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Exchange Director/CEO focuses on supporting healthy lifestyles at Tinker

  • Published
  • By Julie Mitchell
  • Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs
DALLAS, Texas --  Army & Air Force Exchange Service Director/CEO Tom Shull is committed to ensuring Airmen and their families at Tinker Air Force Base have what they need to stay fit and mission-ready.

To understand how the Exchange can best meet the needs of the Tinker community, Mr. Shull and Chief Master Sgt. Sean Applegate, the Exchange enlisted adviser, toured Exchange facilities June 15. Mr. Shull and Chief Applegate also met with 72nd Air Base Wing Vice Commander Col. Lea Kirkwood, 72nd Mission Support Group Commander Col. Michael Green, 72nd MSG Vice Commander Lt. Col. Gerald Yap and 72nd MSG Superintendent Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Erne. During his visit, Mr. Shull discussed how the Exchange can better serve Airmen and their families by helping them maintain healthy lifestyles.

"The Exchange team appreciates how much Airmen and their families sacrifice," Mr. Shull said. "Their sacrifices inspire the Exchange team to work even harder to meet their needs."

Part of meeting the community's needs is ensuring Airmen have choices to keep them healthy. The Tinker Exchange recently revamped its BE FIT section, giving it the look and feel of a big-box athletic store, similar to ones found off the installation.

"Name brands that shoppers know and trust, such as Under Armour, Nike and Adidas are prominently featured in the BE FIT area," Mr. Shull said. "It's a one-stop shop for products that contribute to Airmen's health and resiliency."

The commitment to readiness doesn't stop at the store. For shoppers who want to grab a meal, Tinker's restaurants, such as Popeyes, Burger King, Charley's, Taco Bell and Subway, and the Express bring a host of healthy options to the table.

"Popeyes offers a blackened chicken salad with only 300 calories -- and it's exclusive to the Exchange," Mr. Shull said. "For those who are looking for a quick grab-and-go bite, the Express is stocked with good-for-you choices such as fresh sandwiches, fruit and salads."

When shopping and dining at the Exchange, Mr. Shull said, "Airmen do more than save sales tax. Money from every purchase goes back to improving quality of life at Tinker."

"For every dollar earned, historically 67 cents comes back to the military community to support quality-of-life programs," he said. "In 2015, sales at the Tinker Exchange generated $525,985 on behalf of these programs. Every time shoppers buy from the Exchange, they are making life better for their entire military community."

The Tinker Exchange is committed to treating Airmen, their dependents and retirees like family.

"Since 1895, the Exchange has provided a lifeline to America's service members and their families," Mr. Shull said. "In fact, right here at Tinker, roughly 37 percent of Exchange associates are military spouses, family members or veterans. The Exchange truly is family serving family."  

Mr. Shull is the first civilian to lead the 120-year-old organization, which employs 35,000 civilian associates worldwide. In addition, 35 active-duty service members are assigned to the Exchange.

For more information about the Exchange and Exchange programs, visit shopmyexchange.com.