Enlisted Association of the National Guard Joins Fight to Protect Benefits

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The organization dedicated to serving over 414,000 Army and Air National Guard members has joined the fight to preserve and protect commissary and exchange benefits for our troops, veterans, and their families. The Coalition to Save Our Military Shopping Benefits announced today that the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS) has joined the Coalition as a Valued Associate member.

“We are honored to have EANGUS support the Coalition’s efforts to promote and protect the military resale benefit for our troops, veterans, and their families”

Comprised of some of the largest and most prominent veterans and military service organizations, Save Our Benefit Valued Associates now represent 1.5 million service members, veterans, and their families. EANGUS joins other Valued Associate members concerned by the ongoing threats to commissary and exchange benefits. Budget cutters in and outside of Congress continue to overlook the fact that military resale is part of the solution to curbing defense spending, not part of the problem. Last year alone, there were five major attempts to undermine this “quality of life” benefit which saves military patrons $4.5 billion annually and contributes billions of dollars to the military communities they serve.

“EANGUS is proud to join with other military and veterans service organizations in supporting The Coalition to Save Our Military Shopping Benefits,” said Seth Waugh, EANGUS Director of Government Affairs. “Members of the National Guard fought for too long to obtain commissary and exchange privileges, and we cannot allow for currently serving and retired members of the National Guard to lose that privilege. Commissary and exchange benefits are vital to the morale and welfare of members of the military and their families. We hope that Congress will recognize the importance of these benefits and continue to support their mission,” stated Waugh.

“We are honored to have EANGUS support the Coalition’s efforts to promote and protect the military resale benefit for our troops, veterans, and their families,” said Patrick Nixon, President of The Coalition to Save Our Military Shopping Benefits. ”We encourage all National Guard members and their families to join the Coalition to help safeguard this critical benefit for our military community,” added Nixon.

Millions of veterans, service members, and their families rely on commissaries and exchanges to stretch their household budgets. An average military family of four can save $7,000 a year. In remote and overseas locations, it is often the only affordable shopping opportunity available. In metropolitan areas, where prices are consistently higher, commissaries and exchanges help keep prices affordable. For some junior enlisted military families and fixed income retirees, savings are the difference between making ends meet and filing for public assistance. Commissaries and exchanges are also the largest employer of military families in the world and the leading employer of veterans in the nation, adding to the financial stability of the military community.

EANGUS is a non-profit organization dedicated to the principles of providing an adequate national defense and promoting the status, welfare, and professionalism of the men and women of the Army and Air National Guard. EANGUS, formally organized in 1972, supports legislation that provides adequate staffing, pay, benefits, entitlements, equipment, and installations for the National Guard.

Service members and their families, veterans, concerned citizens, and organizations who wish to join The Coalition to Save Our Military Shopping Benefits or to learn more, please visit www.SaveOurBenefit.org.