Furlough Resources-Courtesy of Portland Air National Guard
Financial Counselors
Personal Financial Readiness Counselors (PFCs)
Personal Financial Counselors are certified to provide financial education and support services to our service members, families, state employees and veterans. Their services include helping you form a crisis spend plans during a government shutdown, debt consolidation, retirement planning, TSP conversation, education expense planning, and more.
There are 5 PFCs in the state of Washington who can provide PFC services via phone, email, and virtually please contact us directly for this information.
Camp Murray
Chris Lilley
pfc.campmurray@magellanfederal.com
JBLM
pfc.fairchild@magellanfederal.com
(509) 590-7814
Marysville
(253) 381-2164
Fairchild
pfc.marysville@magellanfederal.com
(360) 322-2055
Fairchild
pfc.spokane@magellanfederal.com
(509) 564-4375
Military OneSource (MoS) – Financial Counseling
MoS provides confidential, short-term counseling to address financial issues such as basic budgeting, money management and debt. Contact 800-342-9647 schedule an in-person, video or telephone counseling session.
Deferments
Request your Credit Lenders for a Deferment –template attached
If you have not yet asked any creditors (mortgage, auto, credit cards, student loan, landlord, utilities) for a deferment because you don’t know where to start, please see the attached Furlough Credit Card Template. This template makes it easy to request support from your lenders, and to do so in writing.
Bank Support
American Bankers Association – banks providing support during the shutdown
The ABA has consolidated a partial list of publicly announced steps banks of all sizes are taking to support those impacted by the federal shutdown. The site is regularly updating. If you don’t know yet what your bank can do for you, this may be a site to help you find that information: https://www.aba.com/news-research/analysis-guides/government-shutdown-bank-action-2025 Don’t see your bank on this list? Call them and ask if they are offering any support.
Military Star Card 0% Interest and No Payments for 3 months on purchases made through 31 OCT 2025
Military Star Card is offering interest free purchases through Oct. 31, 2025. Service members and their families will receive three months of 0% interest and no payments on all Defense Commissary Agency purchases when using a MILITARY STAR® card. This limited time offer has no minimum or maximum purchase limit, applies to all commissaries worldwide and is available to existing and new cardholders. This added support is underwritten by non-appropriated funds through the Exchange Credit Program, a Department of War credit program established by Congress that provides responsible and affordable credit solutions to the military community. According to Bankrate, the MILITARY STAR card offers the lowest everyday unsecured APR of all store credit cards available today. Authorized military personnel (including active-duty, Guard, Reserve, retirees and disabled Veterans) can find out more by visiting https://www.myecp.com/
Trift Savings Plan
TSP Loans & Early Withdrawal – Things to Consider
There are many things to consider about taking a TSP Loan or dipping into your TSP retirement ahead of schedule.
Consider reading about early withdrawal here:https://finred.usalearning.gov/Saving/EarlyTSPWithdrawals
Learn more about TSP Loans here: https://www.tsp.gov/tsp-loans/
Please consider contacting a PFC for additional input if you are considering a TSP loan or early withdrawal.
Financial Aid
The Air Force Aid Society – Now accepting applications for financial assistance due to the shutdown
The Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) is a non-profit, charitable organization that provides various assistance programs for Air Force and Space Force Airmen, Guardians, and their families worldwide. They are the official relief organization for the US Air and Space Force and offer a variety of financial assistance to our Air National Guard members, regardless of status. To stay up-to-date with their most recent information on how they can assist during a government shutdown, please visit their website here https://afas.org/, review their attached guidance on the shutdown, and review the FAQ sheet about financial assistance categories.
142FW Community Foundation (AKA Redhawk Foundation) – Now accepting applications
This local non-profit supports our airmen with 0% interest loans to assist through a variety of hardships. Please speak with your First Sergeant to inquire about the loan process, or contact myself, or the Wing First Sergeant, SMSgt Bernard Untalan, for more information.
Food
At the Resiliency Center – Wing Schedule 9AM-3PM
The Resiliency Center is temporarily out of food boxes. We are waiting for more to be delivered. I will email when more boxes arrive, but also feel free to stop by and see if we have anything. Also see below!
Do You have Food to Donate? The Resiliency Center is setting up a temporary food pantry. If you have shelf-stable, non-expired food you would like to donate to support other airmen and families, please bring it to the Resiliency Center on Wing work days between 0900-1500.
Food Pantries in the Community
There is a broad network of food pantries, meal sites and fresh, free produce at places like the Oregon Food Bank Food Finder https://www.oregonfoodbank.org/find-support, FISH of Vancouver (Westside Food Pantry)https://fishvancouver.org/get-help/ and Inter-Faith Treasure House Food Bank and Thrift Store (Camas, WA) https://ifth-cw.org/.
Tap into your community food network by searching your zip code here: https://www.feedingamerica.org/need-help-find-food
Please also see the attached Hot Meals and Food Pantries documents with a list of ways to get free food and hot meals in the PDX area.
SNAP/EBT/Food Stamps
You may want to consider applying for food stamps.
Oregon: https://www.oregon.gov/odhs/food/Pages/snap.aspx
Washington: https://www.dshs.wa.gov/esa/community-services-offices/basic-food
Freddy’s Gift Cards – Gas and Grocery
Starting next Tuesday, M&FR should have some Fred Meyer gift cards to provide to service members having a hard time paying for gas or other home goods.Please call me to make a time to come in; I will take as many walk-in customers as I can, but it doesn’t hurt to schedule with me! 503-201-1126
Transportation
C-Tran and Trimet
Both offer substantial discounts on Hop Cards to military members and veterans for use on Trimet, C-Tran and Portland Street car. Monthly Hop Cards are $28 for unlimited rides on regular routes (regional routes cost more and can be added to the card). Line 60 and 65 between PDX and Vancouver, for instance are on the regular route. You may not be able to use public transit to get to work, but perhaps you could use it for other transporation needs? Something to consider!
Learn more about what is covered and how to get your HopCard:
https://trimet.org/fares/military.htm
https://mail.c-tran.com/fares/heroes-pass
Ride Share
Do you want to carpool to work? Can you offer a ride or do you need a ride? Email me with details about your neighborhood, your carpool needs or abilities, and a phone number that can be shared to connect you with other airmen/DoD Civilians in your neighborhood. I will do my best to connect people!
Need a Resource?
Do you need something that you are not seeing above? We may be able to refer you to the right person. Please reach out for additional assistance.
(Credit for this list of resources goes to Casey Clarke, Program Manager with the 142nd Military & Family Readiness Program)