Liccardo said losing the commissary would be a hardship to service members and veterans who made immense sacrifices for the country. He added the least the government can do is provide them access to affordable, basic necessities.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt a time of soaring food costs, we must protect this essential benefit and work together to preserve or replace this vital facility,\u201d Liccardo told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight.<\/p>\n
Liccardo\u2019s office said there are a total of 55,000 veterans between San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.<\/p>\n
Supervisor Otto Lee, a U.S. Navy veteran, called himself a \u201cfrequent patron\u201d of the commissary.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Commissary has not only provided financial relief, but also has served as a cornerstone of community and support for those who have served our nation,\u201d Lee told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cThis potential closure will force military families to travel long distances or pay higher prices elsewhere, adding unnecessary hardship to those already living on fixed or limited incomes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The decision apparently comes from the national Department of War<\/a>, a revived U.S. cabinet branch under President Donald Trump. A spokesperson for the Defense Commissary Agency deferred comment to the Department of War after questions from this news organization. The Department of War did not respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, the Department of War moved to privatize commissaries<\/a> by studying ways to outsource the military grocery stores to for-profit grocers and investment firms.<\/p>\n Santa Clara County officials, who run their own Office of Veteran Services, weren\u2019t immediately available for comment. The Veterans Affairs office in Palo Alto didn\u2019t respond to requests for comment.<\/p>\n The NASA Ames Research Center owns the building that houses the commissary. Liccardo\u2019s letter urges Hall to reverse the decision. He also called on Hall to assess the economic impact on the thousands of Bay Area military families and retirees who depend on commissary savings.<\/p>\n \u201cI urge the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) to work with NASA Ames Research Center to develop a plan that preserves or replaces this critical facility and ensures continued access for the Bay Area\u2019s military community,\u201d Liccardo said.<\/p>\n \u201cOur service members and veterans have sacrificed their lives to protect our ability to live in freedom and with security,\u201d Liccardo wrote in his letter to Hall. \u201cClosing the commissary at Moffett Federal Airfield diminishes support available to our Bay Area military community, creating a preventable food desert for those who need it most.\u201d<\/p>\n Story updated Oct. 23 at 2:36 p.m. Original story published Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n![\"Keep](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/1761257047_937_interactive-184632509590.png\")
<\/a>It comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom plans to deploy National Guard troops<\/a> to support food banks\u00a0next month amid anticipated delays to federal food assistance during a protracted government shutdown.<\/p>\n