a link to this article was posted by new orleans tv station wdsu i can't help but wonder how fiscal conservatives respond to this sort of news especially when considering the gop campaign to reduce expenditure on snap benefits are republicans comfortable allowing military families to have problems feeding their families? Food stamp use among military rises again By Jennifer Liberto Nearly $104M redeemed at military commissaries WASHINGTON (CNNMoney) More soldiers used food stamps to buy milk, cheese, meat and bread at military grocers last year. Food stamp redemption at military grocers has been rising steadily since the beginning of the recession in 2008. Nearly $104 million worth of food stamps was redeemed at military commissaries in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30. "I'm amazed, but there's a very real need," said Thomas Greer, spokesman for Operation Homefront, a nonprofit that helps soldiers on the financial brink nationwide. Some of the growth in soldiers' redemption of food stamps reflects the weak economic recovery, especially for spouses looking for jobs. In 2012, there was a 30% unemployment rate among spouses off active-duty military who were 18 to 24 years old, according to the Military Officers Association of America, which released the survey last week. Spouses who have to relocate every few years have a tough time finding work in the private sector. During the recession, some states lowered eligibility for food stamps, making it easier to qualify. That could account for some of the growth in use by active-duty military, said Joyce Raezer, executive director of the National Military Family Association. "It was easier for some of those families right on the cusp to qualify," she said. In 2011, about 5,000 active-duty military members were on food stamps, making up less than a tenth of 1% of the 44 million on food stamps, according to the USDA, which has yet to update its figures. Pentagon officials say they don't track who exactly is redeeming food stamps at military grocers, called commissaries. But they say that it's the bottom of the ranks, often the most junior 18 to 20-somethings who already have several children. Base pay for a new soldier with a spouse and kid is around $20,000, just above the poverty line. Although that doesn't include housing or food allowances. The housing and food help put the income of an Army private with two years of experience a bit more than $40,000, the Pentagon says. In 2013, Operation Homefront received 2,968 emergency requests for food help, more than any other kind of request for help. The numbers are down significantly compared to two years ago, but they're still nearly three times what they had been in 2008. "When there are unexpected disruptions for a family with a junior (enlisted) member, it can become a challenge to put food on table," Greer said. "Cost of food remains a very real challenge." The good news is that the growth in food-stamp redemption at military grocers has slowed. The 2013 figure was only a 5% uptick from 2012, less the the 13% increase in growth in 2012 and the record 70% hike in growth in food stamps use in 2009, according to the Defense Commissary Agency. Food stamps has been a hot topic in Washington for months, as enrollment in the anti-poverty program remains at record high levels. Currently, 47 million Americans depend on food stamps. Half of them are children and a quarter of them are seniors. Enrollment in the program soared during the Great Recession, with nearly 15% of the population getting benefits, according to recent federal data. The average monthly benefit was $134 per person in October. Congress allowed cuts in the food stamps program last November, with the average recipient losing about $11 thanks to the expiration of a recession-era boost in funding. Active-duty military families were affected by those cuts. http://www.wdsu.com/news/money/Food-stamp-use-among-military-rises-again/24519640#ixzz2tbLYTRzI
Remember this....every time some Righty says people on Food Stamps are "lazy welfare bums". And as Republicans say we need to spend billions on fighter jets...that don't work.
Why has the Commander in Chief not directed his administration to address this issue? Or is that a matter to be discussed on the back nine?
Of course he does, and he is; why do you think he's called a "food stamps president"? Incidentally, food stamps use is at all times high across the board. Thank you Obama for turning America into the nation of dependents.
So why are liberals whining about the military being on food stamps if that's something Obama supports? Is this one of those talking points snafus?
1) Yea, no not at all. And I know that you know better because I read your posts and you don't come off as a moron ...even though you're acting like one here. The only people that are described as "lazy welfare bums" are the people who have been encouraged by liberals to sit on welfare indefinitely rather than use it as a pick-me-up in times of need. 2) Don't even begin to talk about government waste. Especially not today, the anniversary of Obama's $900 billion dollar stimulus package that stimulated absolutely nothing.
what a joke the gop wanted to cut the program by $40 billion thanks to the democrats and commander in chief, it was reduced to $9 billion it's not whining, it's pointing out facts as opposed to the gop's hypocrisy and propaganda
There not - they are pointing out the hypocritical position of some on the right of politics that all welfare should be cut, and we need to remove lazy welfare bums from sponging on tax payers
I don't recall the Republicans pointing out specific areas for those cuts to go, that is left to the proper executive agencies, oh right, those would be Obama people...
got it, all you have are poor excuses for the gop's campaign against food stamps thank walmart, the koch brothers and other billionaire corporatists
But of course you will blame private job creators, instead of blaming Obama... This much is expected.
i blame the party that's at fault and it's pretty obvious that walmart, the koch brothers and other billionaire corporatists aren't actively trying expand job creation walmart's about to layoff 2300
It is not the function of private enterprises to create jobs, they're in business of creating wealth for their shareholders. It is the function of the government to create a friendly business climate so that private enterprises make more profits, expand and as a result, need to hire more employees. Basics, really.
Your post suggests you believe this is an unusual phenomenon. Military families have been under paid for the entire history of the Military. There are several machinations going on. 1. The military is under paid. 2. The poverty level is exaggerated to well above actual poverty. 3. The military has never intended there be young low ranked soldiers with families. I was drafted in 1961 with 4 children. No way even then could I support them on military pay. Fortunately I had a good job before being drafted and had enough savings to keep us out of the poor house for a few years until my pay went up enough to live on. - - - Updated - - - Where in the world do you get these strange ideas from? Even as a democrat I know that your claim is false. Someone is lying to you if you actually believe that garbage.
I agree, but I don't agree that conservatives want the same thing any less than liberal. Job growth is big on the agenda of all of the GOP I know. You object to the policies they believe will work better, so you claim they don't want the same thing. There is more than one way to skin a cat.
if the gop wanted what's best for the most people, they wouldn't be obstructing the economy like they are and you should know, i'm not really a liberal, i'm more like a sensible moderate
How wonderful for you! Do you even begin to understand that today, the poorly paid are being 25% to 50% LESS than the poorly paid family man or draftee recruit in 1961???
What a shame it is that our military have to come home and need food stamps in this low pay, part time work, Obamanomics economy.
