MISSION: BREAKFAST: Smuckers, military commissaries partner to serve thousands at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam event

NOTE: Click here to see a DeCA video related to the Mission: Breakfast event. Click here to see or download more images on Flickr.

FORT LEE, Va. - Over 6,000 members of the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, community enjoyed a free morning meal May 3 at the Mission: Breakfast event thanks to a partnership between the J.M. Smucker Company and the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA).

The breakfast event was awarded to the DeCA's Pearl-Harbor store after winning top honors in Smucker's June contest for building the most creative product display of the company's products. This is Pearl Harbor's second Mission: Breakfast event. They also won in 2011.

DeCA's partnership with industry suppliers and manufacturers like J.M. Smucker provides millions of dollars annually in giveaways and promotional events that greatly enhance military quality of life, said Bill Moore, DeCA director and CEO.

"An event like this is really a part of the benefit that servicemembers and their families earn by serving our nation," Moore said. "What a huge turnout. And I want to thank you all for being here today and being a part [of this event], and enjoying your benefit that you've earned."

Moore also thanked J.M. Smucker and Company and their broker OSCWEBco for putting the event together in partnership with MWR. He also applauded Navy Capt. Erik A. Spitzer, commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, for spreading the news about the breakfast event.

During the June contest promotional period, commissaries featured money-saving coupons on Smucker's products to coincide with DeCA's 20-25 percent savings promise. Moore went on to thank the Pearl Harbor Commissary and its industry team for creating the winning display and all the other commissaries who competed in Smucker's worldwide contest.

This is the 12th year Smucker has sponsored Mission: Breakfast. DeCA's previous winners included the following commissaries:

• Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia (2019)
• Fort Belvoir, Virginia (2018)
• Naval Base San Diego, California (2017)
• Eglin Air Force Base, Florida (2016)
• Fort Carson, Colorado (2015)
• Fort Bliss, Texas (2014)
• Fort Sam Houston at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas (2013)
• Fort Eustis at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia (2012)
• Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii (2011)
• Langley Air Force Base at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia (2010)

During the May 3 Mission: Breakfast, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Command Master Chief Billy Smith spoke about the significance of the event to NBC Today Show's Al Roker.

"It's a special time for everybody to get together and see each other coming out of COVID," Smith said. "Just a wonderful opportunity and grateful to Smuckers for doing this for us. Cannot thank them enough."

Timothy P. Smucker, chairman emeritus, J.M. Smucker Company, thanked the service members and their families and spoke during the Today show's coverage about the significance of being at Pearl Harbor.

"There's a tremendous amount of joy that we have to be able to share this breakfast for them," said Smucker, a former captain in the Air National Guard. "This place is sentimental for me because my father served in the Navy during World War II and spent two years on the base out here. … I'm just humbled at what [the military] do on a daily basis for our country; it's just amazing for me."

Moore spoke to the crowd about the significance of their commissary benefit and how the unique partnership between DeCA and its industry partners makes events like Mission: Breakfast possible.

"The reason we exist is to improve military family quality of life through lower grocery costs for your families," Moore said. "You save almost 25 cents on every dollar you spend on groceries if you shop your commissary. If you like saving money I would strongly recommend that you shop your commissaries.

"And we can't be successful in that mission if we don't have great partnerships with our suppliers," he added.

-DeCA-

About DeCA:The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissaries provide a military benefit, saving authorized patrons thousands of dollars annually on their purchases compared to similar products at commercial retailers. The discounted prices include a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America's military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.