{"id":11557,"date":"2025-08-11T11:00:30","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T11:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=11557"},"modified":"2025-10-28T18:08:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T18:08:28","slug":"deputy-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-military-community-and-family-policy-explores-latest-exchange-operations-at-dan-daniel-distribution-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2025\/08\/11\/deputy-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-military-community-and-family-policy-explores-latest-exchange-operations-at-dan-daniel-distribution-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Explores Latest Exchange Operations at Dan Daniel Distribution Center"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. \u2013 <\/strong>Stephen B. Simmons, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Military Community and Family Policy, and other MC&FP leaders visited the Army & Air Force Exchange\u2019s Dan Daniel Distribution Center (DDDC) on Aug. 4 to see in action the results of the Exchange\u2019s sustained focus on efficiencies and process improvement.<\/p>\n

Appointed to the DASD for MC&FP position in June, Simmons oversees initiatives to strengthen military families, enhance Quality of Life, and foster resilience, readiness, and lethality within the armed forces and military communities.<\/p>\n

With decades of leadership experience spanning military service, corporate operations, and Veteran advocacy, Simmons began his career in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in 2005, rising to the rank of major while serving in various roles that included deployments to Iraq, leading disaster relief efforts, and pioneering personnel and retention strategies at Headquarters Marine Corps.<\/p>\n

The Exchange\u2019s Director\/CEO Tom Shull, an Army Veteran who attained the rank of major before pursuing a highly successful career leading, transforming and growing large commercial retail businesses, provided a detailed tour of the Exchange\u2019s largest distribution center, a 1.4-million square-foot facility which employs nearly 650 associates.<\/p>\n

Opened in 1988, the DDDC ships 11.3 million cases annually and stocks $100 million in inventory. Nearly 40 Exchange motor vehicle operators make critical deliveries to military installations across 20 states, leveraging the DDDC\u2019s 45 tractors and 475 trailers to cover 2.5 million miles annually.<\/p>\n

The MC&FP team received briefings from Exchange logistics, shipping, receiving, e-commerce, military clothing, inventory storage, and other subject matter experts, including multiple efforts specific to the role of automation and emerging technologies to further increase productivity and decrease costs.<\/p>\n

Among the most significant innovations is a new \u201cgoods-to-person\u201d shuttle system that drastically streamlines picking and packing shipments for deliveries. The system\u2019s automated carts and conveyors are expected to increase throughput and accuracy while driving costs down.<\/p>\n

An automated \u201cright-sized packaging\u201d machine customizes box sizes to each online ShopMyExchange.com order, optimizing the number of items shipped on the same sized pallet.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of this is a game changer,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cIt\u2019s all about efficiency and cost reduction, which goes straight to troops and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n

The tour was capped with a stop at fleet transportation where Simmons was briefed on how the Exchange is leveraging real-time technology to track drivers and trailers, monitor weather and traffic and create the most efficient routes and loadouts, maximizing trailer capacity utilization.<\/p>\n

Simmons also toured one of the Exchange\u2019s 22 mobile field Exchanges (MFEs), a 53-foot store on wheels that is quickly deployed to disaster zones, contingency locations, training exercises and other challenging or contested environments.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese MFEs are special,\u201d Simmons said. \u201cIf our goal is to communicate readiness and lethality to troops in combat, this is the perfect way to do it.<\/p>\n

\u201cSomething that might seem minuscule to us like just getting a fresh razor is huge\u2014little things like that can make their [service members] lives a whole lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shull and Simmons both stressed the importance of collaboration and \u201ctaking care of the family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWherever our Nation\u2019s military mission goes, the Exchange, working with DASD Simmons and other Army, Air Force, Space Force and DoD leaders, will be on point, serving as a force multiplier overseas and on the home front,\u201d Shull said.<\/p>\n

Simmons agreed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf service members know that their families\u2019 needs are met, that\u2019s what makes the armed forces ready and lethal,\u201d Simmons said.<\/p>\n

Social-media-friendly version: <\/strong>@DASD_MCFP visited @shopmyexchange\u2019s largest distribution center in Newport News, Va. to learn about new advances in #Exchange operations, benefits and explore ways to support military families. Learn more: https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-30p<\/a><\/p>\n

— 30 —<\/p>\n

Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) has gone where Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians 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 51st<\/sup>-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, the Exchange benefit has provided $15 billion in value to the military community, including through contributions to critical military Quality-of-Life programs. 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<\/a> or follow us on X at https:\/\/x.com\/ExchangePAO<\/a>.<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

Media Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Travis Day at 214-312-3534 or daytra@aafes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow the Exchange:<\/p>\n

Facebook: www.facebook.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

X:\u00a0https:\/\/twitter.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

Instagram: @shopmyexchange<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. \u2013 Stephen B. Simmons, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Military Community and Family Policy, and other MC&FP leaders visited the Army & Air Force Exchange\u2019s Dan Daniel Distribution Center (DDDC) on Aug. 4 to see in action the results of the Exchange\u2019s sustained focus on efficiencies and process improvement. Appointed to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":11559,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[25],"tags":[160,174,107,35,705,258],"class_list":["post-11557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press_releases","tag-aafes","tag-army-air-force-exchange-service","tag-exchange","tag-military","tag-military-community-and-family-policy","tag-military-families"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2025\/08\/11\/deputy-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-military-community-and-family-policy-explores-latest-exchange-operations-at-dan-daniel-distribution-center\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy Explores Latest Exchange Operations at Dan Daniel Distribution Center","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2025\/08\/11\/deputy-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-military-community-and-family-policy-explores-latest-exchange-operations-at-dan-daniel-distribution-center\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2025\/08\/11\/deputy-assistant-secretary-of-defense-for-military-community-and-family-policy-explores-latest-exchange-operations-at-dan-daniel-distribution-center\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/08\/DDDC_MFE-e1754923523588.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2025\/08\/DDDC_MFE-e1754923523588.jpg"},"articleSection":"Press Releases","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Travis Day"}],"creator":["Travis Day"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["aafes","army & air force exchange service","exchange","military","military community and family policy","military families"],"dateCreated":"2025-08-11T11:00:30Z","datePublished":"2025-08-11T11:00:30Z","dateModified":"2025-10-28T18:08:28Z"},"rendered":"