11/01/07
Exchange Cooperative Efforts Result in Gift Card
Cross Acceptance
HQMC (MR), QUANTICO, VA - 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, will be able to redeem AAFES, MCX and NEX-specific
gift cards at any Army, Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps exchange facility.
“Throughout the retail industry, shoppers are expected to spend more than $35 billion on gift cards
during the 2007 holiday season,” said AAFES’ Chief Operating Officer Mike Howard. “With convenience
being the driver for most gift card purchases, the exchanges realized that cross acceptance would provide
greater flexibility, buying power and ease.”
For many years, the Military Exchange Services have collaborated on projects of common value,
but in 2006 the Exchange Cooperative Efforts Board placed additional emphasis on initiatives like gift card
cross acceptance. As a result of these cooperative efforts, each of the exchanges will begin accepting their
sister exchanges’ gift cards on Nov. 6, 2007.
“The exchange gift card just got much better,” said Commander, NEXCOM Rear Adm. Robert J.
Bianchi. “With joint operations and joint basing increasingly common, our service members need to be able
to use gift cards at any military exchange available to them. Now, Exchange gift cards are as mobile as our
service members.”
Exchange gift cards are available up to $500 and can be purchased at military exchanges
worldwide. They can also be purchased online at aafes.com <http://www.aafes.com> or navy-nex.com
<http://www.navy-nex.com> . MCX gift cards can only be purchased at MCX locations.
For more information, contact Bryan Driver, Plans,
Policy & Analysis, Personal & Family Readiness
Division, HQMC, at (703) 784-9517 or
e-mail : bryan.driver@usmc.mil
“Whether visiting the Marine Corps Exchange at Camp Pendleton, the NEX Pearl Harbor Mall or