FORT RUCKER, ALA.

2016 Global Connection: Tightening the Community Bond through Diversity

Initiatives

We at the Fort Rucker Exchange looks at ‘Diversity’ and ‘Inclusion’ not as programs or initiatives

but as unwavering principles required of our associates. Senior leaders and managers help support this

commitment through outreach programs and recruiting efforts.

In 2015, the Exchange supported over 45 community events including; Wounded Warrior Hunt,

Children’s Festival, Women’s Equality Day, Men/Women’s Health Fairs, Toys for Tots, Chaplain’s Angel

Tree, and numerous Job Fairs. We are a proud and active member of Fort Rucker’s Equal Employment

Opportunity Office (EEOO); together we sponsor four diversity kick-off events held at the PX food court

annually: African-American, Asian-Pacific, Hispanic Heritage and Native-American Heritage events which

welcome well over 200 attendees.

In November, we hosted the 6th Annual Native American Heritage event. This featured the

Mississippi Choctaw Tribal Drum Group, with traditional Inter-Tribal dancing, as well as samples of

traditional Native American dishes. The Fort Rucker celebration brought together several local Native

American tribes to include Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek and Dakota. Exchange patrons enjoyed a variety of

Native American culture; archery demo, flute solos, story time, and arrow making. The event hosted

several vendors, cultural displays and arts and crafts exhibits. Children learned how Native Americans

lived off the land by trapping their own food and how to make corn husk dolls. The Exchange supported

the month long celebration by providing Exchange gift cards, free meal coupons, and prizes to be given

away during the Native American Bowling Tournament held on post. Trivia contests were held which

contributed to fun and learning, with a bit of friendly competition. Same day sales from the event

generated a 20 percent increase of $42,895 last year versus $34,157 previous year with the food court

experiencing a similar increase of 21.9 percent, same day sales. Service vendors, Native American

Jewelry and Native American Fried Bread & Taco generated $1,700.

The Reel Time Theater contributes to several community outreach programs. A total of 19 extra

showings where featured for various organizations within the community in support of local initiatives.

In April, the computer-animated film “Big Hero 6” was featured for 70 students of the Vivian B. Adams

School (V.B.A). V.B.A serves six surrounding counties and has been an integral part of the community for

45 years helping students with cognitive and developmental disabilities. The featured showing

generated total sales for the day of $433.

The Fort Rucker Exchange proudly honors tradition of many cultures by joint hosting these

heartfelt community events and embracing the differences of our patrons by cultivating an environment

where everyone is welcomed and respected. The benefits of the events go well beyond the registers

with the rewards of creating a tight-knit community and are all-inclusive in creating a diverse

environment. We are committed to educating and building a strong team and community bond through

cultural awareness.

7th Annual Asian Pacific Heritage Kick-Off event held on Friday, 1 May 2015 at the PX mall entrance.

Entertainment consisted of a Taekwondo demonstration, Korean sword fight dance with dances and

performances from Japan, Thailand, and Hawaii. Patrons viewed artwork from the South Korean Art

Group, Chinese Calligraphy and Paper Cutting. Everyone enjoyed taking “selfies” with Master Shifu and

Kung Fu Panda. The Reel Time Theater featured a free showing of “Kung Fu Panda”.

6th Annual Native American Heritage event held on Friday, 30 November 2015 at the PX mall.

This event featured the Mississippi Choctaw Tribal Drum Group, with traditional Inter-Tribal dancing, as

well as samples of traditional Native American dishes. The Fort Rucker celebration brought together

several local Native American tribes to include Choctaw, Cherokee, Creek and Dakota. Service vendors,

Native American Jewelry and Native American Fried Bread & Taco generated $1,700.

U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY, N.Y.

2016 Exchange Global Connection

“Envisioning Success through Diversity and Inclusion”

Here at USMA Exchange we measure success by the ability to create, implement and accomplish goals through a diverse workforce. The diversity of our USMA team is a direct representation of our customer base. The West Point Exchange proudly serves not only Military Personnel and their families, the Cadet candidates from the West Point Prep School, but also the Cadets of the United States Military Academy. As one of our Core Values, we fully embrace “Family Serving Family.” During 2015, we were able to participate in five (5) job fairs. This avenue allowed us to recruit nine (9) spouses, seven (7) veterans and nine (9) dependents, all representing various backgrounds and cultures from around the world. This integration of military affiliated personnel has enabled the team to directly understand the role we as an Exchange play in the life of our Customers.

The USMA team also actively incorporates the “Respect Everyone” facet. We are consistently engaged with our customers and community to participate in various Post events. Such events include Retiree Appreciation Day, and the Sandhurst Games, which draws Cadets from all over the world. Our backbone of dedicated, multicultural associates has fostered strong partnerships with the community. This has afforded us to better understand and address the needs of our valued customers. Diversity is a fundamental component of Our Core Values and Team USMA works to celebrate individual differences, whilst producing a cohesive team in order to succeed.

ITALY CONSOLIDATED EXCHANGE

Exchange Global Connection Contest Italy Consolidated Exchange

The Italy Consolidated Exchange is proud to be the employer of a diverse workforce, located in Vicenza,

Aviano and Livorno. We currently employ more than 450 associates. Our team consists of about 70%

local national employees, representing not only Italy, but many other countries in Europe as well as the

rest of the world. We have a strong connection to the military and live the “Family Serving Family”

concept daily: about 50% of our workforce is comprised of military family members. In addition, unique

insight is gleaned by the presence of 2 reservists, 19 veterans and 11 associates with a disability. Our

associates know our customers and our customers know our associates. Our facilities are located in the

heart of relatively small installations, which gives us the advantage of being able to create that “family

feeling”, not only at work, but also at community events throughout the year. In serving the military, a

group with such a diverse background, having a diverse workforce can only be an advantage. Through

our interactions – large and small – with our customers and our community, we are able to build bonds

and make an impact that lasts a lifetime!

Below is a small selection of our events and initiatives that occurred during 2015:

Team Vicenza and the Health Clinic teamed up for “Woman’s Healthy Heart Month”

The Exchange hosted a “meet and greet” with the Michigan State University Spartans who were in Italy

to participate in an event with the Wounded Warrior program.

The Vicenza Main Store partnered with the US Army Africa SHARP (Sexual Harassment Assault Response

and Prevention) Program team to support the SHARP open house. This event was open to the entire

Garrison and we received a thank you from Command that stated: “Thank you for your

support. Without your AAFES contributions, we wouldn't have been able to provide such an incredible

event!!”

Vicenza Exchange associates showed their support for the VFW with a Korea/Republic of Vietnam era

Jeep in front of the Exchange mall. Veteran’s Day weekend sales were almost 6% over last year and the

VFW told us they received the highest amount of donations ever.

The Vicenza Exchange Team coordinated with the “Associazione Galaxy” to hold a Star Wars event in

front of the mall when the new movie released. The “Associazione Galaxy” is a local Italian group which

participates in Star Wars themed events throughout Europe to provide funds for charity, specifically

pediatric hospitals. Kids got to test ride a life-sized “X-wing” fighter, take pictures with their favorite Star

Wars characters and even shop the Power Zone with a Storm trooper. These sorts of events really help

us strengthen our community relations!

The Vicenza HRO collaborated with Military Command and participated in a job sponsored by the U.S.

Chamber of Commerce. This job fair was part of the Vicenza Transition Summit, sponsored by the U.S.

Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes program.

The Aviano Main Exchange celebrated “Month of the Military Child” by partnering with the Aviano

Elementary School. The Spanish Classes came in to show off their songs and dances for customers and

parents. Later children enjoyed face painters and a coloring station to honor these tiny heroes!

Our two School Feeding associates volunteered during the Livorno Thanksgiving event dinner, allowing

the US military, civilian, host nation members and their families to celebrate a very special and

meaningful holiday together.

Aviano: Month of the Military Child

Vicenza: “Woman’s Healthy Heart Month”

Vicenza: Michigan State University Spartans - Wounded Warrior Program

Vicenza: US Army Africa SHARP (Sexual Harassment Assault Response and Prevention) Program

Support

Vicenza: Veteran’s Day Event

Vicenza: Star Wars Event with “Associazione Galaxy”

Livorno: Thanksgiving Community Dinner

Vicenza: “Transition Summit” Job Fair

JB LEWIS-MCCORD, WASH.

Joint Base Lewis- McChord seeks to engage and retain a world-class diverse workforce. The associates

within our workforce represent a multitude of nations which is embraced and celebrated.

In May 2015, JBLM associates participated in the Annual Washington State Special Olympics which

featured 3,500 athletes. Not only did the event reinforce the Exchange partnership with persons of all

abilities; food sales for the event contributed over $7,800 in revenue, which was a 78% increase over the

same event the previous year.

Julia Santiago, who happens to be 94 years young, is a Food Service Worker at Madigan Hospital

Subway, and was recently honored by local news outlets for her 45 years of dedicated service to the

Exchange. Ms. Santiago stated that she never plans to stop working, and that she enjoys her job and the

people she sees every day. Julia is a fixture in her food facility and customers know her and look for her

when they visit.

The JBLM HR team ensures that recruitment and selection are based on skills and experience alone and

all applicants are given equal opportunity. New hire onboarding classes often boast associates from

dozens of states and countries, which is clearly representative of our military family. In October 2015,

the team was chosen as the Governor’s Employer of the Year in the Federal Employer category after a

nomination from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs who HR often partners with in the recruitment of

disabled veterans. According to the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues and Employment, there

are 1092 employers of associates with disabilities in the state of Washington, and 6 were chosen as

winners. This incredible honor reflects our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Recently, Lewis Main Store hosted National Pacific Islander week, where associates celebrated their

heritage by dressing in traditional garments and sharing cultural cuisine with their team. This event

created a great sense of pride and appreciation for the diversity that makes up our JBLM Exchange

family. Birthdays, retirements and farewell celebrations are commonly marked by multi-cultural cuisine

synonymous of an international festival, and are a highlight for associates. A recent associate retirement

featured a live mariachi band to honor the associate’s culture. Another associate was honored with a

Hawaiian Luau complete with hula dancers and kalua pig! Such experiences emphasize the broad array

of cultures within the Exchange and invite us into the lives of our peers, creating a deep sense of unity.

Among many benefits that diversity brings to the table at Joint Base Lewis McChord are a deep spirit of

acceptance and inclusion. JBLM associates are composed of all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, religions

and genders. We are known as a place of belonging, where all have the opportunity to learn and grow to

reach their full potential.

While statistics within Washington State reflect limited ethnic diversity, the Joint Base Lewis- McChord

workforce proudly represents the military families we serve!

www.census.gov/quickfacts/#table (2014 data)

HR OLAP Active Employee Data Report

JAPAN DISTRIBUTION CENTER

JADC Delivers Diversity through Friendship

Last year's annual Japanese-American Friendship festival provided 185,000 visitors from all over Japan

an opportunity to visit Yokota AB September 19-20. The festival is an opportunity for a vastly diverse set

of visitors to experience American culture, while reinforcing bonds between American and Japanese

communities. Eighty-seven vendors filled the flight line with a variety of food and merchandise. The

Exchange had food operations booths including Pizza Hut, Burger King, various Food Court concepts, and

Airline Catering. The Exchange Main Store operation also ran a double wide booth at the event selling

merchandise such as t-shirts, hats, patches and key chains, as well as sodas, snacks, candies, and so

much more.

Through a diverse collection of associates, the Japan Distribution Center (JADC) manages and executes a

key role in delivering support, expert customer service, as well as food and merchandise to the

participating Exchange operations. As can be expected, several months of designing takes place for an

event of this magnitude, and JADC encounters a wide array of diverse thought and problem solving,

from working with different facility managers, to facing a variety of issues that arise during the planning

phase. JADC’s underlying focus is to provide as much support as possible while maintaining a high level

of productivity, while meeting ongoing work demands during the busiest season for the Holiday 4th

quarter build up.

This past year the JADC 15 person multi-cultural team came together early to design and subsequently

provided support to various Exchange Retail and Food operations. During the event, as food or retail

operations sold out of products or required assistance with deliveries, JADC provided their resources

each day to offer the maximum level of support possible. In emergency situations JADC was capable of

responding within the hour to get products to any customer in need.

Each year the JADC team does more and more to work on how they can better their business, customer

service, and support of the Exchange for this remarkable event. This is a direct result of discussing

processes and pain points with our diverse workforce and always solving for yes.

JADC is proud to participate in an event that is focused on bringing diversity into the limelight to be

celebrated and shared, by leveraging its own diverse thoughts and insights. Last year this event brought

in over $400K in sales for the Yokota Exchange, equating to a 17% increase over last year, and furthering

relationships in a foreign country.

This two-day event is the true definition of diversity, and JADC’s multi-cultural workforce is focused on

continual betterment. These kinds of dynamics are ever-present in day to day operations at JADC, and

the team is always focused on sharing ideas and perspectives, while leaning forward through diversity

and inclusion.