Expanded on-base shopping for many US veterans faces hurdles overseas

Customers eat and shop inside the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Under a new law that became effective Jan. 1, more disabled veterans can now shop on base. Germany is the only overseas location so far where military and local officials have established a procedure for veterans to access the benefits.

Expanded on-base shopping for many US veterans faces hurdles overseas

by Jennifer H. Svan

Stars and Stripes

March 1, 2020

KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — The new rules that extend on-base shopping privileges to an additional 4.1 million U.S. veterans can’t be applied in some countries and face restrictions in others, officials said.

So far, outside of the United States, the exchange and commissary benefits are only available in Germany, through a process that includes getting a Veteran Health Identification Card in the U.S., being vetted for base access and then registering with U.S. and German customs offices.

Though on-base products are free from U.S. taxes, veterans will have to report what they buy and pay German taxes.

At least 24 veterans have been approved to use the shopping benefit at U.S. bases in Germany since Jan. 1, said Frank Phillips, a Veterans Affairs service officer for Europe who works from U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/1.620650

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