In brief:
- Daughter of a 30-year Air Force Veteran
- Growing up, visited Exchange with her father
- Pays forward the warmth she and her dad received
One in a series honoring the Exchange’s 131 years of family serving family
Who she is: Cherlonta White, RAF Mildenhall BXtra furniture department supervisor
Years at the Exchange: 10
What brought her to the Exchange: As the daughter of an Air Force Veteran who served 30 years, including two decades in the United Kingdom, White grew up in the military community. Some of her earliest memories include weekend trips to the Exchange with her father, who retired as chief master sergeant, superintendent for the 96th Mission Support Group. She remembers associates greeting customers and making every visit feel welcoming.
“My dad and I would come shop here on the weekends and the team would always be so warm and kind to us,” she said. “It was a seamless experience, no matter the query or service needed,”
While attending college, White was looking for a part-time job when she reconnected with some of the same associates she remembered from childhood.
“I would converse with some of the people who used to work here, and they encouraged me to apply,” she said. “With how friendly they had always been, it seemed like a no-brainer and a great opportunity.”
White joined the Exchange in July 2016 as a part-time cashier at the RAF Mildenhall Express, working four days a week while attending college the other three. She moved to the furniture department as a sales associate before earning a promotion to supervisor.
Most memorable Exchange experience: Helping young families decorate their first home has become one of the most rewarding parts of her career.
“I’ve helped customers pick out baby furniture, organize their nurseries and answer questions along the way,” she said. “Later, they’ll bring their babies back to meet me. Then, over the years, I get to watch them grow up. Having toddlers come in for hugs or Christmas cookies is something I’ll never forget.”
She also enjoys helping young Airmen move out of the dorms and into their first homes, guiding them through purchases and offering advice to make the transition a little easier.
The Exchange through the years: Over the past decade, White has watched customers become co-workers and co-workers become lifelong friends.
“The leadership and the people I work with have kept me here,” she said. “We’re like family. I genuinely look forward to coming to work because I know I’m surrounded by supportive, caring people.”
She says helping military families settle into unfamiliar places gives her a sense of pride because she understands the challenges of military life firsthand.
Family serving family: “To me, it means exactly that—we all have some kind of connection to military service,” she said. “We’re here to support one another, offer encouragement and lend a helping hand.”
Whether she’s helping a first-time parent furnish a nursery or a young service member set up a first apartment, White sees every interaction as an opportunity to make someone feel at home.
“It means a lot when customers come back asking for me by name,” she said. “Knowing I’ve made a difference in their experience is why I love what I do.”
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