Military Exchanges

A military exchange is a retail store operated for the benefit of the military community. Think of it as a department store, strip mall, and service center combined. Military exchanges are typically located on or near a military installation. You’ll find everything from electronics and clothing to groceries, gas, and fast food, often at prices lower than what you’d pay off base.

Unlike commercial retailers, exchanges don’t exist to generate profit for shareholders. Every dollar of earnings goes back to the military community through Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs (think gyms, bowling alleys, movie theaters, and recreational facilities on base). Also, each branch of the military runs its own exchange system.

How the Exchange Saves You Money

No Sales Tax 

Every purchase at the exchange, in-store and online, is tax-free. Depending on your state, you’ll save 5% to 10% on everything in your cart.

Price Matching 

If a local competitor sells an identical item for less, the exchange will match that price. Fine jewelry and gasoline are excluded from price matching.

Free Shipping Online 

Orders of $49 or more on ShopMyExchange.com ship free. Military Star Card holders also get free standard shipping on all online orders, regardless of order total.

Overseas Benefits 

If you’re stationed outside the United States for 30 days or more, you may be eligible to purchase a vehicle tax-free and ship it back to the U.S. at no cost.

Home Depot partnership 

Since May 2025, military exchange shoppers can access Home Depot products tax-free through online exchange websites, covering more than 2 million products. Eligible shoppers get 10% off most items, with appliances priced at 1% off Home Depot’s best available price. Note: The Military Star Card is accepted for these purchases; the Home Depot credit card is not. 

The Four Military Exchange Systems

There are four exchange networks, one for each branch:

• Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES): Also called “The Exchange”, it serves soldiers, airmen, guardians, and their families. It offers in-store and online shopping. 
• Navy Exchange (NEX): It serves Navy personnel and their families. It offers in-store and online shopping options
• Marine Corps Exchange (MCX): It serves Marines and their families. It provides in-store and online shopping. 
• Coast Guard Exchange (CGX): It serves Coast Guard members and their families. In-store and online shopping are available through the CGX. 

Note: If you’re eligible to shop at one exchange, you can shop at all of them. (Read more below)

Who Can Shop at a Military Exchange?

Eligibility depends on whether you’re shopping in person at a base location or online. The table below breaks down who qualifies for each.

Category	In-Store	Online
Active duty service members	✅	✅
National Guard and Reserve members	✅	✅
Military retirees	✅	✅
Authorized family members and dependents	✅	✅
Medal of Honor recipients	✅	✅
Veterans with service-connected disabilities (honorably discharged)	✅	✅
Purple Heart recipients	✅	✅
Former prisoners of war	✅	✅
Primary family caregivers (VA PCAFC program)	✅	✅
Surviving spouses (unremarried)	✅	✅
DoD and Coast Guard civilian employees (overseas service agreements)	✅	✅
Delayed entry program participants	✅	✅
Foreign military members (visiting U.S. installations)	✅	✅
All honorably discharged veterans	❌	✅
Retired DoD nonappropriated fund civilian employees	❌	✅

All honorably discharged veterans have been eligible to shop online. Online shopping privileges do not include uniforms, alcohol, or tobacco products.

What ID do you need? 

If you’re a veteran shopping in person under expanded eligibility, you can use your Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or a letter from the VA along with a government-issued photo ID, such as a passport or driver’s license. 

You don’t need to apply for exchange privileges; just have the right form of military ID at checkout. 

What You’ll Find at the Exchange

The exchange is more than a department store. Most installations offer a combination of the following:

Retail Stores 

AAFES operates 118 main PX and BX locations with more than 5 million items available online. You’ll find electronics, clothing, home goods, appliances, outdoor gear, toys, and more.

Military Clothing Stores 

There are 163 dedicated military clothing stores that outfit more than 640,000 troops with combat uniforms at-cost each year. Active duty servicemembers can use the Military Clothing Plan on their Military Star Card to purchase up to $1,000 in uniform items interest-free over 12 months.

Food and Dining 

Exchanges features more than 1,600 quick-serve restaurants operating worldwide, including brands like Starbucks, Qdoba, and Panda Express.

Fuel 

Exchanges also feature gas stations. As recently as 2024, there were 250 gas stations at exchanges. 

Convenience and Specialty Stores 

568 Locations, including Express stores, Class Six outlets, and troop stores, are available at exchanges.

Entertainment 

Exchanges also offer entertainment options, such as movie theaters. There are 39 movie theaters on installations across the country and overseas.

Services 

Exchanges don’t just offer shopping and entertainment; they also offer essential services like barbershops, dry cleaning, optometry, dentistry, and other wellness services at more than 4,300 mall stores and kiosks.

Online

The online exchange stores offer more than 5 million items. Honorably discharged veterans without in-store access can still shop the full catalog online (excluding uniforms, alcohol, and tobacco).

Shopping at the Exchange Overseas

The exchange operates more than 5,500 facilities in more than 30 countries, serving troops in Southwest Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Pacific. Wherever troops are deployed, including conflict zones and remote locations, the exchange follows. Since 9/11, nearly 5,000 exchange associates have deployed to serve in those environments.

Shopping rules at overseas locations are governed by Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs), bilateral treaties between the U.S. and host nations that define the legal framework for U.S. military personnel operating abroad. SOFAs often restrict which products can be purchased in overseas exchanges, limit quantities of certain items like alcohol and tobacco, and determine who is allowed to shop. If your exchange privileges look different at an overseas installation than they do stateside, the SOFA with that country is almost certainly the reason.

The Military Star Card

The Military Star Card is the exchange’s exclusive line of credit, managed by the Exchange Credit Program. Congress established the program in 1979 specifically to protect servicemembers from predatory lenders. Today, it serves 1.5 million cardmembers.

The card is available to active-duty members, retirees, reservists, veterans with honorable or general under honorable conditions discharge, DoD civilians, Purple Heart recipients, and disabled veterans.

Where Exchange Earnings Go

The exchange is the Department of Defense’s largest retailer and the 52nd-largest retailer in the United States. 

Every dollar of profit goes back to the military community; none of it goes to outside shareholders. Those earnings fund MWR programs you may already use without realizing it: gyms, pools, bowling lanes, movie theaters, youth programs, and recreation centers on base. 

The exchange also funds school meal support for children attending Department of Defense Education Activity schools overseas, and provides services to communities hit by natural disasters.

The exchange is also a major employer of military families. More than 80% of its 25,000 associates have a direct connection to the military, and 45% of its U.S. workforce comprises veterans, military spouses, and dependents. Military spouses receive first consideration for open positions, and the continuity program allows spouses to transfer their exchange careers when their family receives a permanent change of station.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can all veterans shop at the exchange? All honorably discharged veterans can shop online at ShopMyExchange.com, MyNavyExchange.com, and ShopCGX.com. Online shopping excludes uniforms, alcohol, and tobacco. In-store access at base locations is available to veterans with service-connected disabilities, Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, and primary family caregivers recognized under the VA’s PCAFC program.

Do I need to apply for exchange privileges? No. You don’t need to fill out an application. You just need the right ID. Veterans shopping in person should bring their Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC) or a VA letter along with a government-issued photo ID.

What is the difference between AAFES, NEX, MCX, and CGX? Each exchange system serves a different branch. AAFES serves Army and Air Force members, NEX serves Navy, MCX serves Marines, and CGX serves Coast Guard. If you’re eligible to shop at one, you’re eligible at all of them.

Is there sales tax at the exchange? No. All exchange purchases are tax-free, both in-store and online.

Can veterans shop at the commissary, too? Veterans with service-connected disabilities, Purple Heart recipients, former prisoners of war, and primary family caregivers enrolled in the VA PCAFC program are also eligible to shop in person at commissaries. All other honorably discharged veterans do not have commissary privileges.

What is the Military Star Card, and who can get one? The Military Star Card is the exchange’s exclusive line of credit. It’s available to active-duty members, retirees, Guard and Reserve members, veterans with an honorable or general under honorable conditions discharge, DoD civilians, Purple Heart recipients, and disabled veterans. It carries no annual, late, or over-limit fees and earns 2% in rewards on every purchase.

Does the exchange price match Amazon or other online retailers? The exchange will match prices from local competitors and select online retailers on identical items. Fine jewelry and gasoline are excluded. Ask at the customer service desk for details.

What ID do I need to shop at the exchange in person? Active-duty members, retirees, and dependents use their military IDs. Eligible veterans use their VHIC or a VA letter, along with a government-issued photo ID. Why does the exchange look different overseas? Exchange shopping rules at overseas locations are governed by Status of Forces Agreements between the U.S. and the host country. These agreements can restrict which products are available, limit quantities, and define who is allowed to shop.