AAFES aims to be holiday shoppers’ first choice Published Nov. 6, 2009 DALLAS -- Promotions, prizes and popular name brands will anchor the Army and Air Force Exchange Service's efforts to invite military families to rediscover the value the exchange is offering this holiday season. Exclusive savings on tax-free holiday decorations, care package items and electronics will be cycling in and out of the base exchange every week throughout November - all of it building towards Thanksgiving weekend and what has practically become a national holiday, "Black Friday." At the forefront of the post-Thanksgiving blitz will be thousands of scratch-off cards given out to early birds and customers who shop the exchange after 4 p.m. Nov. 27-29. With prizes ranging from free soft drinks to $100 gift cards, every scratch-off can be a winner. Base exchanges will open at 4 a.m. Nov. 27, 6 a.m. Nov. 28 and 9 a.m. Nov. 29, according to Maj. Gen. Keith Thurgood AAFES commander. "Depending on the size of the store, we will pass out anywhere from 60 to 200 scratch off cards in the morning with the remainder being distributed between 4 p.m. and close." Beyond giveaways and prizes, exchanges will have all of the latest "must have" gifts, including the newly introduced line of Ed Hardy jewelry, XBOX military appreciation bundles and specially-priced notebooks and mini "netbooks." The opportunities to shop and save won't end in November as AAFES has a variety of special events planned for December including early-bird specials Dec. 5, Dec. 19 and Dec. 24. Authorized exchange shoppers can view specific details regarding special promotions, updated weekly throughout the holiday season by visiting AAFES' "Sale Flyers" Web site at http://h3.aafes.com//tabloid/default.asp.