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Department of Defense
The Department of Defense (DoD) is charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the United States armed forces. The mission of the Department of Defense is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and to protect the security of our country.
The Department of Defense is America's oldest and largest government agency -tracing its roots back to pre-Revolutionary times. Today, the Department is not only in charge of the military, but it also employs a civilian force of thousands. With over 1.4 million men and women on active duty, and 718,000 civilian personnel, DoD is the nation's largest employer. Another 1.1 million serve in the National Guard and Reserve forces. More than 2 million military retirees and their family members receive benefits.
Perhaps you are working for the DoD or interested in working for the DoD. Here is a forum to share your experience with the DoD.
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Not sure this is the right place for this, but here goes-
I work OCONUS and the NEX here has a 'policy' that they do not take pennies or give them. They say it's too expensive to send them back for banking in the States. So instead, everything gets rounded up or down to the nearest nickel. They do not post the policy, even though I have asked the manager to do so...nor could they show me the policy in writing anywhere. And then they price goods, so that they end in a 9 most of the time. (Normally a good pricing strategy, but in this case a literal money stealing strategy.) So if I'm paying cash- who's getting my money? And as a penny is legal tender, who are they to say that they won't take it? Is this even legal? Any know of laws/regs that apply to this sort of thing?
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It is DoD policy not to transport pennies OCONUS. In certain places they won't ship coins at all, so you get cardboard pogs as change instead. AAFES and NEX could price items at an even .00, but many of their items are priced the same whether your are buying them CONUS, OCONUS, or online. Changing prices OCONUS would require some extra effort. If the rounding bothers you, you could stick it to The Man by buying items with prices ending in 9 in threes so you get the benefit of rounding down.
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Originally Posted by: DaVinci95  ...If the rounding bothers you, you could stick it to The Man by buying items with prices ending in 9 in threes so you get the benefit of rounding down. Yeah, fight the machine! Unless I'm mistaken, NEX is a privately run operation and as such can set their own policies concerning payment. Just as a convenience store can elect not to accept bills larger than $20. I have applied for more than one OCONUS job where the posting specifically warned that this was a cashless facility, only credit/debit cards were accepted for any purchase.
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Originally Posted by: Endless Summer Originally Posted by: DaVinci95 ...If the rounding bothers you, you could stick it to The Man by buying items with prices ending in 9 in threes so you get the benefit of rounding down. Yeah, fight the machine! Unless I'm mistaken, NEX is a privately run operation and as such can set their own policies concerning payment. Just as a convenience store can elect not to accept bills larger than $20. I have applied for more than one OCONUS job where the posting specifically warned that this was a cashless facility, only credit/debit cards were accepted for any purchase. Nope...it is a NAF function of the Navy. ( https://www.mynavyexchange.com/n...terprise-info/who-we-are) just as AAFES is a Army/Air Force run NAF agency ( https://www.aafes.com/about-exch...r-organization/shull.htm) |
You should have voted Cthulu...the greatest of all Evils
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Originally Posted by: Steve13! Not sure this is the right place for this, but here goes-
I work OCONUS and the NEX here has a 'policy' that they do not take pennies or give them. They say it's too expensive to send them back for banking in the States. So instead, everything gets rounded up or down to the nearest nickel. They do not post the policy, even though I have asked the manager to do so...nor could they show me the policy in writing anywhere. And then they price goods, so that they end in a 9 most of the time. (Normally a good pricing strategy, but in this case a literal money stealing strategy.) So if I'm paying cash- who's getting my money? And as a penny is legal tender, who are they to say that they won't take it? Is this even legal? Any know of laws/regs that apply to this sort of thing?
They started doing this in the 90s when I was stationed in Europe. It all works out, sometimes you get the nickel instead of pennies, sometimes you don't. Are we really that concerned about one or two cents? The IRS rounds up/down to the nearest dollar on your W2s and tax return. The IRS is stealing our money! (sarcasm)
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In the end it all evens out for them since 2 numbers round up and 2 numbers round down so they don't make any extra money.
On a related note - I saw some people leaving pennies as tips for the commissary baggers; that's a real penile move. The only place you can actually use them is the post office.
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I understand how rounding works. Like I said, 'they price goods, so that they end in a 9 most of the time.' - So, no it really doesn't work out.
If it's a policy, why won't they post it? (This is the part that bothers me the most.) And what is the policy number or where is it located?
As for my purchases, I use a cc for everything there now.
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Originally Posted by: Steve13! I understand how rounding works. Like I said, 'they price goods, so that they end in a 9 most of the time.' - So, no it really doesn't work out.
If it's a policy, why won't they post it? (This is the part that bothers me the most.) And what is the policy number or where is it located?
As for my purchases, I use a cc for everything there now. The suggestion was to make all your purchases in three's, for instance. Three x .99 is $2.97, rounded down to $2.95 and you make big money! Keep the struggle alive!
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 2 users thanked Endless Summer for this useful post.
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So you think the Exchange prices things to end in 9's .. in order to make a profit?
The policy IS listed on the Exchange website.
Do you receive COLA?
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Right now there are about 6 billion people on earth screaming "Wanna trade problems?"
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Pogs! I remember those! Everybody had a little collection of them, but I'm not sure anyone actually used them.
I think on my last deployment we all had to use that Eagle Cash card. |
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This policy started the first time I came to Europe, I remember this from the late 90s. Might even have been a policy in Honduras and Panama (89-90), I remember receiving POGS for change back then.
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That's all I got to say about that. |
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Originally Posted by: Exit7A Who pays with cash?? My brother. And educated, intelligent adult in his 60's with no sign of dementia refuses to use credit or debit cards. He takes out the cash he needs at the beginning of the month. If he has to buy something online, he uses a onetime debit card. He also refuses to use email or any social media. Browses the internet through a crazy array of sites that scrub your identity. and the funniest thing of all is he works in the IT field...
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Originally Posted by: Endless Summer and the funniest thing of all is he works in the IT field... That's probably why he acts that way... once you get an idea of all the crap going on in "cyberspace" you want to buy a typewriter and stock up on paper. As for me, a self-described "old guy" I seem to use plastic all the time now. Gets me through the line faster. And maybe I get some points. Or miles. Or something. |
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OMG- First world problems! Nothing new on this policy. I was stationed in England from 1989-1992 and this was exactly the policy with AAFES there. Guess what, every time you spend $5.67 in the NEX you're coming out .02 ahead because they are only going to charge you $5.65. As for the .99 pricing, how often do you only buy one thing at the NEX? Multiple items purchased affect your total overall price you pay at the register and only the overall price paid is rounded up or down. Oh the horrors! After dealing with this policy for three years I realized that it all pretty much evened out in the end, and was very glad to not have to deal with pennies for three years. My biggest regrets in leaving England were having to deal with pennies again and the lack of roundabouts in the CONUS. Sitting for 30 seconds at my first CONUS red light after I got back with nobody coming in either direction was extremely frustrating. I did not miss the gas rationing though. Edited by user Wednesday, June 12, 2019 7:17:36 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: TRW ...the lack of roundabouts in the CONUS. Traffic circles work great where there is not much traffic. They are getting rid of them in New Jersey where the traffic is anything but light. I liked the traffic circles in Kabul where it appeared that the driver was free to choose whether to go clockwise or counterclockwise. Most seemed to agree on a common approach but there were always a few who felt the need to be contrarian. |
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Aren't all of our questions on this Forum pretty much 1st world problems? uh yeh.
And yes, I typically buy 1 thing at the MiniMart at a time, because I try to frequent the off-base local businesses as much as possible.
Posting at the actual POS is not the same as online. If I was buying online - I wouldn't be using cash...
As for round-abouts, I hate 'em. Everyone drives through them differently (in and out of the laws and general common sense), so yup- hate 'em!
Happy Summer Y'all!
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Roundabouts...hate them for the most part (especially Italy and Romania) But love them in Germany! Though Germany did start putting traffic lights on the large ones with too much traffic--at least it keeps everyone moving :)
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You should have voted Cthulu...the greatest of all Evils
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