{"id":7437,"date":"2021-12-16T20:23:51","date_gmt":"2021-12-16T20:23:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/?p=7437"},"modified":"2021-12-20T18:42:40","modified_gmt":"2021-12-20T18:42:40","slug":"making-spirits-bright-nearly-109000-in-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-for-374-military-shoppers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2021\/12\/16\/making-spirits-bright-nearly-109000-in-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-for-374-military-shoppers\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Spirits Bright: Nearly $109,000 in Exchange Layaways Paid in Full for 374 Military Shoppers"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AirCAMP FOSTER <\/strong>\u2013 Army & Air Force Exchange Service shoppers in the Pacific were treated to an early holiday surprise when they learned their layaways had been paid in full.<\/p>\n

Exchange shoppers in South Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Hawaii and Guam joined a video call Dec. 14 for the big reveal, delivered by celebrity guest and Marine Corps Veteran Montel Williams. The paid-off layaways totaled nearly $109,000, encompassing all 374 active layaways in the Exchange\u2019s Pacific Region.<\/p>\n

Master Sgt. Brett Myers<\/a> was among the shoppers who tuned in for the reveal. Myers, an Engineering Craftsman with the 718th<\/sup> Civil Engineer Squadron, put a laptop on layaway at the Kadena Air Base Exchange as a gift for his wife, Misti<\/a>, who recently started online college in pursuit of a degree in medical administration.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was absolutely shocked,\u201d Myers said of the reveal. \u201cI can\u2019t believe I was selected. I am still overwhelmed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The shoppers\u2019 layaway balances were paid off by nonprofit Pay Away the Layaway.<\/p>\n

\u201cWarfighters and their families in the Pacific make enormous sacrifices to serve this Nation, and we are very happy to celebrate this unexpected gift with them,\u201d said Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Kovalchek, Exchange Pacific Region commander. \u201cThis welcome surprise will make the Christmas and holiday season all the more special this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Staff Sgt. Mark A. Kauffman contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n

Facebook-friendly version: <\/strong>All 374 active layaways at Army & Air Force Exchange Service stores in the Pacific have been paid in full in a special holiday surprise for Warfighters and families in the region. Read more: https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-1VX<\/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 54th<\/sup>-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, your Exchange benefit has provided $3.4 billion in earnings for 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 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 Conner Hammett, 214-312-2714 or hammettc@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":"

CAMP FOSTER \u2013 Army & Air Force Exchange Service shoppers in the Pacific were treated to an early holiday surprise when they learned their layaways had been paid in full. Exchange shoppers in South Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Hawaii and Guam joined a video call Dec. 14 for the big reveal, delivered by celebrity guest and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":7440,"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":"All 374 active layaways at #Exchange stores in the Pacific have been paid in full in a special holiday surprise for Warfighters and families in the region. Read more: https:\/\/wp.me\/p9Q7PG-1VX. #Army #AirForce #ServingThoseWhoServe #MilitaryFamilies #MilSpouse","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":[310,25,303],"tags":[160,377,378,376,372,35,375,297,39],"class_list":["post-7437","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pacific-region","category-press_releases","category-store-ops","tag-aafes","tag-guam","tag-hawaii","tag-japan","tag-korea","tag-military","tag-okinawa","tag-pacific","tag-the-army-air-force-exchange-service"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2021\/12\/16\/making-spirits-bright-nearly-109000-in-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-for-374-military-shoppers\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Making Spirits Bright: Nearly $109,000 in Exchange Layaways Paid in Full for 374 Military Shoppers","url":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2021\/12\/16\/making-spirits-bright-nearly-109000-in-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-for-374-military-shoppers\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/2021\/12\/16\/making-spirits-bright-nearly-109000-in-exchange-layaways-paid-in-full-for-374-military-shoppers\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/DSC_6936_B-e1639685935415.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/publicaffairs-sme.com\/ExchangePost\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/12\/DSC_6936_B-e1639685935415.jpg"},"articleSection":"Pacific Region","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Marisa Conner"}],"creator":["Marisa Conner"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Exchange Newsroom","logo":""},"keywords":["aafes","guam","hawaii","japan","korea","military","okinawa","pacific","the army & air force exchange service"],"dateCreated":"2021-12-16T20:23:51Z","datePublished":"2021-12-16T20:23:51Z","dateModified":"2021-12-20T18:42:40Z"},"rendered":"