Campaign teaches Airmen, families about financial trouble

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  With the need to educate Edwards Airmen and their families about the importance of financial management and smart saving practices, the Airman and Family Readiness Center is spearheading the Military Saves Campaign here Feb. 24 to March 2. 

Military Saves is an initiative endorsed by the Department of Defense to be implemented by the Air Force to improve Airmen's financial readiness and enhance mission readiness. 

"The campaign's goal is to teach our Airmen and families about finance, and prepare them for deployments and temporary duty assignments," said Jennifer Higgins, AFRC team lead. "They need to make sure their (financial) affairs are in order before they leave." 

During the weeklong campaign, the AFRC will offer classes that teach basic financial investments and consumer credit counseling.

In addition, Military Saves will also teach how to save for an emergency, pay off high-cost debt, buy a home, contribute to thrift savings plans and save through the DOD Savings Deposit Program when deployed, said Chris Marble, AFRC chief. 

Some of the problems the campaign is addressing are poor financial management and overextending finances, Ms. Higgins said. 

"People are overspending way above their income level," she said. "They are living paycheck to paycheck and sometimes, using programs such as cash loan advances, where interest rates are so outrageous." 

With these problems, the need for financial readiness is imperative, Ms. Higgins said. 

"When we talk about readiness, we mean holistic readiness," she said. "We need to make sure we are physically, spiritually, emotionally and socially well. We also need to make sure our finances are OK."

For more information about the Military Saves Campaign, call the AFRC at 277-0723.