A Career as a US Army Military Exchange Specialist

The US Army Exchange Specialist is a jack-of-all-trades, and deals with the support and performance of the US Army Post Exchange. A US Army Exchange Specialist is a person that deals with the public, and works to administrate all the different functions that a post or base US Army establishment. US Army who are tasked as a US Army Exchange Specialist work to perform all of the US Army club and exchange functions, such as:

Conducting inventories, working to receive shipments of supplies, participating in storing and arranging merchandise and conducting Inventories. You will work in selling and retail sales of anything that the exchange actively sells, and preparing daily sales and inventory report. As you are dealing with managerial and custodial issues, you will also work toward supervising property and funds and process and issuing and ordering merchandise. To start as a US Army Exchange Specialist you have to have a combined element GT score of 110 or higher on the ASVAB test. You will start out with training attending Basic Combat School, or basic training. Every US Army is a rifleman, and you will learn basic US Army doctrine and how to be a US Army at boot camp. Following basic training you will attend individual basic advanced training, and attend school where you will be taught the basics of retail and US Army Post exchange operation. Some of the concepts you will train with include: Basic inventory procedures, retail sales and stocking methods, basic receiving and shipping doctrines, Military supply procedures, interpersonal skills, dealing with the public, employee and employer retail management strategies, and other concepts.

As you progress and become trained, you will likely be assigned to a larger Military facility for your first tour of duty. This is because the US Army wants to give new Post Exchange specialists a chance to be mentored and learn from more senior trained US Army exchange employees. After spending time at a larger post exchange you will have the opportunity to be detailed to a smaller post or Post Exchange. In some cases you may be assigned to a small duty station, in some cases you may be the only exchange specialist on site.

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With the training that you receive from the US Army you will qualify for a number of civilian jobs following your time in the service, include sales clerk, Sales manager, department store manager, or manager of a number of different retail civilian type jobs.