Why commissaries exist Headquartered at Fort Lee, Va., the Defense Commissary Agency serves as a provider of low-cost groceries to U.S. military service members around the world.
Commissaries sell items at cost plus five percent.
Customers save over 25 percent by shopping in commissaries when compared with prices in commercial grocery stores. Established in 1990 by the Deputy Secretary of Defense, DeCA took form in 1991 maintains a proud tradition of service going back to 1826. DeCA's mission is to ensure military readiness and retention of quality personnel by providing a valuable part of the military compensation package, which enhances quality of life through a worldwide commissary system for the resale of groceries and household supplies to authorized patrons. Surveys consistently place the commissary privilege at the top of service members' most valued non-pay compensations, along with medical care. Number of commissary stores DeCA operates 309 commissaries with 18,000 employees at U.S. military sites worldwide.