AAFES opens up mobile field exchange — in Manhattan

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange) is following its motto and setting up operations where it is needed the most.

The Exchange has opened a mobile field exchange at the Army’s new field hospital at the Javits Center in New York City, to support service members and civilian medical personnel on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s the first time a mobile exchange has operated in New York since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

The mobile exchange is located in located in a 53-ft. trailer stocked with emergency supplies, toiletries, snacks and drinks. The assortment is similar to that used to support first responders after natural disasters or during training exercises.  During natural disasters or other crises, mobile exchanges can deploy within 48 hours and are a critical component of the Exchange’s relevancy and mission.

“MFEs underscore the Exchange’s relevancy and reinforce its motto of ‘we go where you go,” said Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Luis Reyes, the exchange’s senior enlisted advisor. “Hopefully we can make life a little more comfortable for those working to bring life back to normal.”