(COLORADO SPRINGS) — On Thursday, Ju;y 24, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service celebrated 130 years of serving military members, veterans, and their families.
The Exchange provides tax-free shopping and exclusive pricing to the military community for life. 100% of its earnings go right back to the Department of Defense to fund recreation and morale programs like school lunches or golf courses.
The Exchange in Colorado Springs is home to more than 155,000 authorized shoppers. You can see if you’re eligible to shop there and what privileges you’re eligible for by clicking here.
“It started with simply bringing goods from downtown at one location onto post, so that way they could actually have a little easier access to it,” said CMSgt. Richard Martinez, a U.S. Air Force Senior Enlisted Advisor. “Now what we do, is we provide a taste of home anywhere in the world that you’re at. So if you want something that you’re used to from your little hometown, wherever you’re at, we probably have it available for you in our store. Whether you’re in Okinawa, whether you’re in Germany, whether you’re Iraq, if you’re in Syria, we’ve got you covered.”
The Exchange has a yearly economic impact of nearly $175 million in Colorado Springs. Last year, the Peterson Space Force Base Main Exchange alone generated $775,000 for recreation and morale programs.
