Pentagon plan for poorest U.S. troops: swap food stamps for debit card

Proposed subsidy would cost $30 million

In this story: 'The Department of Defense takes care of its own' 6,300 troops now eligible RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon, embarrassed because some of the country's lowest-paid troops use food stamps to feed their families, has proposed a solution -- a government subsidy in the form of a plastic debit card.

The U.S. Defense Department said Friday it will ask Congress to approve $30 million for grocery cash debit cards for troops who now use welfare subsistence food stamps.

The plan also would cover military members who would qualify for food stamps if the cash value of their off-base housing allowances wasn't counted as income. In such cases, combining salary and the cash value of a housing allowance pushes those troops over the food stamp eligibility limit.

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Under the "subsistence plan" proposal, junior enlisted personnel would be issued electronic debit cards containing a fixed monthly value based on the military member's pay grade and family size.

'The Department of Defense takes care of its own'

"The subsistence plan is the right thing to do for our men and women in uniform," said Defense Secretary William Cohen.

"These measures directly improve the standard and quality of living that our service members deserve," he said. "Of paramount importance is the ability to attract and retain the quality force on which our nation has come to rely. This new step is consistent with that goal and shows that the Department of Defense takes care of its own."

Despite recent pay raises, a small percentage of the nation's 1.4 million troops remain eligible for food stamps and Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush has sharply criticized the Clinton administration for the problem.

6,300 troops now eligible

Army Maj. Tim Blair, a Pentagon spokesman, said the new plan would benefit 6,300 troops who qualify for food stamps, which help millions of low-income Americans feed their families.

Blair said the eligible number of troops is expected to drop to about 4,600 by 2005 under current and proposed military pay raises. The problem is especially prevalent among troops with very low incomes and large families.

"It addresses an identified need to improve the financial well-being of many of our junior personnel while providing an alternative benefit to those currently relying on public assistance in the form of food stamps," the Pentagon said in an announcement.

It said that eligibility guidelines would generally follow those of the Agriculture Department but would not count housing allowances of troops living off base as income. The Agriculture Department administers the federal food stamp program.

The Defense Department also said the benefits would be administered on military bases, making access much easier than having to travel to state offices where such aid is normally distributed.

Troops assigned to remote locations, where military food commissaries are not available, could shop at off-base stores that might not accept debit cards and then be reimbursed with cash from store receipts.

CNN Military Affairs Correspondent Jamie McIntyre andReuters contributed to this report.

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