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Editorial Comment

an ebm publication

PUBLISHER
MURRY H. GREENWALD Only in America ...
President/Publisher
1928–2012
e are both grateful and proud that we live in a country where everyone has the right
Wto speak up; and where freedom of the press is embedded in the very first article of the
HELEN SCHELLER Bill of Rights.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) E and C NEWS is, always has been, and for its entire future always will be an independent voice.
e-mail: helen@ebmpubs.com Our first issue ever off press promised readers this magazine would be “vigorous, indepen-
dent, professional.”
That issue, and every issue since including this one, has carried some form of this disclaimer
FRED SCHAEN about our publication: “An independent voice, it is not affiliated with or controlled by any sup-
Chief Operating Officer (COO) plier, manufacturer’s representative, agent or advertising agency, or the Department of Defense.”
e-mail: fred@ebmpubs.com
No one tells us what to write, or not to write.
We report and comment on what’s happening — and not happening — in this military resale
market. We spend lots of time reading, re-reading and scrutinizing reports, analyzing studies,
—————
studying analyses … fact-checking information, compiling market data, calculating trajectories,
tracking down rumors and winnowing hearsay ... to be sure we have all the facts available.
EDITORIAL Only twice in the past 10 years have we opened our editorial page to outside commentators,
LARRY LAPKA once in 2013, and again in 2016. We should note that, on many points, neither guest com-
Associate Editor mentator agreed with us.
e-mail: larry@ebmpubs4.com But they were provided the same freedom we claim for ourselves: Not to be told what we
must agree with. What party line we must adhere to. What analysis in which we must concur.
What data points to stress or which ones to ignore, hide, deny.
————— When we notice flaws and errors in reports — and we’re not talking about typos, poor spell-
ing or a missed semicolon — we speak up.
When we ferret out or hear of miscalculations, misstatements or misapprehensions, we
PRODUCTION/ART sound the alarm.
JANET PATTERSON Our readership straddles the divide between supplier and retailer in this market; and we
Production Director
e-mail: janet@productionebm.com firmly believe that buying and selling is a partnership, not a dictatorship. We alert the resale
systems and we alert the industry.
Why industry, some may ask. Because they too are stakeholders, with a vested interest in
GREGORY S. PARISI the until-recently very successful military resale system they have helped build, working side-
Art Director by-side with many military family members, employing them as well. They have invested time
e-mail: greg@productionebm.com and money in the system, spent millions to support the resale benefit.
Anyone can see, in lists we and others publish, who these companies are and, unlike some
consultants or other contractors, how much each receives for its sales to military resale (at
————— greatly discounted prices) ... these amounts are transparent.
But often when they offer advice or try to help with solutions, they’re brushed off as being
concerned only with their own self-interest.
CIRCULATION Self-interest is not confined to vendors. It certainly applies as much to the motivation of
ERNESTO VELASQUEZ consultants and advisers, of managers, directors, executive directors; deputies, assistants and
Circulation Assistant officers, chiefs and chairs, and yes, perhaps even secretaries.
e-mail: ernesto@ebmpubs.com We have to ask, in whose self-interest is the current “transformation” of the Defense Com-
missary Agency and possible further consolidation of resale systems?
Since December 2016, with DeCA’s makeover in full swing, troop levels are up nearly 30,000,
EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING
OFFICES: but sales continue to decline: already down 4.7 percent in FY16, down another 6.4 percent in FY
HEADQUARTERS 17 and down again 4.4 percent in FY18. That’s an overall loss of $810.4 million in sales … $40.5
825 Old Country Road million in surcharge revenue … and, even at the recalculated 23 percent commissary savings, a
Westbury, N.Y. 11590 benefit to service families of $242.1 million lost.
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Website: ebmpubs.com
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