Family Serving Family

128 Years of Family Serving Family: Melinda Whitman, WAC Veteran, Fort Belvoir

By Marisa Conner / January 23, 2024 /

The custodial worker joined the Women’s Army Corps in 1970, in the middle of the Vietnam War. Her 21 years of service included playing trumpet in the 14th Army Band, the last all-woman military band at Fort McClellan, Alabama.

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Penny Palmer, Joint Base Lewis-McChord

By Travis Day / January 18, 2024 /

Palmer’s mother, a former Exchange associate, was the first one to encourage her to pursue a position with the Exchange. “My mom always told me she had very good experiences working for the Exchange, and I grew up with the Exchange.”

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Tammar Tracey, General Manager, Fort Johnson

By Keiana Holleman / January 16, 2024 /

The Army Veteran and former military spouse is the daughter of a 27-year Air Force Veteran and a 47-year Exchange veteran.

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Ronald Retuta, MVO and 55-Year Exchange Veteran, Hawaii Distribution Center

By Zach Wright / January 9, 2024 /

The Hawaii native had worked for the Exchange since 1968. And he doesn’t have any plans to stop.

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Sgt. Jeremy Patterson, Fort Cavazos Exchange

By Keiana Holleman / December 13, 2023 /

As a Soldier and Exchange associate, the softline sales area manager feels a strong bond to the military and the Exchange.

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Marne Gulde, Fort Huachuca

By Travis Day / December 5, 2023 /

The Fort Huachuca general manager, who has worked at nearly a dozen Exchanges in her 18-year career, shares her memories of deployment, Hurricane Michael and more.

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Mary Chainus, Joint Base Lewis-McChord

By Marisa Conner / November 29, 2023 /

The Freshens Food Service Foreman reflects on her 30-year Exchange career before her retirement Dec. 1.

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Deniz Barcala, Kleber Kaserne

By Orisha Spence / November 20, 2023 /

Barcala manages the Exchange’s top-performing Military Clothing store and the Wounded Heroes Service Center, which provides a unique service within the Exchange.

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Bonita Williams, Robins AFB/Moody AFB

By Marisa Conner / November 8, 2023 /

“I consider it a privilege to ‘talk up’ the Exchange—who we are, what we do, whom we serve and the fact that we go wherever the troops and their families go. It gives the Exchange an entirely different meaning!”

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128 Years of Family Serving Family: Frederick Puryear, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

By Marisa Conner / October 30, 2023 /

The Express manager’s parents both served in the Air Force, but he knew active-duty military life wasn’t for him. “So I wanted the next best thing. I knew what the Exchange did and wanted to be a part of that.”

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