Hi all! I just wanted to chime in on some recent initiatives in the military food service arena that will probably cost you to pull more money out of your pocket. Over the last few years the benefits of eating in dining halls has been deteriorating. First they closed the facilities’ to civilians and retirees, than started closing them all together. Plans are to continue to close them and reopen them with MWR or commercial restaurants. Doing so; they will be considering whether RIK/SIK can eat in them on credit or be placed on BAS to subsist on their own. You might be thinking "great" I have freedom and money, but lets really look at the business sense of these options. #1 - eat on credit anywhere on base, sounds cool. However the small print you didn’t read, since meals will be subsidized, expect less entrees now than you ever get in the dining halls. You are held to their initial portion/amount of food they will offer you which will not be all the items you get in the dining halls per meal (i.e. meat, vegetables, salad, soup, desert, unlimited drinks) if you want more (seconds that are free in military dining halls) you will pay extra... # 2 Close dining halls all go on BAS. First off, if they close the military dining facilities, our comrades (with families to feed on limited moneys) already receiving BAS will no longer enjoy the lower rates enjoyed in military feeding establishments (they now pay approx. $9.00 per day for three full meals - equivalent to current monthly BAS) . They will have no option but to pay the high retail rates that will triple costs... Guess what so will you SIK/RIK converted to BAS personnel! . To eat in commercial/retail entities the same way you do in the dining hall - three meals a day for a month is over $1,000 per month. Since you only get paid basic BAS of $280.00 per month, you will be shelling out over $700.00 if you want to maintain current eating habits. Also, if there is limited menus and eateries, you will be eating at the same place all the time, try eating at a commercial place with limited choices everyday. At, least dining hall menu are rotated and varied in 30-45 day cycles and offer special events (ethnic meal/holiday meal variations) ..Did you know that the DOD BAS directive allows the commands to pay two times the BAS rate when govt. messing is not available? That is at least $560.00 per month and saves you from pulling out all that extra money from your own pocket.. Right now studies to close facilities are based paying just standard BAS and apparently that is what they plan on paying you when converted or closed... Here is another thought, they actually pay TDY (visitors to your command- E1- on up and civilians) ) a daily per diem allowance to eat three meals and is "supposed" to be suitable of cost for three retail meals locally. It seems that there is contradiction to what to pay if they admit perdiem allowances are actual costs to subsist in the commercial world. Usually this will equate closer to $800-$1200 per month dependent on locale. . Yeah they promised you three squares a day, and will be offering you the same with inadequate BAS pay! So, if they start considering closing your dining hall, (they are supposed to survey troops during studies) stand up for yourselves and say "no", or demand they pay the correct BAS allowance to subsist on your own without you covering costs.. Consider a Captain’s call to mention or write you Congressman? .......You have become a budget crunch number/casualty Vs caring for your "Quality of Life".. Let your voice be heard!

I definitely miss the dining facility at Vandenberg AFB. Such amazing food for almost nothing! We have no dining facility here at Buckley AFB. I would eat there every day if we did, even though I am married and on BAS already.

Now all we have is an overpriced private restaurant they opened up where the dining facility used to be that no one eats at and has less-than-good food. Oh well. At least I live on base so I can eat at home.

Yeah I live on base too and with BAS I pay roughly about $60 a month for food/groceries and cash the rest so I am loving that situation. Cannon's dining facility is nothing to write home about anyways...=P

quote:

Originally posted by boyhitscar:
Yeah I live on base too and with BAS I pay roughly about $60 a month for food/groceries and cash the rest so I am loving that situation. Cannon's dining facility is nothing to write home about anyways...=P

The "chow hall" at Lackland (not BMT) was great. All the others I been to sucked, Maxwell being the worst. Closing the chow halls is just another example the erosion of military benefits.

quote:

Originally posted by andradeaa21:
The "chow hall" at Lackland (not BMT) was great. All the others I been to sucked, Maxwell being the worst. Closing the chow halls is just another example the erosion of military benefits.

which chow hall at lackland, there are quite a few from what i remembered, they were all good but than again anything was better after BMT..

Just bought this over from AF Times forums so all could read. Intersting points from mike8356.


Dining Hall Closures, BAS-RIK - SIK More money out of your pocket!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi all! I just wanted to chime in on some recent initiatives in the Air Force food service arena that will probably cost you to pull more money out of your pocket. Over the last few years the benefits of eating in dining halls has been deteriorating. First they closed the facilities’ to civilians and retirees, than started closing them all together. Plans are to continue to close them and reopen them with MWR or commercial restaurants.

Doing so; they will be considering two scenarios, whether RIK/SIK can eat in them on credit or be placed on BAS to subsist on their own. You might be thinking "great" if given BAS I have freedom of choice and money, but lets really look at the business sense of these options.

#1 - Use SIK card -eat on credit anywhere on base, sounds cool. However the small print you didn’t read, since meals will be subsidized, expect less entrees now than you ever get in the dining halls. You are held to their initial portion/amount of food they will offer you which will not be all the items you get in the dining halls per meal (i.e. meat, vegetables, salad, soup, desert, unlimited drinks) if you want more (seconds that are free in military dining halls) you will pay extra...

# 2 Close dining halls all go on BAS. First off, if they close the military dining facilities, our comrades (with families to feed on limited moneys) already receiving BAS will no longer enjoy the lower rates enjoyed in military feeding establishments (they now pay approx. $9.00 per day for three full meals - equivalent to current monthly BAS) . They will have no option but to pay the high retail rates that will triple costs... Guess what so will you SIK/RIK converted to BAS personnel! .

To eat in commercial/retail entities the same way you do in the dining hall - three meals a day for a month is over $1,000 per month. Since you only get paid basic BAS of $280.00 per month, you will be shelling out over $700.00 if you want to maintain current eating habits. Also, if there is limited menus and eateries, you will be eating at the same place all the time, try eating at a commercial place with limited choices everyday. At, least dining hall menu are rotated and varied in 30-45 day cycles and offer special events (ethnic meal/holiday meal variations) ..


Also, are there adquate kitchen areas and utensils in the dorms? Shared kitchens will be burdensome. Also, do you have time to cook your own meal at lunch? Lets say you only paid for a lunch meal every working day at fast food (8. 00 x 5 days = 40.00 per week) = 160.00 per month (over 1/2 your BAS). I guess with the other $120.00 you can buy some inexpensive food for breakfast and dinner and weekends. I do not see any extra money going into your pocket on this deal!

Also, if you are night shift worker, you better start looking at your alternatives for eating midniht/midrats meals! Whats is open?


Right now Air Force business case studies (to close facilities) are based paying just standard BAS (cost for food-you do all cooking) and apparently that is what they plan on paying you when converted or closed... Did you know that the DOD BAS directive allows the commands to pay two times the BAS rate when govt. messing is not available? That is at least $560.00 per month and saves you from pulling out all that extra money from your own pocket..

Here is another thought, they actually pay TDY (visitors to your command- E1- on up and civilians) ) a daily per diem allowance to eat three meals and is "supposed" to be suitable of cost for three retail meals locally.
It seems that there is contradiction to what to pay if they admit perdiem allowances are actual costs to subsist in the commercial world. Usually this will equate closer to $800-$1200 per month dependent on locale. . Yeah they promised you three squares a day, and will be offering you the same with inadequate BAS pay!

So, if they start considering closing your dining hall, (they are supposed to survey troops and commanders during studies) stand up for yourselves and say "no", or demand they pay the correct/enough BAS allowance to subsist on your own without you covering costs to eat three meals they promised you..

Consider a letter to your base Commander or Senior Enlisted or write you Congressman? .......Vs caring for your "Quality of Life" you have become a budget crunch number/casualty.. Let your voice be heard!