A CBO Study: The Costs and Benefits of Retail Activities at Military Bases,
Abstract
The Department of Defense (DoD) is seeking to reduce its infrastructure of bases and support activities in order to free up funds to replace aging weapon systems. One aspect of DoD's infrastructure that may merit review is its network of on-base grocery stores, department stores, and other shops that sell goods and services at below-market prices to active-duty, reserve, and retired military personnel. Despite the decline in the size of the military since the end of the Cold War, DoD remains one of the largest retailers in the United States. Its stores, with annual sales of more than $14 billion, employ 96,000 civilians - one for every 15 active-duty service members. What explains the size and scope of DoD's retail activities in the United States? Are government-run stores necessary to provide access to goods at military bases or to preserve military morale and cohesion? Are they more cost-effective than cash allowances as a way to attract and retain a high-quality force? This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) study examines the social and budgetary costs and benefits of DoD's retail activities and various alternatives for their future. It was prepared in response to a joint request from Congressman John Kasich, Chairman of the House Committee on the Budget, and Congressman William Zeliff Jr., former Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Foreign Affairs, and Criminal Justice of the House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight. In keeping with CBO's mandate to provide objective, impartial analysis, the study makes no recommendations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA331324
Entities
People
- Deborah Clay-mendez
Organizations
- Congressional Budget Office