Army and Air Force Base Exchange Jobs
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service, or AAFES, is a U.S. government employer of more than 45,000 people on Army and Air Force bases across the world. The service offers a wide range of employment opportunities.
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History
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The AAFES began in 1895 when post commanders were told by the War Department to provide one exchange per post. It is a government owned company that incorporated in 1941 as the Army Post Exchange. That year the system was overhauled, catalog ordering was made available soon after. In 1948, the Air Force was added to the exchange. The AAFES catalog was launched online in 1996.
Types
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There are entry level and management jobs available with AAFES in food service, retail, information systems and other areas. Entry level jobs are paid at an hourly rate that varies. Management positions are usually salary. Civilians, military service members, retired or former service members, dependents and spouse of service members are all eligible for AAFES employment.
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Benefits
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The availability of certain benefits varies depending on position. The AAFES offers medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, supplemental/dependent life insurance, personal accident insurance, retirement, 401(k)/tuition assistance, vacation and sick time, Employee Assistance Program, or EAP, a counseling program, and Flexible Spending Account, or FSA, for out-of-pocket health care expenses. Most of these benefits are available even for entry level positions.
Function
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Army & Air Force Exchange Service bases offer brand-name items at low prices to military service members whether active duty or Guard or Reserves, retired military, and families. AAFES stores are located at Army and Air Force bases around the world, even some in war zones. All of their profits are put back into projects for military and their families. The AAFES History Program collects and maintains information about AAFES employees past and present. In Dallas, Texas, the service maintains a memorial for AAFES employees in gratitude for their service.
Sustainability
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The AAFES is taking huge steps in helping the environment. With over 3,000 facilities, the service can make an enormous impact. Its goals are to lower energy costs, reduce its carbon footprint, and market energy-efficient items. The AAFES Energy Management Team oversees their sustainability efforts. Some of their efforts include replacing vending and ice machines and dishwashers with Energy Star rated machines, providing online sustainability training to employees, recycling packaging byproducts and using bio-diesel fuels in shipping trucks.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Diana Doherty
