Courtesy Photo | Pvt. Joshua Banks, an infantryman with Company B, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry...... read more read more
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BAGHDAD — Picking up products at a store can be a simple task during the day—if there is a store in the area.
In Iraq, soldiers on small posts, like Joint Security Station Old MoD, do not enjoy the convenience of having a post exchange nearby to buy items for everyday use. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service is accommodating soldiers at bases like these by bringing a mobile post exchange to their locations.
During AAFES’ 100th mobile mission since they first started delivering trailers in May 2009, they visited soldiers with 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, United States Division – Center, Dec. 22 at JSS Old MoD to provide a service most take for granted.
The 45-feet by 8-feet mobile PX trailer is loaded with products at Victory Base Complex, and then travels by truck to four separate locations around the USD-C area, ensuring soldiers have the opportunity to purchase needed items.
“The soldiers are always very happy to see us,” said Master Sgt. Deborah Hancock, exchange military operations non-commissioned officer-in-charge with AAFES and an Atlanta native. “[Soldiers] like to buy certain products they run out of really quickly, and certain things they just don’t have access to.”
Hancock said she loves the job and hopes to perform the same mission in Afghanistan in the future.
“I have been in the Army a very long time and I just enjoy coming out here and being with the soldiers,” she said. “Not just being able to be with them, [but also] helping with morale.”
Hancock said she will talk to unit commands to find out what products are needed more than others, and will then bring those items in surplus.
Lt. Col. Jackson Seims, stability transition team chief with 2nd Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Infantry Division and a Fort Leavenworth, Kan., native, is stationed at JSS Old MoD, and said it takes a lot of pressure off trying to figure out how to get back to larger bases. He said it is a good opportunity to get supplies that soldiers need to survive from day-to-day.
“It helps out [to know] we have some support coming out,” he said. “I know soldiers love it. They talk about it often and it helps [with] the planning process.”
Seims said having a PX come to the base helps with security.
Soldiers are able to buy the products on JSS Old MoD instead of going on a convoy to a bigger base for the same items.
Seims said the trailer helps soldiers maintain contact with American-made products, and it is nice to know the soldiers will have that contact and access to PX products on a monthly basis.
“It’s about a little bit of quality of life,” Hancock said. “You just want to give them the taste of home.”
| Date Taken: | 12.22.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 12.26.2010 04:50 |
| Story ID: | 62606 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 223 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AAFES provides mobile PXs for Soldiers at remote posts, by CPL Daniel Eddy, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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