Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Jonathan Word | ORLANDO, FL (Sept. 9, 2020) NEX Orlando occupies a building that once served as a...... read more read more
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If you are a service member, retiree, veteran or one of their family members in the Central Florida area, the team at NEX Orlando wants you to know that they are here to serve you.
NEX Orlando can be found near the runways of Orlando International Airport. It occupies a building that was once a commissary when the area was McCoy Air Force Base. It has most of what you would find in any major department store. It also has its own grocery store, and if you are still serving, you can find nearly all of your uniform items there.
“We are going to be here for this community,” says Claudette Cumberbatch, the General Manager of NEX Orlando. “Every day, our men and women go and fight for us. I believe this is a small part for us to do to return that service. We have done everything that we can to ensure that the community is getting quality goods. It’s tax free. This is their benefit.”
Service members and retirees have long been able to use the services that the NEX provides. The staff at the NEX feel it is very important to remind veterans and their caregivers that they may now be eligible to shop there too.
As of January 2020, a select group of veterans can now come shop in our store, said Cumberbatch. “My goal here is to make sure that every veteran who is within the greater Orlando area that is eligible to shop here knows that they can come here and receive PREMIER customer service”
To be eligible to shop at the NEX, a veteran must have either a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) documented service-connected disability rating, be a Purple Heart recipient or a former POW. You may also use the NEX if you are the primary family caregiver of a veteran enrolled in the VA’s Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. The team at NEX Orlando may be able to help guide you step-by-step through the sign-up process, says Cumberbatch.
Of all the Navy Exchanges, Orlando’s may be the most unique. It is the only NEX that is not located on or near an active duty base. The city used to be a hub of military activity with multiple bases in the surrounding areas. The Navy established Recruit Training Command (RTC) Orlando in 1968.
Deborah Swope says she has been shopping at the NEX in Orlando for over 20 years. “We moved here in 1990,” Swope said. “My husband served. He was a Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate. At RTC, he’d push boots over there.”
In the post-Vietnam War era, the military began reducing the size of its forces. McCoy AFB was disestablished in 1975. Orlando RTC continued to train Sailors for some time after that. Notably, in 1973 it became the first RTC that trained female recruits in co-ed divisions. In 1999, military cuts and downsizing closed that base down as well.
According to NEX Orlando’s Community Outreach and Support Group, Orlando is home to many military retirees due to subtropical weather and the many bases it has had in the surrounding areas. So, when the military pulled out of the region, the local community rallied hard to keep at least one NEX and Commissary. This led to the only NEX that includes a full grocery store.
“It actually blew our minds that they pulled RTC from here,” says Swope. “It’s got a lot of retirees here. The NEX is really definitely a benefit for me, being closer to home. The prices are good, the quality is great and the only place we would have to go would be Patrick.” (Patrick Air Force Base is 60 miles east from Orlando.)
There is no other NEX that you can walk in, have your dress uniform tailored while you put a big screen T.V. on layaway and do your grocery shopping for the week. NEX Orlando has a produce department which includes some local fruits and vegetables. It has its own butcher who will custom cut a steak to your specifications. It has a deli department where you can get ingredients to make your own sandwiches, or you can have a fresh one made to order for you.
The team at the NEX not only wants you to think of it as a great place to shop, but they believe it is a great place to work as well. The NEX employs many people including military veterans and families.
“We cater to veterans,” says Janine Jackson, Human Resources Representative at NEX Orlando. “We cater to people who are family members as well as spouses.”
Ask an employee at the NEX about their experience and you may find someone who has worked there for more than 20 years. They may tell you about how they started out as a cashier and are now a divisional manager. They might mention the NEX’s benefits like a 401K, paid leave or continuation of employment through a change of duty station.
For some, the NEX is more than just a store. It can sometimes fill a much bigger role in their lives.
“The reason why people are attracted to the NEX,” says Jackson, “is because it is a little piece of home for them. It is that military connection for them. There is not a base here, so I found myself coming here every day. It’s that connection that reminds me of something I used to have.”
Do you need information on where to get your fingerprints or a new I.D? Do you have questions about housing in the area? Jackson says she and other associates at the NEX will help you. You can always use the NEX for anything you need, even if it is not connected to retail, she said. “We are more than just a shopping experience. We are here for your all-around needs. Because we have that military connection, we can help you with anything you might need.”
NEX Orlando is located at 7151 Earhart Drive, Orlando, Fla., 32827, or you can shop online at myNavyExchange.com.
| Date Taken: | 09.09.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2020 07:43 |
| Story ID: | 378223 |
| Location: | ORLANDO, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 2,402 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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