“Grief after all is the price we pay for love,” wrote grief therapist David Malham.

Soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen and coasties alike will soon know the sadness that comes when something beloved is lost. This is in reference, of course, to the news that commissaries will soon no longer stock shelves with Little Debbie snack cakes.

Gone too soon are the nights when a sad sailor on 24-hour duty could pace the aisles and seek solace in a Swiss Roll. And no coastie will ever again indulge in an Oatmeal Creme Pie.

McKee Foods, the maker of Little Debbie snack cakes, has said it can no longer shoulder the burden of providing the sweets to the Defense Commissary Agency and Navy Exchange Service, company spokesman Mike Gloekler told Stars and Stripes. The regulatory standards are simply too costly.

“As supporters of the men and women who serve the United States military this was a very difficult decision for us to make,” he said. “We believe in the mission of forward-deployed troops, and we understand the impact that the comforts of home have on morale. Perhaps some will see an opportunity to streamline federal contractor compliance.”

And while Little Debbie snack cakes will still be sold in off-base grocery stores, the company’s dwindling stock on commissary shelves is sure to be a blow to morale.

For the butter bars who love Nutty Bars, it’s a day of great mourning.

Observation Post is the Military Times one-stop shop for all things off-duty. Stories may reflect author observations.

Sarah Sicard is a Senior Editor with Military Times. She previously served as the Digitial Editor of Military Times and the Army Times Editor. Other work can be found at National Defense Magazine, Task & Purpose, and Defense News.

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