{"id":2538,"date":"2018-08-10T18:57:05","date_gmt":"2018-08-10T18:57:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=2538"},"modified":"2018-08-10T18:58:21","modified_gmt":"2018-08-10T18:58:21","slug":"retired-airman-drives-home-in-her-1st-new-vehicle-ever-thanks-to-exchange-sweepstakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/08\/10\/retired-airman-drives-home-in-her-1st-new-vehicle-ever-thanks-to-exchange-sweepstakes\/","title":{"rendered":"Retired Airman Drives Home in Her 1st New Vehicle Ever Thanks to Exchange Sweepstakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON<\/strong> \u2013 For retired Tech. Sgt. Katie Nelson, growing up with four brothers and three sisters meant never having a new car of her own.<\/p>\n

Since winning a grand prize in the Army & Air Force Exchange Service Subway Sweepstakes, Nelson is now having fun driving her first new car<\/a> \u2013 a 2018 Jeep Compass Sport. The 28-year-old resident of Palmer, Alaska, is one of five winners who received a Jeep valued at more than $24,000.<\/p>\n

\"\"Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Exchange General Manager Ray Stewart, Main Store Manager Georg Main and their team celebrated Nelson\u2019s win during a ceremony Aug. 9 at the JBER Main Exchange.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a privilege to celebrate with Katie,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cIt\u2019s exciting to join in her celebration for driving home the Jeep.\u201d<\/p>\n

While Nelson took delivery of her new vehicle in Alaska, she entered and won the sweepstakes more than 4,000 miles away, while serving at Kadena Air Base.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I did was sign my Subway receipt and turn it in to the food court worker,\u201d Nelson said. \u201cNothing dramatic or memorable. In fact, I did not think about it again until a Military Auto Source representative contacted me a couple months later.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nelson joined the Air Force in 2009. Before serving at Kadena Air Base, Nelson was assigned to Offutt Air Force Base after completing tech school. She medically retired in 2017.<\/p>\n

Though Katie, an avid reader, knitter and video gamer, also owns a 1966 Ford Fairlane, she intends to take exceptional care of her new primary vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u201cEventually, I might take it off-road, but, right now, it\u2019s very practical,\u201d Nelson said. \u201cThe four-wheel drive package will come in handy when I visit my parents\u2019 cabin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facebook-Friendly Version: <\/strong>Retired Air Force Tech Sgt. is enjoying her first new vehicle ever thanks to the Exchange\u2019s Subway Sweepstakes. Read more:\u00a0https:\/\/bit.ly\/2OnZmdl<\/a><\/p>\n

— 30 —<\/p>\n

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<\/a><\/u> or follow us on Twitter at https:\/\/twitter.com\/ExchangePAO<\/a><\/u>.<\/p>\n

###<\/p>\n

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

\u00a0<\/strong>For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Doug Brodess, 214-312-3393 or brodessd@aafes.com<\/a><\/u>.<\/p>\n

Follow the Exchange:<\/p>\n

Facebook:\u00a0 www.facebook.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n

Twitter:\u00a0 https:\/\/twitter.com\/shopmyexchange<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n

Instagram: @shopmyexchange<\/a><\/u><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON \u2013 For retired Tech. Sgt. Katie Nelson, growing up with four brothers and three sisters meant never having a new car of her own. Since winning a grand prize in the Army & Air Force Exchange Service Subway Sweepstakes, Nelson is now having fun driving her first new car \u2013 a 2018 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":2541,"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":[32],"class_list":["post-2538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press_releases","tag-nobanner"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/08\/10\/retired-airman-drives-home-in-her-1st-new-vehicle-ever-thanks-to-exchange-sweepstakes\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Retired Airman Drives Home in Her 1st New Vehicle Ever Thanks to Exchange Sweepstakes","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/08\/10\/retired-airman-drives-home-in-her-1st-new-vehicle-ever-thanks-to-exchange-sweepstakes\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/08\/10\/retired-airman-drives-home-in-her-1st-new-vehicle-ever-thanks-to-exchange-sweepstakes\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/08\/Jeep-10-1-e1533927352911.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/08\/Jeep-10-1-e1533927352911.jpg"},"articleSection":"Press Releases","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Julie Mitchell"}],"creator":["Julie Mitchell"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["nobanner"],"dateCreated":"2018-08-10T18:57:05Z","datePublished":"2018-08-10T18:57:05Z","dateModified":"2018-08-10T18:58:21Z"},"rendered":"