FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Fort Irwin’s commissary began accepting the Military Star card as a form of payment for groceries Nov. 8. The change is part of a pilot program allowing the use of the Military Star card at local commissaries on military installations that launched Oct. 3 at Fort Lee, Virginia.
“We look forward to this partnership,” said Eugene Davis, the Fort Irwin store director. “This is a really good thing for the commissary and a good thing for the Military Star cardholder because you are earning points while you buy your groceries.”
All registers at the Fort Irwin commissary will be accepting the Military Star card like any other credit card. However, cardholders cannot check balances or make payments on the card at the commissary. By December, all 212 commissaries across the military are expected to be online to accept the Military Star card.
The Military Star card is a credit card accepted at all military exchanges, with 1.5 million cardholders. Cardholders earn points per every dollar spent, which in turn earn them a $20 gift card in the mail after reaching 2,000 points. At this time, the gift cards cannot be used at the commissary, but can be used at any exchange locations.
Using the Military Star card at locations like the commissary also benefits Morale, Welfare and Recreation. MWR manages programs and services that support readiness and resilience for Soldiers and Families. According to Bettina Ciciriello, Post Exchange main store manager at Fort Irwin, the “majority of the profit the PX makes goes back to MWR.”
Sign-up for the Military Star card can be done at any exchange location, and Fort Irwin’s Post Exchange representatives plan to set up a booth at the commissary to increase awareness of the card program.
Acceptance of the Military Star card at the commissary is one of many changes underway as the store completes a major remodeling effort to offer better services to the community. Construction projects in the store are projected to be complete by Christmas, and the next step will be a complete reset of the store next spring.
For more information about Fort Irwin’s commissary, visit https://www.commissaries.com/shopping/store-locations/fort-irwin.
