My nephew has to pay 300.00 a month to eat while serving

[midnight]

our military. Why are we charging our soldiers to eat? He and his buddies sent this video to my sister, his mom. He is the one in the video who is asked what he thinks, and he says "he hopes he doesn't die". 2/4 E Co 1st Plt Spyrig in Okinawa Japan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65_Lua7LU-E

[pnorman]

1. So where's the details on that $300 per month food tab?

n/t

pnorman

[Captain Hilts]

2. Officers have always paid for their food. Enlisted not.

I don't understand his circumstances.

[TheDebbieDee]

4. I never could figure out why either..........

in the early 90s, I had a co-worker at the IRS who was a Warrant Officer (helicoptor pilot) in the Viet Nam War who told me that he, too had to pay for all his meals at the Mess hall.

Is there an officer or former officer here at DU who can explain why officers must pay for their own food?

[Captain Hilts]

5. I never understood why dad had to pay for meals in the middle of the ocean.

Pierside, fine. At sea??

[barbtries]

3. i want to hear the details about that,

but if it's true it can only be because feeding the troops has been privatized and those war profiteers are all about their paycheck.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. Commissioned officers have always paid for their meals. This is nothing new.

I assume your nephew is a commissioned officer.

[jody]

7. BAS "Officers receive $192.74 per month and enlisted members receive $279.88 per month."

2007 Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) Rates
The Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) is a tax-free military allowance designed to cover the food costs of military members. Recent reforms in the BAS system simplified the rate structure and all military servicemembers now receive the full BAS rate.

Officers receive $192.74 per month and enlisted members receive $279.88 per month.

ON EDIT ADD
Enlisted personnel who live on base will not receive a BAS but eat free in mess halls.