Assessing the Personal Financial Problems of Junior Enlisted Personnel

Financial problems are widespread among young enlisted personnel in the U.S. military. This report shows that young military members are more prone to serious problems paying bills than are comparable civilian workers. These money problems diminish the quality of life for members, and the related stress oftentimes degrades job performance. The military services provide an array of financial management classes and counseling, but financial troubles remain a key problem for members and their families. The authors encourage the Defense Department to reevaluate programs to identify effective types of training and counseling.450-character abstract: Financial problems are widespread among young enlisted personnel in the U.S. military. This report shows that young military members are more prone to problems paying bills than their civilian counterparts are. These problems diminish the members' quality of life, and related stress can degrade job performance. The military provides classes and counseling, but money woes remain a problem. The authors encourage the Defense Department to reevaluate programs to identify effective types of training and counseling.