{"id":13728,"date":"2018-06-21T23:19:10","date_gmt":"2018-06-21T23:19:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/06\/21\/heres-who-will-lead-the-dod-group-that-could-decide-the-future-of-military-shopping\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T01:42:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T01:42:24","slug":"heres-who-will-lead-the-dod-group-that-could-decide-the-future-of-military-shopping","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2018\/06\/21\/heres-who-will-lead-the-dod-group-that-could-decide-the-future-of-military-shopping\/","title":{"rendered":"Here\u2019s who will lead the DoD group that could decide the future of military shopping"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A retired Army major general and former retail executive will lead a Pentagon task force that is examining the case for a possible merger <\/a>of the military exchange and commissary <\/a>systems, Defense officials announced Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keith Thurgood, who was also the chief executive officer of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service from 2007 to 2010, will start work Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the task force<\/a> business case analysis confirms that consolidation is the right approach, and if Defense Department officials back that finding, Thurgood will serve as the consolidated organization\u2019s executive director until the permanent position is advertised and filled, according to a May 29 memo directing the task force\u2019s formation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The retired Reserve major general has more than 28 years of military service and has held executive positions at PepsiCo & Frito-Lay Inc., Sam\u2019s Club, Overseas Military Sales Corporation, and MedAssets, Inc. He will take a sabbatical from his current position as clinical professor at the University of Texas at Dallas.<\/p>\n\n\n\t