Financial campaign encourages Sabers to 'Start Small, Think Big' Published Feb. 11, 2016 By Airman 1st Class Timothy Kim 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The 52nd Fighter Wing's Airman & Family Readiness Center will sponsor financial readiness seminars and events as part of Military Saves Week here Feb. 22-26, 2016. The events will coincide with the annual nationwide Department of Defense initiative to reach out to military communities and encourage service members and their families to save money, reduce debt and build wealth over time. "We are asking our military members to commit to feasible financial goals," said U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the CJCS, in an Oct. 7, 2015, memorandum. "It is particularly important to engage our military spouses who play a vital role in ensuring the financial well-being and stability of military families. Furthermore, by learning good financial habits early in life, our children will strengthen their financial fitness for the future. Because of your support, many Service members and their families were made aware of the tremendous power to save and set goals." The A&FRC will offer a number of free events as part of the week aimed to help Sabers build wealth, not debt. Take Control of Your Finances: Avoid Drowning in Debt and Borrow Wisely Feb. 22 from 12 - 1 p.m. A&FRC Home Sweet Home: Strategies for Home Buying Feb. 23 from 12 - 1 p.m. A&FRC Saving and Investing: Simple Tips to Secure a Strong Financial Future Feb. 24 from 12 - 1 p.m. A&FRC Dream Big, Plan Now: Making Your Ideal Retirement a Reality Feb. 25 from 12 - 1 p.m. A&FRC Thrift Savings Plan Feb. 26 from 12 - 1 p.m. A&FRC Before You Take Off: Financial Planning for Deployment Workshops in squadrons The A&FRC will host professional personal financial counselor sessions from Feb. 22 - March 18, 2016. The counselor will be available for one-on-one appointments covering debt management, investments, retirement planning, taxes and more. The classes encourage people to be prepared through savings, set up emergency funds and reserve funds so when something happens, they have cash available as opposed to using a credit card and incurring debt. Service members, dependents and civilians can take the Military Saves Pledge by visiting the Military Saves website and clicking on the "Take the Pledge" link. They can also take the pledge at the A&FRC, Community Bank and Service Credit Union. Taking the pledge grants access to a variety of financial resources and a free copy of credit reports and scores. "Knowledge is power, especially when it comes to finances," said Chad Canaan, A&FRC consultant and point of contact for the Military Savings Campaign. "People are reluctant to come forward with finances, but we encourage people to take advantage of this opportunity and talk with us and learn from the professional coming in and take advantage of what military savings has to offer." For more information on Military Saves Week, visit http://militarysaves.org/ or call the A&FRC at DSN 452-6422 or 0656561-6422.