Army & Air Force Exchange Service Launches ‘Disney at the Exchange’
Dedicated Section, Featuring Disney, Marvel and Star Wars Products, Unveiled at Army Posts and Air Force Bases Globally
DALLAS – A cast of Disney, Marvel and Star Wars brands is joining forces with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service to bring special, dedicated sections to select Exchanges starting March 21.
These standalone sections, called “Disney at the Exchange,” showcase merchandise from Disney Consumer Products, including characters from Disney Junior, DisneyPixar and Disney Princess, as well as Marvel and Star Wars properties. By this summer, military shoppers at 15 installations, from California to Japan, will find a wide selection of their favorite characters at the Exchange. The “Disney at the Exchange” assortment will include dolls, action figures, role play items and clothing, as well as toys and other merchandise tied to current Walt Disney Company theatrical releases and television content.
“With stores in 31 countries and all 50 states, the Exchange brings a taste of home to every member of the military family,” said Col. Tom Ockenfels, the Exchange’s chief of staff. “Bringing Disney into Exchanges is another example of our continuing desire to deliver top brands directly to military shoppers around the world.”
These new sections, with an average size of 627 square feet, have signage featuring Disney, Marvel and Star Wars logos and beloved character imagery throughout.
“The Walt Disney Company is proud to support the U.S. Armed Services, and it is an honor to bring the magic of Disney, Marvel and Star Wars characters and their cherished stories to service men, women and families around the world through this collaboration,” said Josh Silverman, executive vice president of global licensing, Disney Consumer Products.
The Exchange will open “Disney at the Exchange” at 11 locations in the continental United States on March 21. Locations include:
- Fort Campbell, Ky.
- Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
- Fort Hood, Texas
- Fort Benning, Ga.
- Fort Bragg, N.C.
- Fort Belvoir, Va.
- Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
- Fort Carson, Colo.
- Fort Bliss, Texas
- Both main stores at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
Overseas locations are scheduled to open in May at Kaiserslautern Military Community Center and Grafenwoehr in Germany; Kadena Air Base, Japan; and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
In addition to the opening of “Disney at the Exchange,” the Exchange and The Walt Disney Company are bringing advanced screenings of Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” to select theaters for military families on March 29. The movie will open in civilian theaters on April 4.
“Disney was proud to be the first Studio to bring first-run movies to the Exchange’s continental U.S. base theaters last August with Planes,” said Dave Hollis, executive vice president of theatrical distribution at The Walt Disney Studios. “ ‘Disney at The Exchange’ is an exciting continuation of that relationship. We are honored to work with an organization whose mission it is to serve our dedicated military members and their families.”
Supporting the U.S. Armed Forces has long been a Disney tradition. In 2012, Disney introduced Heroes Work Here—a companywide initiative to hire, train and support military veterans as well as encourage employers across the U.S. to hire former military service members. Disney has already exceeded its goal to hire 2,000 veterans, with 3,200 former service members joining Disney since the program began.
–30–
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is a joint nonappropriated fund instrumentality of the Department of Defense and is directed by a Board of Directors, which is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force through the Service Chiefs of Staff. The Exchange has the dual mission of providing authorized patrons with quality merchandise and services at competitively low prices and generating non-appropriated fund earnings as a supplemental source of funding for military morale, welfare and recreation programs. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our Web site at http://www.shopmyexchange.com.
###
Media Notes:
For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Julie Mitchell, 214-312-3327 or [email protected].