About the Financial Management Awareness Program

The following law, 10 USC 992, mandates a consumer education program for members of the military (and implies the inclusion of their families) that informs them of the financial services available under law; financial services that are routinely offered by private sector sources; practices relating to the marketing of private sector financial services; such other matters relating to financial services available to include the marketing of financial services; and other such financial practices as the Defense Department and services consider appropriate.

Financial services, as referred to in the law, are defined as life insurance, casualty insurance and other insurance; investments in securities or financial instruments; banking, credit, loans, deferred payment plans and mortgages.

Chief, National Guard Bureau, in an All-States Letter, established a Consumer Education and Financial Services Program to facilitate a comprehensive array of financial support tools within the Defense Department. The program has an objective of providing every Guard member and family member access to services and tools that will help them obtain and maintain financial health.

The program manager is also tasked to represent NGB to the Defense Department, Departments of the Army and Air Force, Joint Family Support Assistance Program, Military OneSource, and state National Guard associations for consumer education and financial services matters.

Vision:

To provide awareness of financial management resources available to National Guard members and families – financial readiness = mission readiness.

Mission:

Using a variety of media, the National Guard Financial Management Awareness Program aims to ensure National Guard members and their families have at least a basic awareness of easily accessible resources to help them manage their financial health to ensure mission readiness.

Learn how certain milestones in your life can have financial benefits and consequences.

Why?

Why does FMAP care about your financial goals? Because it makes sense to educate and help service members and families to manage their finances. When service members and families develop personal financial problems, they will be distracted from their military job.

The National Guard understands this and has charged commanders with ensuring that service members and families are encouraged to practice sound money management techniques.

What does this mean to you?

Here is an example of a service member falling victim to unfair or exploitative lending practices:

A 25-year-old Texas National Guard-based aircraft mechanic had unexpected expenses and needed $300. The service member went to a well-known local company for a loan to cover expenses until payday. On payday, there was not enough money to cover the regular bills plus this cash advance, so the service member went to another local company for an additional loan. See predatory lending.

Several more checks were written totaling $390 to cover the original $325 advance plus fees. Five months later, the service member was writing checks totaling $2,950 to cover the “floats” created by the $300 loan.

This could never happen to you. Or could it?

The National Guard can provide service members and families with practical support, tools and resources to secure a solid future.

For education and financial planning strategies, see spending plan.