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AAFES Shoppette gas pumps switching to pre-pay

  • Published
  • By Army and Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs
  • AAFES
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  To reduce losses regarding fuel dispensing at the AAFES Shoppette all cash and check transactions will go too prepaid prior to pumping fuel. This change will not affect customers that elect to use a major credit card or Military Star Card at the pump to prepay.

Military Star Card customers will continue to receive additional discounts at the pump and earn rewards points.

New fuel pre-pay policy will go into effect June 21.

This change came about as a result of a focus on Electronic Article Surveillance, closed circuit television cameras and an aggressive youth shoplifting awareness campaign. All played a role in decreasing the cost of products involved in detected shoplifting cases at the Scott Exchange by 23 percent, from $6,841 in 2008 to $5,258 in 2009.

Unfortunately, while costs decreased, the number of incidents stayed the same from 2008 to 2009. Furthermore, the Scott Air Force Base Shoppette has experienced an increase in "drive-offs"--customers pumping fuel and not rendering payment.

With a dual mission to provide quality goods and services at competitively low prices and generate earnings to support morale, welfare and recreation programs, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, which has contributed more than $2.4 billion to military quality of life programs in the past ten years, continues to focus its efforts on reducing theft.

"Shoplifting from the exchange affects the entire military community," said General Manager Lawrence E. Simmons, Jr. "Because AAFES is a military command with a mission to return earnings to quality of life programs, shoplifting impacts the bottom line and, in essence, takes money directly from the pockets of military families."

If shoplifting is suspected, AAFES Loss Prevention associates turn the issue over to local law enforcement. In addition to possible disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution, the Federal Claims Collection Act, which began March 1, 2002, allows AAFES to enact a flat, administrative cost (Civil Recovery) of $200. There may be further fees, in addition to the Civil Recovery Program, depending on the condition of the recovered merchandise.

The Army and Air Force Exchange Service is a joint command and is directed by a Board of Directors which is responsible to the Secretaries of the Army and the Air Force through the Service Chiefs of Staff. AAFES has the dual mission of providing authorized patrons with articles of merchandise and services and generating non-appropriated fund earnings as a supplemental source of funding for military Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs.