ARLINGTON, Va. — General Motors will stop supplying cars to U.S. troops overseas as of September 2006, said a spokeswoman for the organization that sells vehicles to troops stationed abroad.
The Overseas Military Sales Corporation is the authorized distributor of DaimlerChrysler, Ford, General Motors, Harley-Davidson and Buell American Motorcycles for U.S. troops in other countries, wrote Gina De Haan.
“We operate the AAFES and NEXCOM new car sales programs on overseas U.S. military installations,” she wrote.
But after 17 years working together, General Motors has announced it will end its relationship with the corporation as of December 2005, De Haan wrote. GM will deliver vehicles that have already been ordered through September 2006, she wrote.
Neither side had much to say about the split.
“As to why GM ended this relationship, they have decided to evaluate alternate approaches to servicing the overseas military market,” De Haan wrote.
Corporation Chief Executive Officer Tom Pisano said in a news release that the corporation was “extremely disappointed” to be unable to provide General Motors vehicles to its overseas customers.
“However, we will continue to provide the full spectrum of DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Harley-Davidson and Buell models with the same outstanding service as we have for over 50 years,” Pisano said in the news release.
A General Motors spokesman initially denied the company had ended its relationship with the Overseas Military Sales Corporation, or OMSC
“The current agreement is in place and runs through Dec. 31, 2005. GM is committed to providing U.S. military personnel good deals on GM vehicles,” wrote Robert Minton in an e-mail.
Minton refused to elaborate when pressed as to why the company had ended its long-standing relationship with OMSC.
“I can’t comment on our relationship with OMSC beyond what I said earlier. If and when there is any news regarding our military sales program, I will be sure to let you know,” he wrote in a second e-mail.
