DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE – Continuing its 123-year-old mission of going where Soldiers and Airmen go, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service is doing its part to take care of the roughly 1,500 troops serving in border support operations.
“It’s an honor to be ready when the troops need us,” said Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Exchange General Manager Mikel Hunter. “The Exchange team lives for the troops—we are all in to serve them.”
Col. Julie Newlin, 355th Mission Support group commander at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, requested a mobile field Exchange (MFE) on Nov. 5 to support troops deployed to her installation. In just three days, the Exchange sent an MFE from its West Coast Distribution Center, fully stocked it and was busy serving troops.
Soldiers began arriving last week at Davis-Monthan, part of the U.S. mission to increase support near the border. The air force base is about an hour from the U.S. Southern border.
“The process was extremely simple. I put in the request for the MFE on Monday and by Thursday the store was up and running and serving the troops,” Newlin said. “We’re very thankful to the Exchange team for their hard work to provide this taste of home for the troops.”
An MFE is an “Exchange on wheels,” a 53-foot trailer stocked with emergency supplies, toiletries, snacks and drinks.
“We have all of these troops living in the tent city with the nearest Exchange about a 2- mile walk away,” Newlin said. “To be able to provide them with basic, but necessary items, is invaluable to support their mission.”
The Davis-Monthan MFE is the first to open to support troops that have deployed from Forts Hood, Bragg, Bliss, Campbell and Meade as well as Malmstrom and Beale AFBs. The rolling Exchange has been met with great appreciation.
“I was surprised, pleasantly, to see the Exchange had a store for us here,” said Cpl. Josh Thompson, who deployed to Davis-Monthan from Beale Air Force Base. “I’ve been in here every day and it’s nice to be able to buy stuff to help get through the day.”
A second MFE is set to open in Donna, Texas, to support troops in South Texas on Nov. 14. Both MFEs are scheduled to remain until the mission near the border is complete.
Facebook-friendly version: Continuing its 123-year-old mission of going where Soldiers and Airmen go, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service is doing its part to take care of the roughly 1,500 troops serving in border support operations with a mobile field Exchange. Read more: https://wp.me/p9Q7PG-Nf
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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 61st-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. The Exchange is a 50th Anniversary Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, planning and conducting events and activities that recognize the service, valor and sacrifice of Vietnam Veterans and their families in conjunction with the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration. 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 Chris Ward, 214-312-3861 or [email protected].
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