The Realization
AAFES (The Army Air Force Exchange Service) is not a store for everyone, although by design it is supposed to be. It is only a store for adults who do not mind being bombarded with sexually explicit slogans and images throughout the store. Additionally, AAFES has no policy that prevents children from purchasing CDs with explicit lyrics, movies that are rated R (Restricted), and or video games that are rated M (Mature). Because of this, we are asking AAFES to incorporate policies that are very similar to what Wal-Mart has already put in place. We call this standard "the Wal-Mart Standard". In time, we hope that AAFES rises to the challenge and adopts this standard as the norm so that children and principled adults can shop for supplies in a family-friendly environment.
Our Mission
Our mission is to help AAFES make sensible changes to its current policies that result in every AAFES establishment becoming family-friendly.
A Call to AAFES
1. Incorporate a pro-family stance into the AAFES Mission Statement reflecting the values of the people AAFES serves - military families.
2. Develop, publish, and implement a family-friendly policy. The following must be included in this policy:
2a. Stop selling all pornography (e.g. Playboy) and publications that appeal to prurient interest (e.g. Maxim, FHM, Stuff, Cosmopolitan, Heavy Metal).
2b. Do not position any publications that might be interpreted as offensive in areas where the customer is a captive audience (e.g. checkout aisle, store entrance, restroom hallway).
2c. Stop selling all music labeled "Explicit Lyrics".
2d. Post a sign clearly visible at each register and enforce a policy that states no rated "M for Mature" games and "R for Restricted" movies will be sold to anyone less than 18 years of age.
Contact AAFES
Anyone can call (1-800-527-6790) or email them at commander@aafes.com. You can also fill out an online comment form if you are in the military. They always send a response, so let them know what you think about this important issue!
According to our "Call to AAFES" we ask AAFES to not position any offensive materials in areas where the customer is a "captive audience". In this article, I would like to elaborate on what we mean by this request.
We are talking mainly about the checkout aisle. In the AAFES checkout aisle, every customer gets an immediate sexual education class - whether they want one or not. Here is a list of what one might expect to read in the AAFES checkout aisle taken from the past two issues of Cosmopolitan:
“Sex vs. Skanky”
“30 Sex Boosters”
“Discover the Sex Fantasy That 68% of Men Have”
“Orgasms Unlimited”
“8 Places to Have Sex"
There are other magazines AAFES has in their checkout aisle that have similar titles. Children, who are authorized customers of AAFES, have to checkout through this same aisle that adults do. There are also adults who are principled who don't want to see those slogans either.
AAFES should immediatly stop selling these titles for the reasons above, but more importantly because these titles represent a stark contrast to the military culture of decency and military mission of winning hearts and minds while serving overseas.
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