Veteran Speaks Out About Military’s Food Insecurity Issue Ahead of Holidays – Newsweek
Veteran Speaks Out About Military's Food Insecurity Issue Ahead of Holidays Newsweek
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Food Insecurity Among Active-Duty Service Members and Veterans
While the holidays are meant to be a time to gather with loved ones, which often involves sharing a meal, many active-duty service members and veterans will struggle to put food on the table this season.
Ahead of Thanksgiving, Newsweek spoke with Jim Whaley—who served two decades in the U.S. Army and now is the CEO of Mission Roll Call, a nonpartisan organization that advocates for veterans’ issues—about food insecurity prevalent not only among veterans but those still serving our country.
Emphasizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Goal 1: No Poverty
- Goal 2: Zero Hunger
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
“It actually hurts my heart to think about a young family overseas or even here in the United States on active duty that can’t figure out how on Thanksgiving they’re going to have a turkey,” Whaley told Newsweek over the phone on November 19.
In 2022, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) said that roughly 24 percent of active-duty service members experienced food insecurity at some point in 2020. Meanwhile, according to Feeding America, a U.S. hunger relief nonprofit, 1 in 9 working-age veterans are food insecure.
“It is an embarrassment to our country when we have 24 percent of active duty struggling to pay for food,” Whaley said.
Financial Insecurity Issues
- Financial struggles among active-duty service members and veterans affect military recruitment and retention.
- Whaley calls on the DOD and the VA to work together to solve food and financial insecurity issues among active-duty service members and veterans.
While the DOD’s armed service branches recruited 12.5 percent more people in the 2024 fiscal year, the department still faces challenges in a market that Director of Military Accession Policy Dr. Katie Helland described at the Pentagon in October as having “low youth propensity to serve, limited familiarity with military opportunities, a competitive labor market and a declining eligibility among young adults.”
Newsweek asked each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces for their retention rates for the 2024 fiscal year. The Marine Corps was contacted outside of business hours.
A Navy spokesperson told Newsweek via email on November 26, “The Navy exhibited strong retention during FY 2024 by surpassing 100 percent of our set enlisted Sailor and 90 percent of our set officer retention goals.”
Whaley is calling on the DOD and the VA to work together to solve food and financial insecurity issues among active-duty service members and veterans, telling Newsweek, “If we want to ensure that we continue to enjoy the freedoms that we have, we need to make sure that we’re taking care of active-duty military.
“There should be no reason in a country as powerful as ours, as rich as ours, that military service is relegated to those that are willing to suffer and not be able to provide for their families. That to me is just unfathomable. We need to do a much better job,” he said.
What Is The DOD and VA Doing To Help Those In Need?
A DOD spokesperson told Newsweek via email on November 27, “Taking care of Service members is a top priority for DoD senior leaders.”
“The Department is implementing multiple new food security pilot programs with the $10M received in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” the spokesperson said. “The Department of Defense remains committed to ensuring a ready and resilient force, which is strengthened by providing our military community access to affordable, nutritious food.”
The DOD released an infographic in September, outlining the steps it’s currently taking to take care of active-duty service members and their families. Some steps include a cumulative 9.8 percent pay rise over the past two years and a proposed 4.5 percent pay raise for 2025.
The department also mentioned that the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), a monthly allowance meant to offset housing costs when government housing is not provided, increased by an average of 18 percent over 2022 rates and the Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS), a monthly allowance meant to offset the cost of food, increased by 13 percent over the past two years.
The DOD spokesperson also mentioned the Military OneSource’s website, mobile app and call center, which provides “service members and families resources and support to strengthen their access to affordable, nutritious food.”
Meanwhile, a VA spokesperson told Newsweek via email on November 27 that the department “is working diligently to enhance food security solutions so that no Veteran, nor their loved ones, goes hungry in the country they swore to defend.”
“VA has screened more than 14.9 million for food insecurity since 2017. This has enabled us to identify those in need and connect them with vital resources. About 4.3 million Veterans were screened in fiscal year 2024. Of those, 109,000 were food insecure. We worked closely with these Veterans and their local VA facilities and communities to provide them with services,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also mentioned the Veterans Health Administration’s Food Security Office established in 2022.
The FSO “launched the ‘Food Hub Playbook,’ which guides the creation of food pantries offering nutritious options and incorporates VA’s wraparound services, such as social work and nutrition therapy, for Veterans,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also mentioned the VHA Fresh Connect Produce Prescription Pilot, funded in partnership with the Rockefeller Foundation. The pilot program “offers food insecure Veterans a monthly stipend for fresh produce and nutrition education in locations such as Houston and Salt Lake City,” the spokesperson said.
“While VA has made progress to combat Veteran food insecurity, there is more to do—especially reaching Veterans in remote or underserved areas,” the spokesperson said. “Hundreds of VHA staff members are undergoing training to better identify food-insecure Veterans, as well as to implement best practices for intervention and develop community partnerships to enhance support efforts.”
For more information on VHA Nutrition and Food Services, visit the VHA Food Security Office webpage on the VA’s website.
Update 11/27/24, 10:31 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from the DOD and VA.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
– Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular, the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round.
– Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES).
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
– Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
– Indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate, by sex, age, and persons with disabilities.
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
– Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
– Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
4. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
– Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
– Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms for the prevention and redress of violence and their needs for accessing specific services and support.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular, the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round. | Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES). |
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value. | Indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate, by sex, age, and persons with disabilities. |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status. | Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. | Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms for the prevention and redress of violence and their needs for accessing specific services and support. |
Analysis
1. The SDGs addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article are SDG 2: Zero Hunger, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, and SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
2. Specific targets under those SDGs identified based on the article’s content are:
– Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular, the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round.
– Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
– Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
– Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
3. Indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are:
– Indicator 2.1.2: Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES).
– Indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate, by sex, age, and persons with disabilities.
– Indicator 10.2.1: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, by age, sex, and persons with disabilities.
– Indicator 16.3.1: Proportion of victims of violence in the previous 12 months who reported their victimization to competent authorities or other officially recognized mechanisms for the prevention and redress of violence and their needs for accessing specific services and support.
The article highlights the issue of food insecurity among active-duty service members and veterans, which is connected to SDG 2: Zero Hunger. The prevalence of food insecurity among this population can be measured using Indicator 2.1.2.
The article also discusses the financial struggles faced by active-duty service members and veterans, which relates to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The unemployment rate among this population, particularly among young people and persons with disabilities, can be measured using Indicator 8.5.2.
Furthermore, the article mentions the importance of promoting social and economic inclusion, which aligns with SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities. The proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income, including age, sex, and persons with disabilities, can be measured using Indicator 10.2.1.
Lastly, the article touches on the need for equal access to justice and support for victims of violence, which relates to SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. The proportion of victims of violence who report their victimization and their needs for accessing specific services and support can be measured using Indicator 16.3.1.
Source: newsweek.com
