Veterans can shop big game savings at the commissary. Your Commissary is here to help with everything from ingredients for those favorite recipes to party platters, plus special savings off already low prices.

Veterans with a 0% or more disability rating are eligible to shop at defense commissaries worldwide.

“We want our customers to know they can use their commissary benefit to prepare for their sports night menus,” said Bonita Moffett, the Defense Commissary Agency’s director of sales. “They can max out their savings by checking out the DeCA website for the latest coupon deals, contests and dietitian-approved recipes.”

You don’t have to play games with living a healthy lifestyle

Your Commissary wants shoppers to know that celebrating the Big Game doesn’t mean having to go out of bounds of those New Year’s resolutions or regular healthy habits. Visit the Healthy Living section of our website to find meal solutions and nutritional guidance on how to make simple adjustments to classic recipes to help them fit health and wellness goals.

DeCA Dietitian and Health & Wellness Program Manager Deborah Harris (MPH, RDN, CDE) recommends the Chile Chicken Nachos “Thinking Outside The Box” meal solution as a great example of how to put this principle in practice with ingredients from Your Commissary.

“This meal includes all food groups, uses whole grain chips, and substitutes plain Greek yogurt for sour cream to increase the nutritional value and avoid empty calories,” Harris explained. “The Greek yogurt may seem like an odd choice to some, but it increases the protein and calcium levels of the meal, so we invite you to consider purchasing at least a small container of it and giving it a try.”

Special orders for a special occasion

If you don’t want to cook but still want to snack on something while watching the game, there are other options available. Did you know, Your Commissary’s deli, bakery or produce departments take special orders for party platters? Contact the appropriate department managers for more information on timelines and available options locally.

Score big with these big game deals and more

Other options we’re offering to help Veterans score big deals for the big game include:

  • 12-packs from all soda brands will be priced at 4 for $12. Coke® brands will also have 8-packs of 12 oz. bottles on sale for the same price. These offers will be available Feb. 4–13 or while supplies last.
  • One of our Commissary Store Brands, Freedom’s Choice®, is offering special savings on boneless skinless breasts, tenderloins and thighs for all your winter sports celebrations.
  • Goya® beans in 9 different varieties will be offered for sale, including options that could be used in the Chile Chicken Nachos meal solution mentioned above.

And, of course, don’t forget that you can find even more opportunities to save in our sales flyer!

Please note: Overseas stores may have substituted events for certain promotional programs. We encourage you to check with Your Commissary for details on dates and times for these promotions.

Your Commissary is on your team!

No matter what team you may be rooting for in the big game, please know that Your Commissary is on your team and we’re proud to be here to support you with superior savings, high-quality products and world-class customer service. We hope that you enjoy the game and that we’ll see you at Your Commissary soon!

*The sharing of any non-VA information does not constitute an endorsement of products and services on the part of VA. Verify information with the organization offering.

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50 Comments

  1. Friedrich Seitz February 12, 2022 at 20:06
  2. Barry C Divine February 11, 2022 at 18:46

    Save you fingers fellow vets. This comment section appears to be for vets to ask questions only to have them answered (?) by other vets. The comment about lip service deserves answers, as do all the questions asked. Where are the answers ? Is it too hard to provide answers by a VA source that we all can see ?

  3. Al Allington February 11, 2022 at 18:42

    How about a list by state?
    I can’t find one in Michigan

  4. David Walter February 11, 2022 at 17:35

    I live in conway,south carolina where is the closes commissary ?

  5. Tommy Kirkpatrick February 11, 2022 at 13:46

    I am a veteran how do I get my veteran’s ID card ? Thanks

    • Defense Commissary Agency February 18, 2022 at 17:12

      Thank you for your service and for reading this blog, sir! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. You can find more information about this on our website here, including links and contact information for the proper VA resources to guide you: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility. We’re planning to publish a blog post about this in the coming weeks, as well.

    • Defense Commissary Agency February 18, 2022 at 17:14

      Thank you for your service and for reading this blog, sir! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. You can find more information about this on our website here, including links and contact information for the proper VA resources to guide you: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility.

  6. Dennis Conner February 11, 2022 at 13:10

    I tried getting on Vandenburg AFB (now Space Force) to shop at their commissary and the young sentry at the gate was confused. She tried making phone calls to find out if she was authorized to let me through. Meanwhile, cars were stacked up in line behind me. I finally gave up, left and went home. Sure, Veterans shop big game savings at your local commissary, as the title says.

    • Joseph February 12, 2022 at 12:38

      Hi Dennis where do l start with you, first of all Dennis you didn’t belong in that entrance to the guard shack without a sticker on your car or truck it’s not the guard’s job too issue you a pass they don’t have them! Dennis at one of the entrances to the post usually the main gate there’ll be an office just outside the post and that’s where the guard should have told you where to go to apply for the pass for your car! Then get in line at the guard shack l hope your not disappointed in your PX !! Good luck!

    • Defense Commissary Agency February 22, 2022 at 16:25

      Thank you for your service and for reading this blog, sir! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. You can find more information about expanded commissary shopping eligibility for veterans on our website here: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility.

      On this page, under “What you need to do before you shop,” we encourage veterans to contact any installation they intend to visit beforehand to inquire about their current policy for access. For Vandenberg Space Force Base specifically, I was able to find this article with more information on their procedures: https://www.vandenberg.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/2068144/vafb-implements-base-access-to-disabled-veterans/.

      According to the article, veterans who have been granted a Veterans Affairs disability rating from 1 to 99 percent, as well as their caregivers, are now authorized to obtain an installation access card. It states, “To obtain installation access, eligible veterans must bring their Veterans Health Identification Card and state-issued Real ID to Vandenberg’s Visitor Control Center.”

      If you don’t already have a VHIC, you can find more information about how to request one by visiting the first link I posted. I hope you will be able to use this information to pursue approval for an installation access pass and visit us again!

  7. Jim Wilson February 11, 2022 at 12:41

    I have a disability rating and only a VA card to prove my service connection ( other than my DD214) and there is no known commissary in the Greater Houston, TX area. I would love to go to a commissary to save money and get quality products for food, etc. Do you have any assistance with this matter?

    • Defense Commissary Agency February 23, 2022 at 19:37

      Thank you for your service and for reading this post, sir! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. Unfortunately, it seems that we do not currently have a commissary in Houston, TX. Our store locator shows that the closest location may be Randolph AFB Commissary, about 3 hours away from there. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

      However, should you ever relocate, or if you’re visiting an area, you can always use our website’s store locator to confirm whether a commissary is located nearby! If you’d like to do that, then I encourage you to bookmark the following link for easy reference: https://www.commissaries.com/shopping/store-locations/find-a-store.

      Please note that we encourage veterans to contact any installation they intend to visit beforehand to inquire about their current policy for access. Also, you would want to confirm that the card you have is the VHIC and bring that with you to shop. You can find more information about this on our website here: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility.

  8. JoAnna F February 11, 2022 at 09:57

    How do we get on base and how can we shop at the commissary?

    • Defense Commissary Agency February 23, 2022 at 19:43

      Thank you for reading this blog post and for your interest in shopping at a commissary! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. You can find our store locator on our website here: https://www.commissaries.com/shopping/store-locations/find-a-store.

      You can find more information about expanded commissary shopping eligibility for veterans on our website here: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility. (We’re planning to publish a blog post about this in the coming weeks, as well.)

      On this page, under “What you need to do before you shop,” we encourage veterans to contact any installation they intend to visit beforehand to inquire about their current policy for access. The section above that also details how to verify eligibility and pursue obtaining a VHIC, if you don’t have one already.

      I hope you find this helpful. If you’re able to shop at a commissary soon, we look forward to seeing you!

  9. John Randall February 11, 2022 at 09:56

    Vietnam vet live in Orlando fla but don’t know where closest commissary is to me..

  10. Kurth Grainger February 11, 2022 at 09:47

    I think the service vets are getting is called LIP SERVICE in most cases !

  11. David Gibbs February 11, 2022 at 09:41

    Are there any cominsary in the east Tennessee area ???

    • Friedrich Seitz February 12, 2022 at 20:08
    • Defense Commissary Agency February 28, 2022 at 19:10

      Thank you for reading this blog post and for your interest in shopping at a commissary! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. Our “Commissary Locations by Area” page shows two commissaries in Tennessee – Arnold AFB and Memphis NSA – but neither seems to be located in the eastern part of the state.

      However, I would encourage you to enter your address in our website’s store locator to better assess which commissary is located closest to you. You can find that tool on our website here: https://www.commissaries.com/shopping/store-locations/find-a-store. I hope this helps!

  12. Kevin Hodges February 11, 2022 at 09:35

    The VA and the DOD need to get together and figure out if you can bring a spouse on the base or not. I have been told that spouses (non VA cardholders) cannot come onto the base. My spouse does all the shopping. Left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing!

    • Defense Commissary Agency February 28, 2022 at 19:12

      Thank you for your service, sir, and for your interest in shopping at a commissary! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate, and I would be happy to explain why access policies vary by installation. First, it is important to note that, for veterans and caregivers eligible solely under Section 1065 of Title 10, United States Code, only those individuals will be granted commissary shopping privilege, as this is tied to eligibility for and enrollment in specific VA programs. Therefore, family members of these individuals are not authorized privileges unless they are otherwise eligible for them in their own right.

      Since it is the installation’s responsibility to control access to the installation, we encourage newly-eligible veterans and caregivers to contact any installations they intend to visit beforehand to inquire about their current policy is for guests. In many cases, guests must stop at the visitor control center to undergo the required security checks. Once a guest is granted access to the installation, they must remain with their sponsoring veteran or caregiver at all times. In many locations, guests may accompany the authorized customers into commissaries, but they may not make any purchases.

  13. Dennis Davidson February 11, 2022 at 09:11

    I am 40% service connected disabled, may I shop at the local military commissary? How do I apply for my Veteran ID? Will that ID work for shopping at the commissaries?

    Dennis Davidson

    • Kevin Hodges February 11, 2022 at 09:30

      Yes you can. Your VA ID will get you on the base and into the exchange and commissary for shopping. When you check out they scan your VA ID and you are good to go.

      • Steve February 11, 2022 at 10:14

        What is a cominsary?

        • Ronald Clark February 11, 2022 at 11:29

          Is there a map or list of commissaries locations?

        • Dennis Conner February 11, 2022 at 13:06

          A store not unlike Costco or Walmart

        • Defense Commissary Agency March 1, 2022 at 20:29

          I’m Courtney Rogers, the Defense Commissary Agency’s Consumer Advocate, and I would be happy to answer your question, sir! DeCA operates a chain of commissaries around the world that sell grocery and household products in a safe and secure shopping environment to authorized customers in the military community.

          This benefit is designed to deliver significant savings, while contributing to family readiness, enhancing quality of life and supporting military recruitment and retention. On average, commissary shoppers can save thousands of dollars per year compared to commercial store prices by regularly shopping with us.

    • Defense Commissary Agency February 28, 2022 at 19:22

      Thank you for your service and for reading this blog post, sir! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. You can find more information about this on our website here, including links and contact information for the proper VA resources to guide you: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility.

  14. Charles Zarkadas February 11, 2022 at 08:29

    It would be useful if you could publish a list of commissary locations by state.

  15. Clint C February 11, 2022 at 08:22

    How can we shop at any of these facilities when the base commander’s are preventing it because somehow non-retirees are more risky to let on base when a virus is floating around. Frankly it’s a form of discrimination when you deny a vet the very services they were promised while others who’ve apparently “earned it” get them. My point is there’re a lot of war fighters who’ve earned it but are getting denied. The top brass needs to establish some equity across the board to prevent base commanders from discriminating against certain vets. Either make the services available or don’t.

    • Defense Commissary Agency March 4, 2022 at 18:29

      Thank you for conveying your concern about installation access for veterans who are “non-retirees” and now eligible to shop at commissaries based on having a VA disability rating of 0% or more. We understand why this would be disappointing for you and appreciate your desire to shop at Your Commissary!

      First, please note that you can find more information about this expansion of eligibility on our website here: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility.

      As you mentioned, installation access policies fall under the purview of installation command. Commissaries are tenant activities of the installations on which they reside, so they have no authority to change these policies.

      However, if you have a particular installation you’d like to access, then you may want to share your concern regarding access with the commander’s office for that installation, if you haven’t done so already. We also encourage you to visit the installation’s web page, as needed, to keep updated on their policies regarding access, especially since local pandemic conditions may vary over time.

      Sincerely,

      Courtney Rogers
      Consumer Advocate
      Defense Commissary Agency

  16. Thomas February 11, 2022 at 08:16

    This article would have been a lot more useful if it had offered veterans a roadmap of how to obtain Commissary benefits. I am none the wiser.

    It is LONG overdue that veterans be extended on-base Commissary and Exchange privileges. These stores would be much more profitable than they currently are if their customer base were expanded. Now that we have secure VAIDs what is the hold-up?

    [Editor: Please click on the link in the second paragraph.]

    • Defense Commissary Agency March 2, 2022 at 19:57

      Thank you for your service and for reading this blog post, sir! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. You can find more information about this on our website here, including links and contact information for the proper VA resources to guide you: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility. (As the editor explained, this web address is also provided in the link on the second paragraph of the above post.) We’re also planning to publish a blog post specifically about this topic in the near future, so you may be interested in that, as well!

  17. Harold M. KRINER February 6, 2022 at 04:27

    I find it unfair!!!! Now I am 87 years old, but I served 3 years and 6 months in the Army.

    Unfair, because I am not retired, I am not authorized to enter the Military Bases that are near to where I am residing with My Son here in Germany. I was Honorably Discharged, awarded the COMZ Certificate of Achievement….but now, I am considered a Security risk- Do you people at DOA or DOAF feel that this is any way to treat an old Soldier???

    [Editor: Please do not publish your sensitive information on the internet. I have deleted it from this comment.]

    • Defense Commissary Agency March 2, 2022 at 19:58

      Thank you for sharing your concern about not being permitted installation access in Germany as a veteran who is not retired. First and foremost, thank you for your service!

      Commissary privileges overseas are covered under Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA), Visiting Forces agreements, treaties, etc. Since products sold in overseas commissaries pass across international borders and are customs, duty and tax free, there are shopping restrictions.

      These restrictions are meant to protect the interests of the host nations and to resolve legal, customs and tax issues. As tenant activities of the installations on which they reside, commissaries must abide by installation access requirements.

      Courtney Rogers
      Consumer Advocate
      Defense Commissary Agency

  18. Ron February 6, 2022 at 01:46

    Not at 20+ $ per pound of beef & over 20% of shelves not stocked. (Looking at you Okinawa). Also, why is there a commissary supplemental fee / surcharge? What does that money fund?

  19. Melinda February 5, 2022 at 15:21

    My understanding is that the quality of the produce you supply is the pits. Worse than ever. Not only that but there is NO commissary in my state since all the bases up here in the northeast have been shut down leaving this sector of the United States to be obliterated by any attack that might occur.

    • Defense Commissary Agency March 3, 2022 at 20:10

      Thank you for reading this blog post and sharing what you’ve heard about the commissary benefit. I’m Courtney Rogers, Consumer Advocate for the Defense Commissary Agency, and I’d be happy to address this as much as possible with the information provided.

      One of our priorities is to offer top-quality products at a significant savings, so we are sorry to hear that some have told you this has not been their experience. We require our stores to cull produce throughout the day, as needed, to remove bruised, spoiled or otherwise deteriorated items from sale. Unfortunately, without more details, I cannot follow up on this more specifically, but I would encourage anyone who expresses this to you to contact us directly though the customer comment form on our website so we can address any issues that may arise.

      Likewise, I cannot specifically speak to your statement that there is no commissary in your state without knowing which state that is, but I encourage you to put your address in the store locator on our website to find the closest locations to you. You can find that here: https://www.commissaries.com/shopping/store-locations/find-a-store.

  20. Earl Reid February 5, 2022 at 12:45

    I am 50% service connected disabled, may I shop at the local military commissary? If I may, will my veteranID suffice or do I need another form of identification?
    Thank you for your assistance.
    Earl Reid

    • Defense Commissary Agency March 3, 2022 at 20:11

      Thank you for your service and for reading this blog post, sir! I’m Courtney Rogers, DeCA’s Consumer Advocate. You can find more information about this on our website here, including links and contact information for the proper VA resources to guide you: https://www.commissaries.com/extended-eligibility.

      Please note that on this page, under “What you need to do before you shop,” we encourage veterans to contact any installation they intend to visit beforehand to inquire about its current access policy. The section above that details how to verify eligibility and apply for a Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC), if you don’t have one already, as you will need it to shop.

      We’re planning to publish a blog post on this topic in the near future, as well. I hope you find this helpful. If you’re able to shop at a commissary soon, we look forward to seeing you!

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