Military Spouses Receive Fellowships to Conduct Financial Counseling

WASHINGTON — Fifty military spouses throughout the United States and overseas have been awarded the FINRA Investor Education Foundation's 2015 Military Spouse Fellowship. The FINRA Foundation fellowship provides spouses with the training necessary to earn the AFC^® (Accredited Financial Counselor) designation. This accreditation will provide these military spouses with marketable job skills and the resources and experience they need to help military families build brighter financial futures.

The FINRA Foundation first launched the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship program in 2006—and continues to administer it in partnership with the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education^® (AFCPE^®) and the National Military Family Association. The fellowship covers the costs associated with completing the AFC^® training and testing. Since its inception in 2006, the program has awarded more than 1,360 fellowships to military spouses across the United States and around the world.

"For nearly a decade, FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellows have worked to build the financial capability of tens of thousands of military service members and their spouses, both at home and around the world," said FINRA Foundation President Gerri Walsh. "Spouse fellows are helping service members and their families avoid financial traps and take charge of their financial futures."

Recipients of the FINRA Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship commit to completing the courses of study and working in the financial counseling field serving their communities for up to two years. Since the program's inception, fellows working toward accreditation have collectively conducted in excess of 60,000 counseling sessions and classes reaching over 160,000 clients, logging more than 407,000 hours assisting service members and their communities.

Current accredited spouses serve as financial counselors at family readiness and support centers, credit counseling and tax centers, financial aid offices and local military credit unions throughout the United States and abroad.

"FINRA Foundation Fellows commit to completing the rigorous AFC^® coursework along with earning field experience through practicum work in military communities. This innovative program is tailored to meet and support the needs of military spouses through instructional webinars, self-scheduled exams and flexible practicum opportunities," said Rebecca Wiggins, Executive Director of AFCPE^®.

"Military spouses truly understand the financial challenges that military life brings," said Joyce Wessel Raezer, Executive Director of the National Military Family Association. "This program helps military spouses build portable career skills while helping military families."

The program is open to spouses of active-duty or retired Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Army or Air National Guard or reserve component service members, as well as to spouses of U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration professionals. A list of the 2015 class of spouse fellows is available upon request. Full biographies of selected accredited spouse fellows are available at www.saveandinvest.org/military/military-spouse-fellowship-program.

About the FINRA Investor Education Foundation
The FINRA Investor Education Foundation provides investors with high-quality, easily accessible information and tools to better understand the markets and the basic principles of saving and investing. In 2006, the Foundation launched a multifaceted program to expand the saving and investing knowledge of military service members and their spouses, including a free, unbiased resource, www.saveandinvest.org/military. A proud collaborator in the Department of Defense Financial Readiness Campaign, the Foundation also presents financial education forums at military installations worldwide.

About AFCPE^®
AFCPE^®, the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education^®, is a nonprofit, professional organization dedicated to educating, training, and certifying financial counselors and educators. The Association's vision is to be internationally recognized as the leading provider of professional development opportunities for financial educators, counselors, and researchers to improve the economic well-being of individuals and families worldwide. Visit www.afcpe.org for more information.

About The National Military Family Association
The National Military Family Association is the leading nonprofit dedicated to serving the families who stand behind the uniform. Since 1969, NMFA has worked to strengthen and protect millions of families through its advocacy and programs. They provide spouse scholarships, camps for military kids, and retreats for families reconnecting after deployment and for the families of the wounded, ill, or injured. NMFA serves the families of the currently serving, retired, wounded or fallen members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Commissioned Corps of the USPHS and NOAA. To get involved or to learn more, visit www.MilitaryFamily.org.