One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 129 years of family serving family
Who he is: Michael “Mac” McCracken, firearms supervisor, F.E. Warren Main Store
Years at the Exchange: McCracken started working with the Exchange in 2021.
Military connections: His father, Col. James D. McCracken, served in the Air Force for 31 years, and his last command was at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, where he retired as a colonel and base commander of the 90th Missile Wing—the “Mighty 90.” Col. McCracken was part of the groundbreaking ceremony for the current F.E. Warren BX building, which opened in 1986.
What brought him to the Exchange: Mac McCracken retired after working overseas as an educator and came back to the States to work for a company that helped people with disabilities get back into the workforce.
He then retired in 2017 and moved back home to Wyoming to help take care of his elderly parents. After his parents were in better health, he decided to start working at the Exchange on the base where his father had such a rich history.
His Exchange career: McCracken works at the only Exchange in Wyoming. He says his favorite part of working at the Exchange is the team morale and the services he provides to the military community.
“Everyone in here just works together. It’s unity. You’re not in a competition to sell more than each other. We’re all unified in knowing that this is what we have to do for the store and for the men and women in our service.”
Memorable moments: “Every day you get thanks, and for me, I find that kind of odd. They’re [Airmen] thanking me, and I don’t think I deserve any thanks; they deserve all the thanks.
“If I wasn’t on the base, I wouldn’t have met these men and women. Sometimes, they just come to the firearms counter, and we just chat. The friendships that I’ve made and the bonds, it’s just great to have.”
Family Serving Family: “Family is everything. Your honor, your respect is everything.
“Men and women who are serving have to leave their families, which is very difficult. It is very rewarding for me to hear stories about their families and what they do. It reminds me of my family because my dad went to Vietnam for a year and Guam. It was writing letters and calling every week, and I see that here with how much the families here care for each other and respect each other.”
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