Exchange Associate

Cheers to Jonathan! 🎉

Jonathan is being recognized by a fellow teammate for his hard work at Fort Campbell Exchange. Congratulate Jonathan below!

If you want to nominate an associate who goes above and beyond every day, fill out the nomination form at https://aafes.media/4yt8OmH.

: 25 Years Ago, the West Coast DC Opened

On July 20, 2001—25 years ago this month—the Exchange’s West Coast Distribution Center opened at the Sharpe Army Depot in Lathrop, California.

The $70 million facility replaced a western DC that had operated in Oakland since late 1975. The newer DC was more state of the art, highly automated and mechanized.

The Lathrop location, about 60 miles east of San Francisco, was chosen because of its proximity to a port in Oakland and to Interstate 5, which runs from the Mexican border to the Canadian border.

The DC had only been open a few months when, in October 2001, it sent a trailer providing much needed personal hygiene items, cold drinks and snacks to the more than 560 troops from Fort Lewis, Washington, who were fighting wildfires in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest northeast of Seattle.

One of the most major changes at the DC occurred in 2017, when new JDA warehouse management software was implemented for e-commerce fulfillment to prepare for the Veterans online shopping benefit that began on Veterans Day of that year.

In October 2019, the West Coast DC began delivering men’s, women’s, children’s and infant’s clothes and shoes to Exchanges in the Western and Pacific regions. Before that, all fashions were shipped from Dan Daniel.

In October 2024, a self-serve market opened at the DC, providing expanded shopping convenience for associates, especially night-shift workers.

The DC began as an 850,000-square-foot facility that served more than 125 stores in the Western and Pacific regions. Since then, it has grown to more than 1.1 million square feet and serves about 500 stores—with a smaller team than it had in 2001.

And a good portion of that team was there in 2001. According to WCDC Manager Mike Martino, 20% of the DC’s 330 current associates reached or will reach their 25-year service milestones in 2026.

Honoring our Serving Heroes Champion of the Week, Amaya! 🎉

One customer shared:

"Amaya at customer service on June 20 was most helpful today despite delays out of her control and other issues. I’d like to get her a job well done accolade. Her patience and dedication were unparalleled. Thank you so much for untangling my issue."

Thank you, Amaya, for all your hard work!

: Dipping Into Some Exchange Ice Cream History

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed July as National Ice Cream Month. And ice cream plays a big role in Exchange history. scooped up some examples.

Early 1940s: An ice cream plant operated by the Fiji Island Exchange during World War II.

1946: An Army Exchange Service (AES) ice cream plant in Germany. During World War II, AES and other Exchange entities operated ice cream plants and more to bring tastes of home to U.S. GIs stationed in Europe. By February 1947, AES operated more than 50 ice cream plants in Europe.

1958: A trio of photos from the Exchange Post shows the ice-cream-making process at a European Exchange System (EES) plant in Gruenstadt, Germany. The plant, which opened in late 1956, replaced six smaller EES-operated plants as well as two operated by the Army Quartermaster Corps in Germany and Italy.

1959: Recruits at Lackland AFB visit an Exchange ice cream truck. According to a 1959 Exchange Post article, Lackland concession stands dispensed 36,000 ice cream servings a month during Lackland’s hot summers.

1987: The Upper Heyford Exchange Baskin-Robbins in England sent 750 scoops to the Soviet Union for a trade fair. After receiving the request, the Exchange and Baskin-Robbins fulfilled it in six days.

1987: Irv Robbins, who co-founded Baskin-Robbins in 1945, goes behind the counter to serve up some scoops at the Yongsan AB Exchange Baskin-Robbins. In 1977, Baskin-Robbins became the first brand-name restaurant to join the Exchange family.

1991: American troops in Kuwait get ice cream and other snacks from a Baskin-Robbins food truck. The sky is blackened by the burning of the Iraqi oil wells during the battle to oust Iraqi forces from Kuwait during Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

2003: An Exchange Baskin-Robbins at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. The store was one of many brand-name food operations the Exchange brought to Southwest Asia during Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.

Sources: Exchange Post archives, Exchange History on Flickr https://aafes.media/4vmDzXo, Baskin-Robbins official website https://aafes.media/4vUxfYn.

Meet Army Sgt. 1st Class Alexia Dehoyos, NCOIC of the Military Personnel Office at HQ.

Read about her military career and her role at the Exchange at https://aafes.media/4yakc6r.