Food Stamps Rise in Military Homes

The families of American service members are increasingly forced to rely on food stamps to get by. Since 2007, the amount of money military families redeem in food stamps has jumped from $24.8 million to $103.6 million in 2013. Thirty percent of spouses of active-duty military members ages 18 to 24 are unemployed. The base salary for a new solider with a spouse and child is about $20,000 a year, just above the poverty line. The growth in food-stamp redemption has slowed, though: 2013 saw a 5 percent increase, compared to 2012, which saw a 13 percent uptick.