CONTRIBUTING TO THE FUTURE
Supporting the interests of the Exchange, its retirees and the people it serves.
The Retired Employees Association is committed to supporting its local chapters, encouraging friendships, and volunteerism, as well as supporting our communities through scholarships, emergency relief funds, and the protection of retiree benefits. The purpose of this website is to provide members with resources about your benefits, help maintain connections through our newsletters, as well as keep you up-to-date on the news and changes that affect you!
AREA Maintains Original Goals, Expands Scope Since Formed in 1975.
The Retired Employees Association is a worldwide organization for The Exchange retirees and active associates planning on retirement. First formed in 1975, the purpose of the association was to continue the friendships and associations that had been made during Exchange careers, a legacy that continues today in the association’s endeavors. Today, the Retired Employees Association can boast of having over 14 active local chapters with members and spouses all over the United States.
The purpose of AREA and its chapters is threefold:
- To foster communication and social activities between retired Army & Air Force Exchange Service employees;
- To support the interests of the Exchange, its employees and the people it serves; and
- To promote the interests of Association members.
While the activities of local chapters and monthly newsletters continue the original intent of maintaining old friendships, AREA has grown significantly since it was founded.
One of our most important activities is helping to protect the retiree benefit. While The Exchange does an excellent job of enhancing and protecting the retiree benefit, AREA’s members represent a significant force that can generate letters and phone calls to our representatives in Congress to protect our own benefits from unsettling proposals. We envision these efforts increasing in the years to come.
The AREA scholarship program is a long-standing AREA activity. We’ve provided scholarships to the children of The Exchange employees since 1985, having contributed a total of $907,795 to further the education of 395 high school graduating students entering their freshman year of college. The amount of the fund continues to grow each year, and we awarded 12 scholarships in 2022 for $40,000. View scholarship winners since 2007.
Emergency Relief, provides financial assistance to Exchange associates and their families devastated by disasters such as fire, tornadoes, hurricanes and floods. It was initiated several years ago when it was concluded that the Exchange could not legally provide the service. AREA stepped in and assumed the responsibility for providing a depository for donations collected from Exchange associates and retirees, as well as from sources outside the Exchange.
Examples:
- Seymour Johnson AFB. After a hurricane devastated the East Coast.
- More than $39,500 was contributed by Exchange associates and AREA members to the Pentagon Victims Fund following 9/11.
- AREA members and supporters contributed almost $60,000 to Exchange associates at Keesler AFB impacted by a hurricane.
AREA’s commitment to providing Emergency Relief to Exchange Associates will continue well into the future.
AREA’s local formal and Informal chapters set their own dues, and meet several times a year for lunch, dinner, trips, picnics, and other social and charitable activities. They seek to maintain current friendships and make new ones while adding new dimensions to their retirement. The list of chapters, formal and informal, is available on this site.
If you’re not an AREA member now, you can join the National Organization online.
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