Photo By Bruce Cummins | PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Fleet and Family Support Center...... read more read more
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PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) is reminding service members and their families to take advantage of the organization’s financial planning resources, including classes and individual financial responsibility counseling sessions.
The FFSC’s Personal Financial Management (PFM) program – one of the many services the organization offers – is designed to bolster a financial education program enabling service members and family members in making informed financial decisions and ensure future financial readiness.
According to NAS Pensacola FFSC Lead Personal Financial Management Specialist Stephanie Talcott, creating an awareness for the financial management programs the FFSC offers is critical in ensuring service members and their families remain financially solvent at all stages of their military career.
“The [Personal Financial Management] program covers NAS Pensacola and IWTC [Information Warfare Training Center] Corry Station, as well as providing CFS [Command Financial Specialist] training for the personnel from [NAS] Whiting Field,” she said. “As the lead, I coordinate what the program has to offer with the needs of the units, personnel and families, and ensure all units are connected to and aware of the program, aware of what we can do for them, how to access our services and how to get their service members CFS trained.”
Talcott added that the NAS Pensacola PFM program maintains oversight of the area’s Command Financial Specialist (CFS) program, a five-day training program which provides attendees tools for assisting fellow service members with basic personal financial needs, as well as provide required command training and briefs. She said CFS training is offered quarterly at the NAS Pensacola FFSC, and each area command is encouraged to send a representative to the course. Navy regulations mandate that commands with at least 25 service members must have one CFS, with another CFS added for every 75 service members at the command.
“We’re responsible for training the CFSs, and ensuring we are there to support them as they navigate this collateral duty,” Talcott said. “Keeping all trained CFSs up-to-date on current financial events as well as changes in regulations is something we try to accomplish through a CFS Forum once quarterly, as well as through CFS Refresher Training at a minimum of twice a year for those reaching their three-year CFS recertification timeframe.”
Talcott added that although the NAS Pensacola FFSC CFS program remains the cornerstone of the organization’s financial education efforts, numerous other courses and offerings as well as individual financial management counseling sessions are available.
“CFS is the majority stakeholder, the biggest project we manage,” she said. “But the [NAS Pensacola FFSC] PFM program also offers education and counseling services to service members and their families as well as providing command briefs and unit training on all things related to personal finances. We also teach everything from how to start a bank account, how to look out for potential scams, getting a first credit card and managing credit, planning for big purchases and prepare for transition and retirement.”
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and military spouse of more than 22 years, Talcott has worked with U.S. Armed Forces as a financial counselor for the past 14 years. With experience working with every branch of service and military affiliation, Talcott said that she and David Chunn – the other NAS Pensacola FFSC Personal Financial Management Specialist – are committed to ensuring area service members are aware of the resources available to them.
“We’re here to help,” she said. “We have a significant junior service member population here at NAS Pensacola, many of whom have little experience in dealing with financial matters. Making sure that they learn the importance of saving money and making smart financial decisions is critical as they begin their careers.”
Additionally, Talcott said the NAS Pensacola FFSC PFM program is part of nearly all indoctrination training for the different branches throughout the NAS Pensacola area. She said this ensures military families new to the area have the education and resources they need to be financially successful.
Talcott added that representatives from the NAS Pensacola FFSC’s PFM program also attend senior leadership meetings, and are part of the NAS Pensacola command indoctrination brief. Here, they ensure tenant commands and area leadership have information on who the organization is helping, how they are communicating their efforts, and providing updates and changes to personal financial readiness issues addressed through U.S. Navy and Department of Defense instructions.
Service members and family members eligible to use the NAS Pensacola FFSC PFM services are encouraged to call 452-5990 to schedule an appointment or obtain a complete list of courses offered.
NAS Pensacola, referred to as the "Cradle of Naval Aviation," is designed to support operational and training missions of tenant commands including Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC); Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC); the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT); Marine Aviation Training Support Groups (MATSG) 21 and 23; and is the headquarters for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC).
| Date Taken: | 07.23.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 07.23.2019 12:30 |
| Story ID: | 332620 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 154 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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