Military Saves Week: You can’t afford not to save

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Kaylee Clark
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark., --  "You have a choice, you can pile up debt or pile up wealth," said Rick Tomaskovic, Airman and Family Readiness Center community readiness consultant. "The easiest way to begin is to come see us at the A&FRC to start."

The goals for the 2015 Military Saves campaign are to provide financial education to every squadron, to contact 100 percent of Team Little Rock personnel with 90 percent taking the pledge, and to provide a financial education workshop to every squadron. In addition, the squadrons will compete in the 2015 Team Little Rock Financial Literacy Single Elimination Tournament.

Four-member teams will compete Feb. 23-26 to find out which squadron is the most financially savvy.

Military Saves Week encourages saving a portion of each paycheck, developing a personal financial plan and establishing good credit. This helps improve financial fitness, which is a crucial component of both mission and family readiness.

To join in on the competition, access https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/milsaves15 and take the financial literacy online survey, which must be complete before Feb. 18.  The scores from the survey will be used to determine the squadron's financial IQ and establish the rankings in the play-offs.

The competition bracket will be provided no later than Feb. 20.

In addition to recognizing the winner of the 2015 TLR Financial Literacy Tournament, the squadron with the most contacts and most pledges will be recognized.

"We aren't asking anyone to spend a penny," said Tomaskovic. "We are just asking people to save money."

The judges for the event will be from the First Arkansas Bank and Trust, Arkansas Federal Credit Union and the A&FRC.

Tomaskovic encourages supporters from all of the participating squadrons to come out and cheer on their team.

For financial advice or more information, contact the A&FRC at (501) 987-6801.

"I will help myself by saving money, reducing debt and building wealth over time. I will help my family and my country by encouraging other Americans to "Build wealth, not debt."