VN era vets remember when you went over to the PX/BX and wanted to buy...

[haele]

5. Heck, you could still get those deals well into the 1980's.

BX/PX was not supposed to make a profit, so most of what you bought was for cost with perhaps up to 2% tacked on if the base had a seriously active MWR organization. And the products they provided were what the majority of people on base wanted, so there was always lots of gift, recreational, and "comfort" items.

Used to be what ever cost $10 on the economy would cost $1 to $2 at the BX/PX or commissary. BX/PX Ciggies and Booze were prime Black Market currency outside of base.

However, all good things have to come to an end. BRAC and a rush to privatize support activities dropped the quality and raised the base cost of items by around 20%, because of a small mark-up for "the vendors" - like Haliburton (Thank you, Dick Cheney!). In the 1990's, local governments pushed to add a surcharge to be added to go back into the community (a type of local sales tax) that could add another 2 to 5% to the final purchase. So, basically you're getting Macy's products at Target prices.

Still not bad and better than the economy in many places, but retirees and junior enlisted have to consider their shopping dollar, which they didn't have to before

Haele