Washington (CNN)Responding to customer pressure, Army and Air Force Exchange Service stores Monday reversed their decision to stop selling high capacity ammunition magazines just 10 days after they were removed from 72 military Post Exchanges, or PXs, across the United States.
"Based on input from authorized Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) shoppers, the Exchange has resumed sales of magazines with a capacity of 11 or more rounds. Feedback from active-duty, Guard and Reserve Soldiers and Airmen highlighted the criticality of high-capacity magazines as it relates to readiness and proficiency," said Judd Anstey, vice president of communications for the exchange system, in a statement to CNN.
Some customers, the majority of whom are current or former members of the military and their families, told the exchange they were using the magazines as "supplemental" items to their militarily issued gear. "We thank customers for sharing their thoughts regarding the necessity of firearms accessories," Anstey said.
The exchange stores provide retail shopping at bases around the world. A civilian director is responsible for key decisions on what items are sold.
The Army and Air Force Exchange Service withdrew high capacity magazines from its stores on March 2 after reviewing its sales policy.
The policy change followed the decision of several major retailers, including Dick's Sporting Goods, to stop selling the magazines in the aftermath of the February 14 shooting at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school in which 17 people were killed. Anstey noted that exchanges run by the Marine Corps stopped selling high capacity magazines several years ago.
The current director of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service is Tom Schull. He is the first civilian director and has long experience in the retail industry including a spell as chief executive officer of Barney's New York between 1997 and 1999.
Poster Comment:
Barney's New York, or PX?
#1: Tooconservative To: hondo68 (#0)
This is not major news to anyone.
Tooconservative posted on 2018-03-14 02:54:37 Reply Private Reply
#2: Hondo68 To: Tooconservative (#1)
There's no Barney's New York ping list. Maybe you should start one.
Hondo68 posted on 2018-03-14 03:35:02 Reply Private Reply
#3: Tooconservative To: hondo68 (#2)
Tooconservative posted on 2018-03-14 04:30:04 Reply Private Reply
#4: Hondo68 To: All (#0)
Video interview....
“You’re Always Welcome Here”: A Taste Of Home With AAFES And Tom Shull
Tom Shull was raised in an Army family. Between Tom and his spouse, Dorothy, their families have 300 years of service in the Army--Dorothy has nine West Point graduates in her family, including her father and grandfather. Growing up, Tom always felt a sense of “home” hanging out at the AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service) food court on post, or wearing AAFES-provided Little League uniforms. In high school, his father told him and his older brother that they could join the Army or go to West Point.
Both Tom and his older brother, John (USMA ’70), chose to attend the Military Academy. Entering West Point in 1969, at the height of the Vietnam War, he found mixed reactions to the war among both the faculty and Cadets. He vividly remembers CPT Buddy Bucha sharing some of his lessons from Vietnam during summer training at Camp Buckner. When he graduated, he commissioned as an Infantry Officer, and served at Fort Carson, Colorado. He was accepted to teach in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, and attended graduate school at Harvard Business School.
Before he could return to West Point, however, he was hand-picked to become a White House Fellow, where he was instrumental in securing the building permit for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Following his fellowship, he taught in the Department of BS&L and returned to Washington D.C., where he served as the Military Assistant to National Security Advisor Robert McFarlane. After leaving the military in 1985, he entered the business world where he soon gained a reputation for turning around failing companies. In 2012, he became the Director and CEO of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, a position that allows him to remain connected to the Soldiers he loves to serve.
As his father remarked when preparing to deploy, “As long as my family is taken care of, I’m all in for the Army.” In this interview, he talks about his father’s military career, providing intimate perspectives on General MacArthur, growing up in a military family, and attending West Point. The hazing he experienced as a Plebe caused him to develop a deep sense of respect for others that he carried throughout his military and business career.
He describes working on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial development, and expresses his feelings towards veterans who served in Vietnam and in the military in general. He discusses his work as the Director and CEO of AAFES and his commitment to the military and military families. Finally, he reflects on what his service and West Point mean to him.
Hondo68 posted on 2018-03-14 12:28:44 Reply Private Reply