Highlights of July 2012 Issue

AFMC INTERVIEW:
Armed Forces Marketing Council President Thomas T. “Tom” Gordy

 

Preserving Military Families'
'PRICELESS' Benefits

 

From a NEXMart across the highway from the Pentagon, Tom Gordy — now the president of the Armed Forces Marketing Council (AFMC) — watched the smoke rising from one side of the still-smoldering headquarters of the Department of Defense, following the attacks of 9/11. At that moment he resolved to pursue an idea whose roots had been spreading in his mind: to join the armed forces. Since that world-altering day, his career has become all the more devotedly linked with advocacy for the quality of life (QoL) of military servicemembers, Guard, reserves, retirees and their dependents.

He remains to this day a Navy Reserve officer, however, his time on active duty has taken him downrange where troops, airmen, sailors and other patrons in the theater of combat often say they see the resale benefit at its bravest and most essential.

His knowledge of military quality of life and its place in both the corridors of power and the lives of military families grew dramatically beginning in 2001, when he worked as communications director and chief of staff for two successive members of Congress in Virginia, and further expanded on the military side, while he was legislative affairs officer to Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, USA, who was then commander, Multi- National Forces in Iraq.

The AFMC mission, it's clear, fits Gordy to a “T,” which goes part of the way to explaining the Council's “laser-like focus on the benefit.” In this exclusive interview, Gordy digs deep into the issues that are at the forefront of his and resale's collective mind.

'Commissaries and exchanges provide that sense of community, security, and economic stability for our military families no matter where they are in the world. It is difficult to put a price tag on that, but that is the beauty of this benefit.'
— Armed Forces Marketing Council President Thomas “Tom” Gordy

 

Read the complete GORDY INTERVIEW ...