improved quality of life of military personnel
(active and retired), their families, and civilian
personnel associated with the armed forces. DOD
policy advocates a comprehensive MWR program
for activities that accomplishes the following:
Maintains a high level of esprit de corps
Enhances job skills
Contributes to military effectiveness
Aids in recruitment and retention
Aids in transition from civilian to military
life
Promotes and maintains physical, mental,
and social well-being
Encourages constructive use of off-duty
leisure time
Provides community support programs
and activities for military families
Responsibility for Morale, Welfare, and
Recreation (MWR) Programs in the Navy, OP-
NAVINST 1700.7D, defines the responsibility for
policy, overall coordination, and execution of
Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Pro-
grams within the Navy. Administration of
Recreation Programs Afloat NAVMILPERS-
COMINST 1710.31, provides policy and guidance
for the administration and management of afloat
recreation services and funds.
Encourage your division personnel to take
advantage of the many opportunities offered by
these welfare and retreat ion programs. Develop
ideas that encourage participation. Remember, a
good idea is one that works for you. The problem
isn’t the program. The problem is lack of
participation. So generate some enthusiasm. Be
creative. Get those sailors out from in front of
those televisions and involved in a sport or hobby.
NAVY PERSONAL FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (PFM)
Management of personal finances is becoming
increasingly difficult for Navy members in today’s
complex and sophisticated marketplace. Easy
credit, high-pressure sales tactics, clever advertising
techniques, and other consumer gimmicks compete
for our hard-earned resources. These factors, plus
a lack of basic consumer skills and resultant
mismanagement of available income, all con-
tribute to financial difficulties met by a growing
number of Navy personnel. About 50 percent of
all military members experience some level of
financial difficulty at one or more times in their
career. Financial problems force some sailors
into bankruptcy. Financial problems have a
serious negative effect on Navy members and their
families. Since these problems also adversely
affect unit morale, retention, and readiness, the
Secretary of the Navy directed development of a
program to address this issue.
The Navy’s Personal Financial Management
Education, Training, and Counseling Program is
a comprehensive and integrated program. This
program helps Navy personnel develop sound
financial skills. It provides a cohesive, stan-
dardized, and proactive approach to helping
members with financial concerns.
The program consists of three major elements:
financial education, training, and counseling. The
program introduces basic financial management
principles at officer and enlisted accession points.
These principles are reinforced and enhanced at
the command or unit level. Each command has
a trained command financial specialist (collateral
duty) to coordinate the program and aid in
providing financial information, training, and
counseling to command members. Some Family
Service Centers serve as training sites for the
command financial specialists in partnership with
Navy Relief. All Family Service Centers serve in
a counseling and education role for members and
their spouses.
The Navy and its members have a joint
financial management responsibility. We expect
sailors to pay their just financial debts. The Navy
promotes financial practices and habits of thrift
among its members. It also provides them the
tools with which to develop these practices and
habits. The Personal Financial Management Pro-
gram is set up to meet the Navy’s responsibilities.
HOUSING ENTITLEMENTS
The Navy provides berthing for 130,000 single
sailors at 179 shore/overseas shore locations at
an annual cost of 5 million. The Secretary of
the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations
are dedicated to the modernization and new
construction of single quarters to meet current and
future housing requirements.
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