Survey: At Least 25 percent of Military Families Need Help Getting Enough Food

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Did you know that 620,000 U.S. households with at least one soldier, reservist, or guardsman — 25 percent of the country’s active duty and reserve military personnel — need assistance from food pantries and aid programs. This comes from a new report that studied military families. It’s common knowledge that even with all volunteer armed forces the money isn’t exactly rolling in to those who serve our nation.

The “Hunger in America 2014” report, released Monday, comes out every four years. For active duty military members, it can be difficult to purchase food due to low pay, poor financial planning by younger soldiers, and a higher cost of living in certain states.

Defense Department spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen said in a statement that the Pentagon is looking at the results, and is “concerned with anything that impacts the wellness and readiness of service members and families.” The Pentagon issued its lowest pay raise in 50 years in 2014, the Military Officers Association of America says: just 1 percent.

Retired Army Col. Mike Barron, the MOAA’s deputy director of government relations, told NBC News that financial struggles cause “more stress on the force, more stress on the service member, more stress on their family.”

To raise extra money, family members recycle bottles and cans, clip coupons, purchase groceries at dollar stores, avoid paying other bills, and sign up for WIC and food stamps — the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey found that in 2009-2012, 2 percent of troops and 7 percent of veterans received food stamps. Shirley Starkey, whose husband is a sergeant in the Marines, tells NBC News that “it’s hard to know that my husband is fighting for his country and he’s working long days and long hours and we still have to struggle to keep food on the table and gas in our cars.”

– – Catherine Garcia

About Post Author

Peter Lake

Peter Lake hails from the Midwest, but is now living in Germany. He is a professional writer who spent many years honing his craft at a well known newspaper. Peter originally sent an article to us through the citizen journalist program and decided to stay. We are glad he did.

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