Penrod’s designation reinforces the commissaries’ mission as being vital to military sustainment and readiness.
“Providing for the care and feeding of our military members and families is a critical requirement that must be accomplished at all health protection condition levels,” she wrote in the memo.
Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, DeCA has used critical hire authority to fast-track the hiring of store employees needed to help keep stores properly staffed. The memo addresses potential staff shortages by alerting the military to be “prepared to support sustainment of commissary operations with uniformed members and assets.”
Other measures spelled out in the commissaries’ mission-critical designation include the following:
• Installation commanders should ensure continued installation access for resupply trucks and commissary-related support services such as linen services and mission-critical commercial activities contractors. However, this authority excludes non-mission critical contract services and personnel such as delis, bakeries, sushi stations, flower shops and seafood stations.
• Commissary store directors can decide locally the patron purchase limits needed to ensure their stock levels meet patron demand. Exceptions to this authority can occur if installation commanders establish limits in accordance with DoDI 6200.03.
• Store directors can make operational decisions to ensure the safe and efficient operation of their commissary in areas such as operating hours, days and staffing levels. Exceptions to this authority can occur if installation commanders establish limits in accordance with DoDIs 6200.03 or 6055.17.
• DeCA can submit requests for joint force personnel or logistics support through the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to the Joint Staff.
• Installation commanders can override their commissaries’ mission-critical designation, in accordance with DOD instructions, if they determine public health and emergency management concerns are more significant.
In late February, DeCA stood up its emergency operations center to mobilize the agency’s support to its 236 stores worldwide amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Commissaries also intensified their partnership with industry suppliers to support the needs of senior leaders on the ground at each location, said retired Rear Adm. Robert J. Bianchi, DOD special assistant for commissary operations.
“Being designated mission-critical further reinforces our responsibility to effectively and efficiently deliver the commissary benefit to the millions of service members and their families worldwide who need it during this outbreak,” Bianchi said. “We do this in concert with our installation commanders to decide what’s needed as far as social distancing and the hours or days to designate in best serving our military communities.”
Bianchi emphasized that DeCA’s No. 1 objective continues to be providing the military and their families with necessary goods and ensuring commissaries remain safe and clean.
For more information about DeCA's response to the coronavirus, go to the commissary website: https://commissaries.com/coronavirus.
Plexiglass panels in checkout lanes add protection
Military commissaries worldwide are installing plexiglass sneeze shields in all regular checkout lanes to add extra protection for customers and cashiers during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.
Plexiglass shields are currently being installed and will be in all commissaries in the next several days. The plexiglass panels are 36 inches high and range in width from 24 to 30 inches. They will not be placed at self-checkout stands.
The panels are just one of many protective measures the Defense Commissary Agency is implementing to follow the highest standards of the Department of Defense’s health protection in our stores, said Bianchi.
“We at the Defense Commissary Agency want to reassure our valued customers and our dedicated employees that their health and welfare are our No. 1 concern,” Bianchi said. “At our commissaries we are wiping down checkout areas, restrooms and shopping carts with disinfectant, and practicing routine hand washing and other basic sanitation measures to avoid spreading germs.
“We’re also encouraging our employees to closely monitor their health and well-being, and asking them to stay home if they, or someone in their household, are sick,” Bianchi added.
Preparing for and responding to emergencies is nothing new for DeCA, the admiral said. Over the years, commissaries have dealt with all manner of natural and manmade crises and continue to work with military leaders and industry suppliers to maintain delivery of the benefit.
“Please be assured that DeCA’s objective right now is to provide for you and your families with necessary goods and to make sure our stores remain safe and clean,” Bianchi said.
For more information about DeCA's response to the coronavirus, go to the commissary website: https://commissaries.com/coronavirus.
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