National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

Floor Speech

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Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Chair, every year, thousands of troops return home from deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan prepared to separate from military service and begin their civilian lives. Many of these service members enlisted right out of high school or college and have spent their brief military service in the structured atmosphere of a military base or deployment operation. They have trained and disciplined themselves to become members of the greatest military the world has ever seen and have protected our nation diligently.

Yet, while serving our nation at home and abroad many have missed the opportunity to find reasonably priced housing, manage day-to-day bills associated with living on a civilian income, or have yet to start saving for their futures. These skills are absolutely critical for a smooth transition back to civilian life. For these service members, proper training can mean the difference between financial stability and long-term growth and foreclosure and unmanageable debt.

I believe that every service member, including those whose short careers have kept them from basic financial opportunities, deserves to leave military service with a full understanding of important financial principles. The Carson amendment seeks to add a personal finance component to the Department of Defense's mandatory pre-separation counseling program, which is already helping separating service members and their spouses become familiar with important VA programs and preparing them to seek an education and start a civilian career.

This amendment expands the current program to include training on saving, budgets, credit, taxes, mortgages and other important financial concepts. It also recognizes the important role spouses play in the financial health of families by ensuring that they are able to participate in counseling sessions as well. With this amendment, military families will leave the service with the type of knowledge that they need in order to adjust to civilian life.

The men and women of our armed services have put their lives on the line to protect our great nation. They deserve access to all the information they need to provide for themselves and their families after their transition to civilian life. I encourage all of my colleagues to support En Bloc Amendment No. 3, which contains the Carson amendment.

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