First Duty Station

Settling in at your first unit: banking, an emergency fund, allowances, and getting the full TSP match.

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Your Clearance Runs on Your Credit
Money problems sink more clearances than anything else, and the fix costs less.
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Student Loans in Uniform: The Benefits Nobody Told You About
Interest caps and forgiveness that counts your service: most benefits go unclaimed.
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Free Money Help the Military Already Pays For
Certified counselors and zero-interest emergency loans, and none of them sell you anything.
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PCS Season: Why Your BAH Can Drop When You Move
Your BAH is tied to your duty station, not to you, so a PCS can change it overnight.
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Choosing a Bank or Credit Union You Can Trust
Check the insurance, the fees, and the access, then decide where your pay lives.
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Checking Accounts and How Your Money Moves
What a checking account does, how fast deposits clear, and what protects your cash.
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How to Build an Emergency Fund on Military Pay
The best first money move for junior enlisted, starting this week with as little as $25.
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Dodge Overdraft and NSF Fees
What these fees are, the one setting that stops most, and how to stay out of the red.
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Debit Cards: When to Use Them, When Not To
A debit card spends your real cash in real time, so its protections and rules differ.
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Prepaid Cards: Read the Fine Print
A prepaid card spends money you load, has its own protections, and can hide steep fees.
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Track Your Spending Without Overthinking It
A two-week look at where your money actually goes, no spreadsheets-as-a-hobby required.
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BAH Explained: Your Basic Allowance for Housing
BAH is your tax-free housing money. It depends on your duty ZIP, rank, and dependents.
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BAS Explained: Your Basic Allowance for Subsistence
BAS is your tax-free food money, paid monthly at different enlisted and officer rates.
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COLA and OHA: Cost-of-Living and Overseas Housing Allowances
Three allowances, three jobs: how CONUS COLA, OCONUS COLA, and OHA differ.
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BRS vs. Legacy: How Military Retirement Actually Works
Joined in 2018 or later? You're in BRS. How the pension, TSP match, and bonus work.
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SGLI: Your Life Insurance Basics
You're enrolled automatically at in-processing: the coverage, cost, and beneficiary.
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Update Your Beneficiaries on SGLI and TSP
SGLI and TSP pay whoever's on the form. This 15-minute fix protects who you love.
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TRICARE Explained: Your Military Health Plan Options
What TRICARE is, the main plans, and who's covered, in plain English for new families.
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Free Tax Filing for the Military: MilTax and VITA
You already rate free tax filing. Here's how to use it.
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Scams That Target Service Members: How to Spot Them and Shut Them Down
Why scammers hunt in formation, the plays they run, and how to lock your credit first.
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Military Aid Societies and Emergency Relief
Short before payday? Your branch's no-interest emergency aid beats any payday lender.
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Basic Needs Allowance and Food Assistance
If household income runs short, real programs exist: who qualifies and how to apply.
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Drill Pay: How Guard and Reserve Members Get Paid
Drill pay comes off the active-duty table: the math, the points, the allowances.
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