Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kelvin Ringold | Staff Sgt. Mark Davis, Command Financial Specialist (CFS), 57th Expeditionary Signal...... read more read more
FORT HOOD, Texas - Soldiers from the 57th Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 11th Signal Brigade, participated in a Military Saves week event Feb. 25 here. The event was hosted by the 57th ESB command team, Lt. Col. David W. Gill and Command Sgt. Maj. Maurice Greening, the unit’s Command Financial Specialist (CFS), Staff Sgt. Mark Davis, and a personal financial readiness specialist from the Army Community Service (ACS), Sylvia R. Gavin.
An annual event around the military and for units here on Fort Hood, Military Saves week goes from Feb. 23-27 this year, and helps change the way Soldiers and family members look at financial readiness.
Military Saves week works in conjunction with the Department of Defense’s Financial Readiness Campaign, said Gavin. The program seeks to motivate, support and encourage military families to save money, reduce debt and build wealth.
As part of the event, Command Sgt. Maj. Greening was “jailed” inside of a makeshift facility in front of the unit and the only way for him to be released was for the Soldiers to take the pledge to save. The magic number set for pledges was 200.
Upon pledging, the Soldiers agreed to help themselves by saving money, reducing debt, and building wealth over time. They were also pledging to help their family members and others to do the same.
Spc. Jennifer L. Parker, 57th ESB, became the 57th Soldier to pledge during the event, and received a comp day from Command Sgt. Maj. Greening for being the 57th pledge in honor of the unit.
Parker was not aware she would be rewarded for pledging and was just looking to help not only her unit, but herself in the process.
“I decided to pledge to support my command sergeant major,” said Parks. “I am also trying to become more financially sound.”
After over two years as the CFS for 57th ESB, Davis not only gets the Soldiers to take the pledge to save, but has also seen the benefits of pledging himself.
“From personal experience taking the pledge I have been able to reduce debt and increase savings,” said Davis. “I have learned about how banks work to better understand how credit reports work hand-in-hand with interest rates and how you’re valued as a customer because of your credit score.”
Military Saves happens once a year, but the ACS and the CFS representatives around post offer many other avenues for Soldiers and their families to increase their financial situations year round.
ACS and the Army Emergency Relief (AER) can provide no interest loans for those in need, said Davis. There are also one-on-one counseling sessions, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) classes, and monthly car purchasing, debt management and credit boosting classes.
While working in the financial readiness branch since 2011, Gavin sees the benefits classes such as these provide Soldiers and their families.
“These classes and information are the right tools needed to focus, plan and save for the future,” said Gavin.
Being able to help Soldiers everyday as a CFS and also as a Soldier that has taken control of his financial goals, Davis had a few words for other Soldiers.
“Plan a budget that will allow you to save 20% of your earnings and stick to that plan,” said Davis. “Being prepared financially is the key to a successful life, career and retirement.”
Being prepared financially is a goal every Soldier, loved one and family member should strive for. With the help of CFC representatives and the ACS, that goal is closer than ever.
“We have many classes to offer and we want Soldiers to be educated about their personal finances,” said Gavin. “We will bring the classes to the units or you are able to come to our classrooms. Please take advantage of this free information.
As a whole, the Army’s goal was to gain 10,000 pledges. Locally, Fort Hood had a goal of 2000 pledges. The Army surpassed its goal by gaining 11,636, and has extended taking pledges until the end of the month. Fort Hood also reached a higher total of 2522 pledges, and is also still taking pledges.
For more information about Military Saves or any other financial programs ACS has to offer, please contact Sylvia R. Gavin at 254-288-6868.
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 03.05.2015 10:58 |
| Story ID: | 156051 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 108 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Soldiers make pledge; take steps towards financial readiness, by SFC Kelvin Ringold, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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