\Sub*sist"ence De*part"ment\ (Mil.)
A staff department of the United States army charged, under
the supervision of the Chief of Staff, with the purchasing
and issuing to the army of such supplies as make up the
ration. It also supplies, for authorized sales, certain
articles of food and other minor stores. It is commanded by
any officer of the rank of brigadier general, called
commissary general, and the department is popularly called
the {Commissary Department}.