Columbus, Meridian commissary closures

Sequestration will force military and retiree families to revise weekday food shopping routines at military-base commissaries in the Gulf Coast region because of forced defense civilian furloughs beginning the week of July 8. In Mississippi, the commissary at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi will be closed Mondays. About 148 others will close Tuesdays as well. That list includes Naval Construction Battalion Center in Gulfport, Naval Air Station Meridian and Columbus AFB, all in Mississippi, plus NAS Whiting Field, Hurlburt Field and Tyndall AFB in Florida; and Naval Air Station/Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Belle Chasse, La. Commissaries employ 14,000 U.S.-based civilian employees who will be affected by the furloughs. The changes will remain at least through Sept. 30. Source: Defense Commissary Agency.