Exchange deputy director visits Fort Riley facilities

FORT RILEY, Kan. -- Deputy director for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Mike Immler, visited Fort Riley Aug. 21 and 22 to honor AAFES employees for their service and check up on "Big Red One" Express, the pilot concept for a new generation of Expresses.

Immler said the last time he visited Fort Riley was eight years ago and a lot has changed. Recently, AAFES invested about $600,000 on the flagship BRO Express on Custer Hill in the interior and stock assortment.

"We are going to roll (the new Express concept) out across the rest of our enterprise, which I think we will do; It's been very successful," Immler said. "It is the brand new design for our Express … this is the first one of its kind in our system."

According to Immler, there are about 3,000 AAFES facilities worldwide, and they will be taking this model and applying it to other military installations. He and Danny Schmidt, central west region vice president of AAFES, said Fort Hood, Texas, will probably be the next place they will implement the new Express concept.

"I don't think we made a final decision on that yet," Immler said. "When you invest $500,000, you have to rack and stack it against all other projects that we have in our portfolio … we have to look at where the best return on the investment is."

At the moment, BRO Express is still being evaluated since it is six months old. But the main purpose for the deputy director's visit was to honor the AAFES employees. He awarded coins to exemplary associates.

"For me, it's about recognizing associates," Immler said. "Letting them know that folks at Dallas, where headquarters are, respect and honor their commitment and dedication to taking care of Soldiers."

Apart from making sure the facilities are running at proper standards, Immler came to make sure employees are cared for. He said he wanted to hear good ideas, help with challenges of Fort Riley's AAFES businesses and hoped to share the information with other installations and headquarters, so the organization as a whole might improve.

"I try to be the ears and eyes for folks who don't get out as much, and so they can channel some of that stuff through me," he said. "Sometimes the local folks don't like them to be honest, but I encourage them to speak up and give me their challenges and we can address those and we will make the system better."

Maria Isabel Berrios Borges, main store manager of the Exchange, hosted Immler during his visit to the main store.

"All (Immler) wants to do was to bring out what can he do for us," Borges said. "So far he is very impressed with (Fort) Riley; he knew it was a big base, but he didn't know it was that big."

Immler's sincerity earned respect during his visit from many AAFES employees such as Hyon Lemons, BRO Express store manager.

"I think Mr. Immler is a very humble and very generous person," Lemons said. "We always have a good visit with all our executives, but he was different."

Immler, who is also a retired colonel and served more than 30 years in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, said he is proud of be part of the BRO family and the installation's prestigious history.

"Only one percent of us raise our right hand to defend the country, and it's an honor and privilege to be here to take care of those folks," Immler said. "Over the last 10 years, we've given back almost $4.4 billion to the military community."