I am wondering about commissary use by auxies. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't be bothered about it, but I recently met someone who is new to the aux through a mutual friend, and he was bragging that now with his ID card he shops at the local commissary. This gentleman has never served in the armed forces owns a $100,000 plus boat and lives in an upscale gated community. For someone like me who earned his privilege by spending 20 years on active duty in submarines in the Navy I find this strange. I could find no regulation that allows auxies this privilege but it seems to be a standard practice.

I think they can use anything at a USCG facility, but DoD priviliges are pretty much for uniform purchases only if I'm not mistaken. I wouldn't think that they could shop at a DoD commissary.

quote:

Originally posted by 12463180:
I am wondering about commissary use by auxies.

Authorization is found in the Aux Manual
COMDTINST M16790.1F, Ch 3, Section D.1

Aux may use Coast Guard Exchanges
Aux may use DOD Exchanges only when purchasing articles and accesories of the uniform.

Also Aux is limited in use of CG Exchanges by COMDTINST M7010.5 Which I believe includes disallowing purchase of Alcahol or Tobacco. But I must admit I havn't read the M7010.5

I think it depends on the people working in the commissary. Auxiliary is supposed to be limited to uniform purchases in DoD commissarys as stated, but the civilian personnel checking ID's sometimes don't realize what they're looking at. In the same way that some civilians see a uniform and automatically think active duty, maybe they see a government issued ID and think the same. I've never been questioned at any facitlty I've been to.

An Auxie shopping at a DOD commissary, whether or not he/she can get away with it, is nothing more than theft.

Except for alcohol and tobacco, it's a different story at a Coast Guard Exchange where we're allowed to make purchases. The rules do seem to be rather lax, through either neglect or design (they're just trying to make $$$, after all). Yesterday I bought a few things at the CGI Exchange (in civies, but wearing a CG "Veterans" ball cap), and I had to force the clerk to even glace at my proffered Aux ID.

...gjd

It is important that Auxies understand the difference between the DOD AAFES system and the CG Exchange system. They aren't the same and Auxies need to understand their privileges are very different depending on the system. But the bottom line is that an Auxie abusing their privileges, even if the ID checker allows it, reflects on all of us in a negative way. And when someone does catch on all of us will suffer not just the abuser.

quote:

Originally posted by SMR54:
It is important that Auxies understand the difference between the DOD AAFES system and the CG Exchange system. They aren't the same and Auxies need to understand their privileges are very different depending on the system. But the bottom line is that an Auxie abusing their privileges, even if the ID checker allows it, reflects on all of us in a negative way. And when someone does catch on all of us will suffer not just the abuser.

Agreed. Abuse is the immediate precursor to loss.

--M

quote:

Originally posted by 7555925:

quote:

Originally posted by SMR54:
It is important that Auxies understand the difference between the DOD AAFES system and the CG Exchange system. They aren't the same and Auxies need to understand their privileges are very different depending on the system. But the bottom line is that an Auxie abusing their privileges, even if the ID checker allows it, reflects on all of us in a negative way. And when someone does catch on all of us will suffer not just the abuser.

Agreed. Abuse is the immediate precursor to loss.

--M

As the Civil Air Patrol found out. ONe person's abuse = entire organization wide regulation. Let the same officer who straghtened out CAP hear about an oaf bragging on his commissary rights. Since we can get uniforms online, it would be easy to deny commissary to all aux, and make us beg to even use the exchange on respective service base for uniforms only.

I couldn't even tell you where the nearest CG Exchange was....

quote:

Originally posted by RiverAux:
I couldn't even tell you where the nearest CG Exchange was....

So you are not lost...

--M
(I don't think that was your point though... heh)

quote:

For someone like me who earned his privilege by spending 20 years on active duty in submarines in the Navy I find this strange. I could find no regulation that allows auxies this privilege but it seems to be a standard practice.

I think what you have here, and like many places, are lazy id card checkers... Most could care less about who gets in... just flash a card and poof you are in. As they say if you can't "Dazzle them with your brilliance, Baffle them with your bull$hit"

Personally I don't have a commissary anywhere near here.. and to drive 60-80 miles, with the price of gas the way it is just ain't worth it. Local stores have weekly sales that are just as good, if not better.

Wray...

My son and his wife took me to the base commissary at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. From what I was able to able to observe during that hour (it was awfully crowded) was that you can probably find fetter deals at grocery stores in the private sector, especially those warehouse stores such as Winco (if you don't mind bagging your groceries yourself).

The fruits and vegitables were awful and going from ripe to wilted. The meats, especially beef, were extremely fatty. There were no meats available which had the labels "no hormones, vaccines & etc."

The only real bargain were the packaged and canned foods, most which, if you look closely at the label, had way too much sodium and calories.

You may be able to save a buck or two on some items at the commissary. But for healthy nutrition, the military commissary ain't it. You're better off elsewhere.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 7555925:
[URL=http://www.cg-exchange.com/CGESWebSite.nsf/LocationsPG?OpenPage]So you are not lost..

Thankyou for that link..there numbers..I put it on my favorites..personally i agree with wray..i took my mom way back when into a commissary at patrick..now this woman..made lincoln cry before she gave up a penney a avid shopper of sack and save...she really was,nt to impressed with commissary either..as a cook i only shop there once at homestead afb while station at opa locka..and then only because seniorchief bogonga said so...

now the exchange and booze is a different story..i also even though maybe i should not still buy coastguard stuff now and then ..like this really cool backstop for my ball cap that says coastguard on some material that covers the ajustment band called a doober..bought it in mayport on vacation..the coastguard is the nearest i came to college..i do think of it as so. sc

I always like a spirited discussion, so I'm going to start one here.

I certainly can read and understand the current regs about Commissary and Exchange use (DOD and CG) by Auxiliarists and of course abide by them.

However, let me through out the bait for discussion. While public service motivation and patriotism is probably the primary motivator for someone to spend the money and time to join and serve in the Auxiliary, what about incentives such as this to reward Auxiliarists? Certainly, this is not going to bring in a huge wave of dedicated volunteers who will go the extra mile, just because they can save a few bucks on a DOD base, but at the same time, isn't it a bit of a fair trade for the out of pocket expense all Auxies go to and the time donated?

I know this has been a topic of discussion at the Natl Board level, and would probably take some changes in public law to make it happen, but what say you all?

I'm not a OPFAC owner, but even so, over the last five years, buying uniforms and gear for boat crew, participating in the US Coast Guard Pipe Band (the kilt alone was $450, sporran was $250, specially altered Bravo coat $150, etc), unreimbursed travel, etc has added up to a nice sum. Yes, I do keep track and take the allowable tax deduction, and not having commissary use is not going to make a personal difference to me in regards to my level of service and participation, but as a morale and incentive issue, I would think that it would be beneficial to AAFES as well as the Auxiliary. Its certainly not the case that AAFES or the commissary is selling anything below cost, just sales tax free. I know a percentage of their profits go back to MWR funds, so increased sales (I'm sure all Auxies would just break the door down and buy up everything )would help their bottom line and the MWR funds.

Just my two cents...

Opps - meant to say "throw" out the bait. I did grad-dee-ate after all, as Jethro Bodine says.

Personally, I think it would be a nice benefit to joining the Aux that wouldn't really cost much. I don't know that it would require Congress to get involved -- I suspect it is just a policy change that could be implemented at will.

quote:

I don't know that it would require Congress to get involved -- I suspect it is just a policy change that could be implemented at will.

I would guess it would be likely to get some opposition from local retail businesses. It's bad enough they're being wiped out by the likes of WAL-MART.

..gjd

We're probably talking about no more than a few dozen Auxies near any one commissary and probably most of the Auxies wouldn't use it anyway, especially if it would be a hassle to get on post to use it. No one would notice.

quote:

Originally posted by geejaydee:

quote:

I don't know that it would require Congress to get involved -- I suspect it is just a policy change that could be implemented at will.

I would guess it would be likely to get some opposition from local retail businesses. It's bad enough they're being wiped out by the likes of WAL-MART.

..gjd

I suspect GJD is right on both counts. In the mid 1960s when I was on active duty, we saw a quantum leap in the exchange and commisary prices. Being the penurious type, I inquired of the exchange manager what was going on, and he told me that a coalition of "Outside the gate" merchants had sued the AAES and it had been settled with an agreement not to sell large items and to price small items within 10% of the average price outside the gate. Costco, B.J.'s and sometimes even Wal Mart do better than that on a routine basis. Occasionally the exchange comes up with a stellar price, usually on luxury items, but day to day I can beat their prices at a local discount store way too frequently to bother with the restricted gate access.

What local retail businesses? They're already gone. I don't think I've shopped in a grocery store that wasn't part of a chain in 10-15 years. Any town with a base large enough to have a commissary probably has had their local stores outcompeted by the Wal-Marts and Krogers already.