If you thought your college cafeteria was overpriced and underwhelming, think again. That might feel like fine dining compared to the meals now served in military dining facilities (DFACs), a downgrade fueled by an accounting issue that emerged under the Biden administration and has quietly persisted ever since.

DFACs are supposed to provide service members with solid, healthy meals on behalf of their service branches. In part, these meals are funded by service members themselves, who see $460 taken from their paychecks each month—a significant financial burden for junior enlisted service members who earn roughly $30,000 a year.

Given that burden, one would hope that the meals provided fit the bill when it comes to nutrition and quantity. But unfortunately, DFACs have recently made the news both for providing inadequate service and for not being transparent about how they’re spending their money.

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A 2024 investigation by Military.com revealed significant discrepancies within the $225 million deducted from Army personnel’s paychecks to support the DFAC system. Financial records from 11 of the Army’s largest installations reviewed as part of the investigation raised serious concerns, even drawing scrutiny from state senators in Colorado.

Of the $225 million collected, over $151 million was redirected into what has been vaguely described as “a pool of Army funds.” In other words, $151 million never reached the DFAC, and no one seems to know where it went.

This money’s mysterious disappearance is taking its toll on the quality of the food and services provided to our troops.

At Fort Carson in Colorado, an anonymous barracks and dining review app has seen a surge in complaints from frustrated soldiers. One review described the DFAC as lacking adequate protein options, serving warm sushi, and even offering a meal consisting of lima beans and toast.

Other issues have also come to light. The same anonymous reviews at Fort Carson mention empty grab-and-go kiosks and 45-minute wait times just to get a meal.

For junior enlisted soldiers, who make up the bulk of the military—and who already face financial constraints—this creates an additional hardship. If dining facilities fail to provide proper sustenance, they’re forced to turn to constantly eating out—even though their wages have already had a dining facility deduction taken from them. This directly impacts morale, readiness and overall well-being.

This problem isn’t limited to Fort Carson. At Fort Stewart, Ga., financial records showed that the Army collected $17 million from soldiers for DFAC—but only $2.1 million of that was spent on DFAC food. That means 87% of the funds were redirected elsewhere—but again, it’s unclear where.

The pattern is clear: money intended for feeding soldiers is disappearing into bureaucratic black holes, leaving service members struggling to access the meals they’re supposed to be guaranteed.

This mismanagement of funds has compounded existing problems within the DFAC system. In 2023, Fort Cavazos (formerly known as Fort Hood) faced severe staffing shortages for DFAC cooks, leaving junior enlisted soldiers with few meal options.

The situation became so dire that only two of the Texas base’s 10 major dining facilities remained open during the summer. As a result, soldiers were forced to drive long distances—sometimes up to an hour—just to get a meal. For many, this imposed both an expensive and time-consuming burden, adding unnecessary stress to an already demanding military lifestyle.

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These failures in the DFAC system aren’t just administrative oversights; they’re a breach of trust between the military and the soldiers who serve. The Army expects its personnel to always be mission-ready—but how can they be when they’re underfed, forced to spend their own money on meals, or left wondering why their hard-earned paychecks are funding a dining system that doesn’t serve them properly?

This issue demands immediate accountability. The Army must conduct a transparent audit to determine exactly where the diverted funds have gone and why they were funneled into a vague “pool of Army funds” instead of being used for their intended purpose. Leadership must also take steps to ensure that DFACs are properly staffed, stocked and funded so that soldiers are provided with the quality meals they have already paid for.

America’s warfighters deserve better. They dedicate their lives to defending this country; they shouldn’t be struggling to receive a proper meal. If the Army wants to maintain the trust and morale of its force, it must prioritize fixing this broken system before another dollar is wasted or another soldier is forced to settle for a plate of lima beans and toast.