Exchange gift cards ensure no servicemember is left behind

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DALLAS --  A favorite time of year for thousands of military members serving overseas is just around the corner. While the holiday season and the gifts that accompany them always bring a sense of joy, time is running out for those considering sending mail to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
According to the Military Postal Service Agency, "space-available" mail should be postmarked no later than Nov. 26; parcel airlift mail, Dec. 3; priority and first-class mail, letters and cards, Dec. 10; and express mail military service, Dec. 18.
Regardless of the date sent, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service offers fast, easy and convenient gift cards that anyone can include in a package or even have sent directly to loved ones serving overseas.

Exchange gift cards can be used at stores, ranging in size from 900 to 24,000 sq. ft., that have all the candy bars, protein shakes and magazines a servicemember could desire. The exchange has also partnered with food vendors such to ensure troops get a taste of home.

"From milkshakes to sneakers, just about anything you would think of putting in a care package is already on the ground and in these stores," said the Exchange's Chief of Staff, Col. Virgil Williams.

The exchange's infrastructure makes the gift cards both convenient for those looking to send support and the deployed troops who receive it. In fact, the exchange has developed partnerships with organizations including the American Red Cross, United Service Organizations, and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society to ensure donated gift cards reach servicemembers who need them. The exchange takes the coordination effort and confusion out of gift giving while maximizing funds contributed.

"For many deployed servicemembers a package is the closest they will get to their family this holiday season," said Colonel Williams. "Exchange gift cards are a great way to ensure Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are able to get what they want at any of 81 stores and more than 200 food vendors in contingency locations including Afghanistan and Iraq."

Friends, family and even civic groups can send exchange gift cards ranging from $10 to $500 by calling (800) 527-2345 or at https://shop.aafes.com.

(Courtesy of Army and Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs.)