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

well brotha/Sista....I Feel for ya....when I was young and got out my 1st time in 93 I kinda felt the same way after Desert Storm. I came back in the reserves July 2 1/2 month before the towers came down. served 23 yr and 30 yr all together time in service.
I would love to have a defense for ya brotha.....however somethings are reserved for retirees.
A lot of the prices at the PX be asked don't match off post anymore or the right on the price of off post, so all your saving is taxes.
But I would like to take a stab or crack at what you get net though, I think what you miss is walking around the PX BX area and sharing in the brotherhood right? That's what it was for me when I left. I missed it. I just retired in December 2014. You want the truth, I already miss it. I miss being in that uniform, miss having fun with Joe, miss walking around the PX, sitting in the cafeteria area and shooting the shit :-)

Not more than non-retirees but equal.

The survey question is a bit misleading, in that one believing it to be a comparison and contrast between active and retirees, when it really is asking to compare and contrast "Discharged Veterans" with less than 20 years and Retirees who served 20+ years, medically retired or are 100% P&T service connected disabled with the VA.

I believe the survey question itself needs to be redrafted to ask "Discharged Veterans" and not "non-Retirees", as many "Non-Retirees" earn PX and Commissary privileges by other means!

I don't think anyone not on active duty should have PX access. It's a benefit for servicemembers on active duty, and it's to help them and their families. For everyone else, Wal-mart's over there.

I am a disabled Veteran. I gave ten years of my life to active duty. I am combat wounded. I feel I deserve that privilege of shopping at AAFES.

I think anyone who has "Honorably" separated from the service deserve to maintain the benefits of the PX and the Commissary. Additional benefits such as Tri-Care and Pay should remain with retirees, but the PX and Commissary are no brainers. Plus this would provide funds back to the military community.

Hahaha easily more than ten times... you are funny. Did as much as retired Grunts... good thing you went anonymous. Because not even close to one tour for a Grunt. Ten times out the wire is a week for most grunt privates.

Dear anonymous:

Would you like a little cheese with that whine?!? Seriously, you have just personified every "worthless and weak" joke the other branches make about the Air Force. SMH.

Here is why I voted the way that I did.
I put in almost ten years of active duty, from1983-1992. I spent almost 7 years stateside at F.E.Warren AFB in Cheyenne, Wy. Where men are men, and women are scarce. Then, I put in three years at Rhein Main AB, Germany during the desert shied/desert storm years. I took an 8 year break in service, and then put in 12 years with the Idaho Air National Guard.
I feel like I still got in 20 years of service, even though guard time is not the same as active 24/7 time. I spent almost 6 of those 12 years deployed, or in an active "title 10 " status.
My retirement, when I collect, my retirement pay, it will account for about 16 years of active duty time, as an E-6.
Now, one thing that pisses me off, (among MANY) is the phrase "just" in the guard. ESPECIALLY from AD troops.
On the one hand, I get it. When I was on AD, we felt the same way. Some guard units were just more organized,and more motivated than others. Just like AD troops. "They" didn't live the life 24/7/365 like "we" did. While "they" may have passed the same CBT's, and had some of the same tech schools, "they" just weren't as well qualified. I get it. "They" didn't live the life 24/7, and so by default just aren't as sharp.
Now, back to the point. Why don't I think folks that didn't serve 20 years, should not receive the benefits of shopping at the commissary and exchange.
My dad, served in the Army for three years around 59-61. (the exact dates I don't know.)
When he served, he qualified for free medical for life, among other things, after the 2nd world war.
One of my cousins served in the Navy, and enlisted circa 1976, the last year Congress authorized that particular benefit.
The president, the Congress, etc...Have been shortening all of OUR EARNED BENEFITS ever since.
"Cost savings" they tell the American public. "We" need to save money, and cutting the very small percentage of cost, from the smaller percentage of people who serve, is a political way of giving and getting between parties. It has nothing to do with real numbers.
As a now retired member of the USAF, (even if only from "the Guard"), I enjoy going to different military bases, and shopping at the commissary and exchange.
It saves me a bit of money yes, but I could probably do better on the economy.
However, it also allows me an opportunity to see people doing their duty, still wearing the uniform, and I feel connected because of that.
Not everyone can go on base/post, and I am OK with that.
I feel that the shopping benefits, even with the meager savings from economy shopping, are a privilege that I have earned, as I fulfilled my promise to uphold and defend, against all enemies.
When I am old enough, I too, like so many retiree's before me, will try to take advantage of the myth of "Space A" travel.
I spent the time, went on all of my deployments, (side bar below) did the training, and put up with the BULLSHIT that is active duty, as well as the BS that goes along with the guard. For the 20+ calendar years it takes to meet my requirements.
I hope that doesn't sound harsh, as I don't mean it to be harsh. However, I do feel that it is an earned benefit. I don't want to take away from anyone's service-a veteran is a veteran.
But I feel like the shopping privilege is just one of the few things "they" haven't taken away, and if you didn't do the time, you just don't deserve that particular benefit.
If you ask on the interwebs if people think those privileges are worth anything, probably 6-7/10 people think it is a waste of time and effort to even have a bx/px/commissary stateside
(Side bar- my active duty time was 6/9 stateside at F.E.Warren and 3/9 at Rhein Main AB, Germany. My guard time was based out of Idaho, and I went twice to Saudi Arabia, 3 times to Germany, for almost 2 years, Iraq, Qatar,Kuwait, Djibouti, and many short stops from DJ around the Horn of Africa, including to the Comoros Islands. Many deployments, glad to be home!)

We did our 20 years plus to earn it while other may have severed the one our two years stints they felt the grass was greener on the other side so they night as well keep shopping at wal-mart and other stores as long as they are not allowed to use EXCHANGES I am happy with that