Program aids Airmen, families with financial counseling, information

Dawn Ivy (left) and Kathy Hobbs review a financial spreadsheet May 3, making sure everything is within budget at the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. AFRC finance classes and counseling are available to help Airmen and their families learn how to better balance their finances or pay off debts earlier. (U.S. Air Force photo/Loren Deer)

Dawn Ivy (left) and Kathy Hobbs review a financial spreadsheet May 3, making sure everything is within budget at the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. AFRC finance classes and counseling are available to help Airmen and their families learn how to better balance their finances or pay off debts earlier. (U.S. Air Force photo/Loren Deer)

The Financial Support Program offered by the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base provides educational support to reduce stress for Airmen and their families caused by extended TDYs, deployments and remote assignments. The program also provides assistance before, during and after separation due to these events.

Financial services offered by the AFRC are one-on-one counseling as well as financial education. AFRC financial services’ goal is to help those seeking advice find a way to maximize their purchasing power, reduce financial related stress and give individuals a better understanding of their financial situation.

“We have a great team of professionals here at the AFRC. If members are worried about how they will pay off debts or if they are not on track to achieve their retirement-savings goals, they are not concentrating on their jobs,” said Kathy Hobbs, a personal financial counselor. “Our goal is to reduce that stress and to empower members to make better informed financial decisions. Financial readiness promotes mission readiness!”

Additional financial services offered include personal financial evaluations, budgeting information, credit management, debt liquidation, investment information, insurance information and other workshops/seminars.

All financial services are free and available to active-duty military and their families, government civilians and retirees.

“Demands on Airmen and their families are increasing and sometimes become more complex due to extended periods of separation due mission requirements,” said Master Sgt. Eric Natalicio, AFRC readiness senior NCO.

“Family readiness programs are important not only because it supports the overall AFRC function objective but also most importantly assist all military families to be ready in all readiness aspects. Being ready directly affects resiliency to cope with the challenges of the whole military and family cycle,” Natalicio said,

The AFRC, located in Bldg. 2 in Area A, offers 18 different programs, such as family readiness and financial services. For more information, call AFRC at 937-257-3592.

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