ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
As many Airmen know, being "Fit to Fight" does not only mean being physically fit; being truly fit is a whole person concept, to include personal finances.
One anonymous Team Andrews Airman has accepted the financial fitness challenge.
"I'm an E-3 and have two kids at home with one on the way - it's not easy to make ends meet sometimes," said Airman 1st Class "John Doe."
"I've had people tell me I put this on myself, but it's embarrassing to me that I feel like I can't provide for my family, that my wife and kids go shopping at second-hand shops for clothes and furniture for the baby. We're just plain overextended right now, so I sought help with the financial counselor at the Airman and Family Readiness Center because I thought maybe they'd be able to help me look at things in a way that I hadn't thought of."
Airman Doe said the Military and Family Life personal financial consultant was able to look at excess expenditures in his budget and pinpoint areas to work on. The big area of concern for the Does was eating out.
"I've totally stopped going out to eat with the guys from work and now come home to eat at lunchtime with the family," Airman Doe said. "It's nice because I get to spend more time with the kids during the day."
Mrs. Doe agrees that the changes made to the budget have helped with their family's finances.
"Whenever we go someplace I ask myself, 'Is this a need or do I just want it?' Most times I just want it," she said with a smile.
The Doe family recently sought help with the A&FRC personal financial consultant to discuss their family's budget and set up a spending plan. The services provided by the financial consultant are free, anonymous and confidential.
"It's a tremendous opportunity for our Airmen to get one-on-one time with a professional financial counselor," said Kim Myers, 316th Force Support Squadron A&FRC community readiness consultant. "The Personal Financial Counseling program at Andrews is a part of the Military and Family Life Consultant Program and is designed to help our families manage their finances, resolve financial issues and reach their long-term goals, such as buying a home or planning for retirement. Team Andrews members don't need to worry about people getting into their business - absolutely no records are kept, and you work directly with the consultant. In the civilian world, this service would cost hundreds of dollars, but it's free to military members."
All DoD cardholders, including retirees, are eligible for the financial counseling service.
Ms. Myers said three common financial pitfalls affect Team Andrews Airmen.
"The three areas we see on a daily basis are credit card debt, folks PCSing and not being able to sell their home, and recently, we've seen an uptick in security clearances being affected as a result of home foreclosures and bankruptcy," Mrs. Myers said. "We're here to provide resources and solutions before you even get to that point, and that's why we're trying to get the word out."
The personal financial counselor can provide advice on a variety of topics including planning for deployments, military benefits, pay and entitlements, credit card management, debt liquidation, student loans, taxes, veteran's benefits and consumer rights. The MFLC financial counselor can also provide information on military and community support and resources.
For more information, email the Personal Financial Consultant at pfc.andrews.af@gmail.com, call 301-247-2829 or 301-981-7087.