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Military Saves Week 2014 kicks off

Katherine Diaz Velazquez looks through one of dozens of financial information booklets provided free for guests attending the 2014 Financial Fair on Feb. 20, 2014, at Liberty Square on Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. The fair was one of two events hosted by the Airman & Family Readiness Center used to kick off this year's Military Saves Week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

Military Saves Week 2014 kicks off & kids paint piggy banks

Zach Butters, 5, paints his piggy bank during the 2014 Kids' Financial Day on Feb. 20, 2014, at Liberty Square on Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. The fair was one of two events hosted by the Airman & Family Readiness Center used to kick off this year's Military Saves Week. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

It's a bird, it's a plane. No it's Super Piggy Bank!

Key Spouses Group members Bonnie Bauman and Becky Duncan take a photo with custom-painted piggy banks during the 2014 Kids' Financial Day on Feb. 20, 2014, at Liberty Square on Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. The three large custom-painted piggy banks were given away as prizes in a free raffle drawing. Gift certificates for a free large pizza from JR Rockers were also given away with each of the piggy banks. The certificates were donated by the Northern Lights Club. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

Financial stress? We got free books about managing that.

Karen Greyeyes, Family Advocacy outreach manager, shows Tech. Sgt. Stephanie Thompson, 319th Communications Squadron, some of the free literature provided for guests attending the 2014 Financial Information Fair held Feb. 20, 2014, at Liberty Square on Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. The fair consisted of booths manned by representatives from more than a dozen on- and off-base organizations ready to provide answers and information regarding financial matters and other military life topics, such as managing financial stress. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

North Dakota Military Outreach Program reaches vets at 2014 Military Saves Week kickoff

Military outreach specialist John Pitsiladis gives some information about services offered by the North Dakota Military Outreach Program to Senior Airman Javier Diaz Velazquez, 319th Communications Squadron, during the 2014 Financial Information Fair on Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., on Feb. 20, 2014. The fair kicked off this year's Military Saves Week on the base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

You're invited to Military Saves Week 2014

Key Spouses Group member Bonnie Bauman shows Amanda Cearley a list of 2014 Military Saves Week events during a financial information fair on Grand Forks Air Force Base on Feb. 20, 2014. Bauman and other members of the spouses group volunteered to serve as greeters, art activity facilitators and Military Saves Week promoters during the fair. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez)

2014 Military Saves Week kicks off

Published Feb. 21, 2014
By Staff Sgt. Luis Loza Gutierrez
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The Airman & Family Readiness Center here kicked off Military Saves Week Feb. 20 at Liberty Square.

Thomas R. Slaughter, Military Saves Week campaign coordinator and A&FRC community readiness consultant, said the campaign is designed to help military service members and their families set a goal, make a plan, and save automatically by remembering to, 'Start Small. Think Big.'

While the campaign runs all year, the Department of Defense allows family support centers such as the A&FRCs on Air Force installations to select one week in February to host one or more public events.

This year's campaign began with two events under one roof. The first event was the 2014 Kid's Financial Day, which was highlighted by the Paint a Piggy Bank Art Activity.

"The piggy bank activity was such big hit with kids last year that we had to do it again this year," said Slaughter. "However, I think this year's [piggy bank] activity was an even bigger success thanks to our volunteers. We had people like Senior Airman [Jason] Pfieffer and [Staff] Sergeant [Christopher] Cowan, who issued out the piggy banks and I can't leave out the ladies from the Key Spouses Group who kept things running smoothly from the first dab of paint to the last piggy bank to dry."

While the children stayed busy turning little ceramic piglets into works of art, adults were free to take part in the second Financial Information Fair happening at the same time.

The fair consisted of booths manned by representatives from more than a dozen organizations ready to provide answers and information regarding financial matters. Some of the organizations providing information included non-profit groups, such as the North Dakota Military Outreach Program, which some guests found very helpful.

"My wife and I thought the event was great because it provided us the opportunity to get a lot of valuable information in one location," said Senior Airman Javier Diaz Velzaquez, a client system technician from the 319th Communications Squadron, who attended the event with his family. "The representatives at the booths explained to us some of the new options included with the Post 9-11 GI Bill that weren't available with old GI Bill, like the option to transfer some of my educational benefits to my dependents after a certain number of years."

Diaz Velazquez said he and his wife were so impressed with the event that they plan on attending the Budget Boot Camp.

Community members will have more chances to participate in Military Saves Week as the base continues its local campaign. The Military Saves events are open to the military community of all services. Events include:

Start Now
· Feb. 24, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Lunch-n-Learn at the A&FRC. Facilitated by Becky Duncan. Creating Your Financial Action Plan. What financial goal you want to tackle this year; get out debt, buy a house, start investing, or take a vacation. Stop dreaming about it and make it happen.

Acknowledge the Past
· Feb. 25, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: Budget Boot Camp Lunch-n-Learn at the A&FRC. Facilitated by Thomas Slaughter.

Plan for the Future
· Feb. 26, 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.: Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)/Savings & investments Lunch-n-Learn at the A&FRC. Facilitated by Thomas Slaughter

Tools to Make it Happen
· Feb. 27, 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.: Dissecting your Leave & Earning Statement (LES) Lunch-n-Learn at the A&FRC. A great class for military spouses. Facilitated by Senior Airman Jeffrey Lowder from the base finance office.

Preparing the Next Generation
· Feb. 28, 11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.: How to talk with your kids about money-Strategies for raising financially responsible kids in a debt and credit card world; a Lunch-n-Learn at the A&FRC. Facilitated by Bonnie Bauman.

Free single and family budgets, FICO Scores and a credit card cut up jar will be available to guests Feb. 24- 28 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Thrift Savings Plan Investments one-on-one sessions with a financial advisor will also be available upon request throughout the week.

The FICO score is a type of credit score that makes up a substantial portion of the credit report that lenders use to assess an applicant's credit risk and whether to extend a loan.

Call 701-747-3241 for more information.