Photo By Julian Hernandez | A graphic created to illustrate the four types of savings accounts Airmen are...... read more read more
Editor’s Note: Mr. Julian Hernandez, a 433rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs Specialist, recently sat down with Mr. Richard Gomez, a personal financial counselor with the Joint Base San Antonio Military and Family Readiness Center, to discuss financial readiness as part of National Financial Literacy Month. Mr. Gomez, a 23-year Air Force veteran, shared his professional and personal insights on how service members can work towards financial peace of mind.
Q: What is “financial readiness,” and how can Airmen know if they are financially ready?
A: Financial readiness is mission readiness. To me, it means having peace of mind. Money is more about psychology than it is about math. It’s about having a purpose for your money so that when an unexpected event happens—like a government shutdown, a family emergency, or a natural disaster—you can handle it without financial distress. It’s not about hitting a specific dollar amount in your bank account; it’s about knowing you have what you need to cover life’s challenges.
Q: What are the most common bad habits you see preventing Airmen from being financially ready?
A: The most critical bad habit is not knowing where your money is going. Modern technology like contactless pay makes it incredibly easy to spend without thinking. I recommend everyone look at their last 30 days of bank transactions and assign a category to every single one. This lets you to truly see where your money went and distinguish between your needs and your wants.
Q: How can Airmen develop and maintain a successful saving habit?
A: I am a huge advocate for being intentional and giving your money a purpose. I teach clients to have, at a minimum, three or four different savings accounts. Don't just have one generic "savings" bucket. Instead, create separate, named accounts:
When you name your savings, you are less tempted to "rob Peter to pay Paul." I also recommend using a high-yield savings account to ensure your money is growing, even while it sits. Automating your finances through allotments or auto-drafts is one of the best strategies to ensure the money gets to these accounts consistently.
Q: What unique financial challenges and opportunities do military members, especially Reservists, face?
A: One of the biggest unique factors for service members is that financial irresponsibility is directly tied to your security clearance. We have seen an uptick in issues where finances have put a clearance at risk, and we want to educate Airmen to prevent this.
Another challenge is the expectation from family and friends that because you are on a military salary, you are "rich." We see many service members sending a significant portion of their pay to family, sometimes at the expense of their own financial stability. It is our duty to remind them that their first financial responsibility is to themselves to ensure they remain ready for the mission.
Q: What is the first step an Airman should take if they are struggling and want to change their financial situation?
A: The first and most important step is making the conscious decision to change. In today's world, we are constantly influenced to spend money. You have to be confident in your own skin and live within your means, not trying to keep up with others.
After making that decision, the next step is to seek help. There is often a sense of shame preventing people from reaching out, but it takes great strength to ask for help. I can speak for myself and my peers: there is no judgment. I’ve made nearly every financial mistake in the book, including foreclosure. At one point, I was $270,000 in debt. Your life can change for the better the minute you decide to change your mindset and ask for help.
Q: How can Airmen access the free financial counseling services you provide?
A: The Military and Family Readiness Center (M&FRC) is here to help. Our services are free and available to all Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, civilian employees, retirees, veterans, and their immediate family members who have access to the installation. We are a community of people who genuinely care. You can walk in, call us, or find our calendar of events on the JBSA website. We have centers at Lackland, Randolph, and Fort Sam Houston. Please, do not suffer in silence.
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.23.2026 18:12 |
| Story ID: | 563459 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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