best piece of advice ever given to me

[usaf_wife]

As soon as we found out that we had orders here to Germany - the current CO told us that if we were to see something that we wanted or liked to either a) buy it right then and there or b) put it on layaway.  Since the first day we arrived I have lived by that advice.  When I saw things on the shelves I either bought them or put them on layway. I didnt wait till the last minuet to buy the kids' Christmas outfits, I dont wait till the last week to get my sons birthday presents.  Heck I have had presents on layway for the full 120 days!  I have had up to 7 layways at one point. 

If you think about it - 1 post can have anywhere from 1000 to 5000+ troops PLUS dependants - there is only 1 store that is to service all of those troops and family members.  A store can only order what the buyer gives them.  Simple. 

No offense Freud (sorry if I misspelt) but you really should of known better than to wait so long for the things that you needed. With your past with AAFES you should of known to grab it when you saw it.  Heck they had Christmas outfits out BEFORE Thanksgiving - that's when I got dd's and ds' stuff!  Not to mention that they (the store) can only order certain things (for example trees, decor, ect) for a certain amount of time.  As I recall they had to order Christmas stuff before Halloween to make sure it got here in time, and then they only had 2 weeks for ordering after that - they no longer ship the Christmas things for fear that it wont get here in time.

And as for Dman - I am still waiting for the answers to my questions...I would like to know where you were the area manager and when.  I may not work for AAFES anymore but I still have close ties and can find out exactly why you were "screwed" over.  I am still highly interested in that whole story.

[TheFreud]

Gee whiz, Wife- when I see it.... Yea...Um... I didn't see pantyhose that I wanted long ago, nor last week. They just don't have them. They have lots of sheer to waist in size A. and most of them collect dust, as there are just not that many 5'3" 110 pound women.

I didn't see any frickon Christmas type outfits for girls on the rack in September, either. In fact I was told by an associate that the holiday dresses were in the back to be stocked the next day- and they were ALL sleeveless. Not the smartest shopping choice for a COLD country... If you are gonna blow sunshine up my ass and say that's all the buyers had in the catalog, you better get a big sunshine gun and a lot of KY.

How long ago do you think they got the black patent leather shoes in stock... and therefore sat on their hands and didn't display them?

It's not that I don't plan ahead, and buy when I see... I just don't see what I need EVER. I am currently scouring the web for a jacket actually suitable for this cold-ass weather in a woman's size. I have been looking for one of those since August.

So before you go jumping my ass for not planning ahead- stop and think who it is you are talking to...I am not only the biggest AAFES critic, I am also the one of the sharpest eyes in the store on any given day... even in the fall when planning for winter. Even in July when thinking about Christmas. I know better than to let something I want slip away... now, find me something I want.

[usaf_wife]

Hummm...well then that's the major difference between us. I also dont have the "I cant find it here so you better go find it for me" attitude.

 I too needed black patent leather shoes for my dd - when I saw that AAFES did not have them - I went to Old Navy and bought them. A few weeks in advance since we all know how slow the mail is running.

 If you have been looking for months for pantyhose and they never got them in, why not order them from JC Penny's months ago?

 Why wait until the very last possible moment to find an alternative? And why the sour attitude.  Not once did I 'jump your arse' - I was making a simple statement. And I dont know you - for all I know you could be a disgruntled employee who got caught shoplifting and now you want to try to find a way to 'bring the man down'.  All I know about you is from your stories, which are just stories to all of us.  Could you have been on the prowl for months? I dunno - but it sounds good and makes the next Joe want to lavish on his story.  Good.  If that's what helps pass the time.

This is just so exhausting. Some ppl thrive off of drama, I am just not one of those types. I dont live for the 'fight', I dont take pleasure in making (or trying to make) someone feel small. And I dont really find use for trying to carry an adult conversation littered with nothing but profanity when I am trying to reslove an issue or trying to make a point.  I am not an "AAFES lover" but I do appreciate what we are given. I would bet that most here are also the type that like to gripe about the FREE HOUSING and FREE MEDICAL that we are given. (that's a whole nother website to start isnt it, haha)

Quit - I have to say that I admire your willingness to stay on here and explain things and try to make a difference. You must of had training in tolerance and child care.  I know my 2 kiddos are enough to drive me bonkers at times, I cant take on any more then what was given to me by God LOL Granted I too think there are things that need to be looked at and addressed (such as that price match gaurentee that is advertised but yet not acknowledged overseas - really what is with that?) But I do know where YOU are coming from having worked for the company and knowing what the politics are like.  I tried to shed some light, but it's just not clicking.  Too egar to 'cut them off at their knees' so to speak.  Good luck 

Oh - and if Dman ever comes back with an answer - I would still like to know. Not that I will loose any sleep over it, I just find it funny that someone who likes to spit fire was quickly shut down and cant back up the story with simple information.

[TheFreud]

Wow... Huffy much?

I would have bought the panty hose... but my last pre-ordered pair got a hole in them the day before, and I got the Xmas party we were attending sprung on me. So, by your logic, I have no right to expect a store like the BX to carry something as common as frickon pantyhose?! I wasn't searching for hose for months, I just check back often. I didn't see them casually, nor when I really needed them.

If they don't have it here- go find it? ABSOLUTELY! Can I order it? How long will it take? The last time I asked someone if they could order something... they looked at me like I just asked them to do brain surgery, and stammered out a series of "Um, uh, um..." What's next? They can't go find a manager, who can in turn get me a catalog or list of the things available that they don't normally stock, so I might get it? DeCA does it- hell, they even advertise that they do it on AFN.

As for the thought of me having been a shoplifting employee... Well, that's where I draw the line, sister. I wouldn't work for AAFES, they don't pay enough, (as I am sure Quit will testify to).  I do not live for the fight.. Wondering why I registered this site? A guy like Quit is exactly why I created this site. I can't seem to get answers, explanations, or results from anyone else.

I also resent the implication that I thrive on drama, Sister. I like to get things done, and to make changes in the things I see need fixing, and there is quite a bit about the services AAFES offers us that need fixing. This is not the first time I have raised an objection about something that was badly in need of improvement... and in some cases, I have even gotten things done. If you find that somehow insulting- I am sorry you feel that way. If you curious about how I feel about other things- getting some kind of back story, may I recommend my blog... even an entry from last week? <a href="http://www.freudsnuthouse.com/000215.html">Back to Basics</a>

While you think I am not appreciative, I really expect a corporation to do better when presented with a complaint. Not placate, and proceed to blow me off. It is the passing of the blame that I find the most infuriating, and until I stops, I won't stop. Someone has to make a stand. Why not me?

[Quityerbitching]

It seems that my salary has been brought up a few times here latley ..... I really cant complain too much .. my LQA is more than alot of people make in a year ...and thats given to me on top of my pay... I make enough money to live in a very comfortable manner... of course thats all subjective ... but I do have expsensive taste.... and there isnt much that I want for...
   Freud .. I think that you have to look at it like this ... You probaly have showed your ass enough times to make the staff hate you... I know that they shoudlnt but it is basic human nature to not want to help out a bitch... especially someone who has been a bitch to you before ... even though they are suppossed to do everything for you ..on some level they just say f*ck that bitch... its not right but like the old saying goes "you catch more flies with honey ......."  corny I know but true on most levels ..
dont get it twisted I am not trying to defend poor service .. I am just trying to find a reason ... it may be that there is a problem with the management there (or a single manager) .. I dont know ... alls I can say is that nothing like that goes down at my store.."anything brought to my level is handled on the spot" .. I get answers .. I make things happen ... most of my peers  thatI have met over the years  are the same .. sure there are bad apples out there but hey thats anywhere ....
 I said all of that to say this...
dont go knocking the whole show ... it aint all that bad .. maybe you should name the site Ramstien AAFES sucks  or something ..
But most of us bust our ass to help you guys out ... we do it everyday and we dont always have to tools needed to get it done but we try to do the best with what we got...     

[TheFreud]

You are oh so wrong. I have always been nice to people face to face and on the phone. I am one of those rare people in life who can tell you to go to hell in such a way as to have you looking forward to the trip. There isn't one person in that store who knows me apart from any other bitch.

I do have to be in the store sometime tomorrow for a candy raid for Santa.... (I assume you have candy, right? ) And if there is something I can't find I will look up one of your sales people to see what they can tell me. This is where I get my forum fodder. Not from being an a**hole in the store. It's from biting my lip in the store and coming home to let it out.

For the record, I don't bust the ass of the ramstein BX. I don't go there. I avoid the entire base if I can, as finding any kind of parking anywhere is a terror, from the clinic to DeCA. I did have my complaints about the BX in the states too, but that was 4 years ago, and we had a walmart and a fred meyers up the road. I just started avoiding AAFES as a rule there. I have little choice here.

I do not think that everyone in your store is a dickhead. I think they don't have the proper training or tools to give us the best they can.