JBSA-Lackland Exchange Makes Trainees’ Spirits Bright With Annual BMT Extravaganza

Lackland BMT 2022-47

About 3,000 Basic Military Trainees, most spending their first holiday season away from home, were treated to a festive shopping excursion Dec. 10 during the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Air Force Base Exchange’s annual BMT Shopping Extravaganza.

The Exchange opened at 7 a.m., giving waves of trainees—who usually can’t leave their dormitories—time to shop for their family and friends. Trainees were also able to get their pictures taken with a military Santa clad in fatigues and with the Grinch—often at the same time.

Members of the Exchange’s Corporate Communications Team were also on hand for a Facebook Live from the event, inviting trainees to give a real-time hello to spouses, parents and siblings they haven’t seen in months. The Facebook Live had a strong response on the Lackland Exchange’s Facebook page, generating more than 16,000 page views and 13,000 reactions and comments with a reach of nearly 20,000. The BMT event contributed to a nearly 4,500% increase over the past month in post engagement for the Lackland page. (Also, check out the Exchange Associate Instagram to view reels of the event.)

A trainee prepares to blow a kiss to loved ones during the Facebook Live at the Lackland Air Force Base Exchange’s annual Basic Military Training shopping extravaganza.

Col. Jeffrey Pixley, commander of the 737th Training Group, could not stop smiling as he watched trainees, some of them from as far away as Guam, Saipan and Colombia, give shout-outs to loved ones.

“For a fair number of people in BMT, this is the first time in their lives they’re living independently, and this may be their first opportunity to send gifts home to their families,” Pixley said. “For them to come here and have their first AAFES experience, which is going to be part of their whole time in the United States Air Force, is pretty amazing. The smiles on the trainees’ faces, and the joy in the Exchange team’s faces, knowing they’re getting to make this great first impression for future Airmen, is awesome.”

During the Facebook Live, many of the trainees were able to connect directly with loved ones who were commenting during the live stream. Occasionally when a comment asked about a particular trainee, other trainees would track them down in the store to bring them in front of the camera.

“I got some cards for my family,” said Christine Johnson of the 324th Training Group, who grew up in Seattle and lives in Fort Lauderdale. “The gifts are a surprise so I can’t tell you. It’s classified information.”

Much of the Lackland team dressed in the spirit of the occasion, including Store Manager Patricia Murauskas and Sales & Merchandise Manager Roland Guerra Jr., both of whom were dressed as elves.

“It’s a great event,” said General Manager Christine Harlan. “Us being able to interact with the trainees, help them out, it means a lot to us. They express much appreciation for the event, much appreciation for the break in the rigorous schedule that they have every day. We hear a lot of ‘thank you for doing this for us.’”

The recruits were bused in to the Exchange in stages throughout the day. When their shopping was done, they were bused to the BMT reception center, where volunteers wrapped their gifts, which were sent to the recipients via UPS.

Soliders visit with Santa at the Fort Sam Houston Exchange’s Advanced Individual Training shopping event.

While the BMT event was happening at Lackland, the Fort Sam Houston Exchange, also part of Joint Base San Antonio, held its annual Advanced Individual Training shopping event. AIT is the next step for Soldiers after basic training, and Airmen in tech school are also welcome at the event.

“It’s their last shopping day before they leave here for the holidays,” said Fort Sam Houston Sales & Merchandising Manager Legina Bugett. “We try to do something special for them, give them more opportunities to shop. So we’ve got special sales and discounts for them, but also a lot of games, a lot of fun and music. Just a good time for them before they go home—or if they have to stay here, a little bit of the holidays for them.”

The Fort Sam Exchange also opened at 7 a.m., Santa, the Grinch and Black Panther were on hand for shopper photo opportunities. Fort Sam Houston also did a Facebook Live for Soldiers and Airmen to interact with loved ones.

“In the past, we’ve had parents crying, saying, ‘That’s my baby—I haven’t seen him since he left for basic’,” said General Manager Eddie Devlin. “When they graduate from basic training, they get maybe a day off, and then they get loaded on a bus at oh-dark-thirty in the morning, and they’re gone to their next training assignment. So the parents often don’t see them if they can’t make it to the basic training, so it’s a good thing when they’re able to see them and they know that they’re happy and doing well.”

Click here for a Flickr album from the JBSA-Lackland BMT Extravaganza.

Click here for a Flickr album from the Fort Sam Houston AIT shopping day.

 

 

 

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