Soldiers who want to eat at a fast-food restaurant on post rather than their unit chow hall must pay out of pocket. But that might be changing under a new concept being tested at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
Troops in the barracks with meal cards have funds automatically deducted from their Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) to eat, but they can only be redeemed at one of the official dining facilities on post.
Fort Stewart, home of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, is the first installation to implement the Flexible Eating and Expanded Dining (FEED) program, which began Monday.
Soldiers there will now be able to present their meal cards at on-post chains such as Burger King or Subway.
“Our goal is to improve soldier accessibility to meal options when legacy feeding capabilities are limited,” said Samantha Tyler, a spokeswoman for Army Materiel Command. “FEED aims to expand access points and ensure soldiers can use their entitlements regardless of location or operational constraints.”
Army officials said the pilot program is a major step forward in giving soldiers more flexibility and convenience when using their meal entitlement.
“I think this is a good idea. We all had varying schedules. This allows troops and leaders to grab chow on the run,” a soldier said on Facebook about the Army’s FEED program.
There is only one hitch.
The soldiers won’t be able to use their meal cards for a triple cheeseburger with an extra order of chili fries. Each participating business will offer a specific menu with items approved by food service experts and dietitians, officials said.
“The menus were also formed based on affordability in accordance with the set meal-card entitlement ranges,” Ms. Tyler said. “Each vendor carefully considered what they were able to offer.”
The Army conducted a two-week test of the FEED concept last year at Fort Hood, Texas, where soldiers provided feedback on the program’s effectiveness.
Army Materiel Command officials said almost 80% of the participating troops chose healthier options on the menu, officials said.
“We expected soldiers in barracks to follow the same eating patterns that we have maintained for decades,” said Lt. Gen. Christopher Mohan, commander of Army Materiel Command. “When soldiers pass up that benefit and that entitlement every single day, we fail them. We are changing that.”
The plan does have some critics, however. A soldier on a military Reddit page said it amounts to Army leadership passing the buck.
“Instead of providing decent food on base, which I assume is a garrison or unit commander’s responsibility, they are now making fast food like Burger King part of the meal plan,” the soldier said. “Couldn’t they just use the meal card money to fund [dining facilities] rather than giving it to private businesses?”
The Army said the FEED program is designed to supplement a soldier’s eating options, not shutter on-post dining facilities. Next year, Fort Stewart will open a new campus-style dining venue featuring more food options, extended hours and a better ambiance, officials said.
“The Army has opened two of these venues — 42 Bistro at Fort Hood and the Stack House Bistro at Fort Carson” in Colorado, Ms. Tyler said.
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