Soldiers may have the option of ordering beer and wine at some chow halls of the future, but it will be up to their installations’ senior commanders.
“Senior commanders own the stick on this one,” said Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, commanding general of Army Materiel Command, which is spearheading the effort to improve food for soldiers. Mohan said he expects beer and wine to be a point of discussion with Lt. Gen. Kevin Admiral, the commanding general of Fort Hood, Texas, where 42 Bistro, the first of five pilot locations, will bring the new campus-style dining beginning on Feb. 18.
The contract for the pilot locations allows for the option of selling beer and wine in these venues. Mohan said his advice to Gen. Admiral will be to look at the feedback from soldiers and the data about the usage. He also noted that they will want to consider what this does to the family environment, as the pilot plan hopes to attract families to dine in.
Decisions on beer and wine will be a deliberate process, Mohan stressed. “The key thing I’m focused on is breakfast, lunch and dinner for those soldiers who don’t have another option, who live in the barracks.”
During a media call with reporters about the new pilot venue, Mohan laid out some examples a commander might consider, such as selling beer and wine on Friday nights.
The decision will involve a negotiation between the local dining venue contractor and the senior commander, with AMC having a role, Mohan said.
The contractor, Compass Group, is processing the appropriate paperwork needed for selling beer and wine, “if and when that senior commander wants to cross that rubicon,” Mohan said.
Taxpayer funding will not be used, with the contractor paying a fee from the sales to the Morale, Welfare and Recreation fund.
“I know this has been an emotional topic for some, but we serve beer and wine at the bowling alleys that could be right next door,” Mohan said, as an example of other locations on bases that sell beer and wine.
“We trust our soldiers and we tell our soldiers, ‘Hey look, go carry a rifle, but on Friday night you can’t have a beer in a restaurant.’ I think we have to take a step back and trust our soldiers… Put bumpers on it, but let’s trust them.”
Karen has covered military families, quality of life and consumer issues for Military Times for more than 30 years, and is co-author of a chapter on media coverage of military families in the book “A Battle Plan for Supporting Military Families.” She previously worked for newspapers in Guam, Norfolk, Jacksonville, Fla., and Athens, Ga.