Let Them Eat.....Nothing?

Billions for weaponry. And servicemembers are going hungry?

Item:  “The President's fiscal year 2022 budget request for activities funded in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act totals $706,197,170,000 in new discretionary budget obligational authority.”  (1), at page 1.

Over $706 billion.  That’s $706 thousand million.

And yet – and yet – the families of some service people are going hungry.

“The (U.S. House) Committee (on Appropriations) is concerned by the alarming rate of food insecurity faced by military families. While servicemembers and their families may have access to government food assistance, their ability to qualify can vary by program and location, forcing servicemembers to seek charitable food assistance or limit the ability to eat healthy or nutritious food.” (Emphasis added.) (1), at page 17.

Billions out the wazoo for weaponry.  Servicemembers going hungry.

How dumb is that?

Soldiers and sailors surely worry about the well-being of their families.  If stressed over something as basic as the availability of food -- are they really going to be able to perform at a high level?

So increase food allowances, for crying out loud.  There’s surely enough money in the Pentagon’s figurative petty cash fund to pay for it several times over.


Source:
(1)  https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/117th-congress/house-report/88/1?s=1&r=89

Background:
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/11/19/us-troops-and-families-go-hungry-they-dont-trust-pentagon-help.html

https://apnews.com/article/hunger-in-america-military-food-insecurity-142728bcb5479fd2de73750e11dbd458

It seems like the Pentagon now gets it:  https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-news-lloyd-austin-bc9a18ebffa9e1cae4a9c24726f97751


#foodinsecurity
#militaryfoodinsecurity
#Pentagon
#military
#militarydependents