{"id":3098,"date":"2018-11-19T18:46:57","date_gmt":"2018-11-19T18:46:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=3098"},"modified":"2018-11-19T18:48:55","modified_gmt":"2018-11-19T18:48:55","slug":"exchange-brings-taste-of-home-to-troops-serving-near-the-border-in-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/11\/19\/exchange-brings-taste-of-home-to-troops-serving-near-the-border-in-texas\/","title":{"rendered":"Exchange Brings \u2018Taste of Home\u2019 to Troops Serving Near the Border in Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Second Mobile Field Exchange Opens in Support of Border Operations<\/em><\/p>\n

DONNA, Texas \u2013 <\/strong>The same day that Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen made a surprise visit to Base Camp Donna, Soldiers deployed to South Texas got another surprise when an Army & Air Force Exchange Service mobile field Exchange (MFE) rolled into the encampment and set up shop.<\/p>\n

\"\"Installation command at Base Camp Donna, located outside of McAllen, Texas, requested the MFE on Nov. 10. Four days later, the store on wheels opened for business with a steady stream of Soldiers lined up throughout the day<\/a>. The Exchange opened a mobile barber shop at the site last week as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were on meals ready to eat for the first 10 days so for the Soldiers to now have the ability to go get a candy bar or that bottle of Gatorade, it\u2019s a real morale booster,\u201d Capt. Lauren Blanton, 19th<\/sup> Engineer Battalion from Fort Knox and base camp mayor, said. \u201cThe MFE means a little taste of home, a little bit of normalcy and routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

Base Camp Donna is a \u201ctent city\u201d that was built from the ground up in a large field by the Southwest U.S. border. Unless going out on official Army duties, Soldiers are confined to the camp, meaning it is the only location they can acquire supplies, toiletries, snacks and drinks.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has been smiling since this store opened,\u201d Sgt. Jonathon Morales, who deployed from Fort Riley, said. \u201cIt really boosts the morale and I\u2019m really glad they came here. It\u2019s one of those things where you didn\u2019t expect it to come and then when it rolled through we couldn\u2019t wait for it to open.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Base Camp Donna MFE is the second the Exchange has opened in support of operations near the border with the first being at Davis-Monthan AFB earlier this month. In addition to the two MFEs near the border, the Exchange has stationed an MFE at Tyndall AFB since Oct. 21 supporting service members as they rebuild after Hurricane Michael.<\/p>\n

Facebook-friendly version:<\/strong> The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is boosting morale for troops near the border with a mobile field Exchange at Base Camp Donna, Texas. Read more:\u00a0https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-NY<\/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> or follow us on Twitter at https:\/\/twitter.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 Chris Ward, 214-312-3861 or wardchr@aafes.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow the Exchange:<\/p>\n

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

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

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

Second Mobile Field Exchange Opens in Support of Border Operations DONNA, Texas \u2013 The same day that Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen made a surprise visit to Base Camp Donna, Soldiers deployed to South Texas got another surprise when an Army & Air Force Exchange Service mobile field Exchange […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":3101,"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":[48,35,39],"class_list":["post-3098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press_releases","tag-deployed","tag-military","tag-the-army-air-force-exchange-service"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/11\/19\/exchange-brings-taste-of-home-to-troops-serving-near-the-border-in-texas\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Exchange Brings \u2018Taste of Home\u2019 to Troops Serving Near the Border in Texas","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/11\/19\/exchange-brings-taste-of-home-to-troops-serving-near-the-border-in-texas\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2018\/11\/19\/exchange-brings-taste-of-home-to-troops-serving-near-the-border-in-texas\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/44138572880_55f7dd0267_z-1-e1542653187422.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2018\/11\/44138572880_55f7dd0267_z-1-e1542653187422.jpg"},"articleSection":"Press Releases","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Julie Mitchell"}],"creator":["Julie Mitchell"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["deployed","military","the army & air force exchange service"],"dateCreated":"2018-11-19T18:46:57Z","datePublished":"2018-11-19T18:46:57Z","dateModified":"2018-11-19T18:48:55Z"},"rendered":"