Nine Commissaries on DoD Watch List

The Defense Department is monitoring nine commissary stores. Although the department has no current plans to close them, according to Charles Abell, principal defense deputy for personnel and readiness, it will be watching them to ensure they meet the criteria for staying open. A key factor is their overhead costs compared to annual sales. This impacts smaller stores in remote areas which tend to have lower annual sales than other stores. Under DoD policy directed by Congress, quality of life for the military community is a primary criterion in deciding whether to close a store. Commissaries being monitored are: Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif.; Fort Hunter Liggett Army Reserve, Calif.; Picatinny Arsenal, N.J.; White Sands Missile Range, N.M.; Naval Support Unit Saratoga Springs, N.Y. (commissary located in Scotia); Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas; Fort McCoy, Wis.; Camp Kure, Japan; Izmir, Turkey.