19 MAY:
“PX” stands for “Post Exchange”, and it basically means a store. It carries a variety of things– snacks, t-shirts, military clothing, boots, shower shoes, stationery, books, magazines, candy, you name it. Some facilities also have “BX”, which stands for “Base Exchange”. They’re all basically the same type of variety stores.

There’s an old stereotype in our culture that women love to go shopping. But the truth is, you haven’t seen shopping until you’ve seen a bunch of soldiers descend on a new PX they’ve never visited before. Even though all PX’s are essentially the same, a soldier will go to a new PX like a visitor to a pristine and unexplored land of limitless potential, ready to plant a flag and claim it in the name of buying stuff. I, myself, have this gene within me, since going to a PX, even one you’ve visited multiple times, is like a break from the daily routine, a place of bright colors and civilian-like atmosphere. You can get magazines and books to pass time, and eat something that isn’t pre-selected Army fare.

A trip to the PX is like a little miniature vacation for an hour or so.