AAFES is the abbreviation of Army and Air Force Exchange Service and it is the joint service military organization of US department of defense serving both Air Force and Army. It is headquartered in Texas and Dallas.
The Mission of AAFES
This agency of US defense department actually has two major missions. The first mission of the agency is to offer topnotch quality services and merchandise to National Guards, active soldiers and reserve members and retired military personnel along with their family at very reasonable prices. The second mission of the agency is to produce sufficient earnings with the aid of Air Force services programs, recreation and welfare programs and Army morale.
AAFES Personnel
There is a general manager assigned on each base or post and they are responsible for all the AAFES facilities on the base. This agency boasts more than 54,000 employees across the globe out of which 44% employees belong to military family and about 6% of employees are active-duty military personnel who work as part timer during their off hours. Though it is an agency of US defense, but it has more than 64 assigned active military personnel. through Aafes Self Service many benefits can achieved
Resources & Facilities
AAFES, the military organization of US defense manages about 10, 800 activities like video rental, vending centers, movie theaters, military clothing sales stores, beauty and barber shops, dry cleaner and laundry, auto repair, gas stations, florists, food facilities, concessions, class six package stores, bookstores, catalog services and retail stores. Though it is a military organization of US defense department, but it is a non-appropriated fund instrumentality because it is a self-supportive organization and only collects about 2% of the operating support from the tax dollars appropriated by Congress.
The sales reached up to 489 million dollars in the financial year 2011. The amount collected from Air Force services funds, recreation and welfare and Army Morale was about 203 million dollars. The bonuses paid to the defense personnel include 121.3 million dollars to Army, 68.8 million dollars to Air Force, 12.1 million dollars to Marine Corps and 1.1 million dollars to Navy. The per capita dividend paid to each Airman and Soldier was around 212 dollars.
The money collected is invested for the betterment and improvements of US airmen, soldiers and their families. Because of the great contributions of AAFES, it became the primary non-benefit organization for customers. Moreover, the funds collected by this military organization are also used for renovating existing facilitates and new stores without using the funds of federal government. They have created many new stores and replacement facilities with the funds collected. This is another great way that Army and Air Force Exchange Service gives back and supports the US defense community.
The Organization
The commander is the general officer of AAFES who is actually in charge of a board of directors created by the secretaries of US Air Force and US Army. Moreover, the Pacific Rim located in Okinawa, Japan and in Europe (Germany and Mainz) handles the secondary commands. There are four region directors situated in the continental of US and they look after the operations of stores across US from AAFES Operation Center which is also situated in Dallas.
Benefits
There are many benefits offered by AAFES to the management associates including, advancement opportunities, employee assistance programs, shift differential pay, Sunday premium pay, military leaves, post allowance overseas, living quarters allowance overseas, moving expenses, federal credit union, tuition assistance, sick leave, vacation leave, 401 (k) savings, 10 paid leaves, retirement scheme, accidental death benefits, long and short term disability benefits, life insurance, dental care, medical leave and care. When you start serving the US military you automatically become the member of this military organization and enjoy the services offered.