Exchange Welcomes 11 Soldiers, Airmen to the Team
Santiago Garcia, director of infrastructure technology & architecture, leads Soldiers and Airmen on a tour of the data center during their orientation Aug. 9 at headquarters in Dallas. on August 9. Approximately 30 service men and women work at Exchange locations in Dallas, Europe and the Pacific.
Service members assigned to the Exchange learned about the inner workings of the Nation’s 61st largest retailer during a special orientation this month just for them at headquarters in Dallas.
“An assignment at the Exchange is an experience unlike any other in the military,” said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Luis Reyes, the Exchange’s senior enlisted advisor, who hosted the orientation for 11 service members. “Soldiers and Airmen learned many things about the Exchange they didn’t know— that the Exchange does much more than just operate main stores, food courts and gas stations. The new military associates also sensed the passion, exemplified by senior leaders, that all Exchange associates have for family serving family.”
Briefings, tours, introductions
Roughly 30 service members are assigned to the Exchange around the world, and 11 service members new to the organization attended the two-day orientation.
The orientation included briefings by senior leaders and tours of the customer contact center and IT server room. The newest military Exchange associates were introduced to topics such as finance, merchandising, corporate communication and customer relationship management, including the massive undertaking of counting and verifying Veterans who became new Exchange online shoppers after the introduction of the Veteran’s online shopping benefit last Veterans Day.\
‘An eye-opener’
Col. Collin Fortier, one of the new military associates, is part of the Exchange’s community outreach team to enhance the Exchange’s relationship with the Defense Commissary Agency and other DoD partners, military leaders and Veteran organizations, so that the Exchange can better serve those military members, retirees, honorably discharged Veterans and their families.
“I am excited to be part of this team and I look forward to supporting the regional and local Exchange leadership in all we do to serve those who serve,” Fortier said. “The level of complexity of the Exchange was an eye-opener, and its operations rivals some of the major commands I have been assigned to previously. Throughout our orientation, it was abundantly clear how passionate and proud this team is serving the military community.”
Other new military members at the Exchange include Col. Douglas Vallejo, logistics; Lt. Col Michael Young, inspector general; Lt. Col. Wendy Mey, public health; Capt. Erick Davidson, contingency/operational plans; Capt. Conrad Ballard, logistics; Sgt. Maj. Jermaine Johnson, senior enlisted advisor, Pacific Region; Sgt. 1st Class Winston Lazo, military personnel office; Sgt. 1st Class Tim Meyer, corporate communications; Tech Sgt. Brandon Jones, military personnel office; and Staff Sgt. Christophore Hountohotegbe, military personnel office. All are assigned to the Dallas headquarters, except for Johnson, who is assigned to the Pacific headquarters.
