As Defense Commissary Agency officials at Fort Lee, Virginia, announced operational changes to help stores better serve customers during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Fort Knox officials announced additional measures.
Policy changes for all commissaries include the following actions:
· Effective immediately, a 100% ID card check at all commissaries will take effect. This limits customers only to those authorized, which includes disabled veterans with VHIC cards. While this policy is in effect, visitors will not be allowed to enter the commissary. Officials say this is designed to encourage social distancing and crowd control. Children under age 10 will not be required to produce a military ID card since the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System does not issue one.
· Effective immediately, commissary cashiers will no longer handle patron ID cards to prevent customer-to-customer spread of germs. Instead, customers will be asked to scan their own ID. However, cashiers can use a handheld scanner, if available.
· Effective March 19, all commissaries will suspend early bird shopping to allow more time for cleaning and restocking the store.
· In a move to lessen panic-buying, DeCA officials have instructed store directors worldwide to use their discretion in placing any shopping limits necessary to help maintain stock availability.
As a result of the last policy change, the Fort Knox commissary will limit purchases of small toilet paper packages to three per customer and one per customer for the large size, fresh chicken to three packages and ground beef to two packages.
Robert Vagasky, director of the Fort Knox Commissary, said senior Fort Knox leaders have asked him to encourage discretion and calm among patrons during the outbreak period.
“We have people walking the store who, if they see someone hoarding products, are asking the customer to put some of it back,” said Vagasky. “There has also been a military police presence in the store that will remain until further notice.”
Retired Rear Adm. Robert Bianchi, Defense Department special assistant for commissary operations, announced the shopping limits policy March 14 in response to a growing number of customers engaged in unauthorized purchases for the purposes of resale or hoarding.
The shopping directive, effective immediately, gives store directors more authority to quickly tailor shopping limits, as required, to keep more products available for more customers, Bianchi said.
“These decisions should not contravene or override any restrictions or guidance provided by installation commanders,” Bianchi said. “However, in the absence of installation commander direction, our store directors are now authorized to make local decisions as they deem necessary to control stock shortages through instances such as panic buying and unauthorized purchases for resale.”
From the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, commissaries overseas – starting with stores in Italy, South Korea and Japan – instituted shopping limits on items such as hand sanitizers, disinfectants and toilet paper.
As coronavirus fears ignited a surge of customer activity worldwide, it became necessary for commissary officials to counter panic buying to take care of all customers, Bianchi said.
“Now our store directors have the flexibility to institute shopping limitations if no directives exist,” he said. “They still must inform base leadership when they are implementing these restrictions, but they can use my authority to move forward.”
From a product availability standpoint, commissaries continue to work with industry suppliers to support the needs of senior leaders on the ground at each location. This support manifests itself through increased deliveries to the commissaries that need it most.
“We know this is a potentially stressful time for all concerned,” Bianchi said. “But together, we will meet these challenges and support our service members and their families throughout the duration of this crisis wherever necessary.
“We always recommend to our customers that they calmly purchase what they need and avoid any panic buying to ensure products are available for others in their communities.”
Preventing virus spread at stores
The “No ID handling” policy is just one of many actions stores are implementing to help prevent COVID-19 exposure, said James “Jay” Hudson, principal deputy director of DeCA’s Store Operations Group.
“We consider the health and welfare of our customers, and our employees are our Number 1 concern,” Hudson said. “Our stores are following the highest standards of the Department of Defense’s health protection. This means we’re using disinfectant cleaners to wipe down our checkout areas, restrooms and shopping carts frequently.
“We’re also ensuring our associates practice routine hand washing and other basic sanitation measures to avoid spreading germs.”
Hudson said DeCA also encourages its employees to closely monitor their health and stay home if they, or someone in their household, are sick.
Commissary customers should continue to refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Coronavirus site for updates and guidance regarding this virus. Updates related to the commissaries can be found on DeCA’s Coronavirus page.
Social Sharing