Military’s oldest and largest exchange system to welcome new commander Published Aug. 8, 2007 By Lt. David Tomiyama AAFES Media DALLAS -- The Army & Air Force Exchange Service is scheduled to welcome its new commander in a 3 p.m. ceremony at the military command's headquarters Aug. 15. Brig. Gen. Keith Thurgood will take command of the $8.9 billion military retailer from Maj. Gen. Bill Essex. General Thurgood arrives to AAFES from the Army Reserves where he served as the Assistant Division Commander of the 95th Division in Oklahoma City, Okla. Chairman of the AAFES Board of Directors and Deputy Chief of Staff of Manpower and Personnel Lt. Gen. Roger Brady will preside over the ceremony. During General Thurgood's more than 24 years of service, he has been assigned to a variety of command and staff positions, including command at company, battalion and brigade levels. His overseas assignments include an extended tour in Germany and multiple training assignments in Japan and Korea. General Thurgood is a graduate of the Transportation Officer Basic and Advance Courses, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University, a Masters of Science in Business Administration from Boston University, a Masters in Strategic Studies from the Army War College and a Ph.D. in Candidate Organizational Management and Leadership from Capella University. "Keith's military and business experience are well suited for AAFES," said General Brady. "The knowledge he has gained during his civilian business and military service careers are the perfect combination needed to continue strengthening the exchange benefit." General Essex will retire from the Air Force on Oct. 1, 2007, after more than two years of service at AAFES.