In a surprising turn of events today, the Defense Commissary Agency has announced that it has received approval from the Department of Defense to honor all Certificheck Gift Certificates until July 31, 2009.
Last week, Certificheck announced that is was suspending operations and filing for bankruptcy. The company has issued $20 million in DeCA gift certificates since the program began in 2002. It was initially expected that those certificates would now be worthless.
DeCA and the DOD have been working together to find a legal way to honor the gift certificates for commissary patrons. The certificates have been very popular, particular for family members to send to military families as gifts.
I'm so glad that they've figured out a way to let these certificates be used. What a blow to have all that money "disappear" into a private company's bankruptcy. I know that both the givers and the receivers were disappointed by the potential loss. If you have DeCA Certifichecks, be sure to use them by the end of July!
