Posted on Apr 2, 2015
Do Retirees Really “Deserve” Access to AAFES Stores More Than Non-Retirees?
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* Please vote in the survey here *
Note: I am a RallyPoint member (served in USAF for 5 years) and wish to remain anonymous, because I need to be 100% honest that I feel the DoD is discriminating against non-retirees like me. Please tell if I am right or wrong here.
While I was serving in the USAF (5 years active), I enjoyed shopping at AAFES locations and online as well. It saved me a lot of money and the deals always seemed good. Now that I am a civilian, and did not hit retirement before I got out, and am not rated 100%, I can’t shop at AAFES anymore. I think that’s flat out wrong. I put in my time as much as anyone.
I know there are going to be RallyPoint members who respond with, “You only did 6 years, and you knew AAFES rules full well.” Well, here is what I say to that.
I did a 7-month tour in Iraq at FOB Taji. Easily left the wire more than 10 times. I hurt my shoulder due to wearing my kit a lot (30% rated). I did as much as most retirees, including retired grunts. I deserve AAFES access as much as any retiree. I respect that retirees served a little bit longer, but I did 7 months in Iraq.
Am I justified in thinking I should get full AAFES access?
Please vote in the survey below. Thank you.
Note: I am a RallyPoint member (served in USAF for 5 years) and wish to remain anonymous, because I need to be 100% honest that I feel the DoD is discriminating against non-retirees like me. Please tell if I am right or wrong here.
While I was serving in the USAF (5 years active), I enjoyed shopping at AAFES locations and online as well. It saved me a lot of money and the deals always seemed good. Now that I am a civilian, and did not hit retirement before I got out, and am not rated 100%, I can’t shop at AAFES anymore. I think that’s flat out wrong. I put in my time as much as anyone.
I know there are going to be RallyPoint members who respond with, “You only did 6 years, and you knew AAFES rules full well.” Well, here is what I say to that.
I did a 7-month tour in Iraq at FOB Taji. Easily left the wire more than 10 times. I hurt my shoulder due to wearing my kit a lot (30% rated). I did as much as most retirees, including retired grunts. I deserve AAFES access as much as any retiree. I respect that retirees served a little bit longer, but I did 7 months in Iraq.
Am I justified in thinking I should get full AAFES access?
Please vote in the survey below. Thank you.
Posted in these groups: 
Benefits
Benefits
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 625
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To expect different benefits than were offered by regulation at the time of your enlistment has a real danger attached to it. We all expect the military to honor the rules of enlistment at the time we signed up and in turn agreed to observe the rules ourselves. To go back and change rules for the benefits after the fact opens the door for the military to go back and change the rules on us. The rules are absolute, or at least they should be. If you don't like the way things are structured, don't join. Everybody needs to observe the rules they initially agreed to. I've had high school friends chide me for being retired at a mere 41 years old. My response to them is that I played by the rules and made the sacrifices that weren't ready or willing to make. It might not always go over will, but it's the truth and they cannot argue with that.
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I am looking forward to the on-line access coming in November 2017. However, I would like to be extended to include visiting a locale AAFES facility. In addition, access to the commisary would also be most beneficial to those of us that are non-retiree veterans, particularly those rated at less than 100%.
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Let me guess. You EAS'ed, then realized you couldn't buy cheap cd's anymore..?..
My teenage children sound more mature.
My teenage children sound more mature.
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Well folks, the DoD agrees honorably discharged veterans deserve access to the online version of the Exchange starting November 11, 2017 (Veterans Day).
Feel free to visit VetVerify.org and provide the information requested. If the info you provide matches a record at the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), and you are coded as an honorably discharged veteran, you will receive acknowledgement that you can create a shopping profile at shopmyexchange.com on or about 11/11/17. More info can be found at the link below:
https://www.shopmyexchange.com/s?Dy=1&Nty=1&Ntt=vosbwelcome
Feel free to visit VetVerify.org and provide the information requested. If the info you provide matches a record at the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), and you are coded as an honorably discharged veteran, you will receive acknowledgement that you can create a shopping profile at shopmyexchange.com on or about 11/11/17. More info can be found at the link below:
https://www.shopmyexchange.com/s?Dy=1&Nty=1&Ntt=vosbwelcome
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Should have retired then. You dont "deserve" anything. You did your enlistment and got out. When you leave the Armed Forces, you leave all the buttpain, and benefits behind. You did a single 7 month tour in Iraq and left the wire 10 times, so what tens of thousnads did much more. You are not a snowflake, you were a one time deployed fobbit. I am falling out of my chair laughing at you right now. Where do you get your sence of entitlement from. You need to get a grip on reality.
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SSgt Troy Allen
Actually, the original question is moot. Here's reality:
Starting Veterans Day 2017, vets can verify their status at https://www.vetverify.org. If an honorable discharge is confirmed, the vet can register at shopmyexchange.com and will be authorized to buy merchandise online, not at BX/PX Exchange stores. Vets can also apply for a MilStar account.
Starting Veterans Day 2017, vets can verify their status at https://www.vetverify.org. If an honorable discharge is confirmed, the vet can register at shopmyexchange.com and will be authorized to buy merchandise online, not at BX/PX Exchange stores. Vets can also apply for a MilStar account.
www.VetVerify.org coming soon page
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Here's the deal there are plans in the works to let veterans use the exchange/PX. Why you ask, because it is way to expense and stateside is on the verse of going under. Be careful what you wish for......
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SSgt Troy Allen
Actually, the "deal" (which will be available on Veterans Day 2017) allows honorably discharged veterans authorization to buy merchandise only at shopmyexchange.com, not at BX/PX Exchange stores.
The Exchange system is nowhere close to "going under" as you state, but drawdowns in personnel have reduced the customer base, therefore reducing a buying team's ability to negotiate better pricing.
Once veterans can purchase at shopmyexchange.com, the customer base will go up and buying teams will be able to negotiate better prices, which will be passed on to online and store customers.
The Exchange system is nowhere close to "going under" as you state, but drawdowns in personnel have reduced the customer base, therefore reducing a buying team's ability to negotiate better pricing.
Once veterans can purchase at shopmyexchange.com, the customer base will go up and buying teams will be able to negotiate better prices, which will be passed on to online and store customers.
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No we served 20 + years and using the Commissary /exchanges is a benefit we earned. If you were in less than you did not earn that benefit sorry.
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SSgt Troy Allen
Since honorably discharged veterans will be able to register for an account at shopmyexchange.com starting Veteran's Day 2017, the argument posed by this survey is moot. The Veteran's Online Shopping Benefit (VOSB) does NOT include purchases in Exchange stores on post/base, and does NOT include the Commissary.
Details here:
https://www.shopmyexchange.com/veterans
Details here:
https://www.shopmyexchange.com/veterans
{category} : Shop Top Brands For {category} | Shop The Exchange
Save on name brand {CATEGORY} and tax free at The Exchange. FREE shipping available on {CATEGORY}!
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I'd like to offer a lesson in economics and economy of scale.
AAFES is a for profit corporation that happens to have retail outlets on Military bases.
Maybe things have changed since I was discharged in 1994, but back in the day AAFES was more expensive and had less inventory than the places just off base.
Why? Economy of scale.
Only 7% of the U.S. population are veterans, that means if you let every active duty, retired, or person that just served 6 months and got out into the PX your customer base is still only 7% of the population.
Walmart sells to 100% of the population. Walmart can sell things cheaper and stock more because they buy and sell more, so their profit margins don't have to be as high to stay in business, and they can can negotiate better volume discounts from suppliers.
I don't live anywhere near a base, so I don't have any vested interest in the discussion, but it seems to me like the best policy would be to open up AAFES to anyone that is eligible for VA benefits, just because prices would come down.
I really don't care if someone was a bean counter behind a desk in the Coast Guard (no offense) for six months before they "got a boo boo" and were discharged on a medical. My only concern is base security 1st, and serving the troops well 2nd. The 1st means you gotta keep the riff-raff out, the second means let as many people in as you can.
AAFES is a for profit corporation that happens to have retail outlets on Military bases.
Maybe things have changed since I was discharged in 1994, but back in the day AAFES was more expensive and had less inventory than the places just off base.
Why? Economy of scale.
Only 7% of the U.S. population are veterans, that means if you let every active duty, retired, or person that just served 6 months and got out into the PX your customer base is still only 7% of the population.
Walmart sells to 100% of the population. Walmart can sell things cheaper and stock more because they buy and sell more, so their profit margins don't have to be as high to stay in business, and they can can negotiate better volume discounts from suppliers.
I don't live anywhere near a base, so I don't have any vested interest in the discussion, but it seems to me like the best policy would be to open up AAFES to anyone that is eligible for VA benefits, just because prices would come down.
I really don't care if someone was a bean counter behind a desk in the Coast Guard (no offense) for six months before they "got a boo boo" and were discharged on a medical. My only concern is base security 1st, and serving the troops well 2nd. The 1st means you gotta keep the riff-raff out, the second means let as many people in as you can.
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SSgt Troy Allen
David: It's called "Veteran's Online Service Benefit" because honorably discharged veterans will be authorized to buy merchandise only at shopmyexchange.com, not at BX/PX Exchange stores. So, there are no base security concerns.
Also, you are misrepresenting AAFES as being a for-profit corporation. It is not a corporation at all. It is a government instrumentality authorized by Congress and falls under the DoD as a mostly non-appropriated fund activity.
97% of AAFES opeations are self-funded via revenue from the sale of goods and services. The remaining 3% is appropriated funds used for overseas operations.
100% of AAFES earnings are invested as follows: Two-thirds support Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps morale, welfare and recreation programs - that's $200+ million in funding that offbase companies don't provide; the remaining third is used for new store construction and facility costs.
Also, you are misrepresenting AAFES as being a for-profit corporation. It is not a corporation at all. It is a government instrumentality authorized by Congress and falls under the DoD as a mostly non-appropriated fund activity.
97% of AAFES opeations are self-funded via revenue from the sale of goods and services. The remaining 3% is appropriated funds used for overseas operations.
100% of AAFES earnings are invested as follows: Two-thirds support Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps morale, welfare and recreation programs - that's $200+ million in funding that offbase companies don't provide; the remaining third is used for new store construction and facility costs.
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SPC David Hannaman
SSgt Troy Allen - Excellent, thank you for the correction and information. You're correct, AAFES is not a publicly traded company.
I wasn't aware that http://www.shopmyexchange.com existed, but if I was able to order there I would certainly pay a bit more to support the morale of my active duty brothers and sisters in arms. Unfortunately, I can't. I'm just a guy that served five years, went to Desert Storm, and was honorably discharged to become a proud civilian.
Access to exchange Online Store is restricted to:
Active Duty Military
Military Retirees
Reserves
National Guard personnel
Department of State Officials serving in foreign countries
And, dependents of the above
Veterans Canteen
I wasn't aware that http://www.shopmyexchange.com existed, but if I was able to order there I would certainly pay a bit more to support the morale of my active duty brothers and sisters in arms. Unfortunately, I can't. I'm just a guy that served five years, went to Desert Storm, and was honorably discharged to become a proud civilian.
Access to exchange Online Store is restricted to:
Active Duty Military
Military Retirees
Reserves
National Guard personnel
Department of State Officials serving in foreign countries
And, dependents of the above
Veterans Canteen
Military Discounts On Top Brands, Women's Clothing, Fitness, Electronics | Shop Army & Air Force...
Shop the largest military government ecommerce site with exclusive discounts, military clothing and tactical gear, tax free shopping and sales on name brands up to 50% off. FREE shipping at shopmyexchange.com. Army and Air Force Exchange Service
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SSgt Troy Allen
SPC David Hannaman - You *will* be able to order there just like I will, starting Veterans Day 2017. See: Veteran's Online Shopping Benefit has been approved.
https://www.shopmyexchange.com/veterans
https://www.shopmyexchange.com/veterans
{category} : Shop Top Brands For {category} | Shop The Exchange
Save on name brand {CATEGORY} and tax free at The Exchange. FREE shipping available on {CATEGORY}!
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who cares unless your overseas or Hawaii AAFES is more expensive than most local stores anyway........................................
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