CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq — "Our goal is to live like no one else now, so we can live like no one else later," said Dave Ramsey, founder of Financial Peace University, a program offered by Special Troops Battalion, 34th Red Bull Infantry Division chaplain's office at Contingency Operating Base Basra.
Ramsey, a best-selling author and nationally syndicated talk show host, developed the program, which covers all aspects of financial management including budgeting, saving, spending wisely, making shrewd deals with salespeople, insurance management, investing and donating money to charities, after experiencing financial hardship of his own.
Master Sgt. Konrad Sjoblom, master gunner and operations center nighttime non-commissioned officer-in-charge for 34th Red Bull Infantry Division, said this program is offered to Soldiers as a way to protect their professional interests in the military.
"The [Department of Defense] has realized Soldiers' finances are affecting their ability to deploy," the Baxter, Minn., native said. "Financial problems also affect a Soldier's ability to get and maintain a security clearance, keeping them off deployment rosters."
Sjoblom, who serves as discussion leader for the Financial Peace University program here, also said Soldiers stand to benefit from FPU in their personal lives. He points to his own life as an example of what Ramsey's program can do for troops.
"I participate in this program because of the success I've achieved in my finances and the peace it has brought to my marriage," he said. "My wife and I haven't so much as argued over money in more than two years."
Soldiers currently taking the course received their first opportunity to save a little money right away, according to 1st Lt. Mike Lotzer, chaplain, DSTB chaplain and facilitator of the FPU program here.
"The [Red Bull] Division paid for the program," he said. "I'm really glad they were able to do that because I have run into Soldiers through the course of my regular counseling who were in such financial straits that the $120 an FPU kit costs would have kept them out."
Lotzer and his assistant, Sgt. Jonathan Groeneweg, have worked hard to put this program together. Lotzer said he enlisted a small team to cooperate in putting on the event, which includes Sjoblom and Groeneweg, along with 1st Lt. Jake Deusenberg, a future operations officer with 34th Inf. Div. and a financial advisor in his civilian occupation.
"I enlisted the aid of volunteers for this program who have either gone through this course and achieved success as a result or have a background in personal finance management," said Lotzer. "I feel we have a great team who is excited about helping Soldiers achieve financial peace."
The ultimate path to achieving that peace, according to Ramsey, is for people to get control of their finances through intentional living.
"Highly effective people happen to things before things happen to them," said Ramsey.
"If you happen to your money, you will have some!"