From militarytimes.com
A new Defense Department memo — and its clarification of three words — may ease the way for more military spouses to operate home-based businesses on military installations, especially when it comes to long-standing conflicts with competing with military exchanges and morale, welfare and recreation activities.
Military exchanges may be the “primary” resale activity on installations for certain items, but that doesn’t mean they’re the “exclusive” retailer, according to the DoD memo, signed Sept. 26 by Stephanie Barna, acting under secretary of defense for personnel and readiness. The memo also addresses some examples to clarify two other important words — whether a business might “supplement” what’s offered on the base rather than “compete” with the retail activities.
The memo deals specifically with whether a business conflicts with or unfairly competes with commissaries, exchanges, or morale, welfare and recreation activities on an installation. The decision-making authority still rests with the installation commanders, but the memo provides some clarity in that area.
“Military spouse entrepreneurs would welcome more consistency in the process, as they move from installation to installation,” said Sue Hoppin, founder and president of National Military Spouse Network.
“They’re not frustrated that commanders have the authority” to make the decisions, she said. Instead, “it’s the inconsistency in the interpretation,” which differs from installation to installation, and sometimes changes when a new commander arrives.
“It’s often difficult to find out what the requirements are,” said Lauren Hope, owner of Hope Design.
“I don’t mind meeting a high bar. I just need to know where the bar is,” she said, during a NMSN panel discussion Thursday of military spouse entrepreneurs.
Hope, who designs, hand crafts and sells military jewelry, said she has encountered a number of issues trying to operate her business out of her home on installations, including concerns about competition with on-base retail operations.
Because of the inconsistencies regarding home based businesses at previous installations, she said, “we chose to live off base at Fort Leavenworth. I couldn’t jeopardize my business and my income.”
Her business is five years old.
Current DoD policy says that exchanges are the “primary resale activity on DoD installations for non-food merchandise and patron services.”
