Photo By Emiley Murphy | YOKOSUKA, Japan (April 2, 2021) – Alexandra McGee, Navy Exchange (NEX) Yokosuka...... read more read more
(YOKOSUKA, Japan) -- When you first arrive at a new duty station, there are always things that you just can’t live without. From snacks to kitchen gadgets, starting up a new house requires multiple trips to the local store. This is where the Navy Exchange (NEX), one of the primary businesses of the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM), steps in.
A comfort to Sailors and family members alike, the NEX has been serving naval communities across the globe since 1946. Here you can find everything you may or may not need for the entirety of your tour.
For those who have been stationed onboard Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) within the last year, you know that this has been an uncommon experience. From restriction of movement (ROM), quarantine and all manner of delays, this past year has been a challenge for everyone. Luckily for CFAY, Alexandra McGee, NEX customer service manager, and Sherrill Wines, special events coordinator for the NEX, are on the job. During the last year, the two women along with their team of volunteers have spearheaded the NEX Downrange Program Yokosuka, which supports Sailors, contractors, and families in a ROM status. Born out of a need to support local communities, the Downrange program came to Yokosuka in April 2020. What began with 45 orders has reached as many as 518 orders during peak times.
Originally created in overseas locations to support forward-deployed troops without NEX access, the NEX Downrange Program made a pivotal shift during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The main purpose of our [program] is to help single Sailors and contractors,” said McGee. “A lot of families have sponsors that can assist them, but our main purpose is to help [those] who may not have sponsors.”
Early each morning, McGee and her customer service team collect orders that have come in overnight and print them out for Wines who, as the primary shopper, spends much of her day filling orders. On days when there are too many orders for one person to fill, a team of volunteers assist with the process.
“I [walk] three to seven miles a day in this store as we usually fill 20 [orders] a day. I did 300 [orders] last month in February,” Wines says.
“You have to bring everything here to the holding room, it has to be verified, we have to ring it all up, box it up and have signs made. Last year alone I walked 733 miles , just within the store.”
With an average of 40 to 60 requests a week, McGee, Wines and their volunteers have completed 2,851 orders since March 2020.
Asked about the items that are requested the most, both McGee and Wines agree that water, chips, peanut butter, tuna fish, and macaroni and cheese often top their lists. Both women share the pride they take in working hard and providing premier customer service even when they can’t see their customers face-to-face.
“Customer service is a passion of mine so when they gave me this program I was very enlightened by it,” McGee says. “We’ve met a lot of people and it helps you to build relationships. It’s something that I just enjoy knowing that we’re taking care of this person who doesn’t have access to things.”
Bravo Zulu to Alexandra McGee, Sherrill Wines, and their team for continuing to serve the CFAY community with excellence!
If you are looking for more information regarding the NEX Downrange Program, contact nexdownrangeyokosuka@Nexweb.org or call 243-4055/5577.
For more than 75 years, CFAY has provided, maintained and operated base facilities and services in support of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s forward-deployed naval forces, tenant commands, and thousands of military and civilian personnel and their families.
| Date Taken: | 04.02.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2021 21:58 |
| Story ID: | 394688 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 415 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, NEX Downrange Program Serving the CFAY Community, by Emiley Murphy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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