AAFES Telephone Purchase help

[Full time cadet]

Can someone please assist me on how to purchase things from AAFES via telephone? I called and no one seem to know what is Civil Air Patrol including the supervisor. They also told me that nothing states that we can purchase. My closest base is Fort Hamilton (Brooklyn,NY). I called the gate guards and they also said they have no idea whats Civil Air Patrol and only people from the military have access.

My CAPID is the Cadet ID with no photo (17 yrs old)

[Eclipse]

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=654.0

Should there be some confusion on their side, refer them to Army Regulation 215–8 / AFI 34-211(I), page 27.  http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r215_8.pdf

http://capnhq.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/539/kw/AAFES

http://capnhq.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/534/kw/AAFES

[JC004]

The prices on this page are old, but this will give you ballpark prices and item numbers, all in one list.  Or you can browse through all their website pages.

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=10753.0

[Eclipse]

Nice to see you can finally browse.

[Robert Hartigan]

I just tried to order uniform items through Military Clothing Sales Store via telephone last week. Long story short we can't because AAFES will not accept credit card numbers over the phone. I emailed KC Jones at National HQ and he said he is working on some sort of compromise, but nothing has happened, yet.

[Eclipse]

I just tried to order uniform items through Military Clothing Sales Store via telephone last week. Long story short we can't because AAFES will not accept credit card numbers over the phone. I emailed KC Jones at National HQ and he said he is working on some sort of compromise, but nothing has happened, yet.

So in the space of a week we're back to the typical nonsense w/ AAFES - "don't know who CAP is", "can't place orders because of...reasons".

With that said, it's probably an indication of the low volume CAP is bringing to them.

Who manages the vendor relationships at NHQ?   They should be on a speed-dial relationship so things like this don't happen.

[Robert Hartigan]

The long story is I placed an order back in late October and everything went great. Super customer service, in stock items and really quick delivery. Then last month, I sent an email with all of the items I wanted to order with the idea of priming the pump. I figured doing so would let the CSR enter the order since it had to be handled differently then she could call me to confirm everything and take the credit card information. Easy-peasy, quick, no fuss.

No response to the email. I sent it again from another account thinking maybe it got caught in a spam filter. No response. I picked up the phone thinking maybe that person doesn't work there anymore. Spoke to the same lady from October and she acted like she had never heard of the CAP. She transferred me to her supervisor and I got voicemail. Called back for an email address and she acted like we hadn't just talked minutes ago. It was really kind of weird. Finally got a response from the manager and she told me to contact KC Jones at CAP HQ.

I emailed KC Jones. His reply was, "We are working with the Exchange to be able to call orders in to the AAFES HQ in Dallas. Due to credit card laws, Lackland MCSS can no longer take orders over the phone."

[Eclipse]

I emailed KC Jones. His reply was, "We are working with the Exchange to be able to call orders in to the AAFES HQ in Dallas. Due to credit card laws, Lackland MCSS can no longer take orders over the phone."

Rediculous.  There are no "laws" that preclude taking credit cards over the phone.  There are industry security standards which
strongly discourage the practice, but those are not legal mandates, and many businesses still use the practice every day because they
simply have no alternative.  If AAFES has decided to adopt those practices, so be it, then they need provide an alternative method, (checks anyone?) and not one that incurs additional cost or grief on CAP members.

I just looked and there are no service coats for sale at VG, which means that at some point since Oct, there became no official place for members without physical access to an MCSS to buy a new service coat, and it took a member bring denied for NHQ to notice.

Regardless of the payment method, this selective amnesia by AAFES is unacceptable.

Again, who is responsible for vendor relations at NHQ, and why is this "news".  If NHQ was aware, they then should have made
notification somehow to the membership.

If anyone wants to know why some members are frustrated with the amount of attention that distractions like CGMs and other pet projects get, this is a great example.  The definition of, and the ability to actually purchase, a uniform, is a baseline expectation of every member, especially the new ones.  A new member encountering this wall loses a lot of confidence in the organization's
ability to manage and provide for member needs.

There are two official sources for CAP uniforms - NHQ keeps cutting off other sources - and neither seems to be managed in the
way they should be.

[lordmonar]

There are two official sources for CAP USAF style uniforms - NHQ keeps cutting off other sources - and neither seems to be managed in the
way they should be.

I'm sorry what other source of USAF Style uniforms did CAP cut off?

CAP distinctive uniforms (grey and whites, the blazer combo, blue BDU, and Blue Flight suits may be purchase from any source.
The Hock Shop was (and others) were told not to produce and sell CAP distinctive insignia.....and that is all.

Get your facts straight.

On this AAFES problem.

This is a problem.

CAP NHQ is aware of it and is trying to fix it.

What more can you ask for?

[Eclipse]

CAP distinctive uniforms (grey and whites, the blazer combo, blue BDU, and Blue Flight suits may be purchase from any source.
The Hock Shop was (and others) were told not to produce and sell CAP distinctive insignia....

Negative, NHQ has C&Ds other vendors for selling things as generic as nametapes with standard english words,
not to mention vendors who were official SPONSORS of CAP.

On this AAFES problem.

This is a problem.

CAP NHQ is aware of it and is trying to fix it.

What more can you ask for?

Proactivity in the relationships.  That should not be difficult when you have only two vendors.

Yet...

[JC004]

Can they take a fax order?  I did that in the past.  You can fax from a computer easily. 

I'm not familiar with any changes that have impacted credit card use on the phone.  What's up with that? 

It's a big issue if CAP members can't purchase from AAFES.  There's many items Vanguard doesn't carry.  Those they do are significantly more expensive.  It's like 20 bucks extra for a service cap.  They don't carry the lightweight blue jacket, service coat, vest...

A new member encountering this wall loses a lot of confidence in the organization's
ability to manage and provide for member needs.
...

I've made this point on various issues.  It's a very important consideration.  They want to emphasize retention, but issues like this add up in people's minds and impact their attitude toward renewing.  It's important to break down walls and make volunteers feel that you care about their total volunteer experience with CAP.

[Robert Hartigan]

I went down the rabbit hole that is fax ordering. Made me want to pay the prices at Vanguard. Not to get off topic, but this is a huge cost savings to be able to purchase blues through MCSS. Vanguard wants $49 for the same shirt MCSS wants $14. And, when the Cadet Uniform voucher program doesn't work Vanguard's prices really hit the wallet hard!

[Майор Хаткевич]

I just tried to order uniform items through Military Clothing Sales Store via telephone last week. Long story short we can't because AAFES will not accept credit card numbers over the phone. I emailed KC Jones at National HQ and he said he is working on some sort of compromise, but nothing has happened, yet.

So in the space of a week we're back to the typical nonsense w/ AAFES - "don't know who CAP is", "can't place orders because of...reasons".

With that said, it's probably an indication of the low volume CAP is bringing to them.

Who manages the vendor relationships at NHQ?   They should be on a speed-dial relationship so things like this don't happen.

With our cadet churn, don't we buy at least 10,000 new cadet uniforms a year?

[Eclipse]

With our cadet churn, don't we buy at least 10,000 new cadet uniforms a year?

I would imagine - please someone tell me they come from AAFES.

[LSThiker]

Everyone seems to jumping to conclusions about the CAP AAFES relationship. Take a step back and realize that tbese issues are larger than CAP. AAFES as a whole is experiencing serious problems:

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/benefits/2014/11/13/army-and-air-force-exchange-service-website-problems/18976103/

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/retail/aafes.html

I called the other day because my login account disappeared. They could not find my SSN to demonstrate that I was a member of the Armed Forces. I had to fax in my military ID to get added. 

Anyway, go ahead and continue arguing about how this is CAP's fault.

[a2capt]

. Vanguard wants $49 for the same shirt MCSS wants $14.

It's not the same. Take a look at the labels. MCSS also sells that $49 variety .. for just a bit less. The commercial poly/wool variety looks a tad bit different, but made to the same specifications with regards to color, design/layout.. The Big V can't re-sell the DSCP issue items.

[JC004]

I just tried to order uniform items through Military Clothing Sales Store via telephone last week. Long story short we can't because AAFES will not accept credit card numbers over the phone. I emailed KC Jones at National HQ and he said he is working on some sort of compromise, but nothing has happened, yet.

So in the space of a week we're back to the typical nonsense w/ AAFES - "don't know who CAP is", "can't place orders because of...reasons".

With that said, it's probably an indication of the low volume CAP is bringing to them.

Who manages the vendor relationships at NHQ?   They should be on a speed-dial relationship so things like this don't happen.

With our cadet churn, don't we buy at least 10,000 new cadet uniforms a year?

It's around 12,000 cadets at the moment - the FCU program costs CAP $450,000 to $500,000 a year.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Yea, those the white paper numbers? Rings a bell.

[JC004]

Yes, they are in that paper on program change options.

[Майор Хаткевич]

Wonder how that's going.

Either way...a half mil contract is nothing to sneeze at. No reason they would ever say "CAP whowat?".

Some of their reviews are quite hilarious. If it wasn't for a family business, maybe I'd send a resume in for their ecommerce manager role.