LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
Lackland service and family members have the opportunity to assess their fiscal fitness during Military Saves Week, beginning Feb. 20.
Special classes will address financial readiness areas for Military Saves Week, a Department of Defense-wide campaign to persuade military service and family members to reduce debt and save money.
Military Saves Week provides a start to being fiscally fit, but staying fiscally fit requires a year-round effort, said Jerry Jackson, personal financial readiness manager, Airman and Family Readiness Center.
"You can't do it one week out of the year. You have to do it 52 weeks a year," he said.
"Preventative financial health is like medical health. Some people don't want to talk about their financial health until there's an emergency."
Mr. Jackson said the basic tools of financial readiness are a budget and spending plan, credit and debt management, and a savings plan. He said an effective way for servicemembers to learn about personal finances is through classes taken in conjunction with each other offered by AFRC.
"It's not just taking one stand-alone item," he said. "They all work together."
The personal financial readiness campaign platform is built on seven pillars: financial stability, routine savings, good credit, Sevicemember Group Life Insurance, Thrift Savings Plan, the availability of low interest loans to servicemembers, and affordable recreational and entertainment services provided by the Air Force.
Mr. Jackson said it's not a myth that security clearances can be affected by significant financial problems, which should serve as an incentive for prudent financial management and maintaining good credit.
The AFRC is sponsoring four classes for Military Saves Week in the First Term Airmen Center, Bldg. 5612. Sessions include a financial readiness briefing by AFRC personal financial readiness, Feb. 22, 10 a.m. to noon; "Retirement and Investing" by the Better Business Bureau, Feb. 22, 1-3 p.m.; "Social Security and You" by the Social Security Administration, Feb. 23, 10 a.m. to noon; and "Building a Better Credit Portfolio" by Consumer Credit Counseling Services of San Antonio.
Youth are also involved in Military Saves Week with "Financial Kidz Expo Week" at the Lackland Youth Center. Activities teach youth how to earn, save and spend money.
Joint Base San Antonio will host a financial boot camp Feb. 24 and Feb. 25 at the Sam Houston Club on Fort Sam Houston, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day. The limited-seating program is open to JBSA service and family members, and retirees.
The program is designed to get personal finances in shape, and confidential financial counseling is available. Among the Fort Sam Houston workshops are "Fair Debt Collections" by the Judge Advocate's office, "Home Buying" by the Texas Land Board, "Cyber Fraud, Phishing and Identity Theft" by the FBI, "Auto Insurance" by the Texas Department of Insurance, and "Car buying."
For more information on Lackland personal financial readiness or the JBSA boot camp, call 671-3722. To register for the boot camp, call 221-2380.