DALLAS – On Veterans Day, Navy Veteran Michael Thomas once again became eligible to shop online with military exchanges.
Five months later, the Tyler, Texas, resident won a Troy-Bilt riding lawnmower, his prize in one of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s weekly Free Friday giveaways.
Thomas, who served from 1985 to 1993, is among all honorably discharged Veterans the Exchange has welcomed home with a lifelong online exchange shopping benefit. Eligibility to receive military-exclusive pricing and tax-free shopping can be verified at ShopMyExchange.com/veterans.
“It’s really nice to have a place that understands Veterans and folks that are still serving,” Thomas said. “It’s a very nice benefit for honorably discharged Veterans—very, very unexpected, but very much appreciated.”
Thomas was randomly picked from more than 2,300 authorized military shoppers who entered the giveaway at facebook.com/ShopMyExchange on March 30 for a chance to win the mower, valued at nearly $3,000.
At first, Thomas doubted he would be able to claim his prize. His brother passed away shortly before the drawing, and he was too busy making funeral arrangements to make the daylong trip to his nearest Exchange, located at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, to pick up the mower.
Not willing to let Thomas go without his prize, Exchange leaders arranged for Troy-Bilt to bring the mower from NAS JRB to Thomas’ home. It arrived about a week later.
“I figured I was going to have to give the mower to the runner-up,” Thomas said. “The representative who delivered it was fantastic. He spent a half-hour going over everything and making sure I knew how to work the machine.”
Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Luis Reyes, the Exchange’s senior enlisted advisor, said the Exchange is privileged to welcome home those who served honorably with the new benefit.
“It is our great honor to recognize patriots like Thomas not only with tax-free shopping at military-exclusive prices, but the opportunity to enter potentially rewarding giveaways such as these,” Reyes said. “Those who raised their right hand, took an oath and served honorably sacrificed a lot for their country, and they deserve our thanks.”
Nick Novosel, national account manager for MTD Consumer Products, parent company of Troy-Bilt, said the company was more than happy to deliver the mower to Thomas.
“It is our pleasure to give back to those who sacrifice so much for us,” Novosel said.
Every Friday, the Exchange awards one lucky winner a Free Friday gift package at facebook.com/ShopMyExchange. To enter, authorized shoppers simply comment on that day’s Free Friday post with their name, city, state and local Exchange.
Facebook-friendly version: On Veterans Day, Navy Veteran Michael Thomas became eligible to shop online with military exchanges once again. Five months later, he took delivery of a Troy-Bilt riding lawnmower, his prize for winning one of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s weekly Free Friday giveaways. Read more: https://bit.ly/2l18R5m.
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Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) has gone where Soldiers, Airmen and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providing valued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 56th-largest retailer in the United States. Its earnings provided $2.4 billion in dividends to support military morale, welfare and recreation programs over the last 10 years. The Exchange is a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website at http://www.shopmyexchange.com or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ExchangePAO.
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Media Notes:
For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Conner Hammett, 214-312-2714 or [email protected].
Follow the Exchange:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/shopmyexchange
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shopmyexchange
Instagram: @shopmyexchange