One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 130 years of family serving family
Who she is: Shelly Deano, Express manager, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson
Years at the Exchange: Deano celebrated 35 years in early April and has been at JBER for 30 years.
She worked at the Exchange since she was 18 and got her start at the Sembach Kaserne Air Base in Germany.
“As I got older, I realized how much we truly serve the military and how much service members depend on us,” Deano said. “Over time, I felt more pride in what we do because we’re always there for them, no matter what.”
Military connections: Deano’s father served in the Air Force for 30 years and retired as a chief master sergeant.
“My dad was a flight engineer who flew helicopters,” she said. “We moved around a lot with his military career, but we were in Germany for 14 years, and my mom was German. When we were overseas, the Exchange was convenient because it was on base and easy to work and shop there. When I moved from base to base, the transitions were easier because I already had that work experience with the Exchange.”
Exchange connections: Shelly is married to Raul Deano, a retired warehouse worker who was with the Exchange for 33 years.
Memorable moments: “One of the most memorable moments was when a mama bear and her cubs got into a Krispy Kreme truck outside my store. It happened early in the morning, and they started eating the doughnuts. It made the Exchange Post and even worldwide news. That was a whole week of phone calls, but it was a lot of fun and definitely unforgettable.”
Deano says that she is accustomed to occasionally seeing wildlife roaming on the base, but she still feels excited when spotting larger animals like moose or bears.
Alaska Express life: “Most of my career has been in Express stores, and that’s where my heart is. I like being active and involved, not sitting at a desk all day,” Deano said.
Still, managing an Express in an extreme climate does have its challenges.
“The weather and shipping are our biggest challenges here in JBER. We rely on barges that arrive on specific days, and any delay can affect our product availability. Working in extreme cold affects everything—from unloading trucks to equipment issues at the fuel pumps. It’s challenging, but it’s part of working here. I take pride in my store and in my work. I really enjoy what I do, and that’s what’s kept me here.”
Family Serving Family: “To me, it means working alongside people who understand the military lifestyle and why we do what we do. Many of us are spouses, Veterans or have family connections to the military. It creates a sense of comfort and shared purpose that’s different from working off base.”
Leave a Reply to A Cancel reply