Chief Master Sgt. Richard Martinez Senior Enlisted Advisor, Army & Air Force Exchange Service
Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard Martinez is the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Exchange), at the organization’s headquarters in Dallas.
The Exchange is a non-appropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense. Established in 1895, the Exchange is the 54th-largest retail organization in the U.S. With annual revenues of $8.5 billion, the Exchange employs approximately 26,000 associates, including military personnel.
In the last 10 years, the Exchange benefit has provided $3.7 billion in earnings for critical military Quality-of-Life programs such as outfitting more than 600,000 Warfighters at cost annually, providing school meal support for Department of Defense Education Activity facilities overseas and delivering needed services to locations impacted by natural disasters.
Martinez serves as the focal point for communications between Exchange leadership and Army, Air Force and Space Force active duty, Guard, Reserve, family members, veterans, retired patrons and DoD civilians. He travels to Army, Air Force and Space Force installations worldwide to present updates on Exchange activities and provides feedback on issues affecting customers.
The Exchange operates more than 5,500 facilities, including department and convenience stores, restaurants, malls, movie theaters, gas stations and other specialty retail businesses on military installations. The Exchange’s operations span the Nation, four U.S. territories and more than 30 countries. Additionally, the Exchange Credit Program manages a $1.9 billion credit card receivables portfolio.
To support readiness and provide foreign-based service members and their families with U.S. products, the Exchange operates bakeries in Europe and Asia and water bottling plants in Europe under 10 brand licenses from U.S. consumer goods companies, including Wonder Bread, Krispy Kreme and Culligan.
The Exchange recruits, hires, promotes and retains a diverse and inclusive workforce. A major employer of Veterans and military spouses, the Exchange has hired more than 2,100 Wounded Warriors since 2010 and more than 60,000 Veterans and military spouses since 2013.
Martinez is a native of San Antonio, Texas. He enlisted in the Air Force in February 1998, graduating from Secure Communication Systems Maintenance Training at Lackland Air Force Base in September 1998.
Martinez earned a Master of Business Administration in leadership from Liberty University, Virginia; an associate degree in applied science, instructor of technology and military science from Community College of the Air Force, Alabama; a Bachelor of Science in management/computer information systems from Park University, Missouri; and an associate degree in applied science, electronic systems technology from Community College of the Air Force, Alabama.
His background includes various duties in the communications career field. He also served as a Professional Military Education Instructor, teaching both Airman Leadership School and Noncommissioned Officer School. His past assignments include bases in Utah, Kuwait, Texas, Saudi Arabia, Republic of Korea, Virginia, Hawaii, Colorado, Arizona and Florida. Before coming to the Exchange, he served as the Joint Communications Support Element Air Force Senior Enlisted Advisor at Luke Air Force Base. He assumed his role at the Exchange in June 2024.
He deployed in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait in 1999 and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia in 2002. His awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and Air Force Achievement Medal.