The U.S. Army has been redirecting millions of dollars collected from soldiers’ Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS) pay—meant for food services—toward unspecified purposes, according to a Military.com report. In 2023, out of $225 million collected from enlisted soldiers at 11 major bases, $151 million was used elsewhere. BAS, which provides soldiers around $465 monthly for food, is effectively taxed, and much of it is not spent on feeding troops.
An anonymous Army official confirmed that these funds are reallocated into a general Army budget instead of being used for dining services. Investigations revealed that most bases examined had diverted over 50% of the collected BAS funds. It remains unclear where this money is going.
Representative Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii) condemned the practice, demanding immediate investigation and accountability. This issue was raised in 2020 but was never addressed. Meanwhile, Army dining facilities continue to struggle – Fort Cavazos had only two of 10 dining halls open in 2023, and Fort Carson served inadequate meals like lima beans and toast. Some bases have resorted to prepackaged meals, often high in sugar and low in protein, due to reduced dining hall funding and declining meal quality.
