ELEANOR, W.Va. - A commissary case lot sale for West Virginia military families squeezed by high gas prices and a weak economy will take place Saturday and Sunday at the National Guard complex in Eleanor.

Military commissaries provide groceries at savings averaging more than 30 percent to service members, retirees and their families. Many West Virginia National Guard and Reserve members are not able to take advantage of commissary savings, since commissaries are generally found only at active-duty military installations. There are no commissaries in West Virginia.

West Virginia National Guard officials are partnering with the Defense Commissary Agency to offer the discounted groceries at the Eleanor sale, which will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The sale will feature fresh meat and produce, household cleaning supplies and personal care items, canned goods, snacks, pet food, water, sports drinks, nonperishable goods and holiday candies.

"We'll have three [tractor-trailer] loads of groceries, everything from produce to dishwasher liquid, displayed on the 80-foot by 100-foot drill floor at Eleanor," said Command Sgt. Major Lawrence Vance. "You usually save between 40 and 60 percent."

Some West Virginia military families travel to commissaries in neighboring states to stock up on household groceries at discount prices, Vance said. "A lot of people from here go to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base" in Dayton, Ohio, he said.

Current and retired military personnel from any branch of service are eligible to shop at the commissary case lot sale. Valid military identification cards must be presented. Military family members with valid military dependents' cards may also shop without their sponsors being present.

"By bringing the case lot sale to Eleanor, we can help Guard and Reserve members save a lot of money on everyday grocery items," said state Adjutant General Allen Tackett. "This will be a great benefit to West Virginia's military population, particularly those struggling in these difficult economic times."

The West Virginia National Guard hosted a similar commissary case lot sale in August at Camp Dawson in Preston County during the Guard's annual Family Day celebration. According to Guard officials, the Defense Commissary Agency staff praised that sale as one of the most successful since the case lot sale program was initiated.

"We had more than 1,000 people take advantage of that sale, and we expect more at Eleanor," said Vance.

"We ask a lot of our Guard members and their families," Tackett said. "I want to make sure that we're offering every benefit they're entitled to. This is a readiness issue for the Guard and a quality-of-life issue for our Guard family."

Reach Rick Steelhammer

at rsteelham...@wvgazette.com

or 348-5169.

ELEANOR, W.Va. - A commissary case lot sale for West Virginia military families squeezed by high gas prices and a weak economy will take place Saturday and Sunday at the National Guard complex in Eleanor.

Military commissaries provide groceries at savings averaging more than 30 percent to service members, retirees and their families. Many West Virginia National Guard and Reserve members are not able to take advantage of commissary savings, since commissaries are generally found only at active-duty military installations. There are no commissaries in West Virginia.

West Virginia National Guard officials are partnering with the Defense Commissary Agency to offer the discounted groceries at the Eleanor sale, which will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The sale will feature fresh meat and produce, household cleaning supplies and personal care items, canned goods, snacks, pet food, water, sports drinks, nonperishable goods and holiday candies.

"We'll have three [tractor-trailer] loads of groceries, everything from produce to dishwasher liquid, displayed on the 80-foot by 100-foot drill floor at Eleanor," said Command Sgt. Major Lawrence Vance. "You usually save between 40 and 60 percent."

Some West Virginia military families travel to commissaries in neighboring states to stock up on household groceries at discount prices, Vance said. "A lot of people from here go to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base" in Dayton, Ohio, he said.

Current and retired military personnel from any branch of service are eligible to shop at the commissary case lot sale. Valid military identification cards must be presented. Military family members with valid military dependents' cards may also shop without their sponsors being present.

"By bringing the case lot sale to Eleanor, we can help Guard and Reserve members save a lot of money on everyday grocery items," said state Adjutant General Allen Tackett. "This will be a great benefit to West Virginia's military population, particularly those struggling in these difficult economic times."

The West Virginia National Guard hosted a similar commissary case lot sale in August at Camp Dawson in Preston County during the Guard's annual Family Day celebration. According to Guard officials, the Defense Commissary Agency staff praised that sale as one of the most successful since the case lot sale program was initiated.

"We had more than 1,000 people take advantage of that sale, and we expect more at Eleanor," said Vance.

"We ask a lot of our Guard members and their families," Tackett said. "I want to make sure that we're offering every benefit they're entitled to. This is a readiness issue for the Guard and a quality-of-life issue for our Guard family."

Reach Rick Steelhammer

at rsteelham...@wvgazette.com

or 348-5169.