Should Low-Income Military Families Get a Food Allowance? White House Says No

[mfcorey1]

Erika Tebbens remembers her early years as a Navy wife, struggling to make ends meet at a new duty station near pricey Seattle.

College educated but unable to find a full-time job in her field, she settled into work as a part-time bank teller and, when she became pregnant, began worrying how the family would make ends meet.

"A civilian co-worker of mine informed me we would probably qualify for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. ... I was honestly shocked. I did not think that any military family in our country would [need to] apply for any type of government assistance," she said.

Tebbens and her new baby qualified for WIC. But later, unable to afford child care, the couple decided she would reduce her hours to one day a week so they could swap parental duties. With bills mounting, she applied for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, but was denied.

Tebbens is one of several advocates pushing to help military families in financial straits, supporting a proposed bill that would furnish a basic needs allowance for service members whose gross household income does not exceed 130% of the federal poverty guidelines.

The provision -- in the House's version of the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill -- would provide a monthly allowance for military families equal to 130% of the federal poverty guidelines minus the service member's gross income (not counting any allowances) divided by 12.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2019/07/18/should-low-income-military-families-get-food-allowance-white-house-says-no.html

[Scarsdale]

1. Long overdue.

The military members are ready to go overseas, fight for this country, yet live in near poverty. The useless "representatives" in D.C. do - what?? I was an A.F. wife in Long Beach Ca. We rented an apartment in a housing complex mostly occupied by navy families, some A.F. families from the small base there. The rent was $47.50 a month for a two bedroom, including utils!! You can imagine what that was like, yet we were grateful for the break. I met some terrific people while living there. Decent, hard working people who were trying to provide for their families. Where does the EXTRA large military budget go? Time for an audit of the Pentagon's expenses. This was 1960, but from what I have heard, not much has changed.

[Phoenix61]

6. They recently tried doing an audit.

Their “books” are so messed up they called it off. Said it would be impossible to do.

[Crowman2009]

2. Yet a large percentage of the military are still going to vote for the orange asshole.

I feel sorry for the ones who didn't. But if they did vote for Trumpy Dumpy, then fuck em'!

[tazkcmo]

4. This issue

Poverty in the lower ranks in the military, predate Trump. Buy a very long time. I served from 1985 to 1990 and qualified for food stamps all five of those years. You can blame it on Trump if it gets you through the day but it won't be accurate.

[Roy Rolling]

3. Wrong Direction

We should be reducing the size of the military budget in other areas. I empathize with families, but not the fact they have chosen to be professional soldiers/killers for the U.S.

Driving the poor into military service is an economic draft, and enables the practice of poor people fighting the rich peoples’ wars.

I mean, for God’s sake, we have the largest military budget in history but human employees must rely on food stamps. What is this, Wal-Mart?

[olegramps]

5. I consider the all-volunteer army a disaster.

The draft, although certainly not perfect, resulted in people from many walks in life opportunity to converse and get a better perspective of others. I served and it was the first time that I had any in depth contact with minorities. You soon begin to realize how much you share in common and more importantly about just how evil racism is.

[obamanut2012]

7. My parents helped my sister and BIL when he first entered service

As an enlisted man. My sister worked as a nurse, and my niece was quite young. My parents visited them at their base housing, and literally had a lease signed off base within three hours, because the housing was so substandard. They then took them to the store and bought them huge amounts of food. They helped my sister and BIL pay rent, utilities, and food until my BIL was promoted and my sister was able to get a better job when my niece was about to start preschool (about 18 months).

This was about 20 years ago, but I remember my father calling their Senators and Rep saying how appalling their living conditions were.

[TimeToGo]

9. Nowadays

The pay and allowance are much better than when I was in. I just looked at the chart for nlustd pay and allowances. This isn't because of the current resident - it's been better for a bit.

That doesn't mean there aren't problems and that it shouldn't be better.

[Farmer-Rick]

8. This was one of the issues that got Raygun elected.

Maybe our Democratic candidates should take it up as an issue too?

No one serving our country, and possibly losing their life for our country, should live in poverty. Nor should their family be home starving, while they are deployed.

Raise the military's pay.

[chowder66]

10. Just what we need... more stressed out and desperate military fighters. What could go wrong? nt

[ooky]

11. No, but Trump and Republicans gave themselves a big tax cut.

Trump has done nothing for either active duty military, or veterans.