DeCA Vision Spring 2008 Vol. 17, No. 3 - Commissaries.com

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Stay on target with DeCA’s strategic plan by using this primer on what’s hot An important companion document to DeCA’s strategic plan hit the street in February, representing an outline for action as more details emerge in ongoing “think tanks.” The Director’s Strategic Planning Guidance, dated 2008 to 2015, can be requested from store directors. The strategic plan can be found at https://www.deca. mil, under “The DeCA Mission.” The agency publishes a new strategic plan every two years, supplemented this year by the Strategic Planning Guidance, provided to region, zone and store leadership. This “snapshot” document links objectives and actions to the agency’s budget via the Program Objective Memorandum, referred to as the 28 decavision!Spring 2008 ! getsmart Strategic Plan 101 POM. In turn, initiatives in the Strategic Planning Guidance must remain flexible as they depend on availability and allocation of funding, which is a constantly evolving process dependent on developing priorities. Vision will look at the three agency goals in the strategic plan, starting in this issue with Goal 1: Preserve and deliver a premier quality-of-life benefit. Take a look at agency initiatives and how store-level actions promote strategies for success: • Customize the benefit to better serve our patrons. The agency wants to obtain special demographics and market analysis. Knowledge of customer demographics for the grocery industry would help the agency determine changing shopping trends and future base structure; rising fuel costs and changing lifestyle choices; knowledge gaps in customers’ expectations, now and in the future; and reasons authorized customers choose not to use the commissary. Immediate store actions supporting this strategy: Foster partnerships with exchange systems. Many
commissaries offer ongoing joint ventures: Fort Stewart Commissary, Ga., holds joint sidewalk sales with the exchange in a covered walkway between the two stores. Fort Buchanan Commissary, Puerto Rico, and the exchange help each other by cross-merchandising. For example, the exchange provided workout equipment for display in the commissary. The exchange also provides professional joint signage. Mannheim and Spangdahlem commissaries, Germany, took the lead in Europe in holding joint sales with exchanges. Partnerships don’t have to be limited to joint events, however. Projects are under way to explore all kinds of cooperative efforts to generate efficiencies in the military resale system, such as synergies gained by moving joint product via same distribution lanes overseas. DeCA Europe’s Chief of Operations Terry Batenhorst said meetings continue regarding joint transportation efforts with the Army and Air Force Exchange Service. “Both sides agree on the concept for us to help each other, but we still have to work out the details and formal agreements,” he said. “We hope to make some progress this year.” Going back to the basic strategic plan, customization can be as detailed as catering stock assortment to contain a product mix unique to a specific location. For example, the Right, Livorno Commissary, Italy, offers a “taste of Italy” with its in-house deli where Italian breads, prosciutto and parmigiano are available. Ready-to-eat Italian fruit salad, called “macedonia,” is offered in the produce section. DeCA photo: Gerri Young ! Customers such as this family at Sigonella Commissary, Italy, reap double savings when the commissary and Navy Exchange host a joint event. The “Leap Year Sidewalk Sale,” Feb. 29 to March 1, featured products displayed and sold both inside and outside the commissary, producing a sales lift of more than $9,000 for the two days on selected product. DeCA photo: Byron Floyd deli at Livorno Commissary, Italy, highlights fresh Italian specialty items. Fort Buchanan Commissary offers about 30 percent of its total produce sales as indigenous to the island, including a variety of tubers, such as taro and malanga, melons, and gourds such as calabasas. Also in the basic plan, initiatives include a focus on � 29
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Page 3 and 4: Richard “Rick” Page Chief opera
Page 5 and 6: ! salescoverstory White-hot $ales A
Page 7 and 8: and otherwise running efficiently -
Page 9 and 10: ! Eye-popping mass displays such as
Page 11 and 12: Mountain Home Commissary, Idaho, cr
Page 13 and 14: Five commissaries took top honors a
Page 15 and 16: Camp Humphreys Commissary, South Ko
Page 17 and 18: ! * indicates Super Bowl related re
Page 19 and 20: ! Far left, a blindfolded member of
Page 21 and 22: ! futurenow Fort Worth Commissary g
Page 23 and 24: the agency’s new state-ofthe-art
Page 25 and 26: Dr. Pete Skirbunt DeCA historian Fo
Page 27: store staff. This was, of course, a
Page 31 and 32: Pearl Harbor Commissary, Hawaii, wi
Page 33 and 34: Azmi Benli Bamberg Commissary, Germ
Page 35 and 36: Describe your job in computer-assis
Page 37 and 38: Fort Knox friend While shopping at
Page 39 and 40: and June is great at helping us as
Page 41 and 42: said, “That’s my job.” What a
Page 43 and 44: Heidelberg thanks I’m a disabled
Page 45 and 46: Impressed by Randolph I stopped by
Page 47 and 48: store, and the bakery staff is awes
Page 49 and 50: Kadena kudos I thank Sharon Caskey
Page 51 and 52: obituaries retirements PAULA HAYES,
Page 53 and 54: ! Luke produce manager wins ‘top
Page 55 and 56: top employees Employees of the Year
Page 57 and 58: Picture Utah in the dead of winter:
Page 59 and 60: MacDILL AFB, Fla., THERESA O’ROUR

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