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Members of the U.S. armed forces face some particular hurdles when it comes to finances. Deployment, moving to a new base and the difficulty their spouses have finding jobs are some of the most common obstacles.
Consumer adviser Clark Howard says it’s important that soldiers have the tools they need to handle their money.
“It was a challenge,” said Tamara Lyons, whose husband is a Navy reservist who has been activated twice. Each deployment was a little under nine months.
“You have to balance budgeting and kids, things like that, and how do I become two parents when I'm one now," explained Lyons.
While researching online, Tamara found the Military Spouse Fellowship program on Saveandinvest.org. She applied and was accepted.
The fellowship provides education and training to become a certified financial counselor.
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Lyons already had a bachelor’s degree in accounting so the program was perfect fit for her.
She says the fellowship can work for anyone, even an individual with no financial background.
“That’s the great thing about this program; it helps people who aren't necessarily number crunchers or people that don't have an accounting background. It starts from scratch," she said.
Bud Schneeweis, who runs the program, says the 500-plus men and women who’ve completed the fellowship since it started in 2006 are a source of guidance and advice for military families.
“These military spouses speak the language with military folks. Many of them have been there. They have struggled with managing their personal finances and they would like to pay forward," said Schneeweis.
The course work allows the participants complete the steps when they have time and requires a number of community service hours before they are certified.
For Lyons, it was worth every second.
“You can take that career and all the knowledge that you have and apply it to another location," she said.
Click here for more military resources.
