On January 8 of this year, I wrote Does DEI require starving our troops?
It was a report on the shameful and evil starving of our troops at multiple military installations around the nation. Most chow halls were closed, and those few that were open were providing this sort of fare:
Graphic: X Screenshot
As I then noted, during my USAF days of the early 70s food was hot, plentiful and there were many nutritious choices always available to meet the needs of airmen working around the clock.
Was this lack of food due to lack of money? Was money intended to feed our troops being diverted to DEI? It’s well known a military runs on its stomach, and officers are taught from their earliest days they don’t eat until their troops are fed, so how could this possibly have gone on for so long throughout our military? No doubt, this contributed to badly depressed enlistment and retention.
We didn’t have answers then. With Donald Trump taking office and DOGE taking names and kicking asses, we now have at least some, and it’s worse than we could have imagined.
The Army is repurposing more than half of the money it collects from junior enlisted soldiers for food, according to data reviewed by Military.com. The numbers suggest that a large portion of those funds are not going toward feeding soldiers, a diversion of resources coming at a time when troops increasingly struggle to find nutritious food on base.
The money is collected in what amounts to a tax on troops -- taken from their Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) payments, roughly $460 per month that is automatically deducted from the paychecks of service members who live in barracks and is intended to help cover food costs. For junior enlisted troops who earn about $30,000 annually, the cost can be consequential.
“Repurposing?” To what end? It’s certainly not going to artillery shells or training ammo for the troops. How much is missing anyway?
Graphic: X Screenshot
2024 financial records provided by the service from 11 of the Army's largest bases show that more than $151 million of $225 million collected from soldiers was not spent on food. Given that the Army operates 104 garrisons, the true amount of unspent funds is likely far higher.
Elon Musk has affirmed DOGE is already at work at the Pentagon. It appears they have far more than anyone thought to do. No wonder Democrats/socialists/communists (D/s/cs) are so desperate to shut DOGE down. Here’s an example of what DOGE needs to uncover:
At Fort Stewart, Georgia, for example, soldiers contributed $17 million, but the base spent just $2.1 million -- redirecting 87% of the funds. Schofield Barracks in Hawaii collected $14.5 million but used only $5.3 million, meaning 63% of the money was used elsewhere.
Food service workers’ pay and dining hall maintenance come from different funding sources, so all those millions aren’t going there.
There are two most likely places that money was — and is — being diverted: into the pockets of corrupt servicemembers and contractors, and for all manner of DEI projects. Money intended to feed our servicemembers has probably been going to sponsor drag shows and drag queen story hours in DOD schools. It’s been going for pride celebrations and to produce ads encouraging potential recruits to be the best military queers they can be.
At least a few are aware of the problem:
"Stealing food money from our soldiers is not how we achieve military readiness," Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, whose district includes Schofield Barracks, told Military.com when presented with the numbers. "The fact that at least $151 million was collected from soldiers and not spent on food as required demands not just an immediate investigation, but swift accountability.”
This issue has been known since at least 2020 and nothing has been done, which will surprise no one who remembers 2020-2024 were the Biden years filled with hatred and neglect of our military in favor of deranged social engineering.
It will come as no surprise to learn the Army isn’t interested in answering questions about the failure to feed troops. Army spokesman have noted dining hall fare is based on past consumption, so if few troops have used dining halls in the past, little will be available now or in the future. Troops refusing to eat non-nutritious and inedible food will abandon dining halls and seek food elsewhere, giving bureaucrats an excuse to provide less food in the future.
A warrior-wise Defense Secretary like Pete Hegseth will likely refocus the military to ensure our troops are fed like the athletes they are. Hopefully, the criminals in uniform depriving our troops of food and the little money they make will pay. Perhaps in prison, they could be served what they served our troops? Nah. That would constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
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Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.