Virtual Lunch and Learn sessions focus on financial literacy

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — Members of Team APG are becoming more financially savvy by participating in virtual personal finance lunch & learn sessions hosted by the Army Community Service’s Financial Readiness Program.

Personal Financial Counselor Niki Gray, with the ACS Financial Readiness Program, said the sessions are growing in popularity with different topics covered each session. Recent topics include tips for saving money, credit scores, retirement planning, investing and college loans. Gray said she aims to keep up with financial issues in the news. For example, a lunch & learn session included a discussion on cryptocurrency.

“We like to change it up,” she said. “There’s no shortage of topics and I think it keeps people engaged. I also feel like we’re creating our own community.”

Gray said the sessions take a proactive approach. In the past, she said, people would seek help from the program if they needed help with a problem. The lunch & learn sessions help educate participants so they can make good financial decisions, she said. During the sessions she and Financial Program Manager Leary Henry share trusted resources with participants.

Gray, who joined the ACS team last June, has more than 20 years of experience working in finance and private wealth management. She holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a minor in economics from Frostburg State University. She became a Certified Financial Planner professional in 2007.

“In this role as counselor, I provide resources, education and guidance” she said. “So if you come in with your personal situation, like your Thrift Savings Plan or working off debt we can narrow down the resources and guide you in the right direction.”

Family matters 

Gray said this role also piqued her interest for personal reasons. Her son is a Marine and her fiancé is a member of the Air National Guard. She said she was eager to learn more about personal finance for military families.

“For me, this is an opportunity to round myself out and become knowledgeable about a topic that is close to home,” she explained.

Gray said she is also interested in helping the military community because young service members are often targeted for fraud and predatory lenders.

“This role is exciting because it helps us try to at least reverse the process and start good habits early on,” she said.

Being prepared 

Gray is passionate about personal finance because she said she had a “difficult start” to adulthood when she became pregnant while in college.

“I have been passionate about starting early, starting young and education for as long as I can remember,” she said. “Particularly for young people and women. From what I have experienced men tend to handle the finances in a relationship, and this could leave women stranded when there is a death, divorce or other event. We should all have a basic working knowledge about financial matters to run a household.”

Workshops  

The ACS Financial Program also hosts free virtual workshops on MS Teams. The next workshop on the Thrift Savings Plan will be June 10 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

“This class provides an overview of the Thrift Savings Plan – enrollment, participation, contributions, Roth TSP, investments funds and withdrawal options. Also discusses important considerations for retirement planning and social security” the Morale, Welfare and Recreation website states.

Harvey Tsang, with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Command’s U.S. Army Research Laboratory, said the Lunch and Learn sessions and workshops have helped him learn more about investing and TSP.

“Being a scientist [these sessions] help me check all the factors I need to look for to be financially stable,” he said.

Gray said the lunch and learns are an open forum and participants are encouraged to ask questions and provide feedback.

Henry said the Department of Defense takes financial readiness seriously.

“We understand that financial readiness is military readiness,” he said. “If Soldiers are thinking about their finances they are not concentrating on the mission. We have to make sure we take care of that piece.”

To participate

Services through the Financial Program are open to everyone. No registration is required to participate in the lunch and learn sessions or workshops. They are held on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 12:30 p.m. -1:30 p.m.

The link to participate in the sessions and workshops is at https://aberdeen.armymwr.com/programs/financial-readiness-program.

For more information, call the Financial Readiness Program Manager, 410-278-2453.