Army Community Service’s Financial Readiness Program plays an important role in keeping Soldiers, and their Families, ready for when the Nation calls.
There are many stressful situations one can go through keeping ready without having finances creating unwanted pressures.
The FRP supports the “personal finance needs of Soldiers, Families and Department of the Army Civilian employees at all levels,” said Angela Crosland, Fort Jackson’s Financial Readiness Program Manager. “We help commanders identify areas where support may be needed and look for holistic approaches to meeting those needs.”
The program helps the community learn how to save and invest money, establish savings goals, eliminate debt, and save for emergencies through an approach that includes helping teach monetary management, supporting Families in need and even helping Soldiers get ready to deploy.
“Financial stress is a highly-individualized experience and can affect every area of your life. Even the best laid financial plans can go astray,” said Robyn Mroszczyk, an accredited financial counselor and the Financial Education Program manager with the Directorate of Prevention, Resilience and Readiness at the Pentagon, in a recent Army News Service article.
“Personal finance plays a role in everyone our lives,” Crosland said. “Our mission is to ensure that financial stress does not negatively impact careers or mental readiness. Stress, whether financial or otherwise, can affect your health, your ability to obtain certain jobs and your relationship with a significant other.”
Bad finances can even lead to revocation of a clearance as the Army is continually vets them.
“A denial of a security clearance can affect your ability to do your job,” Crosland added.
“Guess what is the number-one factor for security adjudication?” Mroszczyk said in the article. “Financial considerations are the number-one reason for security adjudications. And where do they pull that from? From your credit report.”
That means being passed over for promotion, loss of a military occupation specialty, and in the case of a DA Civilian the possibility of losing a job.
In other words, a Soldier in a dream job that has a top-secret clearance may be forced to change MOS’s to a less desirable one, or even face separation.
Crosland said personal finance plays a role in everyone our lives.
“Our mission is to ensure that financial stress does not negatively impact careers or mental readiness,” she said. “Stress, whether financial or otherwise, can affect your health, your ability to obtain certain jobs and your relationship with a significant other. A denial of a security clearance can affect your ability to do your job.”
Financial readiness isn’t a one and done solution - it requires constant monitoring.
“Financial readiness is ongoing and ever evolving with the times,” Crosland said. “You cannot create a budget, set a goal and think that you are done. The economy may change, tax laws may change and family situations change. I recommend Soldiers and Families develop a routine method of financial checkups that involves a financial professional.
“A trained, neutral set of eyes to review your finances is a great way to ensure you’re on track to meet your goals.”
And Fort Jackson FRP has resources to help.
“We provide many onsite training on various at the request of various units,” Crosland said. “In this training environment, we must remain flexible in our scheduling and meet the Soldiers where they are (literally). We tailor it to the time Soldiers are available and the topics most important to them. We do a lot if training on Thrift Savings Plan, Money Management and any training related to retirement."
The FRP helps the Fort Jackson community learn about debt, consumer advocacy and protection, money management, credit, financial planning, insurance, and consumer issues through classroom training and individual counseling.
For more information, visit the FRP at 9810 Liberty Div. Road or call 751-5256.
(Editors note: For more information about financial resources available visit: https://www.army.mil/article/273405/army_provides_financial_resources_to_soldiers)
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