Sitting in a warehouse with little to no ventilation in the South Carolina summer, surrounded by a crowd doesn't exactly sound like anyone's cup of tea. But for many Soldiers and their Families, the hot discounts were certainly worth the heat at the AAFES Reclamation Sale.
"It's a good opportunity to stockpile gear without killing your bank account," said Staff Sgt. Richie Richardson. "I can get about 10 uniforms for about half the price of new ones."
Every gear item imaginable lay in huge storage bins, which lined the warehouse floor. OCPs, PTs, ACUs, nameplates, boots and more each occupied multiple bins filled to the brim gear items. There were so many Soldiers crowding bins, that one sergeant started calling out sizes of uniforms
and tossing them to Soldiers who responded.
The sale, held Aug. 18, was the second sale sponsored by the exchange.
The Army used to host its own reclamation sales to get rid of turned in gear, but that task has now shifted the Exchange services.
"Our goal is to have the sale monthly until all the gear is gone," said Sharon Morrison, Exchange store manager.
Soldiers got most items at a 75 percent discount, which is why, despite the muggy weather, the turnout remained high.
"In the beginning there weren't as many Soldiers as there was with the previous sale," Morrison said. "But it didn't take long for it to fill up."
But the sale isn't about turning a profit or ensuring profit margins. It's about getting all the gear to the people that can use it, and do that in a way that will help out Soldiers' bank accounts.
"The main thing is to help our soldiers," Morrison said. "We're selling this stuff at a 75 percent discount, so there's not much money to make."
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