Many of us have made a New Year’s resolution to get out of debt and become more financially healthy.Although a wonderful goal is not always attainable, especially in today’s economic climate, we asked Brenda Linnington, director of the Better Business Bureau Military Line and a friend of AUSA’s Family Programs, to comment on how to make the goal of financial readiness a reality.We appreciate the article she submitted. ****** Brenda LinningtonDirectorBetter Business Bureau Military Line The Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Military Line®, www.bbb.org/military, has partnered with The McGraw-Hill Companies, http://www.mcgraw-hill.com, in support of the White House’s Joining Forces Initiative in the areas of Financial Literacy and Readiness.In August 2012, a landing page was created on McGraw Hill’s "Making Change Now" financial literacy website that offered a smart phone application complimenting information contained on the website.Nearly 70 percent of our active duty military force is 30 years or younger and 51 percent of our National Guard and reserves are in that same age group.Many receive a steady paycheck (often for the first time in their lives), most reside in concentrated troop areas, and many lack sound financial experience –ultimately leading to bad decisions when managing their finances.So, can a service member who is financially overextended, burdened by debt, and in serious trouble be mission ready?I think not.These military young people (typically they are very young), cannot possibly be focused on the important military mission at hand when they are concerned about pressing financial issues, and that can spell all sorts of trouble with broad ramifications for military readiness.Given the mobility and relative unpredictability of the military life style, financial problems are often tipping points in a service member’s family and professional health. So, what’s the answer?"Wade In!"For the service member, "Wade In" solicits that individual to take action by moving forward and identifying helpful financial resources or seeking out someone they admire – a leader, a mentor, a relative or financial professional – for sound financial advice and assistance.Some great online resources with which to begin are: www.saveandinvest.org; www.militarysaves.org; www.militaryonesource.com; www.financiallitnow.org; and www.operationhomefront.net.Service members living near or on a military installation have access to a personal financial manager who provides both guidance and education.Also, every service has a non-profit financial organization with which they have a special relationship.Each organization is responsible for providing emergency financial assistance to their respective service. The links to these "Financial Relief Agencies" can be found for Army at www.aer.org; for Navy and Marine Corps at http://www.nmcrs.org/; Air Force at www.afas.org; and Coast Guard at www.cgmahq.org.For those of us working in the financial readiness arena, a primary concern is for service members living an unending cycle of debt: complicated by high interest/high fee, short term loans.To combat this, organizations having the service members’ best interest at heart are creating alternative financial products that go head to head with these predatory loans.A great example is the ARK Program: a no-interest, low fee, short term loan created by the PenFed Foundation.A service member finding themselves with "more month, than money" – a phrase coined by my good friend, Holly Petraeus at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, www.cfpb.gov – now has a better option than the "Easy Loan" colorfully advertised just outside many military installation front gates or found online.More information about the ARK Program can be found at www.penfedfoundation.org/ARK.For a community organization, "Wade In" supports military consumers living and sustaining local businesses and communities. It joins, or forms, military consumers’ steering or affairs committees made up of organizations and influencers within the business community and encourages local military leadership involvement as well.This is not an original idea, as many thoughtful communities have these kinds of groups already – but I think it’s not being done enough across our great nation. A strong military needs a strong foundation, and that foundation comes from military families and their communities.(Editor’s note: Brenda Linnington, the director of the Better Business Bureau Military Line, is an Army veteran, wife of a career Army officer, and mother of an Army aviator currently serving in Afghanistan. Military Line is an eight year old, 501 c 3 non-profit financial readiness program providing information, education, and outreach to military consumers both online and through local bureau efforts.)