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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Here is what I'll say on this issue. Not only to non retirees deserve the use of AAFES but it makes good financial sense to AAFES that non retirees be able to use AAFES. Economies of scale are better realized when more product is moved through a store thus AAFES gets better pricing from product manufacturers because they sell more. Right now you can get better pricing going to Bestbuy when you purchase electronics than AAFES.
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First, I think that vets and government civilian employees of the Defense Department should be allowed access to the exchanges and commissaries but for different reasons and not out of a sense of entitlement. A portion of the exchange profits goes into MWR programs and having a larger customer base would increase this which helps our military. The surcharge at the commissaries goes to build new commissaries. All of this benefits the military community. Again this isn't based on any sense of entitlement as I probably wouldn't shop at either due to the inconvenience of getting there. I would waste more in gas than I would save but I am all for building or expanding commissaries and increasing the MWR options available to the military community.
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I personally believe any Honorably Discharged Veteran should still have access, it only helps everyone when AAFES makes money!!
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I think the issue being alluded to is that many service members are shown the door though no fault of their own. Primarily those who are discharged through reduction in force or medical. In these case I think some sort of AAFES benefit may be in order.
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MSG William Wold
So enter a race, lets say, 4 laps, stop about 20 feet from the end, walk off and go to the showers, and complain you should get a ribbon or trophy. You didn't finish. You didn't cross that finish line. You have nothing to complain about or entitled to. This isn't primary soccer practice that anyone who participates gets a trophy and they don't keep score. I personally haven't been in a commissary in 15 years. Sure there is a discount, don't know about your commissary but the one I used to frequent, when your all done they add a surcharge, then your REQUIRED to have an "assistant" help you to your vehicle with your cart, and the "expected" tip for doing so is 10% of what you spent inside. When I got home the last time I figured it cost me more than I would have gotten at local stores. No need to go back.
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PO1 Tammy Lee
SrA Hunter, I understand how you feel, but for those of us who did retire, those benefits are not finite but aid use on fixed incomes and do make a lot of difference. Why didn't you ask for a Medical retirement? Or where you even offered one? You can still seek medical care thru the VA depending on the type of discharge you got. My heart goes out to you.
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SrA Daniel Hunter
PO1 Lee, I get that it is of great benefit to retirees. My point is not to say they should not have it (double negative, sorry). I was told I did not qualify for Medical Retirement. My healthcare is fine. Honestly the closest base is 5 hours away so I wouldn't likely go to one regularly. My point was merely that others who wanted to retire could not. By allowing others access to AAFES does not mean retirees get less access. In the end it could mean AAFES has enough revenue to be self sustaining. Thank you!
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SrA Daniel Hunter
MSG Wold, I'm not complaining I merely saying service member may not have left the service of their own choice. To correct you analogy I didn't step off just before the finish line. The Air Force took me off the track. Everyone, including you seams to think if one more person gets to shop at the Commissary you will not be able too. When AAFES is out of business and Congress refuses to support it, that benefit will no longer exist.
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I feel insulted by your anonymous, self-serving statement. Thank you for serving 5 years in the Air Force. Is that one of the vaIues you learned while you were in? I was separated from my family for 5 years during my 20+ years in the Marines and Army with 5 deployments that include Afghanistan and Iraq. There are many who have deployed even more. You say your shoulder aches. Well so does mine. I had surgery in between two Iraq deployments and went back down range with an arthritc back and torn ligaments in my ankle. I didn't whine or complain because I know someone else always has it worse. You are indicative of a generation that feels something is owed to them. If your DD214 doesn'the say retired, then you're not entitled to retirement benefits. Feel free to visit a recruiter and complete 15 more years on active duty before President Obama and Congress overhaul the military retirement system.
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In the name of full disclosure, I am employed by the DOD in a Civil Service position now and have access to the AAFES because of that. I did not enjoy that privileged situation for more than a decade between leaving active duty and now, so I can understand your desire to enjoy that privilege. There are many perks to being a servant of the government.
You, after serving 5 or 6 years) have done nothing to compare to the service of someone that served 20 or more years. Not even your 7 months in Iraq come close. An actual grunt would spend around 12 or more months deployed depending on the mission parameters and do it over and over again for their entire time in service. I know people that have made 5 trips between Iraq and Afghanistan during the current time of hostility with each trip being a year long. How does your 7 months stack up against 5 years over there?
You knew full well that you would loose your perks upon leaving the service.
To me, it sounds like you should man up, but if you had been able to do that, you might still be in the military instead of drawing a 30% disability check and being a big baby about not getting to shop at the exchange.
You, after serving 5 or 6 years) have done nothing to compare to the service of someone that served 20 or more years. Not even your 7 months in Iraq come close. An actual grunt would spend around 12 or more months deployed depending on the mission parameters and do it over and over again for their entire time in service. I know people that have made 5 trips between Iraq and Afghanistan during the current time of hostility with each trip being a year long. How does your 7 months stack up against 5 years over there?
You knew full well that you would loose your perks upon leaving the service.
To me, it sounds like you should man up, but if you had been able to do that, you might still be in the military instead of drawing a 30% disability check and being a big baby about not getting to shop at the exchange.
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I want the 3 minutes it took me to read this BACK. Troll much? I certainly hope this isn't a cheap ploy to get "points" on your RP account.
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I disagree. While you did serve, for which I thank you, comparing your service to others is flat out asinine. You even quantified it by saying you hurt your shoulder from wearing kit.
So you say you served a "7 month tour and left the wire easily more than 10 times". What's the take away? That you left the wire easily less than 20 times? That's not as much as most grunts that I know, not even close in a 7 month period, or even 5 yrs. I spent time in Taji (08), and most grunts I saw were living outside the wire in COPS. I'm sure if you had seen their living conditions and the duties that they performed, that you would most certainly not compare yourself to our boys out there doing the real heavy lifting.
Let it go, you did your time and got out. You probably got a lot more for disability than most grunts I know.........
So you say you served a "7 month tour and left the wire easily more than 10 times". What's the take away? That you left the wire easily less than 20 times? That's not as much as most grunts that I know, not even close in a 7 month period, or even 5 yrs. I spent time in Taji (08), and most grunts I saw were living outside the wire in COPS. I'm sure if you had seen their living conditions and the duties that they performed, that you would most certainly not compare yourself to our boys out there doing the real heavy lifting.
Let it go, you did your time and got out. You probably got a lot more for disability than most grunts I know.........
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What would be the incentive to travel through a career, if one received career benefits right out of the starting gate? Perhaps those who have separated after a few years, and miss certain aspects, should consider joining the Reserve and become part of the family again.
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I really wish I can choose "None of the Above".
The Exchange does benefit active duty members and those who are downrange, staying on base.
With that being said, if you have all of the time to go out of your way to the nearest military base, go through the security checkpoint, try to find a parking space, find products that you can get closer to home relatively cheaper, then be my guest!
The Exchange does benefit active duty members and those who are downrange, staying on base.
With that being said, if you have all of the time to go out of your way to the nearest military base, go through the security checkpoint, try to find a parking space, find products that you can get closer to home relatively cheaper, then be my guest!
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