Reserve, Guard now receive unlimited commissary benefits

Dick Benoit

Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003 | 8:24 a.m.

The Defense Department has announced that with the president's signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2004, Reserve and National Guard members and their dependents now have unlimited access to commissary stores at military bases.

Members of the Ready Reserve, which includes members of the Selected Reserve, Individual Ready Reserve and inactive National Guard, and members of the Retired Reserve who possess a Uniformed Services Identification Card are all eligible for the benfit.

Former members eligible for retired pay at age 60 but who have not yet attained the age of 60 and who possess a Department of Defense Civilian Identification Card are also eligible, as well as their dependents who possess a similar ID card or who have a distinct identification card used as an authorization card for benefits and privileges administered by the Uniformed Services.

According to Patrick Nixon, deputy director of the Defense Commissary Agency, instructions have gone out to all continental U.S. stores informing them that reservists now have unlimited shopping and telling store managers how to welcome members of the National Guard and Reserve to the full use of the commissary benefit.

"Commissary shoppers will begin to see banners saying 'Welcome Guard and Reserve to Full Time Savings,' along with other events recognizing these new full-time shoppers," Nixon said.

Previously Guard and Reserve members were authorized only 24 commissary shopping days per calendar year.

"The Congress included unlimited commissary benefits in the National Defense Authorization Act, thus making full time shopping possible for the men and women who serve their nation in the National Guard and Reserve," Nixon said.

In brief

Lochner, the son of Conrad and Joan Lochner of Las Vegas, is an optometrist with the 9019th Air Reserve Squadron, Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center, Colo.

He earned his doctor of optometry in 1987 from Southern California College of Optometry, Fullerton.