Isakson Praises Approval of Military Commissary at Dobbins Air Reserve Base

Facility Would Serve Thousands of Military Personnel, Veterans in Metro Atlanta

Sep 04, 2009

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator and Senate candidate Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today announced that Dobbins Air Reserve Base has received approval from the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness to build a military commissary on the base.

The approval for a military commissary stems from more than a year of work by Isakson, U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Ga., to ensure a seamless transition between the closure of existing commissaries serving metro Atlanta and construction of the new commissary.

“This is fantastic news for Dobbins as well as for the thousands of military personnel and veterans in the metro Atlanta area,” said Isakson, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “I’m extremely pleased the Department of Defense has given final approval of the commissary at Dobbins, and I will now work with my colleagues to ensure Dobbins receives the necessary funding for the commissary.”

On March 31, the Commissary Operating Board of the Defense Commissary Agency agreed to recommend approval of a commissary at Dobbins Air Reserve Base to the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, who ultimately made the final decision on the facility.

Fort Gillem and Fort McPherson in Atlanta, as well as the Naval Supply School in Athens, are scheduled to close in 2011. Absent the addition of a commissary at Dobbins, the closest commissary for the metro Atlanta military population would be located at Fort Benning, which is approximately two hours southwest of Atlanta.

Isakson believes it is critical to maintain a convenient commissary for the metro Atlanta military community, and Dobbins Air Reserve Base meets all the requirements outlined by the Department of Defense to build and maintain a commissary.