Posted on Nov 2, 2017
Army & Air Force Exchange Service Director/CEO Tom Shull is the first civilian to lead the Department of Defense’s oldest and largest retailer. Shull, an Army brat, is a U.S. Military Academy graduate and served as rifle platoon leader, scout platoon leader, support platoon leader, company executive officer and infantry company commander. A Harvard Business School graduate, he has had a successful retail career, leading financial turnarounds at some of the best-known retailers, including Macy’s and Barneys New York.
Shull is a fierce Veterans advocate, and while serving as a White House Fellow, he helped ensure compromises were reached to facilitate the construction and dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. At the Exchange, he paved the way for a change in Department of Defense policy to give all honorably discharged Veterans a lifetime online military exchange shopping benefit, which launches this Veterans Day.
The online shopping benefit honors our Veterans’ service, offering tax-free shopping and military-exclusive pricing. Additionally, this program allows all who raised their right hand, took the oath and made a difference to do their part to support our broader military community as military exchange earnings support critical Quality-of-Life programs including combat uniforms below cost, affordable school lunches for Warfighters’ children overseas, Fitness Centers, Army Child Care Centers and much more.
He welcomes your questions about the new benefit!
Shull is a fierce Veterans advocate, and while serving as a White House Fellow, he helped ensure compromises were reached to facilitate the construction and dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. At the Exchange, he paved the way for a change in Department of Defense policy to give all honorably discharged Veterans a lifetime online military exchange shopping benefit, which launches this Veterans Day.
The online shopping benefit honors our Veterans’ service, offering tax-free shopping and military-exclusive pricing. Additionally, this program allows all who raised their right hand, took the oath and made a difference to do their part to support our broader military community as military exchange earnings support critical Quality-of-Life programs including combat uniforms below cost, affordable school lunches for Warfighters’ children overseas, Fitness Centers, Army Child Care Centers and much more.
He welcomes your questions about the new benefit!
Posted in these groups: 
Q&A
MAJ
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Leadership
United States Military Academy (USMA West Point)
Q&A MAJ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Leadership United States Military Academy (USMA West Point)
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 19
I'm happy to know I can now use my time served as something honored. Because I love so close to Ft Sam Houston, is there a possibility to use the 'site to store" option like Walmart or other online shopping can be done?
I was very happy USAA opened to Veterans. I rarely used the PX when I was on Active Duty. The biggest obstacle back then was customer service and your sales people never negotiated on price. I mean C'mon I can walk into any Macy's and get a floor sales person to cut me a deal on price. Try that at the PX and they treat you like a potential thief. Anyways, hope you changed with customer service or at least changed the "all tag prices are final" policy. Prices I can still do better by going to a civilian place just doing a quick compare with your website now.
MAJ Tom Shull
SPC Erich Guenther - The Exchange always welcomes the opportunity to work with Veteran-owned businesses. Please visit the following website to find out more. http://www.aafes.com/about-exchange/doing-business/
This equates to products being sold across 12,000 Exchange facilities worldwide, in catalogs, and online; thus, enhancing the quality of life for our active duty military, National Guard members, Reservists, and Retirees.
MAJ Tom Shull
SPC Erich Guenther - The new e-commerce site is now responsive, enabling a consistent customer shopping experience from desktop to mobile. This recent enhancement ensures the look and feel is uniform regardless of the patron’s device.
A new Exchange mobile application launching in 2018 will further enhance the mobile shopping experience to include new ways to interact with customers in our Main Stores, food courts and Expresses (formerly known as Shoppettes).
A new Exchange mobile application launching in 2018 will further enhance the mobile shopping experience to include new ways to interact with customers in our Main Stores, food courts and Expresses (formerly known as Shoppettes).
MAJ Tom Shull
SPC Erich Guenther - The Exchange and Amazon use some of the same transportation networks such as FedEx or the United States Postal Service to move goods throughout CONUS and overseas. Amazon leverages a vast network of distribution centers located in all metropolitan areas providing a broader range of coverage with inventory. The Exchange is diligently working to fully capitalize on inventory availability closer to our customers through a Ship-from-Store program for customers in CONUS and OCONUS to ensure orders are received faster.
MAJ Tom Shull
SPC Erich Guenther - In our buildup for the Veterans online shopping benefit, we explored every conceivable means of validating a Veteran’s identity and discharge status.
DoD required a system of military record databases, such as the Defense Eligibility Enrollment System (DEERS) maintained by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), for authentication. Access is by SSN and Date of Birth (DoB) and this provides the source to determine if a shopper is an honorably discharged Veteran. We discovered that there is no single database that stores all Veteran information required for validation. To assist in this process, we have an agreement with the National Archives for authentication.
We explored accessing state databases, however they do not have the capability to determine eligibility for the Veterans online shopping benefit.
DoD required a system of military record databases, such as the Defense Eligibility Enrollment System (DEERS) maintained by the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), for authentication. Access is by SSN and Date of Birth (DoB) and this provides the source to determine if a shopper is an honorably discharged Veteran. We discovered that there is no single database that stores all Veteran information required for validation. To assist in this process, we have an agreement with the National Archives for authentication.
We explored accessing state databases, however they do not have the capability to determine eligibility for the Veterans online shopping benefit.
Master Tom Schull;
I am curious about the new system within the exchange here at the Naval Submarine Base, at Groton, CT. For years, when I first moved into this area, 30 some years ago, if I had a question or comment for the commisary manager I simply went to the office and made my suggestion or added my compliment. Recently, one of the store workers was very nice to my wife when she had a weak moment walking. When the event was over and my wife had recovered, I walked to the office to compliment the Manager and ask them to pass my gratitude on to the young man, knowing that a good word from the boss is always better than a word from a customer. As I entered the office, a woman sitting at a desk screamed at me to ,"Get Out!!!!," when I attemped to explain she rang some sort of alarm and began calling for the store police, yelling that she was being invaded or some such. I must admit that my Naval Background does not allow me a great deal of patience, particularly for hysterical women. Realizing that I had no chance of any explanation with such a person, I left the store, and waited for my wife just outside the door. Nothing further was ever said or done. My question, is this a new standard practice in our militarary commissaries that civilians have this authority over a military officer merely trying to award a young man some gratitude? My understanding was that the commisary was there for servicemen and veterans, and the civilian employees there to serve the customers. If I am mistaken over some new policy, perhaps I should know about it before allowing my wife to return. Respectfully, J.L. Mathews, MCPO, CWO-2, (Ret.).
I am curious about the new system within the exchange here at the Naval Submarine Base, at Groton, CT. For years, when I first moved into this area, 30 some years ago, if I had a question or comment for the commisary manager I simply went to the office and made my suggestion or added my compliment. Recently, one of the store workers was very nice to my wife when she had a weak moment walking. When the event was over and my wife had recovered, I walked to the office to compliment the Manager and ask them to pass my gratitude on to the young man, knowing that a good word from the boss is always better than a word from a customer. As I entered the office, a woman sitting at a desk screamed at me to ,"Get Out!!!!," when I attemped to explain she rang some sort of alarm and began calling for the store police, yelling that she was being invaded or some such. I must admit that my Naval Background does not allow me a great deal of patience, particularly for hysterical women. Realizing that I had no chance of any explanation with such a person, I left the store, and waited for my wife just outside the door. Nothing further was ever said or done. My question, is this a new standard practice in our militarary commissaries that civilians have this authority over a military officer merely trying to award a young man some gratitude? My understanding was that the commisary was there for servicemen and veterans, and the civilian employees there to serve the customers. If I am mistaken over some new policy, perhaps I should know about it before allowing my wife to return. Respectfully, J.L. Mathews, MCPO, CWO-2, (Ret.).
Major Shull, I am old school USAF. When I came in the BX/PX were great places to shop for good deals. When I was CONUS in 2014 and just this past summer, I see that deals are not so much deals anymore and the only "savings" seems to be in the form of not paying any tax. What is your plan to be more competitive with the civilian operations outside the gate and increase revenues? BTW, allowing all honorably discharged Vets to shop is a start....
Thank you so much for the push to allow honorably discharged Veterans shop online at the exchange...I think this is a great benefit to all who honorably served. I do have a question though...if we do get on base, can we use our VA card or Veteran stamped state drivers license to access or shop on our own?
MAJ Tom Shull
Ernest, thank you for your question and your service! DoD’s policy change to extend a lifetime online shopping benefit to Veterans is specific to online shopping only and does not include access to brick-and-mortar exchanges. Visiting brick-and-mortar stores, many of which are on limited-access bases, involves logistics and policy issues to include credentialing, installation access, etc. that could strain resources at already busy locations. Offering Veterans an exchange online benefit is a low-risk, low-cost opportunity to recognize their service without increasing costs to the DoD or overburdening the current infrastructure.
MAJ Tom Shull
Ron, thank you for your service. Please visit https://www.shopmyexchange.com/veterans for details about this new benefit. We look forward to being of service to you again!
{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}!
Thank you for joining us on RP, sir.
No question, just a comment: thank you for creating the opportunity for vets to join The Exchange online. It was a pleasant surprise and I simply want to offer a "thank you" for that benefit.
Also, thank you for applying your business skills and experience to AAFES. Your leadership and business acumen will strengthen this important retailer.
Sgt Mark Halmrast
No question, just a comment: thank you for creating the opportunity for vets to join The Exchange online. It was a pleasant surprise and I simply want to offer a "thank you" for that benefit.
Also, thank you for applying your business skills and experience to AAFES. Your leadership and business acumen will strengthen this important retailer.
Sgt Mark Halmrast
MAJ Tom Shull
Mark, many thanks for your service and kind comments. It has been honor to return to my military family and serve Soldiers like you! My father served over 30 years in the Army (including over 40 months in combat) and he always said, "as long as my family is taken care of, I'm all in for the Army." Hooah!
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google
DoD’s policy change to extend a lifetime online shopping benefit to Veterans is specific to online shopping only and does not include access to brick-and-mortar exchanges. Visiting brick-and-mortar stores, many of which are on limited-access bases, involves logistics and policy issues to include credentialing, installation access, etc. that could strain resources at already busy locations. Offering Veterans an exchange online benefit is a low-risk, low-cost opportunity to recognize their service without increasing costs to the DoD or overburdening the current infrastructure.