MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- A group of service members here took advantage of the opportunity to attend Command Financial Specialist training Jan. 13-17.
The five-day seminar trained participants on how to properly advise others about financial situations.
"We want financial advisors on the lowest level possible," said 1st Lt. Antonio Hinojosa, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron financial specialist.
"We want the students to be able to go back to their sections and work with their personnel on individual financial situations," he added.
Hinojosa introduced the CFS training to Iwakuni, making the Station the first Marine Corps installation to incorporate this type of course.
"After attending a similar course in Yokosuka, I decided that we needed a program like this in Iwakuni," said Hinojosa.
"The Navy has a lot of these programs, but the Marine Corps is very limited on formal financial training."
The Navy requires 20 hours of formal financial training, compared to the Marine Corps' requirement of two hours which takes place during recruit training.
"There are command financial specialists on other Marine bases, but in order to get certified they need to go to a Navy base," said Hinojosa. "So during the class we try and give people the fundamentals of helping others with finance problems."
Throughout the five days, Marine Corps, Navy and Army personnel were put through a variety of financial scenarios from properly filling out finance work sheets, counseling techniques, to consumer awareness and effectively evaluating financial situations.
"I am going to be able to go back and help others deal with their financial problems. I think that people need someone to help them if they have a problem, and now I will be able to do that, at least with their finances," said Master Sgt. Kenneth Lee, Motor Transport maintenance chief and seminar attendee.
Iwakuni now has three CFS instructors, but with the 24 recent graduates, there are 62 certified service members available to assist others.