According to the independent U.S. military news website Military Times, at least six service stations on U.S. mainland military bases reported cooling system malfunctions this week. While the Pentagon acknowledged the problem, it offered no speculation about its cause. According to official announcements and social media reports, affected bases include at least: Fort Irwin, California; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island; Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas; Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming; Robbins Air Force Base, Georgia; and Fort Rowan, Arizona. Defense Department officials declined to specify the total number of service stations affected or whether the malfunctions were under investigation as related incidents.
“The Department of Defense is aware of potential cooling outages at some service stations under the Defense Materiel Office,” a defense official said in a statement provided to Military Times. "The Defense Procurement Agency has taken appropriate precautions to transfer products to other temperature-controlled locations to minimize spoilage. The service center remains open and is taking all feasible measures to ensure food safety. Beyond this, we have no further information to provide." The Department of Defense Service Center provides benefits to active-duty military personnel and their families, as well as veterans with base access rights. Its food is sold at cost price, with a small additional charge for staff wages and facility maintenance, making it at least 25% cheaper than comparable civilian supermarkets.
