Photo By Staff Sgt. Marco Gomez | Three Fort Hood Soldiers are getting a preview of civilian life through Army & Air...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD — Three Fort Hood Soldiers preparing to transition to civilian life are getting a jump start through internships with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service in partnership with the Army’s Career Skills Program.
Sgts. 1st Class Rosario Lopez and Jay Quiles, along with Spc. Cyela Wilks, began the program March 4 and will be immersed in the Exchange experience through early July.
Quiles and Wilks will undergo on-the-job training in retail, and Lopez will train in Services. The Soldiers will remain on the Army payroll during the program, which is part of the Army’s Transition Assistance Program for Soldiers preparing to enter civilian life.
Each will be assigned a coach and work in different areas of the Fort Hood PX or services, which covers a broad range including health care, telecom, barber shops, concessions and more
“They’ll get to see what a typical day is like for an Exchange manager,” said Chief Master Sgt. Rich Martinez, Exchange senior enlisted advisor. “When associates take on a manager’s role at the Exchange, they really make an impact. Interns will notice this, likely within their first week on the sales floor or working the services route.”
The Exchange is one of several CSP partners at Fort Hood, and the Exchange rotation is designed to help interns decide whether they want to pursue a career at the Exchange.
Quiles has already decided that he would like to start working at the Exchange after the program ends.
“This program is everything,” he said. “It gives me the time while I’m in the military to get prepared rather than jumping in feet first. I’m a wheeled vehicle mechanic, and the logistics side of that has a lot of things that line up with retail—getting your items, making sure your orders are correct, getting your bench stock squared away.”
The interns will have weekly check-ins with Army Lt. Col (Ret.) Al Rideau, Exchange senior talent manager for military recruitment, who transitioned to civilian life while working at the Exchange.
Each Soldier will conduct several case studies on such topics as motivating teams, developing collaborative relationships, fostering change and more. In late May, the interns will visit Dallas headquarters, where they will meet with Chief Operating Officer Marla Randolph and be briefed on several directorates’ operations.
“The Career Skills Program internship plays a vital role in supporting our transitioning Soldiers as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives,” Martinez said. “The Exchange is fully committed and proud to stand with the men and women we serve.”
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Since 1895, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service has gone where Soldiers, Airmen, Guardians and their families go to improve the quality of their lives by providingvalued goods and services at exclusive military pricing. The Exchange is the 51st-largest retailer in the United States. 100% of Exchange earnings support military communities. In the last 10 years, your Exchange benefit has provided $15 billionin earnings that support the military community, including through contributions to critical military Quality-of-Life programs.The Exchange is a nonappropriated fund entity of the Department of War and is directed by a Board of Directors. To find out more about the Exchange history and mission or to view recent press releases please visit our website athttp://www.shopmyexchange.com/orfollow us on X athttps://x.com/shopmyexchange.
Media Notes: For more information or to schedule an interview with an Exchange representative please contact Robert Philpot, 214-312-3831or mailto:mitchelljul@aafes.com. Follow the Exchange: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopmyexchange/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/shopmyexchange Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shopmyexchange/
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.11.2026 12:11 |
| Story ID: | 560292 |
| Location: | DALLAS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From Soldiers to Retail Leaders: Troops Train with the Fort Hood Exchange, by SSgt Marco Gomez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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