The Exchange Credit Program (ECP) is administered by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, a nonappropriated fund entity of the Department of Defense. Established by Congress in 1979 to protect service members from predatory lending, the program offers responsible credit solutions to Warfighters and their families.
ECP operates the MILITARY STAR program on behalf of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines Corps and Coast Guard. Serving approximately 1.6 million cardholders from all branches of service, the MILITARY STAR card is accepted at all military exchanges and commissaries and at shopmyexchange.com, myNavyExchange.com and ShopCGX.com.
MILITARY STAR cardholders benefit from fair and flexible terms to help them safely and affordably build credit, multiple discounts that save them money all year long, and critical Quality-of-Life programs that support their military community. Cardholders also have 24/7 access to the Exchange Contact Center, an internal team of dedicated professionals committed to serving the unique needs of military customers. The call center services approximately 4 million calls annually. Read more about MILITARY STAR benefits here.
The entire military community benefits when shoppers use the MILITARY STAR card. In 2021, the MILITARY STAR card generated more than $408 million in value for Warfighters and their families. Unlike bank-issued credit cards, MILITARY STAR does not charge merchant fees to the military resale community, saving the exchanges more than $31 million in costly merchant and bank fees in 2021. Not charging merchant fees allows the Exchange to contribute additional funds to critical military Quality-of-Life programs, such as Child, Youth and School Services; Armed Forces Recreation Centers; and other programs to support troops and their families.