Military spouse treats Exchange shoppers like family

  • Published
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFRNS) --  As the daughter, wife and mother of Airmen, Donna Flynn appreciates the sacrifices service members make. And, for nearly 25 years, Flynn has worked tirelessly to support active-duty and retired Airmen, and their families, through the Army & Air Force Exchange Service.

"It's gone by fast," Flynn said of her career working as a cosmetics and fragrance vendor representative who supports the Exchange onsite at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.

For almost 19 years, Flynn has been a mainstay at the Davis-Monthan Exchange. Shoppers will find her at the Exchange's beauty bar, making recommendations for fragrances and Philosophy cosmetics. She came to Davis-Monthan in 1997 with her husband, Col. Collin Flynn, who retired from the Air Force 14 years ago.

Her long career of service exemplifies the Exchange's core value of family serving family. Through her work as an Exchange vendor representative, Flynn keeps Davis-Monthan shoppers close to her heart.

"The customers are the best part of my job -- they are wonderful," the Tucson resident said. "After a while, I get to know them. They come in and look for me. They're like friends."

Davis-Monthan Exchange General Manager Robin Chetri appreciates Flynn's outgoing, friendly nature.

"Donna is a joy to be around," Chetri said. "She puts customers first, and she makes them feel like family."

Before coming to Davis-Monthan, Flynn supported vendors at the Offutt Air Force Base Exchange in Nebraska as well as Exchanges in the District of Columbia area while her husband was assigned to those locations. She's spent the most time at the Davis-Monthan Exchange, and all told, has worked to improve the lives of Airmen and family members for nearly a quarter of a century.

"Serving the customers is my main goal," Flynn said. "When they're taken care of, they come back. I'm here to make them happy."

Long before she met her husband, Flynn understood the sacrifices of Air Force families. Her father served in the Air Force throughout her childhood. She was born at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and her dad's career took his family all over the country, including Hawaii, Japan, California and Colorado.

Flynn met her husband while he was a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy. While he served, they raised two children. Those children also chose the Air Force as a career. Her son, Capt. Brian Flynn, serves at Offutt Air Force Base, while her daughter, Capt. Christina Flynn, is an operations officer for the 355th Force Support Squadron at Davis-Monthan.

From the beginning, the Exchange has been part of Flynn's family.

"We've done all our shopping at the Exchange," she said. "Whenever we needed anything, the Exchange has always been there."

In fact, the Exchange has been a part of her children's lives, too. When her children were students in the ROTC program at the University of Arizona, they, too, followed in her footsteps and worked as vendor representatives at the Davis-Monthan Exchange's PowerZone.

"The Exchange always worked around their cadet schedule," Flynn said.

After nearly 25 years, Flynn has no plans to slow down. She would like to work another five years before retiring.

"I love serving Exchange customers," she said. "I appreciate the camaraderie with my co-workers, too." (Courtesy of AAFES News)