What About My Spouse? Confusion at Some Bases as New Commissary Access Begins

While some newly eligible veterans and caregivers were welcomed by commissaries and exchanges with cake and balloons, several others were met with surprises on some base guest policies.More than 4 million veterans and caregivers became eligible this year to shop at commissaries, exchanges and MWR facilities. Details on how veterans would be identified for the benefit and permitted on secure bases to access these facilities were not released until a few months before implementation.While the Department of Defense said each branch is training its Visitor Control Center staff, some newly eligible patrons have reported they were told they could not bring a guest with them.Related: Some New Commissary Shoppers Will Be Able to Use This Letter for Base Access"My husband and I have absolutely no problem with following these rules, regulations, or the processing of this as a spouse," wrote one reader who was denied at Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. "But to be told that it is not for me as a spouse is downright heartbreaking and discouraging and not right to us. Especially since I served along beside my husband during all of those years of enlistment."But base staff said last-minute changes in the policy led to confusion for Visitor Control Center staff, and there has been some miscommunication as bases have tightened security in the wake of threats from Iran.