Military Saves Week encourages financial readiness

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Erin McClellan
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  The Airman and Family Readiness Center recognized Military Saves Week from Feb. 27-March 4 to help members of Team McConnell learn more about how to save their money.

Military Saves is a component of the nonprofit America Saves and a partner in the Department of Defense’s Financial Readiness Campaign. The organization motivates, supports and encourages military families to save money, reduce debt and build wealth, along with encouraging service members and their families to take the Military Saves pledge and have units encourage year-round savings.

“Military Saves piggybacks on the America Saves campaign, which is all about encouraging people to set a goal and start saving toward it,” said Maryann Barry, 22nd Force Support Squadron AFRC community readiness consultant. “It’s free; it’s really just a promise to yourself to save.”

Making a pledge with Military Saves allows members to receive emails or text messages on payday to remind them of their goals.
Representatives from AFRC have scheduled 15-minute briefings that cover the Blended Retirement System and Thrift Savings Plan during lunch hours. They will also have a table set up in the Robert J. Dole Community Center for the remainder of the week to answer questions about finances and receive pledges.

“We’re really just trying to educate a lot of people on the new retirement system, what exactly the Thrift Savings Plan is and what the different options are for investing in it,” Barry said. “For some people, we go right back to the basics [of budgeting]. Right now, it’s pretty individualized because people have different financial goals.”

On March 2, ARFC consultants will partner with the base credit union to provide dinner in The Den for Airmen. During the dinner, they will answer questions and help people develop basic spending plans.

“[We want to] promote saving for emergencies, retirement, vacations or whatever the case may be,” said Barry. “If this gets even half the people saving toward something, I think it will make them more financially ready.”

For questions about financial readiness or to learn about services offered, contact the AFRC at (316) 759-6020.