Financial Readiness offers a wide range of services to individual soldiers and to units. For the individual, we can assist in preparing detailed budgets for the future. For those who are experiencing or anticipate financial difficulties, we offer counseling and several publications to help get the situation corrected. Our program manager also operates Army Emergency Relief for USAG Mannheim.

If you're thinking about making a major financial decision or purchase, we may be able to offer some guidance. Our office also assists units in providing training. We can teach classes in such subjects as checking account management, credit use and reporting, car buying, and financial readiness.

Financial Services offered by ACS include the following programs and classes for all active duty, retired, and reserve service members and civilian employees and eligible family members:

Budget Counseling Assistance is available for individuals or couples experiencing problems with the management of personal finances. Clients get personalized assistance with prioritizing financial needs, identifying short term and long term financial goals, creating a personal budget, etc.

Classes are offered on the following subjects:
1. Fundamental of Personal Finance - goal setting, understanding the LES & more.
2. Financials Tools - net worth statement, income and expense statement, budget, cash flow calendar.
3. Credit - when and how to use it.
4. Checking accounts and other banking service.
5. Insurance - six major perils.
6. Scams and rip-offs - the latest.
7. Investing - Mutual Funds, Thrift Savings Plan, IRAs, 529 College Savings Plans, how to become a millionaire.
8. Buying big ticket items - car and house

Account Management: Learn how to improve your record keeping and maintain a correct balance in your checkbook, debit card, or ATM register to avoid costly mistakes. Class is mandatory for persons whose check cashing privileges have been suspended.

Budgeting and Debt Management: Learn how your credit and your future are affected by past debts, plus learn how to avoid debt.

Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance: FSSA is a program designed to provide additional income for soldiers receiving food stamps and/or who are below 130% of the poverty level as defined by USDA guidelines. Also, a soldier must be receiving full or partial BAS to be eligible. A financial readiness counselor will pre-screen and counsel potential applicants. In order to apply, potential applicants are required to present their most recent End-of-the-Month Leave and Earnings Statement, all other household income statements, social security cards for all dependents, birth certificates for all dependents, and Identification Cards for all dependents. Initial applications must be completed on the following web site: www.dmdc.osd.mil/fssa/.

Army Emergency Relief (AER)
The only persons who are eligible to receive financial assistance from AER are soldiers and their dependents, reserve component soldiers on active duty for more than 30 days and their dependents, retired soldiers and their dependents and surviving spouses and orphans of eligible soldiers who died while on active duty or after they were retired.

AER Campaign
The AER Campaign is conducted once a year between 1 March and 15 May. The annual campaign is designed so soldiers have the opportunity to help their own organization and fellow soldiers through their contributions. The campaign contributions help assure AER’s ability to assist fellow soldiers who are experiencing financial hardships. Without your contributions, AER would not exist. More information is available online at www.aerhq.org.

AER Scholarships
The Major General James Ursano Scholarship Fund is a secondary mission to help Army families with the costs of undergraduate level education, post secondary vocational training and preparation for acceptance by service academies for their dependent children. More information is available online at www.aerhq.org.

The Overseas Spouse Education Assistance Program (SEAP) offers need-based educational scholarships to Army spouses physically residing with active duty soldiers in Europe, Korea, Japan and Okinawa Commands only. More information is available online at www.aerhq.org.

It is highly recommended you call for an appointment to ensure you are eligible for services and a counselor is readily available to assist you.

Financial Readiness Counselor: DSN 385-3101; CIV (0621) 730-3101