Who Pays For US Navy Sailors' Food At Sea? Probably Not Who You Think

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Mealtimes are a crucial part of a Navy sailor's regimen while stationed at sea. Not just for nutrition but to break the monotony of long shifts, get some leisure time, socialize, and even enjoy some ice cream (with maybe a sitcom on the mess television). While most civilians may be under the impression that meals on Navy ships are funded by the approximately $200 billion allocated to the Navy and Marine Corps by the Department of Defense (as of 2026, per USA Funding), that's not the case. Instead, it's the US Navy sailors who must pay for their own meals, even while on active duty. According to one article published by the US Naval Institute, servicemen aboard Navy ships pay a daily rate of $13.30 for their meals,  whether they eat or not. In a month of sailing, that adds up to over $400. Funnily enough, food on the US presidential Air Force One is also chargeable to those traveling aboard.

Although deployed service members receive allowances to help with expenses, those payments don't fully ease the financial pressure of paying for meals while on active duty. Commander Eric Rohan of the U.S. Navy, author of the aforementioned article, calls the practice "wrong" and "overly expensive," saying, "Feeding the crew is as crucial to operations as fueling the aircraft, and the Navy does not ask the pilots to pay for the gas."

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While Naval sailors having to pay for their meals at sea is a complex, hotly debated topic, food service aboard a full-scale Navy aircraft carrier is a whole other mind-boggling process. Feeding a crew of 5,000 for weeks and months at sea is no easy feat — especially with food allergies taken into account and the fact that meals are important for morale. A Thanksgiving-style menu with turkey and ham is sometimes featured as often as once a month, while other favorites include burgers and mac and cheese. Most large-scale ships also have a bakery, so freshly baked cookies, cakes, and rolls are regularly offered, with bread produced in massive quantities to help feed the entire crew. 

When these ships anchor to restock meats and fresh produce in other countries, special local foods and delicacies are also sometimes included. Unfortunately, it's not all smooth sailing, though. Gaps in the supply chain and the high volume cooking can result in some less-than-appetizing meals that are improperly cooked or made from stale ingredients. This makes it especially egregious if the crew is having to also pay for substandard fare.

Eating can be quite different for those stationed ashore at U.S. military bases in various countries. For one, military personnel stationed in forward bases don't have to pay for their meals. In fact, some military base foodcourts are downright impressive. The Department of Defence exchanges offer everything from alcohol to fast food like Starbucks and Burger King at some bases, which are available tax-free to deployed military members.