AAFES senior enlisted advisor visits Grand Forks AFB Published April 19, 2012 By 319th AIR BASE WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The senior enlisted advisor for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service visited here Apr. 18-20. During his visit, Chief Master Sgt. Jeffry Helm toured Exchange facilities, plus met with employees and addressed Exchange-related issues here. The Exchange is a joint military command with a retail mission to provide quality products services and food to servicemembers, their families, Reserve and Guard members, plus military retirees. Exchange sales generate earnings to supplement Air Force Services programs as well as Army Morale Welfare and Recreation activities. Chief Helm is one of 72 active duty servicemembers assigned to Exchange to carry out this mission; the Exchange also employs more than 43,000 civilian associates world-wide. "For every dollar earned, 67 cents comes back to the military community from the MWR dividend. Last year Grand Forks got more than $248,000, so shopping at the Exchange is a win-win," said Chief Helm. "You get great products at a great price and your spent money comes back to the installation through the dividend." During his visit, Chief Helm met with Grand Forks customers and Exchange associates, answering questions and concerns about the Exchange. "Part of my job as the senior enlisted advisor is to visit bases throughout the world and find out what Exchange can do to better to serve its customers and fix existing problems," said Chief Helm. "Also educating our customers on the Exchange benefit is the most important part of my job. Our goal is to be your number one choice for retail shopping. You can go anywhere to purchase an iPod or a TV, but when you buy from the Exchange, that's money going back to support our troops," said Chief Helm. "More importantly, clothing sales is the only place our military troops can buy uniform items on base without mail ordering them, making it our goal to have what they need when they need it so they can be outfitted properly," he added. For more information about the Exchange and Exchange programs, visit www.shopmyexchange.com.