The retired posters as well as active and reserve people always got to shop at the exchange but starting Jan 1st all V.A. members with their V.A. card will also be given access to all exchange services. This is very good news if you live near any exchange locations especially if you live in a high tax state like California. We pay almost five dollars in state taxes on each pack of cigarettes so there are big taxes savings on a lot of items. Basic stuff like meat and dairy also tend to be cheaper on post same with liquor and beer. https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits
cool! That will help out a lot of vets where I work. I'm surprised that our HR and bosses in management haven't disseminated information about this yet. Wait, it's a typical corporation - I guess I shouldn't be surprised!
https://militarybenefits.info/military-exchange-online-shopping-veterans/ Honorably discharged vets can already shop online at AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Services) as long as they go through AAFES veteran status verification. The online rights to shop also extends to in person shopping at all exchange stores starting Jan 1st, 2020 and includes the right to enter military bases in order to shop at the exchange and other stores on base. This is a pretty big expansion of Veteran benefits.
Pretty huge benefit, especially for families living near military installations and maybe having trouble making ends meet. We used to drive 30 minutes in P-Cola from where we lived just to shop at the Commissary- it was worth it. (We just didn't buy ice cream there.)
Went to Golden Carrol for dinner tonight and got the free buffet. It ended up being $22 for two adults and a child plus I left an $8 tip. The line was out the door and around the building. I think this was the first time I had done one of these American buffet type places (not at a casino) in four or five years. Vets ate free so we only had to pay for one adult and one child.
It's great Golden Corral does this for the military but I went to Applebees. Six preset meal choices (I had a 6 ounce serloin steak with broccoli coming in at 500 total calories with my diet Pepsi) and while there was a line they had extra staff, so there was no long wait for a table or food to arrive at the table. Disclaimer I went for lunch - evening may have been busier.
My wife and I go to Golden Corral on Thanksgiving every year. Having a big spread at home means a lot of leftovers that we can't eat fast enough so they go to waste. Or would that be go to "waist?"
I saw that they had a Thanksgiving special going but the truth is we still have large families on each side so we go there. It was a decent buffet given we spent around $8 per person. The line was completely around the building so it seems lots of people thought that was the best vets day freebie. I had two of their top sirloin steaks, which so am sure were just USDA Select (not choice or prime) but they were still good and well seasoned. Did I mention the price?
I wish I knew about this before we bought the new Toyota Camry. Just using AAFES car buying service would have saved ~$1800 in state sales taxes (not to mention various fees like the $80 state tire recycling fee and 7.75% tax on that fee) which is not an insignificant sum.
I legit forgot about Veterans day this year, tbh But this will definitely be a godsend for everything except the smokes. There was an instruction shortly before I separated that forced the bases to sell those at local price, including the Navy ships. But on food and stuff? Sweet.
