Military saves campaign begins Feb 21 at Eglin

  • Published
  • By Samuel King Jr.
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  "Take the pledge."

That is the strategy and campaign of this year's Military Saves program that kicks off with Military Saves Week, Feb. 21-28.

The goal of the campaign is to enable the military and family members to avoid common financial pitfalls such as overreliance on credit, spending beyond one's means and inability to retire comfortably, according to the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.

By taking the "Saver Pledge," military members commit to the following slogans:

I will help myself by saving money, reducing debt, and building wealth over time.
I will help my family and my country by encouraging other Americans to build wealth, not debt.

Once committed, military saves will send out updates, newsletters and coaching tips on how to better oneself financially.

To commit, go to militarysaves.org, and click "take the pledge" and follow the instructions.

According to the site, Military Saves is a social marketing campaign started in 2007, to persuade, motivate, and encourage military families to save money every month, and to convince leaders and organizations to be aggressive in promoting automatic savings.

The campaign is a growing network of organizations and individuals committed to helping and supporting military members and their loved ones build personal savings arsenals to provide for their immediate and long term financial needs.

For Eglin's part in the campaign kick-off, the Airmen and Family Readiness Center has joined with local institutions to offer different financial education programs. Registration is available now for an Investment University workshop Feb. 26. The workshop is 1 to 3 p.m. at the Airman and Family Readiness Center.

The base has also come together with "Florida Saves" and "Okaloosa Saves" to set up a booth at an event at the Okaloosa County Fairgrounds Feb. 27. There will be literature and videos for those interested in financial stability.

"It is common knowledge for Commanders and First Sergeants that financial readiness goes hand-and-hand with mission readiness," said Jim Helms, Airmen and Family Readiness Center. "Airmen who practice good personal financial management at home have lower stress related problems and are better prepared to remain focused on their mission while deployed. If experiencing financial issues, the A&FRC has a wealth of services to help our airmen with everything from basic budgeting to developing an investment portfolio."

To register for the class, call 882-9060.