Military exchanges Archives

By Debbie Gregory.

Some 16 million honorably discharged military veterans will soon be able to make purchases from online military exchanges, under a recently announced Department of Defense policy change.

Slated to begin appropriately November 11, Veterans Day, the move is a way to improve the quality of life for veterans and their families, as well as strengthening the exchanges through the Department of Defense’s increased online presence, competitive prices and selections, and bargaining power with vendors when millions of additional customers are added.

Although veterans will not be able to buy uniforms, alcohol or tobacco products, the rest of the Exchange Services’ inventory, including clothing, appliances, jewelry, etc. will be available. The Exchange also carries high-end name branded merchandise

Brick-and-mortar military exchanges on bases or posts are already open to many veterans who live near them, as well as their dependents and surviving spouses. But the new policy will benefit those who don’t live near a base or who may not have the means to get to the base store.

Months of preparation are needed to make e-shopping portals more robust and to allow the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) time to create software for verifying veterans’ status using Department of Veterans Affairs records.

“As a nation, we are grateful for the contributions of our service members. Offering this lifetime online benefit is one small, tangible way the nation can say ‘Thank you’ to those who served with honor,” said Peter Levine, acting under-secretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

The commissary shopping benefit isn’t involved, so there won’t be any dilution to that benefit, or any increase in crowding or product availability.

Military Connection salutes and proudly serves veterans and service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, and their families.

A new benefit could be coming soon for millions of Veterans. There are reportedly talks about expanding online shopping privileges at Army and Air Force Exchange Services (AAFES) to all honorably discharged Veterans from every branch. This proposed deal is for online shopping only.

Currently, only active duty personnel, retirees and their dependents are granted exchange privileges, which offer exclusive savings and tax-free shopping. Safeguarding the exclusivity of this privilege is nearly as daunting as securing access to the bases the exchanges are on, as every purchase is subject to an I.D. check.

Many who have served see their exchange privileges as one of the perks of military service, and one of the rewards of serving until retirement. It is this feeling that exchange privileges are indeed “a privilege” that has many active duty service members and retirees opposed to the expansion.

But the truth of the matter is that if AAFES is able to increase their consumer base online, they will increase their sales. And then the exchanges will have an easier time improving the quality of services that they provide in their brick and mortar stores for active duty and retirees.

AAFES CEO Tom Shull also sees the expansion of the exchange privilege to more Veterans as a modest way to thank them for their service and sacrifices.

Concerns have been raised that allowing the expansion of this benefit could require multiple policy changes, and pave the way for other benefit expansion, including shopping privileges at the brick and mortar stores on base. Representatives from AAFES claim that they have no intention of expanding benefits any further, and that legal reviews are underway to determine how to handle online shopping for all honorably discharged Veterans.

One of the major hang-ups with the proposal is figuring out how AAFES will share profits with Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) when Veterans from the Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard shop using their online program. Shull and the AAFES team appear confident that an agreement can be reached that benefits everyone.

Talks about expanding online AAFES shopping are expected to continue into late November. Shull believes that this expansion is not a matter of “if,” but “when.” This could be big news and big savings for the Veteran community.

Military Connection proudly serves those who serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Guard and Reserve, Veterans and their Families. We are the go to site for Veteran Employment and information on Veteran education. Militaryconnection.com provides Veterans with and Directory of Employers, a Job Board, information on the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and a blog that offers Veterans boundless information. Be sure to visit Militaryconnection.com, the go to site.