Tom Shull, Director/CEO of The Exchange, here for a live Q&A Wednesday. What questions do you have about the new Veteran benefit?

David, many thanks for the great question and thank you for setting this up.

The Exchange’s unique capabilities were fully tested during the recent hurricanes, from its distribution centers to its stores, in support of first responders as well as service members and their families. While other retailers closed up shop, the Exchange sent support by air, land and sea to those who needed it most.

In Puerto Rico, even before Hurricane Maria made landfall, the Exchange team began funneling emergency shipments of supplies, such as generators, batteries and water, to areas in the storm’s path. As Maria’s intensity grew, an emergency list of health and personal care products, as well as pallets of bottled water, were staged throughout the southeast for immediate shipment, with a focus on the fastest methods of transportation once the storm had passed.

Additionally, just last week, the Exchange opened a Mobile Field Exchange in support of relief efforts in Puerto Rico. An MFE is a retail store in a 53-foot trailer that carries merchandise such as snacks, drinks and toiletries. MFEs, designed to move at a moment’s notice to support troops across the world, are used in operations where no permanent Exchange facilities are available.

Our Main Store at Ft. Buchanan was up and running just days after Maria devastated the island. Exchange associates were honored to show up to work quickly even though in many cases their own families had been significantly impacted by the effects of the storm as well.

Prior to that, for Hurricane Harvey, the Exchange deployed an MFE to support first responders in the Houston area as well near Corpus Christi.

In the case of Irma, as it threatened the southeast, the Exchange Logistics team sent truckloads of bottled water to Florida and Georgia. They also ensured there was sufficient emergency items in stock for support, such as generators, batteries, flashlights, tarps, gas cans and first-aid kits. In all, the Exchange delivered 50 million gallons of gasoline, 47,500 bottles of water, 8,302 batteries, 246 generators, 4,000 bags of ice and 47 truckloads of merchandise.

Go Army! Beat Navy!

Soldier for Life!

Bill, thank you for your service and for all the great things you do for our military community. At present, we need to share the good news about this first expansion of military exchange benefits in 27 years. We are honored to welcome home our nation's Veterans. As a Vietnam-era Veteran who commanded troops having just returned from Vietnam, it's truly an honor to acknowledge the service of all who have served. None of my Soldiers were given the homecoming their service rightfully warranted and many suffered from what was then called combat fatigue and is now properly diagnosed as PTSD.

MSgt, thank you for your service and your question.

The MILITARY STAR credit card program was approved by Congress in 1979 to protect service members from predatory lending. Offering affordable and responsible credit solutions to the military community continues to be a core mission for the program today. A hallmark of MILITARY STAR is its competitive APR of 11.24%, ranking as one of the lowest retail credit card APRs by creditcards.com. The card provides other money-saving benefits, including:

• 0% interest military clothing line of credit
• 0% interest financing opportunities throughout the year
• 10% off first day’s purchases
• Free standard shipping at Shopmyexchange.com and mynavyexchange.com
• 5 cents per gallon fuel discount at Army & Air Force Exchange Service fuel stations
• 10% Exchange restaurant discount at Army & Air Force Exchange Service locations
• A $20 reward card after 2,000 points earned with the MILITARY STAR Rewards program

The card provides those with limited credit history an affordable way to establish credit and a solid financial foundation.

Unlike traditional retail credit cards, MILITARY STAR does not charge late or over-limit fees; nor does it rush to report missed payments to the credit bureaus. The Exchange Credit Program has given $727M to Quality-of-Life programs, including combat uniforms below cost, Army Fitness Centers and Child Development Centers, Air Force Outdoor Recreation and school lunches for Warfighters’ children overseas, over the last 10 years.

Maj Shull - In all that you stated you said to remain competitive. I entered the military in the early 80's and during those days a service member could afford to do anything on base. Today we want our military community being inundated with products that could be found off base. We are special because we volunteered to live in this community. If we wanted competitive shopping deals we would lobby department stores. We want our military shopping affordable to those of us who need it and should not be separately priced because we choose to pay today vs give a financial institution all of our personal information to make a purchase.

1SG, thank you for your question and your service.

When you shop your Exchange you are highly value customer. Commercial department stores owned by public shareholders have a duty to enrich their shareholders. The Exchange's duty is to those who serve. As a result, 100% of Exchange earnings support our military communities (please see previous responses).

So now one who has a Star card is more valued than the service member that does not. This is division and certainly not inclusion. I want to pay you now for What I take from you store. I was taught that. Now because I was raised andntaught to save now and purchase tomorrow I am penalized. UNFAIR.