Thank you.

[Keter]

Since 1965, I have been an authorized AAFES patron based on either being an Army family member or my own years of service.  I am very grateful for the following:  1) to live in a country where the standard of living is such that we have the luxury of commenting about a $.50 price difference on a soda, 2) to live in a country where it is possible to complain about receiving any kind of monetary award from one's employer.

Spending the better part of 2003 in Kuwait and Iraq, I was glad to see AAFES.  Was the stock assortment as complete and extensive as what I would expect to find back home?  Absolutely not, but that would be an unrealistic expectation.  I was not receiving Danger Pay because I was on vacation. 

Access to Gatorade was a welcome luxury, and on occasion, it was expired product.  Due to my MOS, I know for a fact that AAFES must receive written authorization from an Army vet to sell any consumable item beyond its expiration date.  Without authorization, AAFES would not sell it.  Expired product was a reality due to the fact that AAFES is/was operating in a war zone.  Due to the necessity of moving only in convoys protected by the military, AAFES' supply lines are often delayed.  Evidently, items such as ammunition, drinking water, food, fuel, medical supplies, spare parts, etc take precedence on all convoys.

I know for a fact that third country nationals (TCNs) working on behalf of AAFES have been severely injured and killed transporting merchandise to AAFES sites in Iraq.  Several other American AAFES civilians have been wounded as result of mortar and IED attacks during the course of their mission.  On 7 January 2006, AAFES had its first American casualty.  This individual was a civilian who had volunteered specifically to work at an AAFES site in OEF/OIF.

Could AAFES' role in OEF/OIF, CONUS, and OCONUS be privatized?  Absolutely.  The question becomes---at what cost?  A significant portion of non combat roles in OEF/OIF have been privatized--ie food service, laundry, vehicle maintenance, and transportation.  Again, at what cost?  These contractors do provide an outstanding level of service, but they are charging a high premium because their corporate profit motive is their single motivation.  If a given site is not deemed profitable, it will be closed and have to do without.  If the contract mandates operating at an unprofitable site, the contractor will just charge an extra fee to cover their loss.  Remember, in life nothing is free.

[WolfSpring]

I understand your point, and maybe I should not have brought up aafes while deployed, because yes it is a great thing, but the fact they send it out there, and the fact I spent 3 days in a hopsital bed because of it was mostly my own fault.  But the fact remains aafes as a whole, stateside, IS ripping off the soldiers. they run a monopoly on many posts with phone and internet services, yeah back in the day soldiers didn't have phones, but back in the day we didn't have alot of stuff that we do have, and one of my jobs as a leader is to try and make soldiers want to stay.  Why allow a company that is suppused to be all about the troops rip off the troops when we can have a cheaper company come in and do the job.  Lets take for examp wet weather gear, aafes will not sell it, why, probably beacause they can't profit, so joe goes toa pawn shop to buy it.  All I"m asking is they at least match the local economy withing 5% like they advertise, without the price challenge.  Just send out your people to wal mart and match there prices, I mean it would be cheaper to buy the stuff from Wal-mart and mark it up 5-10 cents and still would be cheaepr then aafes current prices.  Support our troops, not proffit off them because of there lack of options.  It's not just aafes the whole miles program for buying a car is like a 14% intrest rate for many soldiers, why, because they can make a profit off the soldier.  It's rediculous, lets profit off soldiers who for the most part are underpaid for what they do.

[zero]

Or is aafes preventing even better services due to their exclusive contract?

Think of AAFES as owning a $70k Chevy Cavalier. its functional but poorly designed and expensive .  But swap it for a BMW 7 series.  Service and comfort go way up.  Its a matter of perspective.

If there are soldiers at the bottom of the ocean earning pay.. someone will come and collect it.  Only reason its AAFES is because they are the only ones allowed.