JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- Airmen from around Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam came together to educate their peers about financial literacy.
The Hawaii 5/6 Council held a virtual and an in-person budget and Thrift Savings Plan professional development seminar to educate Airmen on how to better manage finances.
“It’s important for every Airman to have a solid financial foundation,” said Tech. Sgt. Magda Sanchez, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James C. Binnicker Professional Military Education Center instructor. “Learning to manage your money allows you to reduce stress and focus more on the mission.”
“Our Airmen are called upon to do a lot while wearing this uniform,” Sanchez continued.
“Having a concrete financial foundation helps them to be in a better place in the future.”
The interactive seminar provided members a hands-on approach to understanding finances, basic budgeting strategies, to include how to conduct a zero dollar budget, and learning how to maximize the service member’s TSP.
Tech. Sgt. Bryan Hill, 15th Wing Professional Development Center non-commissioned officer in charge, emphasized the importance of financial literacy and his desire to empower fellow Airmen.
Hill recalled a time in his career when he experienced an Airman who struggled financially when he noticed the Airman didn’t eat during lunch hours or participated in out of office activities.
“The Airman would jokingly ask for leftovers after lunch outings,” said Hill. “One day, I asked to speak to him and as we sat down, we created a budget together and discovered he had less than $10 remaining to himself per pay period.”
This interaction motivated Hill to later become a command financial specialist for his unit.
“I realized that our Airmen need help in every area of life,” said Hill. “We can’t negate our finances, that’s part of getting after the mission.”
During the seminar, Airmen learned how to track their money and determine the difference between needs versus wants.
The course also covered setting S.M.A.R.T. goals which stands for specific, measureable, achievable, relevant, and timeframe, and helps structure goals for members.
“The greatest accomplishment from today’s event is arming these service members with the information needed to help themselves and their Airmen,” said Sanchez.
After Hill and Sanchez briefed from the slide deck, they held a question and answer session to further financial clarity to the audience.
“The conversational tone and breakdown about finances were really valuable for me,” said Tech. Sgt. Craig Joseph, 647th Civil Engineer Squadron unit resource advisor. “This briefing gave me the tools to help prepare myself and provide a great foundation for my future. I learned the foundational understanding of managing money will help me as a supervisor to guide any Airmen to start thinking about their finances.”
For more information on financial advice, call Military and Family Support Center at 808-474-1999.