Replying to a message of TOM WALKER to ROY WITT:

 TW> The Military Bases exacticaly track the trends on the Outside.
 TW> They get their Gas for the Same Whoilesalers.
 TW> In the "Old Days" the price differential was significant. BUT
 TW> many years ago Political Pressure was applies and here the Miltary Gas
 TW> Stations, while Cheaper, are only pennies lower then the Cheaper on
 TW> the local Market. Also driving to Miramar MCAS or 32 Street is hardly
 TW> worth the hassle to save save tyically about a dollar or so on a Fill
 TW> up.

Here gas on the base (Offutt) is higher than gas in Iowa by about a dime.  I
presume it's the same or slightly lower than gas in Nebraska, where the base
is located.

The exchange and commissary keep telling us what a great deal they are.  I don't
see it.  If you shop carefully (in Iowa) you can match or beat commissary prices
- and not have to deal with the hassle of getting on the base (and since Bush minor
took office it *IS* a hassle even ignoring the 30 mile drive to the base) and dealing
with the hordes of dependents (in 1977 the commissary was moved to a brand new
building with 22 checkout lines ... and *3* checkers, I've been in it
precisely three times,
all in 1977).  Same with the exchange, the place never had anything I
needed or wanted,
and the prices weren't all that much better than Sears, which has a much greater
selection in all product lines - and if Sears doesn't have it in stock they
can get it a
whole lot quicker than the exchange can (likewise for K-Mart and Target); I
haven't bought anything from the exchange other than snacks and soda pop
since long before I retired in
1983.  Note that at Offutt the exchange is building a humongous new
facility that I'll
probably never set foot in, 2 years in the making so far and due to open
this summer sometime.

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