{"id":5025,"date":"2020-03-24T17:11:51","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T17:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=5025"},"modified":"2020-03-24T17:11:51","modified_gmt":"2020-03-24T17:11:51","slug":"the-army-air-force-exchange-service-continues-serving-military-through-covid-19-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2020\/03\/24\/the-army-air-force-exchange-service-continues-serving-military-through-covid-19-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"The Army & Air Force Exchange Service Continues Serving Military Through COVID-19 Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"DALLAS <\/strong>\u2013 When disaster strikes the military community\u2014whether a natural disaster or the current COVID-19 pandemic\u2014the Army & Air Force Exchange Service continues to care for our Nation\u2019s Warfighters, their families and associates on the frontlines<\/a>. At the forefront of this effort is the Exchange Disaster Support Group (DSG), which keeps communication open and brings critical resources to associates and shoppers.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the Exchange\u2019s core values is \u2018family serving family,\u2019 and the DSG allows us to take care of our military family and our own,\u201d said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Luis Reyes, the Exchange\u2019s senior enlisted advisor.<\/p>\n

During disasters, the DSG connects departments across the organization for clear and concise communication and decision making to quickly deploy support to impacted communities.<\/p>\n

The COVID-19 DSG was activated in late February in the Pacific region and has evolved to address operational requirements across Europe, Southwest Asia and the United States.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Exchange is taking care of Warfighters, military families and associates in Korea, Southwest Asia, Italy, the U.S.\u2014all across the globe,\u201d Reyes said. \u201cWe\u2019re working with general managers to fulfill command requests and integrate command directives at Exchange stores on local, national and global levels.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the pandemic, leaders have discussed the flow of hand sanitizer, cleaning products and other critical items to stores; safety measures for associates, stores and restaurants; and fulfilling command requests. The group found new suppliers of some critical items until regular suppliers can restock.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhatever we can do to get needed product to our shoppers, the Exchange is doing,\u201d Reyes said. \u201cThe DSG\u2019s focus is keeping the global pipeline moving so that no matter where our Soldiers, Airmen, families and associates may be, they\u2019re getting what they need.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the past, the DSG\u2019s coordination made it possible for military shoppers in hurricane-ravaged areas to fuel up their cars when no other gas station in the area was open, buy emergency supplies like bottled waters and generators when off-installation stores were sold out and set up Mobile Field Exchanges\u2014Exchanges on wheels\u2014within 48 hours of a disaster. Now the team is making sure Exchange shoppers in areas hardest hit by the pandemic have access to necessities while ensuring shoppers\u2019 and associates\u2019 health and well-being are safeguarded. This includes troops redeploying to home station and facing 14 days in a unit quarantine area before reuniting with friends and family.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Exchange is all in for our shoppers, associates and their families,\u201d Reyes said. \u201cThrough the tough times, the Exchange motto remains the same: we go where you go. The DSG is at the tip of the spear to help the Exchange deliver on this long-standing commitment to service members and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Facebook-friendly version: <\/strong>The Army & Air Force Exchange Service\u2019s Disaster Support Group is working around the clock to ensure the Exchange can continue serving military communities in need. Read more on how the Exchange is supporting associates and shoppers through the COVID-19 pandemic: https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-1j3<\/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 62nd<\/sup>-largest retailer in the United States. Its earnings provided $2.3 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 Marisa Conner at 214-312-5111 or connermar@aafes.com.<\/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":"

DALLAS \u2013 When disaster strikes the military community\u2014whether a natural disaster or the current COVID-19 pandemic\u2014the Army & Air Force Exchange Service continues to care for our Nation\u2019s Warfighters, their families and associates on the frontlines. At the forefront of this effort is the Exchange Disaster Support Group (DSG), which keeps communication open and brings […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":5027,"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":"The #Exchange Continues Serving Military Through #COVID19 Pandemic","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":[160,244,243,35,39],"class_list":["post-5025","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press_releases","tag-aafes","tag-coronavirus","tag-covid-19","tag-military","tag-the-army-air-force-exchange-service"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2020\/03\/24\/the-army-air-force-exchange-service-continues-serving-military-through-covid-19-pandemic\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The Army & Air Force Exchange Service Continues Serving Military Through COVID-19 Pandemic","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2020\/03\/24\/the-army-air-force-exchange-service-continues-serving-military-through-covid-19-pandemic\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2020\/03\/24\/the-army-air-force-exchange-service-continues-serving-military-through-covid-19-pandemic\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/03\/PatrickAFB-Stock-1-e1585069169930.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/03\/PatrickAFB-Stock-1-e1585069169930.jpg"},"articleSection":"Press Releases","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Marisa Conner"}],"creator":["Marisa Conner"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["aafes","coronavirus","covid-19","military","the army & air force exchange service"],"dateCreated":"2020-03-24T17:11:51Z","datePublished":"2020-03-24T17:11:51Z","dateModified":"2020-03-24T17:11:51Z"},"rendered":"