Heroes at Home event to offer financial advice, guidance

Published Jan. 24, 2018
By Audrey Jensen, Staff Writer
21st Space Wing

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, wants to make sure their Airmen, civilians and families know about all the resources offered to them to be financially successful throughout life.

This is why the Airman & Family Readiness Center on base is hosting the Heroes at Home Financial Event featuring Ellie Kay, a family financial expert, and four additional speakers at the Base Auditorium Jan. 31 from 1-3 p.m.

At this educational event, which is open to the public, attendees will learn more about military finances, how to increase their savings and how to get more for less. There will also be tables set up for personal financial readiness, military life consulting, financial counseling and spouses for attendees.

“The event is geared for the military, but all families are the same in essence in financial issues,” said Victor Villarreal, 21st Support Squadron, Airman & Family Readiness Center personal finance lead. “They provide information and guidance on finances in regards to what Airmen or military encounter in the financial arena, including deployments, separations, retirements, permanent change of station, permanent change of assignment, financials in general, a new child, divorce, marriage — anything that involves and affects finances.”

In addition to an educational and informational presentation, the two-hour event will feature more than 100 door prizes and a 30-minute meet and greet and autograph session with the speakers.

Even those who have an understanding of finances can benefit from events like this, said Villarreal.

“This event is to better prepare for everyday living, budgeting and developing spending plans,” Villarreal said. “A lot of people think because they pay their bills every day or every month that they're set financially, but that’s not the case. It’s not just about paying bills and living from paycheck to paycheck, it’s talking about paying debt, paying your bills and creating savings so you have an emergency fund.

“It also creates an understanding of what an investment is — not savings — but an investment for long-time living.”

To be financially successful in the future and not just day-to-day, Airmen should take advantage of the services offered to them on base, said Villarreal.

“If a death happens, for example, a spouse has two to three children with debt. How are they going to live for the future?” Villarreal said. “We have to get these folks to understand that finances is not just today, its tomorrow, and we want to prepare them for tomorrow.”

The Airman & Family Readiness Center provides one-one-one services to all ID card holders. These services include spending plans, basic budgeting, family financial counseling guidance and more.

For more information and to reserve a seat at the financial event, call the Airman & Family Readiness Center at 719-556-6141.