On a recent trip, I picked up a copy of The Flagship, the Hampton Roads area's Navy newspaper. I was amazed at what I found inside: a huge list of the many classes offered by the Fleet and Family Support Centers. The calendar covered about two weeks worth of classes, and there were 8 classes offered that dealt just with financial issues, and several other classes that touched on finances as part of the class subject. I felt like a kid on the outside of a candy store: so many classes, but I don't live in Hampton Roads. Inspired, I began looking in my own area for similar offerings. I live between two installations, one small and one large (but not huge.) The smaller base seems to offer a couple of financial education classes a month. The larger post has a ton of classes available.
Financial education is offered on every military installation, within the United States and at overseas location. It's also available online through Military One Source and the many blogs and websites devoted to personal finance for military members and their families. If you want to learn more about money, how it works, and how to make it work for you, there are resources available. The internet makes it amazingly easy to find everything that you need. While online options are awesome, there is something special about talking to a live person. And these base classes are so sparsely attended that you might just get some one-on-one attention; it's like your own personal financial planning session.
I encourage you to investigate the financial education classes and services offered by your base/post/barracks/whatever. They are a great resource for learning, plus they are free! A little bit of knowledge can go a long way in improving your long-term financial situation.
