Military Question

[SteelClip49]

For those who are in the military and are retired from the military....and if you live close to base, do you all do your basic necessity shopping on base because of no taxing or do you both?

My uncle (retired tech sergeant AWAC) lives in Shawnee and does all his grocery shopping and other shopping at Tinker but at times will just stay in Shawnee if he really wants to, to get stuff.

I also wonder if while on active duty if you have everything you need on base and if it's the same if you are retired?

[Okla-homey]

For those who are in the military and are retired from the military....and if you live close to base, do you all do your basic necessity shopping on base because of no taxing or do you both?

My uncle (retired tech sergeant AWAC) lives in Shawnee and does all his grocery shopping and other shopping at Tinker but at times will just stay in Shawnee if he really wants to, to get stuff.

I also wonder if while on active duty if you have everything you need on base and if it's the same if you are retired?


I buy big ticket items from the on-line Exchange system. No sales tax and shipping is free on purchases over 50 bucks. For example, on electronics, the Exchange retail price is usually 10-20% lower than at Best Buy.

Most other stuff, we just buy at local stores.

If we lived closer to Tinker, Mrs Homey would prolly buy groceries at the Commissary simply because there's no sales tax. IMHO, and FWIW, its kinda sucky that Oklahoma taxes grocery purchases.

As to benefits, retirees can use all the facilities they could use before they retired.

[reevie]

As to benefits, retirees can use all the facilities they could use before they retired.



Such as the golf course

[SoonerStormchaser]

If we lived closer to Tinker, Mrs Homey would prolly buy groceries at the Commissary simply because there's no sales tax. \

Actually, they charge a 5% surcharge (aka "sales tax") on all commissary items for "expenses and store related items."

[8timechamps]

Use the exchange like Homey...for some big ticket stuff. Otherwise, I shop like normal folks (cause I don't live close to a base).

[Okla-homey]

Actually, they charge a 5% surcharge (aka "sales tax") on all commissary items for "expenses and store related items."

Well, you gotta tip the Korean ladies who roll your groceries out to your car too, but that ain't a tax.

[SoonerStormchaser]

That is true...and I do tip them.

[Lott's Bandana]

I live in Norman and frankly, rarely go to the BX. Big ticket items are a good deal without the tax, if you can find what you want AND the price makes it worth it...of course, then I buy it online and have it shipped to me.

Golf course, liquor store (especially on Sundays and cold beer), and the club for special events from time to time.

My father has been retired since 1973, also lives in Norman and is at the commissary twice a month since the day he got his blue card.

I chalk that up to a different generation (depression baby v. boomer)

[AggieTool]

The Class Six (liquor) stores are the only places I frequent on base.

Otherwise, most of the time it's not worth going, and I live 4 miles from the front gate.

[olevetonahill]

Whats this On Line stuff ?
Hell I havnt even bothered gettin Mu ID renewed in 15 yrs cause I live way to far away .
As far as sales tax goes I dont havta pay that any way .

[Okla-homey]

Whats this On Line stuff ?
Hell I havnt even bothered gettin Mu ID renewed in 15 yrs cause I live way to far away .
As far as sales tax goes I dont havta pay that any way .

http://www.aafes.com/

[Sooner in Tampa]

I work on base everyday...I rarely use the commissary. The class six is where we buy all of our booze. Usually, about once a quarter, the class six has a big tent sale...it is a great time to stock up....but mostly one wine.

I very rarely even step foot in the BX.

[Harry Beanbag]

Yeah, the Package Store was great for booze. The commissary was never really that much cheaper than a regular grocery store though, plus it felt like a really small old Wal-mart inside.

[8timechamps]

For you Navy swags or devil dogs:

https://www.navy-nex.com/

[King Crimson]

so you guys don't pay taxes and get government subsidized health care....

and accuse other people of communism/socialism.:D

rip me all you want, but my granddad has a purple heart and air corps medal of honor and my pops was an army ranger.

[SteelClip49]

Wow...thanks for all the info.

It's awesome having relatives who have those quirks. The OU/WVA Fiasco vacation....it was my sister, my pops, my uncle and I that stayed in an on-base home at Luke AFB for a grand total of $40 for 3 nights...hell, that is one nice deal.

We all went to the grocery store on base and my uncle told me that I can get stuff but make sure you don't ever checkout because I would be kicked out because I am not military personnel. Only (and it makes sense obviously) military personnel can pay.

We like the deals but when it's all said and done, at the end of the day, we thank our uncle for his service and others for their service.

It's damn nice military personnel active and retired get treated like royalty in these instances....they more than ever deserve it.

[texas bandman]

we go to the commissary twice a year (my wife likes the prices on laundry detergent and cleaning supplies and if stuff that we normally buy is on sale we stock up) and we do a little shopping at the BX. What we really use is the pharmacy at Tinker. We get 3 month supplies of our prescriptions for free. Luckily my aunt lives near Tinker and my uncle works on base so my wife and I just copy our ID cards with a little statement saying that it's okay for them to pick up our prescriptions. We just phone in the refills and they pick them up for us and mail them them to us. (I love my aunt!) On original prescritions, we just mail them to her and she turns them into the pharmacy and then picks them up for us. Of course since my wife and I are both teachers we are able to pick up one set for ourselves during the summer and sometimes it works out that we can pick them up from my aunt when we visit over Christmas or spring break.

[8timechamps]

My favorite was in the Gulf. I could get two cans of Skoal for a buck every week. I don't chew Skoal, but the price was right.

[Lott's Bandana]

so you guys don't pay taxes and get government subsidized health care....

and accuse other people of communism/socialism.:D

rip me all you want, but my granddad has a purple heart and air corps medal of honor and my pops was an army ranger.


Yeah, and we get buried free too!

[Harry Beanbag]

rip me all you want, but my granddad has a purple heart and air corps medal of honor and my pops was an army ranger.


Whatsyerpoint?

[Okla-homey]

so you guys don't pay taxes and get government subsidized health care....

and accuse other people of communism/socialism.:D

rip me all you want, but my granddad has a purple heart and air corps medal of honor and my pops was an army ranger.

we don't pay sales taxes. We do, however pay the rest of the full panoply of taxes your bunch has festooned Americans with.

As to health care, its free, but rationed, and if you have private options available via heath insurance, that is most definitely the way to go. That's also why I oppose gubmint healthcare utilizing a single payor system. That is a recipe for frustration, rationing of services and interminable waits for stuff as most GI's can attest.

I don't know about you, but if a woman you love finds a lump on her breastage, you damn well want it checked out stat, and treated most riki-tik irrespective of whether there are patients "ahead of her in line" awaiting those same services who are potentially far worse off. I'm selfish that way.

[King Crimson]

Whatsyerpoint?

like a lot of Oklahomans, my family has roots in the military...so i don't want to be dismissed as a simple liberal hater living in Boulder, Colorado.

government subsidized military health care is somehow not "socialism" when it comes to the current "political philosophy" among the so-called real conservatives on this board. John McCain, for instance, has had military, tax-subsidized health care for 50 years yet argued that similar health care was "socialism".

i think it's a contradiction.

[King Crimson]

we don't pay sales taxes. We do, however pay the rest of the full panoply of taxes your bunch has festooned Americans with.

As to health care, its free, but rationed, and if you have private options available via heath insurance, that is most definitely the way to go. That's also why I oppose gubmint healthcare utilizing a single payor system. That is a recipe for frustration, rationing of services and interminable waits for stuff as most GI's can attest.

I don't know about you, but if a woman you love finds a lump on her breastage, you damn well want it checked out stat, and treated most riki-tik irrespective of whether there are patients "ahead of her in line" awaiting those same services who are potentially far worse off. I'm selfish that way.

screw off with your "your bunch" and "festooned"....i've never been registered as a democrat. the whole "tax and spend" thing is so old.

it's way too easy for the "real conservatives" to create the straw men like they've been taught by Rush, Ronnie, and newsmax.com.

[Harry Beanbag]

like a lot of Oklahomans, my family has roots in the military...so i don't want to be dismissed as a simple liberal hater living in Boulder, Colorado.

While your family may have served this country honorably, that has no bearing at all on you. The fact that your family answered the call does not forgive or confirm your political views, where you live, or your attitude.




government subsidized military health care is somehow not "socialism" when it comes to the current "political philosophy" among the so-called real conservatives on this board. John McCain, for instance, has had military, tax-subsidized health care for 50 years yet argued that similar health care was "socialism".

i think it's a contradiction.

I think you look way too hard to find crap to bitch about. You don't think McCain earned his health care? You don't think the guys getting their arms and legs blown off in Iraq deserve to have free health care because you perceive some weird contradiction?

Besides, anybody who has served will tell you that the military ain't a democracy anyway.