Do Retirees Really “Deserve” Access to AAFES Stores More Than Non-Retirees?

I believe your service connected disability needs to be followed up or submit additional claims to increase your rating to get a permanent AAFES benefits as part of your disability. You should check with your local veteran's commission office to learn more about your situation. In the meantime link up with a cardholder authorized to shop and get all your shopping done until you get your own DD 1173.

I think that 20 years is a long time, however someone who served one term, i do not think earned lifetime bennifits. I do however think that if you served more than 10 years, then certain bennifits should remain.

Let me say I respect your service, you served longer than many in the US population and sacrificed much. However with that being said, I think of the BX, AAFES, NEX, commissary, etc. as a job perk for those still on active duty, medical retirees, and 20+ year retirees. As such one would not be entitled to a Google job perk once they leave Google as an example, or free/discounted food at McDonalds as a former employee. Perks for any job has traditionally been associated with one’s employment or retirement status; no difference here.

As already mentioned, I too look at this perk as a saving of sales tax only with large purchases as better deals normally can be had in town.

You made some fatal mistakes when you posted this question.

1) You whined about your personal circumstances and claim you've been screwed in the first paragraph. Honest questions get honest answers. Questions as a set up to bitch just turn people against you.

2) You did not put in your time as much as anyone else. Retirees put in 20. You didn't put in 20. 20 is not as much as less than 20.

3) You are absolutely right you knew what the rules were. After the fact you don't like them, so what? Are you trying to convince us that you served your country for the Commissary and Exchange privileges?

4) NEVER assume that you know about someone else's service. You don't know anything and it is disdainful.

5) For much of my career (the 80's and 90's), The Commissary and Exchange were not available; or inferior to the civilian market. I quickly learned not to buy perishables (meat, dairy produce, seafood, and baked goods because it was old stuff that didn't move off the shelves fast enough in the civilian groceries. So route drivers for the wholesale suppliers collected it up and stocked the commissary shelves with old merchandise that would quickly spoil at home.

6) Most of the lower end items in the exchange were factory seconds, distressed merchandise, or discontinued.

7) A significant number of retirees live hours away from military installions and "don't get no commissary."

If you want honest answer ask adult questions without all the whining and bitching. There are legitimate reasons for and against 100% of all veterans hang access to base privileges, not the least of which is the impact on the civilian community surrounding the base.

No Sir, I believe it's a benefit for active and retired service members only. I sometimes think as it this way. I live off the base and outside of the base privileges, and this is where I make my living with all the rest of the civilians.
And, Thank you for your service. Salute!

Simple answer is we have an ID Card and same with Medical Retired, so go somewhere else. You had a choice go for 20 and get an ID or go home. looks like you went home.

Good Lord! I know this thread is three-years old, but the comparison made by the OP is crazy. Benefits of any type are reserved for those who did their time and retired. The deal that Uncle Sam made with all of us is if you do your 20, we'll give you certain things. Retirement pay, medical, AAFES, and more that I'm sure I don't have a clue about.

I did five active and five reserves. What did I do when I got out? I got a job and worked my ass off and eventually made some decent money. The trade off? I was free to do what I could in the civilian sector and see what happened. Funny, as I would have told you when I joined up that I was going to do 20. And I served in about the only ten year period in the last 50 years when the country wasn't at war. So, yeah, things worked out for me. But I'd never say that I was entitled to medical or commissary privileges. That's just crazy.

Is this fucking real? Like really, is this an actual post by an actual military member? You haven't even done more than most people who have deployed only once and got out. Congrats on your 7 month tour and your 10, count em TEN times outside the wire... I did two year long deployments, and left the wire over 300 times, hell I lived "outside the wire" for half of my deployments and I still haven't done as much as some retirees. In no way shape or form have you done more than a retired grunt. I've probably done more than a handful, but by no means more than most retirees and certainly not close to as much any retired grunt. Im in awe of folks who can not just survive, but stand to be in for 20 years and they deserve much more than I do.

First I would like to state AAFES / The Exhange is not the greatest deal in town. When prices are compared to local economy prices the local prices are most times cheaper. When deployed or stationed overseas its a different story but, retirees are not authorized access to military sales facilities in all foreign countries. Depends on the SOFA. The commissary falls into the same category. I think you are just being nostalgic.
And for the record: You are not entitled. Period!

Sigh... where to begin...
There are some on this site that have more time in kit than this cat spent in the Air Force.
Hell, I have almost as many times out of the wire in full kit on my wedding anniversaries (8 - 2 Afghanistan '03, 3 Iraq '05, 3 Iraq '08) than this guy does in total.
There are some on this site with disabilities like missing limbs, lives that will never be the same, nightmares that never end, holes in their bodies where bullets or shrapnel passed through.

For all who served, thank you.
Not everyone has the balls to sign on the dotted line and slog, fly, or sail into harm's way.
That doesn't mean that we are all the same, and it doesn't mean we all get the same benefits when we get out. By and large, what we EARN is based upon years of service. Get to twenty, and there are a lot of benefits. Get out earlier, and less so.
I never really thought access to AAFES was that big of a deal, but then I don't smoke or drink (much) so the bigger tax breaks are not really ones I get much out of.