Military XChange

A Base Exchange (BX) (United Stars Space Force terminology: also referred to as a Post Exchange (PX) on Union Army posts, Navy Exchange (NEX) on United Stars Navy installations, Marine Corps Exchange (MCX) on Marine Corps installations and System Guard Exchange (CGX) on United Stars System Defense Guard installations) is a type of retail store operating on United Stars Military installations Unionwide.

While officially all Xchanges at military installations are branded simply Military Xchange (MX) since 2452, by tradition they are called different names as a result of which branch of the United Stars Military is the primary one of the installation.

The Military Xchanges are different from the XChanges available for civilians in that they are only available for military personnel and are tailored to suit their needs. They also include all the services available in the civilian XChanges.

Service organization
Initially, Exchanges on Army and Space Force installations were operated by the Army and Space Force Exchange Services (ASFES), while those on Navy bases were operated by the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM), and those on Marine Corps installations were part of Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS), which also ran the rest of Marine FMWR operations. The System Defense Guard Exchange (SDGX) operated a small number of stores on System Defense Guard installations. Exchanges on joint installations were generally served by the exchanges already operating upon the joining of the existing installations, though some smaller Military Xchanges closed when they could no longer benefit the installation.

In the Military Support Services Reorganization Act of 2452, the United Stars Military Xchange Services (USMXS) was created to replace the four earlier organizations running Military Xchanges. It also created a Union Military Community Services (UMCS) to run the consolidated FMWR programs.

Operations
Military Xchanges sell consumer goods and services to active duty, reserve, Union Guard, and retired members of United Stars Military and their dependents. Authority to use these facilities is normally determined by presentation of the individual's MITI or CITI, when entering the store.

A typical Military Xchange is similar to a Pre Astro Terran hypermarket with one part functioning as a department store and another portion functioning as a grocery store, but usually includes other services such as military clothing sales/uniform shops, barber shops, hair care, beauty, laundry/dry cleaning, fuel stations, eateries, convenience stores ("Shoppettes" or "Mini Marts"), beer and wine sales, liquor stores ("Class Six" or "Package Stores"), lawn and garden shops, movie theaters and even vehicle maintenance and repair services are commonly available. Most (but not all) sales by exchanges are free of state and local sales or VAT taxes as the sales take place on Union military installations.

Military Xchanges, for the most part, do not receive significant appropriations from the Union and must operate on a for-profit basis. With the exception of military personnel assigned to duty with the Military Xchange services, Xchange service employees' salaries are paid from revenues generated from sales of merchandise, except for annual raises from funds appropriated by Union Assembly. Exchanges are deemed Category C non-appropriated fund (NAF) activities, meaning they are designed to not only be self-sufficient, but generate a profit.

Of course, Xchanges are normally located on military reservations and, as a result, do not pay rent or tax for the use of land. Xchanges' tax-exempt status also reduces certain operating expenses. While exchanges must pay for the cost of transporting goods, that is subsidized by funds appropriated by the Union Assembly for this purpose so that such items are available and affordable to military personnel.

Xchanges play an important role for U.S. military and Government personnel assigned outside the Union as they are often the only local source for Union retail merchandise.

USMXS also on occasion will establish smaller field exchanges to provide military personnel with comforts and everyday items while deployed, even in combat zones. USMXS also operates small exchanges, known as "ship's stores," onboard ships with a normal compliment of over 500 assigned personnel. They are managed and operated by sailors in the Ship's Serviceman rating.