Army and Air Force Exchange Service
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| Department store, Government agency | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1895 |
| Headquarters | 3911 S. Walton Walker Blvd. Dallas, Texas, 75236 United States |
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Number of locations
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2,500 (all facilities) |
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Key people
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Tom Shull, Director/CEO |
| Revenue |
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Number of employees
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35,000 |
| Parent | United States Department of Defense |
| Website | www.shopmyexchange.com |
US$ 8.5 billion (2015)The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) or “AAFES,” is the retailer on U.S. Army and Air Force installations worldwide. The Exchange is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and its Director/Chief Executive Officer is Tom Shull.
The oldest and the largest of the Department of Defense’s exchange services, the Exchange operates department stores, convenience stores, restaurants, movie theaters and an Internet shopping site to serve soldiers, airmen and their families. In addition to U.S. bases in Belgium, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Turkey, South Korea and Japan, the Exchange operates stores for U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries in the region. The Exchange ensures soldiers and airmen have access to U.S. goods and services, wherever they serve.
In addition to their retail support for the military, the Exchange also outfits troops with combat uniforms at cost, and serves school lunches for children attending Department of Defense Schools overseas.
The first exchanges were established on July 25, 1895, when the War Department issued General Orders Number 46 directing post commanders to establish an exchange at every post. Before the formation of the Exchange Service, U.S. military forces purchased provisions from bands of peddlers known as sutlers who followed the army.
The Army Exchange Service was formally established in 1941, and became the Army & Air Force Exchange Service in 1948 following the formation of the Air Force.
Since its establishment, the Exchange has been involved in 14 major military operations (to include World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, the Balkans and Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom) as well as several dozen humanitarian and disaster relief contingencies.
Part of the Department of Defense, the Exchange is directed by a Board of Directors responsible to the secretaries of the Army and Air Force through the Chiefs of Staff. As a non-appropriated fund activity, the Exchange self-funds 97 percent of its operations, with revenue coming from the sale of goods and services. The majority of the 3 percent in appropriated funds is used to fund overseas operations.
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Wikipedia