AAFES "Back to School Essay Contest" Offers Prizes - The Army and Air Force Exchange Service’s “Back-To-School Essay Contest” is asking students from first through twelfth grade to submit an essay of 200 words or less on “What AAFES means to me and my family.” The essay contest runs from June 27th until August 31st and will consist of four categories: first to third grade, fourth to sixth grade, seventh to ninth grade, and tenth to twelfth grade. There will be three winners from each category. First place winners will receive a computer, second place winners will be awarded $500 savings bonds and third place winners will receive $200 savings bonds. For complete rules and specific instructions on submitting essays, please go to http://www.aafes.com and click on the “Patriot Family Connection” link. 7/22/08

 

AAFES Holds Contest to Salute Military Spouses - The time has come to give recognition to those military spouses who have gone above and beyond to help deployed troops and their Families. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) will hold a Patriot Family Salutes the “Military Spouse” Calendar contest from May 11- July 28.  Entrants are invited to write an essay of 300 words or less explaining what the nominee has done to support the military community during a deployment. Nominees must be authorized AAFES shoppers. The 12 winners will receive a $500 AAFES shopping spree and have their essays published, along with their photos, in a “Military Spouse” calendar that will be available at all AAFES BXs/PXs in early November. A complete description of the “Military Spouse” contest rules can be found online at AAFES.com. The contest is open to all authorized exchange shoppers. Entries must be postmarked or emailed to Patriot Family at AAFES.com no later than July 28, 2008. No purchase is necessary to win. 5/13/08

 

AAFES Takes the Exchange Benefit ‘On the Road’ for Guard and Reserve Families - The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is “on the road again,” taking the exchange benefit directly to Guard and Reserve families across CONUS and Hawaii. With semi trailers packed tight with “tax free” electronics, toys and footwear, AAFES intends to join the Defense Commissary Agency for some 40 on site sales in 2008.  These events are primarily targeted towards National Guard members, Reservists and their Families, many of whom live great distances from brick-and-mortar exchange facilities. Taking the benefit to communities that don’t have day-to-day exchange support is extremely important as 25 percent, or nearly 3 million, of the 11.5 million Armed Forces members eligible to shop the exchange come from Guard and Reserve Families. For more information visit www.aafes.com. 5/13/08

 

Defense Commissary Agency Takes Benefits to Guard, Reserve Members - The Defense Commissary Agency is taking the commissary benefit to National Guard and reserve members and their families living in remote areas. The 2004 National Defense Authorization Act authorized full commissary benefits for members of the Ready Reserve. Through the 'Bringing the Benefit to You' campaign, the Commissary Agency is reaching out to our Guard and reserve members who have earned the commissary benefit, but who cannot easily travel to a local commissary to shop on a regular basis. The campaign involves conducting on-site sales out of warehouses, aircraft hangars, armories, tents in parking lots, and even the back ends of semi-trailers at remote locations where reserve-component servicemembers and their families do not have access to a commissary  - see more. 5/6/08

 

MWR "Fan-tastic Summer" Offers Prizes for Patronizing Branded Restaurants. Morale, Welfare and Recreation patrons can win valuable prizes simply by eating hot dogs at participating MWR food and beverage facilities this summer. Patrons who participate in the “Fan-tastic Summer” promotion running through July 31st may become eligible to win the grand prize of a trip for four to see the New York Yankees play in one of the last games in the old Yankees stadium in New York City. The trip includes four tickets behind home plate, airfare, lodging and $2,500 spending money - see more. 4/22/08

 

AAFES ‘Gifts from the Homefront’ - Today’s postal rates may leave those supporting deployed troops feeling light in the wallet.  A seven-pound parcel sent first-class mail from the U.S. to Iraq now costs $37 just for shipping and handling, not including the amount already spent for the contents inside the package.  The Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s (AAFES’) “Gifts from the Homefront” program reduces mail expenses and ensures that virtually all funds earmarked for the troops go to the troops.  For a flat shipping and handling charge of just $4.95, you can send as much as you want through a lightweight gift certificate that can be redeemed for anything in the BX/PX.    “Gifts From the Homefront” can be sent to deployed troops by logging on to http://www.aafes. org or calling 1-877-770-4438. The gift certificates are not limited to friends and family.  They can also be distributed to “any service member” through the Air Force Aid Society, American Red Cross, Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, Fisher House, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Operation Homefront, Operation Interdependence® or USO.). (Courtesy Army ECHOES, Jan-Apr 2008)

 

DeCa ‘Gift of Groceries’ - You can send the gift of food to a Military Family through the Defense Commissary Agency’s (DeCA) “Gift of Groceries” program.  The gift certificates, also known as “CertifiChecks,” can be purchased online or by phone for a small handling fee, which pays for printing and mailing.  They can also be purchased in a commissary for a $1 service charge.    The gift certificates - good at any of DeCA’s 258 commissaries worldwide - can be given directly to a service member or donated to a military non-profit organization that assists Military Families in need. There are four ways to purchase a “Gift of Groceries” gift certificate:

1.  Visit the customer service representative at your local commissary to buy $25 gift certificates.

2.  Go to www.commissaries.com to buy gift certificates in denominations of $5 to $100 using a secure online order form.

3.  Call 1-877-770-4438 (toll free) to place your order.

4.  Mail or fax your gift certificate request using the order form that you print out using the "Gift of Groceries” section of the DeCA homepage.   You can also donate gift certificates to any of the five nonprofit organizations participating — Air Force Aid Society, Fisher House Foundation Inc., Operation Homefront, Operation Interdependence and the USO — through a secure site, click the “Donate Online” link at "Gift of Groceries." (Courtesy Army ECHOES, Jan-Apr 2008)

 

No Name? No Address? No Problem. “Gifts from the Homefront” routes support to “Any Servicemember”- see what the Military Exchange Program has done to overcome the fact that DoD suspended mail addressed to “any service member” nearly six years ago - see more. 12/4/07

 

Commissaries accept AFFN ‘Thank You’ cards  - The Defense Commissary Agency now accepts the Armed Forces Financial Network “Thank You” card at all commissaries stateside and overseas. The “Thank You” card campaign was designed around giving thanks to military members and their families during the holiday season. However, the cards can be used all year long. The cards offer military members and their families a convenient and secure payment alternative to cash, checks or credit cards - see more. 12/4/07

 

AAFES teams with America Supports You to Offer Free Music for Troops - From the brass bands of the civil war to the portable MP3 players of today, music never goes out of style for American troops. Recognizing that tunes have always been integral to morale, more than a dozen of the biggest names in country, rock, pop and R&B are teaming up with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service and America Supports You to deliver a special gift to troops this holiday season--a free compilation of songs produced exclusively for Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines - see more. 12/4/07

 

Exchange Cooperative Efforts Result in Gift Card ‘Cross Acceptance’ - A sustained focus on cooperative efforts between the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, Marine Corps Exchange and Navy Exchange Service Command is paying off for military Families who, beginning Nov. 6, 2007, are able to redeem AAFES, MCX and NEX-specific gift cards at any Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps exchange facility. 11/29/07

 

Military Star^SM Card Strengthens Troops’ Return on Investment - The use of bank-issued cards by troops at their exchanges costs the military community millions of dollars annually that could be directed to Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) efforts. Using the Military Star^SM Card is one of the easiest ways for troops and their families to directly impact their Exchange and MWR benefits. Reducing these unnecessary expenses can go a long way in maximizing the dividend AAFES annually returns to the military community - see more. See also Deploying Troops Discover the STAR® Treatment.

 

Deploying Troops Discover the STAR® Treatment - In an attempt to ease the financial stress associated with assignment to contingency locations overseas, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) offers two Military STAR® Card options to deploying troops. Military STAR® cardholders on their way to locations in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom may be eligible for a plan that offers a six percent interest rate with no monthly payments and deployment credit limits or an option that also provides six percent interest rate with monthly allotment payments and increased credit limits. A deployed credit limit stabilizes the credit limit for the length of deployment while an increased credit limit raises credit limits while deployed. Further benefits of both options include no annual or late fees, online account management and exclusive promotional offers. While the nearly 60 AAFES PX/BXs located throughout Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom do accept other credit cards, the Military STAR® Card offers more benefits and assistance than many other cards. The Military STAR credit program is specifically tailored to service members and their family’s credit needs. Its many financial benefits include a 24 hours 7 days per week online and call center account management capability; exclusive special promotions; and FREE standard shipping on Exchange Catalog and Exchange Online Store purchases at www.aafes.com. Military STAR cardholders are also not subject to over limit, late payment or annual fees which can amount to as much as 37 percent of other credit cards issuers’ income. For more information on the Military STAR® Card, visit www.aafes.com and click on the Military STAR® Card icon.

‘Agent’ authorization allows commissary benefit  to continue through illness and deployments - Having both parents deployed can be very troubling for the children left behind. But thanks to a little-known DoD directive, military children can continue to enter the friendly confines of any commissary. Agent authorization benefits any authorized commissary shopper who needs assistance shopping or who cannot shop because of disability, illness or infirmity, as well as the children of service members who may not be available due to deployment, remote assignment or casualty. Agent authorization is not granted by the Defense Commissary Agency. It is administered and managed by the installation commander through the local pass and identification office - see more.

 

Traveling overseas? Check on commissary access - Retired military service members who are planning to travel overseas need to plan before visiting an overseas commissary. Access to overseas commissaries is controlled by Status of Forces agreements or other agreements between the host nation and the United States. Based on the terms of these agreements, overseas military commands publish regulations that specify who is entitled to use commissaries in their areas. In some areas, retirees are denied commissary access. Before traveling, log onto www.commissaries.com, and check out the store Web pages of the overseas commissary you may want to visit. The commissary’s “location/phones” page provides information on how to contact the store directly. It is always a good idea to visit the Web site of any overseas installation that you will be visiting for security status and customs information as well.

 

Off Duty Travel, Clear Channel Offer Discount Broadway Tickets - Military personnel can now access discount-priced tickets to Broadway shows without being part of a tourist group. Off Duty Travel and Clear Channel Entertainment have joined forces to offer priority access to Broadway and off-Broadway shows in New York and other select cities for Morale, Welfare and Recreation customers. MWR patrons, including those affiliated with the Coast Guard, can visit www.offdutytravel.com for information about the program and click on the "Broadway Shows & Broadway Touring Shows" link on the left.

 

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USAWOA Online 7/22/2008