• FORT LEE
When service members and their families think of where they can go for their grocery needs, their local commissary should immediately come to mind.
That is the message Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Hall delivers, and he focused on that during the agency’s anniversary on Oct. 1.
Hall said, “Our vision for DeCA continues to involve working toward being THE grocery provider of choice for our eligible patrons — delivering a vital benefit exclusively for our military community and their families.
“This is the cornerstone for our existence. It was true in 1991
when the agency started, and it’s true today.”
IMPROVING THE BENEFIT
As DeCA observes its 34th anniversary, Hall said the agency continues to improve its delivery of the commissary benefit to millions of eligible patrons.
Commissary shoppers cannot help but notice recent innovations to DeCA’s e-commerce platform reflecting improvements patrons expect in today’s retail environment.
“We’ve enhanced our online ordering functions through our Commissary CLICK2GO (CC2G) service by improving website navigation and search functions,” Hall said.
“We also improved CC2G’s product information, added robust recipe ideas, featured sales and promotions, upgraded our customers’ mobile-friendly experience, and last but definitely not least, we added online payment, perhaps our most significant enhancement,” he noted.
“These and many other shopping improvements make shopping at the commissary the first, and best, option for our patrons’ grocery needs,” he said.
HISTORY
Improving the commissary benefit has been the mission since DeCA first picked up the mantle to be the military’s grocery provider.
After a 1989 Congressionally-mandated study of the separate military commissary systems, the Defense Commissary Agency was established on May 15, 1990 by a memorandum from the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Army Maj. Gen. John P. Dreska was named DeCA’s first director in June 1990, and the agency officially began operations on Oct. 1, 1991.
DeCA’s creation was a significant step in modernizing the military commissary system, which has continued to evolve to offer more modern shopping experiences and services.
PRIMARY GOAL
The agency’s primary goal continues to be to provide a more efficient, cost-effective way to deliver the commissary benefit, which helps improve the quality of life for military personnel and their families — something DeCA employees take personally, Hall said.
“Our employees have a sense of military community, with over 63 percent of our workforce having a connection to the armed forces,” he noted.
Source: DeCA
Edited by Larry Lapka
