AAFES’ new gun sales a blast for customers

By Reginald Rogers
Paraglide

January 26, 2012

	Photo by Metro Creative Connection

The Fort Bragg community is no stranger to handguns and rifles. The military market meant big business for gun retailers that were only located off-post — until now. On Dec. 9, 2011, the Fort Bragg Post Exchange opened its firearms and rifle counter at the mini-mall for military community members and according to Army and Air Force Exchange Service officials, business has been booming.

“We’ve done about $140,000 in gun sales,” said Julie Rivera, manager at the Mini-Mall. “That’s within the 32 days that we’ve been open.”

She said the gun counter offers various pistols, rifles and shotguns on site, but added that customers may also go online and order through three specific vendors that supply the AAFES facility, if they don’t see it in the store.

“We also have a computer set up in our firearms area and they can go online and check either of those three websites and we can special order any product and get it in to AAFES. That gives them a little bit more of a reduced price than if they bought it from an outside vendor,” she said.

Rivera said the response from customers has been great.

“‘It’s about time,’ is what most of them are saying,” Rivera said.

She pointed out that their operation is still expanding and that includes the amount of staff members and the amount of stock assortment that the gun counter carries.

“We’re very, very happy that our general here at Fort Bragg finally approved it,” Rivera said. “We have a lot of restrictions that we have to follow, not just with the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Agency, but also with AAFES. We also have the post garrison’s requirements. Those requirements are a little cumbersome for anyone authorized to purchase a gun, but I think it’s very well worth it, based on what our sales have done and the fact that the customers are happy.

“Overall we’ve had very good and positive feedback from customers,” she added. “Our internal controls are layered, so the public can rest assured that we are not just out here selling firearms just to be selling them and not following some good internal controls on it.

Rivera explained that before purchasing a handgun, potential customers must go to Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department and purchase a handgun permit. She said having a concealed weapons permit is also an option.

“The garrison command has put a 72-hour hold on long guns (such as rifles and shotguns) only,” she explained. “Because there’s no permit required for long guns, I think this was implemented to serve as a ‘cooling off’ time. Once a person does purchase a handgun, they have a 15-day temporary registration to register that weapon with the provost marshal’s office, so they’re tracking that person to make sure that they’re actually registering their handgun.”

Rivera said the process ensures that all handguns that belong to members of the Fort Bragg community are registered on post.

“That’s that loophole that they’ve made, which is great because it lets them know that they have 15 days and we send a copy of the temporary registration to the PMO and they put it in their data base. They’re actually waiting for that customer to come,” she said.

Rivera added that each customer who purchases a gun is escorted to their vehicle to ensure that the weapons are transported across post properly.

Rivera said the gun counter’s opening has been a long process that recently came to fruition, despite being in the works for several years.

“Each time, when (former XVIII Airborne Corps Commanding) Gen. (Lloyd J.) Austin was here and before he went over to Iraq, we tried to get his approval,” she explained. “Each time that the commander changed, we sought approval and this time, we finally got approval.

“It has taken about 18 months since the approval was given and for us to build a vault, order the counters, set up the assortment, attend ATF training for the staff and to get everything else in place,” Rivera added.

She said the ATF training took place in Dallas and it was designed to ensure that each staff member was familiar with the weapons and how to handle them. She said they also had to complete a background check and apply for license, which was done by AAFES-Fort Bragg.

“In the training, they went over their forms, what they required as far as safety, displaying and selling handguns. They also focused on multiple sales and what to do when a customer purchases multiple guns and what type of paperwork has to be filed,” she said.

Rivera said they also received training on how to show, clear and perform basic checks on the handguns. Additionally, AAFES required her staff to take eight internal courses on firearms, which is updated every 60 days.

“I feel very secure in saying that the customer will benefit from the sale and the process ensures that all criteria is met between the customer, AAFES and the post.

Rivera said the gun counter is really a convenient service offered to the community.

“With our prices, we don’t really make anything on the guns,” Rivera said. “We do make a little bit of a gross profit on the accessories, but that goes right back to the post Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation to benefit the community. That’s what we do here.”

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