No one wearing the uniform of the United States should have to wonder where their next meal will come from. Yet as of 2023, one in four active-duty families across the country face food insecurity — and many of them live right here in Central Texas.
At first glance, hunger might seem far removed from military life. But inside the gates of Fort Hood, one of the largest military installations in the nation, soldiers and their families are quietly navigating the same challenges affecting millions of working Americans: rising housing costs, expensive childcare, and uneven access to food assistance programs.
And now, those pressures are deepening.
As the federal government shutdown continues, furloughs, delayed paychecks, and reduced access to SNAP benefits are leaving families across Central Texas, including many with direct military ties, facing new layers of uncertainty. Even active service members still receiving pay, spouses and family members working in civilian roles on base are among those going without income.
A Problem Hidden In Plain Sight
Across the U.S., one in four active-duty service families experiences food insecurity. The issue cuts across rank and branch, but it’s especially pronounced among junior enlisted families and households with children.
Locally, CTFB’s Community Needs Assessment reveals that active-duty households are particularly at risk when they:
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Have a household member who’s been unemployed within the past year — 4.5× more likely to experience food insecurity.
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Live on post, where 37% make monthly trade-offs between food and transportation costs (compared to 24% among off-post families).
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Serve in lower enlisted ranks — 3.5× more likely to experience food insecurity.
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Have experienced a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) or deployment in the past year — 2× more likely to face food insecurity.
For many, the struggle isn’t temporary — it’s structural. The Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), meant to offset housing costs, is counted as income for SNAP eligibility. As a result, families living in high-cost areas like Killeen or Austin often make “too much” on paper to qualify for food assistance, even as their budgets are stretched thin in reality.
These systemic gaps existed long before the shutdown, but now, they’re being felt even more acutely.
More Than A Matter Of Morale
The effects reach well beyond the dinner table. Research has linked food insecurity among service members to higher stress levels, lower morale, and decreased readiness.
For veterans, particularly those living with disabilities or on fixed incomes, the problem can persist long after service ends.
Policy Progress — And What Still Needs To Change
Congress took an important step in 2024 by expanding the Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) under the National Defense Authorization Act. The change raised eligibility to 200 percent of the federal poverty line, opening the door for more service members to receive support.
But advocates say more is needed. Feeding America, Feeding Texas, and local food banks like CTFB continue to call for excluding the Basic Allowance for Housing from income calculations — a technical but meaningful fix that could help thousands of additional military families qualify for SNAP.
And in moments like this — as shutdowns stall payments and programs — the need for a stronger safety net becomes even clearer.
The Local Picture
This issue is highly visible in Central Texas. According to CTFB’s Community Needs Assessment, Bell County, home to Fort Hood, has the highest food insecurity rate in our 21-county service area, at 22.1 percent. Neighboring Coryell County follows closely at 20.9 percent.
CTFB and its network of more than 250 partner agencies are working to close that gap. In response to the government shutdown, CTFB has expanded mobile food distributions and bolstered supplies at pantries serving military families and furloughed workers across the region.
Looking Ahead
As the nation observes Veterans Day, the conversation about service increasingly includes what happens at home and how communities support those who dedicate their lives to others.
In every season and circumstance, Central Texans show up for one another. Because hunger doesn’t recognize rank, and neither does our commitment to serve every neighbor.
Sources
Military Family Advisory Network. 2023 Military Family Support Programming Survey Results. Arlington, VA: Military Family Advisory Network, June 2024. https://www.mfan.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/MFAN-2023-MFSPS-Full-Report.pdf
Central Texas Food Bank. 2025 Community Needs Assessment: Food Insecurity in Bell & Coryell Counties. Austin, TX: Central Texas Food Bank, 2025.
