Military Personnel: DOD Needs More Complete Data on Active-Duty Servicemembers Use of Food Assistance Programs
Abstract
According to the Defense Commissary Agency, servicemembers on active duty spent over $21 million in SNAP benefits at commissaries from September 2014 through August 2015. This suggests that people serving our country may be having difficulty making ends meet. House Report 114-102 includes a provision that GAO review food assistance programs available to servicemembers. This report assesses, among other things, the extent to which (1) active-duty servicemembers and their families have access to food assistance programs and any variations in eligibility for these programs, and (2) DOD has identified the servicemembers use of these programs. GAO reviewed information on government and charitable food assistance programs and policies. GAO also interviewed DOD and service officials at four installations that were selected based on size, cost of living, and presence of food assistance programs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1014113
Entities
People
- Amie Lesser
- Brenda S. Farrell
- Dawn Godfrey
- Felicia Lopez
- Grant Mallie
- John Van Schaik
- Kay Brown
- Kevin Keith
- Kimberly Mayo
- Monica Savoy
- Rachel Frisk
- Richard Powelson
- Sara Pelton
- Shahrzad Nikoo
- Tamiya Lunsford
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office