The Importance of the Exchange Blue Shirt
Holloman AFB Store Associate Elena Carter not only understands the meaning of Family Serving Family, she is also aware of the difference her blue Exchange shirt makes to Soldiers, Airmen and their families.
Carter’s story portrays an important message: no matter your position at the Exchange, we are all serving America’s finest and representing the core value Family Serving Family. Her story begins with a visit to her doctor’s office.
“After a couple of minutes, this nice girl came in,” Carter said. “She told me she was going to take my vitals and then looked at the chair where my blue Exchange shirt hung and started questioning me.”
“I am a military wife and understand the pain fellow wives and families have to endure.”
The nurse wanted to know if Carter’s husband was in Army. She told Carter that her husband was active duty and they were moving to West Point where he would deploy to Iraq.
“I saw sadness in her eyes,” Carter said. “I am not really sure how or why, but I start telling her how special she was and most of all blessed to be chosen to be a military wife. I am a military wife and understand the pain fellow wives and families have to endure.”
Carter said she understands how uncommon military wives are: “Every day we are ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, we are ready to give up our life, our friends, our families and our jobs to follow our husbands.
“We have a kind, understanding, unselfish heart, which is shielded with the strongest iron.”
Her husband, Sgt. Thomas E. Carter, served in Operation Desert Shield/Storm and is a member of the Army Reserves. He was on active duty for 10 years. Carter has worked at the Exchange for 18 years.
Carter said she wants fellow associates to understand the impact they have on the military community.
“We get up in the morning, get dressed, put on our blue shirt, go to work , then go home and repeat, time after time, every day, losing sight of what really matters. It’s not about going to work, it is about what we represent.”
