JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Military and family readiness centers throughout the Air Force provide an array of programs and services that promote self-reliance and contribute to mission readiness.
One of the most important and practical ways M&FRC community readiness consultants and professionals from the civilian community can positively impact the lives of active-duty members and their families, as well as retirees and civilian employees, is through classes, programs and one-on-one counseling that focus on their finances.
“Active-duty members’ pay is a valuable resource that is needed to provide them and their families with the essentials and prepare them for the future,” said Bob Williams, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph M&FRC community readiness consultant. “Successfully managing money is crucial to the mission. Those in a financial crisis can’t focus on the mission because their minds are elsewhere.”
Financial counseling starts at the beginning of officers and enlisted members’ careers, when it is mandatory, and continues through their active-duty years and even after they have separated or retired from the service.
“Every enlisted person and officer is required to go through a basic financial course at their first duty station,” Williams said.
A four-hour financial training session for second lieutenants, first lieutenants and captains assigned to JBSA-Randolph as their first duty station is conducted at the M&FRC, he said. They learn about pay, entitlements, insurance, credit management, the Thrift Savings Plan and other aspects of finances.
First-duty-station enlisted members receive their initial financial training when they attend the First Term Airman Center.
“The mandatory classes can help prevent financial crises later on,” Williams said. “After those classes, we try to encourage them to take the other classes we offer here or come here for counseling.”
Because financial preparedness is so crucial to the mission, commanders often request presentations for their Airmen and civilians, Williams said.
“Community readiness consultants are available to reach out if a unit wants us to provide a financial course or seminar,” he said. “That happens on a regular basis. A lot of times we’re asked to provide basic financial planning and investing.”
Classes that focus on financial topics such as car buying, credit scores and investing are offered on a periodic basis at the M&FRC.
A class presented in March and June, “Social Security and You,” has proved to be one of the center’s most popular offerings, Williams said. Forty people attended the first class, while nearly 60 came to the second one.
“We have an older population at JBSA-Randolph – active-duty members and civil service employees who need to know more about how Social Security works,” he said. “They’re concerned about Social Security and how it affects them. It’s important because Social Security is one of the stools of the three-legged stool for retirement.”
Just as the mandatory financial sessions prepare first-duty-station officers and enlisted members for handling finances during their careers, the mandatory Transition Assistance Program helps separating or retiring Airmen ease into civilian life, Williams said.
“It’s a four-hour class that presents the financial issues they will face,” he said.
Another important resource is the Air Force Aid Society, which assists active-duty members in times of financial emergencies with grants or interest-free loans, Williams said.
“What companies provide workers with interest-free loans in times of crisis?” he asked.
The JBSA-Randolph M&FRC, like military and family readiness centers at the other JBSA locations and throughout the Air Force, also devotes an entire week to financial matters during Military Saves Week, an annual event that is held in February.
Representatives from the two financial institutions at JBSA-Randolph and other financial professionals join M&FRC team members in presenting topics of interest to the community, Williams said.
“There’s a tremendous emphasis on saving during that week,” he said. “It kicks off the new year to get people thinking about money management.”
Williams said M&FRC community readiness consultants are always ready to help.
“We have a great staff that works together,” he said. “Our goal is to do what we can to support the military and their families.”