Kirtland Associates Promote Exchange, Receive Gratitude at National Guard Group’s Conference
When a conflict prevented an HQ-based Exchange representative from attending a National Guard support group’s annual conference in Albuquerque, the Kirtland Air Force Base Exchange was called on to step in. It wound up being a mutually beneficial experience.
Nancy Comesanas, Kirtland’s sales & merchandise manager, and Carlos Torres, services business manager, attended the EANGUS (Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States) Conference. Formally organized in 1972, EANGUS is a nonprofit dedicated to increasing the voice of enlisted personnel in the Army and Air National Guard.
Nancy Comesanas, the Kirtland Air Force Base Exchange’s sales & merchandise manager, at the Exchange’s table during the EANGUS conference in Albuquerque.
More than a thousand people, including National Guard leadership, attended the conference, which allows participants to promote products and services to National Guard members. And Comesanas and Torres promoted the Exchange.
“A lot of people new to the military community didn’t know much about the Exchange,” Comesanas said, “so we had the opportunity to tell them about it, to talk about the MILITARY STAR card and all the benefits that we offer.”
Guard members frequently expressed their gratitude to the Exchange, and other vendors came up to the table to thank the Exchange for the services it provides for the military community.
“We had commanders, we had generals, we had very high-ranking officers coming to our table to thank us for everything we do,” Comesanas said.
Even though the Kirtland Exchange had to act quickly, Comesanas said that they didn’t encounter any obstacles. She and Torres also handed out Exchange backpacks and other goodies.
“We talked to every single person who approached our area,” Comesanas said.
Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, director of the Air National Guard, was one of the people who approached. He told the Kirtland representatives that he was very happy with the Exchange presentation and thanked them for being there, adding, “AAFES is great.”
