Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Natalia Murillo | CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (July 26, 2020) Yeoman 2nd Class Kevin Morgan, a resident of...... read more read more
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Service members and residents on Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, volunteered at the Navy Exchange warehouse and the Navy Exchange store to assist with an annual inventory on July 25 and July 26, 2020.
Annually in July, the Navy Exchange (NEX) on Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti (CLDJ) must account for the current merchandise both in the store and in its warehouse. This year’s task required the counting and scanning of approximately $16 million in merchandise.
Over the course of the weekend, 62 volunteers assisted at the warehouse on Saturday and 75 volunteers assisted at the store on Sunday.
“The NEX was fully supported by CLDJ,” said Mary Esquivel, CLDJ NEX branch manager. “I can’t thank all the volunteers enough.”
Due to COVID-19 policy, the CLDJ NEX does not have its usual employees from the local population and therefore it relies heavily on volunteers for operation.
“I personally know the staff and I know how overworked and undermanned they currently are so whenever I am free I like to help out,“ said Personnel Specialist 3rd Class Jazmin Garciarodriguez, a NEX volunteer from Phoenix, Ariz. and who is attached to the CLDJ disbursing department.
These volunteers are supporting more than just their neighbors here on CLDJ. The continuous operation and inventory of the CLDJ NEX goes beyond the base.
“The impact is actually more than just CLDJ,” said Chief Navy Counselor Bonnie Oliver, who is from Ontario, Ore., and serves as the CLDJ NEX volunteer coordinator during COVID-19 base closure. “It’s all the ships that are out in the Gulf and all of the bases that are downrange. This NEX store and warehouse supports all of that.”
Ships and bases downrange receive pallets inventoried at CLDJ. Merchandise totaling almost $50,000 a day would not be able to reach these destinations if not for the hours put in by the volunteers.
“The only way to get stuff downrange is having volunteers at the warehouse,” said Oliver. “Sailors, soldiers, marines, airmen, would not get what they need.”
Camp Lemonnier is an operational installation that enables U.S., allied and partner nation forces to be where and when they are needed to ensure security in Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.
The CLDJ NEX has volunteer opportunities available from Wednesday through Sunday. Anyone who wants to volunteer may sign up on the base SharePoint through the link provided.
“The need is definitely there,” said Garciarodriguez. “Even if you can only volunteer one hour of your day, it really does make a difference.”
| Date Taken: | 07.26.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 07.31.2020 10:52 |
| Story ID: | 375007 |
| Location: | DJ |
| Web Views: | 240 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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