U.S. Rep. Sam Liccardo, D-San Jose, is trying to save the one of the few commissary grocery stores for military veterans in the Bay Area that could face closure. 

At Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View, a commissary store operated by the Defense Commissary Agency, or DeCA, provides discounted items like food and household cleaning supplies to veterans and their families.

DeCA is responsible for running the hundreds of commissary stores across the country, providing military personnel and their families an average 24% discount on items, according to the agency.

However, the store is at risk of closing if DeCA does not reach a renewed agreement with the NASA Ames Research Center, the current owner of the facility where the commissary store is housed, according to Liccardo.

“Losing the Moffett Field Commissary would be a hardship for the Bay Area’s military community, and I urge the Defense Commissary Agency to preserve or replace it,” Liccardo said in a statement Thursday.

Liccardo raised his concerns to the director of DeCA, John Hall, in a letter sent Thursday. 

“I write to express concern over reports that the commissary located at Moffett Federal Airfield will cease operations in 2026,” Liccardo wrote. “Closing 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.”

One reason for Liccardo’s plea to keep Moffett Federal Commissary open is due to the distance of the nearest commissaries, which are located in Monterey, Fairfield, and Sacramento. 

Concerns over the possible closing of commissaries come as DeCA and the Department of War consider privatizing 178 commissaries across the country. On Sept. 19, DeCA issued a request for information, or RFI, to the commercial grocery industry to determine if there is any interest for the private sector to assume commissary operations.

However, Moffett Airfield Commissary’s potential closure surrounds DeCA’s contract with NASA Ames Research Center. If a renewed agreement is not reached between both parties, then it could be closed in 2026, Liccardo said. 

“Our service members and veterans have made enormous sacrifices to protect our nation,” Liccardo said. “The least we can do is ensure they have access to affordable, basic necessities.”

DeCA referred requests for comment to the Department of War, which did not respond. 

Alise Maripuu is an intern at BCN with a focus on covering the Peninsula. Originally from San Carlos, Alise discovered her passion for journalism after studying abroad in Thailand during her senior year attending UC Santa Cruz. Her experience in Thailand taught her the consequences for democracy when living in a society with strict laws against free speech. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history, Alise took courses in journalism at Skyline Community College to learn how to write for news. As the Chief Copy Editor on Skyline’s student-run newspaper for the 2023-24 school year, Alise gained editing and managing experience leading a team of reporters. She covered hyperlocal stories affecting her campus such as the rise in food and housing insecurity. Alise wants to focus on data journalism.