Inquiry for tips and tricks to teach young military members.

[Chase Jones]

"Military Money"--A personal finance workshop for young service members

My name is Chase. I am a Non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Air Force. I've been enamored with the idea of wealth management since I purchased my first stock at age 14 (for reference, I'm 24 now). One thing I've struggled with since joining the Air Force 4 years ago is finding other people who want to build lasting wealth. Many people I speak with have very limited knowledge of wealth management, asset accumulation and minimization of liabilities. In fact, for most people, when I mention these subjects they tend to clench up and shut down. They respond with limiting beliefs based on fear; fear of losing money, and fear of what they don't understand.

Our society doesn't encourage the "average" person to accumulate wealth building assets. It encourages us to go to college, incur student loan debt, get a decent job to pay off our debt, and then incur more debt as we finance homes, vehicles, and other accessories using a limited salary. I am convinced that the difference between an "average" person and a "wealthy" person is education and a strong support system. Therefore, I've decided to start up a personal finance workshop within my unit to teach young Airmen the concepts that society has not made readily available for them.

While budgeting is a huge aspect of asset accumulation and debt reduction, I don't wish to spend a whole lot of time teaching adults how to budget their money. I will speak briefly to the fundamentals of "what goes in" and "what comes out" of our bank accounts. I will address practical ways to cut down on expenses. And I will tell them that in order to generate wealth, it requires investing in assets that produce a steady, dependable return.

But more importantly, I want to demonstrate the lies that people are told about their finances. I want to expose the falsehood of money management that their peers, teachers, and struggling family members have lead them to believe. My intention here is pure; sit young airmen down and show them that the way they've been taught to manage money might not allow them to retire any earlier, but instead, it may only end up costing them money through irresponsible spending.

So I ask you, BiggerPockets community. If you were in my shoes. How would you begin to reveal to young men and women--of various backgrounds--that there is a truth to wealth management that can free them from financial struggle; that they have the power and capability to direct their financial destiny? How would you show them that by using money as a tool, rather than a crutch, they can live a life of increased fulfillment?

Any and all feedback is welcome. As a disclaimer, please understand that I believe that our military employs people of great intelligence and talent. I hold no beliefs that are condescending toward our military population. The opinions that I hold have been reinforced through direct interaction with my military peers. Thank you for taking the time to read this and thanks in advance for your thoughtful contributions!