AAFES director/CEO visits RAF Lakenheath Published July 10, 2017 Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- Army & Air Force Exchange Service director/CEO Tom Shull’s passion for taking care of America’s warfighters took him to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, giving him a firsthand look at how the Exchange benefit is thriving for Airmen and families serving in the United Kingdom. During a July 7 visit to Lakenheath, Shull, Exchange Senior Enlisted Advisor Chief Master Sgt. Luis Reyes, and Exchange Europe and Southwest Asia Senior Enlisted Advisor Sergeant Major Eliecer Quintero toured the main Exchange, food court, services mall, Express and Military Clothing Sales to understand the scope of how the Exchange supports Airmen and families far from home. “My dad, who spent 30 years in the Army, used to say: ‘As long as my family is taken care of, I’m all in for the Army,’” Shull said. “The Exchange plays a big role in troop readiness and resiliency. We’re all in to support Team Lakenheath’s Airmen and families. That support is so crucial.” Shull, a former U.S. Army Soldier and infantry company commander who applied private-sector business practices to the Exchange once he took the helm five years ago, has led a dramatic turnaround of the Department of Defense retailer, which celebrates its 122nd anniversary this month. By intensifying national brands, growing concessions and Express stores, transforming the online shopping experience and reducing costs, the Exchange has produced significant results for service members and families. Earnings have increased from 3.2 percent of sales in 2011 to 6 percent of sales in 2016 — translating to more than $1 billion in support to critical military Quality-of-Life programs. This was achieved despite a 13 percent decline in the Exchange’s customer base from the ongoing military drawdowns during that time. Because of its transformation, in 2016 the Exchange generated more than $525,000 for Quality-of-Life programs at Lakenheath, including Outdoor Recreation activities, ensuring the Exchange remains a vital, relevant benefit for military families. Support to these programs at installations around the world totaled $225 million last year. Shull’s visit to Lakenheath allowed him to experience the unique lifeline to America that the Exchange provides troops and families overseas. The support the Exchange provides to troops and families overseas goes beyond the main Exchange. Conveniences of home—American restaurants, barber shops and dry cleaners; new car sales; Internet and cellphone service; Wonder bread, tortillas and Krispy Kreme doughnuts made at the Exchange’s bakery in Germany; and nutritious USDA-approved lunches for service members’ children at Department of Defense schools prove the Exchange is much more than a retailer. “The Exchange brings a sense of community to military installations,” Shull said. “We satisfy the needs of those who serve their country, and many times the Exchange is their only access to true tastes and conveniences of home. Our customers are heroes, and the Exchange exists to make life better for them while they’re putting their lives on the line for us.” As the Exchange looks to the future, it will continue to invest in the Lakenheath community. “We’ve been given the green light to expand our operations at Lakenheath to accommodate growth here,” Shull said. “The installation has been a great partner as we begin planning the best way for the organization to continue to take care of Airmen and families here.” During his visit, Shull greeted Exchange associates, thanking them for serving with passion and reminding them of the critical support they provide America’s heroes. “Since 1895, the Exchange has provided a lifeline to America’s service members and their families,” Shull said. “Around the world, 85 percent of our associates have a connection to the military. The Exchange truly is family serving family.”