base.            

[Randy Cuberly]

It seems that the VA has finally finished the process to let ALL veterans buy stuff from the PX....
I just spent some time on the phone, because even though I am a Premium VA Healthcare guy, the DEERS cannot identify me.
Nice guy walked me through the process and I should be notified by mid-month that I am eligible.
The place to start is:  www.vetverify.org

Have fun!

Thanks Rich!

They probably heard about what an unpatriotic Liberal you are and decided not to cooperate with you!   

Randy Cuberly

[Jim Mynes]

             Motivation.................GREAT PRICES and the fact that YOU DO NOT PAY TAXES  on anything bought on a Military Base.            

Great prices? Not always. Let's just say it pays to shop around.

But the tax free part is correct!

[Sean McEntee]

Great prices? Not always. Let's just say it pays to shop around.

But the tax free part is correct!

       Which post has great prices?  Go to any TRADOC post and prices are nuts, as well as any of the PXs in Iraq or Afghanistan.  They definitely have a monopoly in those areas.

      One of the problems is they carry so much high-end name brand stuff.  I dont need a 3000 dollar Vera Wang mattress, even if it is tax free. 

      Even gas prices on post aren't always the lowest.  At the hight of the gas crunch several years ago, a lot of people thought that some of AAFES proceeds should go towards lowering gas prices on post instead of less useful and necessary MWR things like ski rentals and whatnot.

       And haircuts are 10 bucks now!!

       I wouldn't break your neck trying to get on post.  A lot has change since some of the...elder vets were in.   AAFES are a bunch of snakes these days.  They've been investigated several times over the past 10 years or so for shady business practices and failing to report earnings.

       Oh well....at least there's the Class VI   

       Another interesting note is a lot of installations are having trouble filling on-post billets, and are allowing retirees, combat vets and in some areas John Q. Civilian to live in onpost housing.  There's another topic i could go on about, but wont 

[Ron Cribbs]

If they let you use the commissary that would be a better deal. At least for the meat anyway. I've never had much use for the BX/PX. It's good for convenience items and some over the counter meds, but the selection on other items are poor.

I'm active duty retired and now civil service so I retain all my active duty benefits however, I've never understood why veterans who did less than 20yrs are denied base privileges. Especially combat veterans. Good to know things are changing.

[Terrence Durrill]

Great prices? Not always. Let's just say it pays to shop around.

But the tax free part is correct!

                       Actually, on prices, I like the commissary.  Most prices (not all) but most prices are better than outside stores.  As has been mentioned, the commissary meat department is just about the best anywhere for quality and price.  And if you buy a lot of groceries, the NO SALES TAX is substantial.  The main thing is being within reasonable driving distance from a military facility.  Otherwise, considering gas and driving time, you might not be ahead.   In my case, 8 miles from Fort Leavenworth, which is the school for Colonels on the way to General is an advantage, because they do take care to have the largest PX and the best stocked commissary around.              

[Terrence Durrill]

       Which post has great prices?  Go to any TRADOC post and prices are nuts, as well as any of the PXs in Iraq or Afghanistan.  They definitely have a monopoly in those areas.

      One of the problems is they carry so much high-end name brand stuff.  I dont need a 3000 dollar Vera Wang mattress, even if it is tax free. 

      Even gas prices on post aren't always the lowest.  At the hight of the gas crunch several years ago, a lot of people thought that some of AAFES proceeds should go towards lowering gas prices on post instead of less useful and necessary MWR things like ski rentals and whatnot.

       And haircuts are 10 bucks now!!

       I wouldn't break your neck trying to get on post.  A lot has change since some of the...elder vets were in.   AAFES are a bunch of snakes these days.  They've been investigated several times over the past 10 years or so for shady business practices and failing to report earnings.

       Oh well....at least there's the Class VI   

       Another interesting note is a lot of installations are having trouble filling on-post billets, and are allowing retirees, combat vets and in some areas John Q. Civilian to live in onpost housing.  There's another topic i could go on about, but wont 

                                Fort Leavenworth might be better than most facilities because of the nature of the post.  It has the only school of its kind for colonels looking to make general.  Gotta be the best.            

[Jim Mynes]

Last I knew the commissary prices are good, but they add on 5% for the "commissary upgrade fund". Still a good deal for groceries. But don't go on pay day, the lines at the registers can be pretty impressive.
I have no use for the PX any more. Even if I lived within driving distance of a base I wouldn't shop there.
Many places (Lowe's, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and AutoZone, to mention a few) offer a veteran/military discount. It's nice that they show their appreciation in a meaningful way like that.

[RogerGreene]

This seems to good to be true, And they want your SS#, DD214 and I don't give them out unless the site is very secure. I don't trust this site yet.

That web site has a gray lock where as the banks I use have a green lock.

Roger

[Bill Adair]

We shopped on an Air Force base for the last 12 years of my AF career (20 yrs), but only because we lived on base!

Lets just say that if the BX/PX and commissary services, and relative prices haven't improved significantly in the 42 years since my retirement, that our military members are still getting screwed!

Our last visit was to an army commissary (Ft. Louis) some five years after I retired, and we haven't been back to shop in a commissary since!

At that time we had to shop on weekends, and on the last visit I counted 12 check stands open, of the 35 check stands total. The checkout lines were unbelievable, and customers were waiting in line for almost an hour and a half to reach a checker!

I'm not one who normally complains, but that was the last straw. I asked to speak to the commissary manager, so someone was sent to get him. I introduced myself by name, and asked him how many checkers he had on shift that day? He replied 25 or 30, and said the rest were on break!!!

I told him I had asked a half dozen people at the front of the lines how long they had waited to get there, and related the average was over 1.5 hours, plus whatever time it takes to ring up 2 or more loaded carts of groceries. Many of the customers had small children in tow, and some even had babies along!

I suggested he should empty the break room, and get some of his customers taken care of in a more reasonable time. Let your employees take breaks at the end of their shifts if necessary, because I don't see any of your customers taking breaks!

He said he would see what he could do, and headed to the back of the building. With-in minutes nearly all of the registers were open again, and the lines began to move a little faster.

I wonder who that manager thought I was? I was in civilian clothes at the time, and didn't mention my rank! He obviously didn't think I was enlisted (NCO). 

We did visit another commissary a couple of years ago, while on vacation near Holloman AFB (where I retired). We were staying with retired friends in town, and to my surprise the commissary checkout times were very reasonable! That doesn't mean much though, because the base had lost a good percentage of their tenants shortly after building a newer, larger commissary. 

Bill

[John Watson]

23 years US Navy.