OPERATION: Call Out—Pacific Region
Darnell Hartwell; Kim, Min-kuk; and Kim, Da-Won represent the “Best of the Best” from the Pacific Region. Our teams continue to provide amazing customer experience for our service members, retirees, and their families within our communities. We could not be prouder of what they do daily. Their actions reflect great credit upon themselves and the Pacific Region. Pacific Pride!
Darnell Hartwell
Customer Experience Associate
Okinawa Exchange, Kinser Branch Store
Darnell Hartwell constantly drives MILITARY STAR® applications and penetration metrics to excellence. He knows the MILITARY STAR program inside and out through his training, works hard to promote it, leading to his best performance in the store with 81 applications, 68% of the store total, and a penetration rate of 11.8%. The best performance in the store! His dedication has inspired other associates and the entire store’s applications have increased by 65% along with penetration increased by 21%. He always has a positive attitude, truly cares about his customers and provides knowledgeable advice without being pushy. Darnell is a great associate because he truly cares about the customer experience.
Kim, Min-kuk
Food Service Worker, Popeyes
Kunsan Exchange
Mr. Kim, Min-kuk, consistently delivers exceptional customer service at Popeyes. He ensures that food is prepared frequently in smaller batches to maintain quality and speed of service, ensuring that each customer receives fresh, high-quality food. Mr. Kim’s dedication has played a significant role in helping Kunsan Popeyes achieve the top sales ranking (No. 1) among the five name-brand fast food locations in the food court. Additionally, Mr. Kim actively encourages customers to use the MILITARY STAR card as their payment method, effectively reducing credit card processing fees while saving customers money by offering a 10% discount on every food purchase. Thanks to his efforts, Popeyes MILITARY STAR card penetration in February reached 6.36%, a 6.18% increase compared with last year’s 5.99%.
Kim, Da-won
Sentry Mini Mall Starbucks Manager
USAG Humphreys
Ms. Kim, Da-Won (Dada), has consistently demonstrated exceptional kindness and customer service, attracting customers who appreciate the friendly atmosphere she and her team provide. She collaborated with Starbucks Korea to remodel the oldest Starbucks on Humphreys, creating a more inviting environment for the community. In 2024, Ms. Kim organized five promotional events with Services, each reaching over 1,000 people on the Humphreys Exchange Facebook page. Recently, she collaborated with the Services team on two Facebook promotional ads in March — one for a Humphreys-exclusive latte and another for a special sale on Starbucks items. These efforts resulted in a significant sales increase from $47,500 in February 2025 to $60,300 in March 2025, marking a 27% growth. Ms. Kim’s kindness and outstanding organizational skills have not only improved the store’s operational efficiency but also created a welcoming environment that continues to attract and retain customers.
