125 Years of Family Serving Family – Sean Applegate

Sean Applegate and his daughter, Kylie, a senior at the U.S. Air Force Academy

One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 125 years of family serving family

To Sean Applegate, family serving family takes on a special significance. His daughter, Kylie is a senior at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

“We take care of our customers as if they were our family,” said Applegate, e-business solutions manager in e-commerce, who served 27 years in the Air Force. “We treat them with the utmost dignity, honor and respect they deserve.

“I am honored to have my oldest daughter raise her hand to serve. I am family serving family.”

He first learned about the Exchange while in boot camp in 1989 at what is today Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

“I remember our first march to the troop store to pick up some much needed items,” Applegate said. “I wanted a Coke and a Snickers.”

Throughout his career, he had various assignments from Colorado to Korea to the Netherlands, including as senior enlisted aide for the commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

Before coming to the Exchange, he was chief enlisted manager of the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover AFB, Del.

“Working at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations was the one of the most rewarding and humbling jobs in my Air Force career,” Applegate said. “It was truly an honor and privilege to lead a team who provides dignity, honor and respect for the fallen and care, service and support for their families.

“The silent warriors who care for our Nation’s fallen heroes and their families have such a profound impact and touch so many lives, it is incalculable. I will never forget my time spent at AFMAO.”

From 2014-16, Applegate served as the Exchange’s senior enlisted advisor. After retiring from the Air Force six years ago, he joined the Exchange as a civilian manager.

Years later after wanting that Coke and Snickers, Applegate reflected on the role of the Exchange’s relevancy, especially considering his distinguished military career, his daughter’s future as an Airman and his role today.

“It is an honor to serve in an organization,” he said, “who takes care of our service members past, present and future. We are truly family serving family.”