2025 Report to Founding Partners
Center Overview
The Center for Military and Veterans Affairs is dedicated to empowering those who serve by providing applied financial knowledge, educational support, and career opportunities for military members and their spouses. The Center serves active duty, guard and reserve members, veterans, and military spouses, meeting them at critical moments of transition and growth with education, opportunity, and community.
The Center’s mission reflects a deep commitment to the military and veterans’ communities. Its work is grounded in the belief that financial education and professional opportunities are powerful tools for economic mobility, workforce readiness, and community building. When military members and their families thrive, the impact extends far beyond the individual, benefiting society at large.
Strategically, the Center focuses on one of the most urgent challenges facing the military community, the transition from military service to the civilian workforce, particularly within the financial services profession. Each year, more than 200,000 service members separate from the military, while thousands of veterans remain unemployed. The Center addresses this gap by equipping military-affiliated learners with industry-relevant education, credentials, mentorship, and access to employers who value their leadership, discipline, and dedication to service, helping them translate their military experience into meaningful civilian careers.
Within The American College of Financial Services, the Center serves as both an advocate and a bridge between the military community and the financial services profession. The Center works to reduce barriers and expand access by reaching service members early, providing ongoing support, and helping them navigate the financial and professional challenges of transition.
Phil Easton, CMSgt, USAF (Ret.), managing director of the Center, brings more than 32 years of distinguished service in the United States Air Force, grounding the Center’s work in lived experience, credibility, and trusted leadership. Angelica Marino, operations manager, comes from a proud, three-generation military family and brings a deep personal understanding of the community the Center serves.
The Center extends sincere thanks to its 2025 Advisory Council members for their ongoing support of its programs and initiatives.
Phil Easton, CMSgt USAF (Ret.), Managing Director, American College Center for Military and Veterans Affairs
Angelica Marino, Operations Manager, American College Center for Military and Veterans Affairs
Center Highlights & Key Activities
The Center’s work in 2025 focused on advancing opportunity, strengthening industry engagement, and amplifying the voices and experiences of military-affiliated professionals within financial services. The following initiatives demonstrate the Center’s mission of empowerment by expanding opportunities for those transitioning into the financial services profession.
Military Resource Group (MRG) Consortium
The Military Resource Group (MRG) Consortium continued to grow in 2025 as a powerful platform for advancing military-affiliated talent within financial services organizations. Launched in 2024 to address the challenges service members face when transitioning into the profession, the Consortium connects military-affiliated professionals across firms while increasing awareness of The College’s programs and educational offerings.
Last year, the Consortium welcomed six new corporate participants, bringing total membership to 29 companies. It held three virtual Executive Council meetings and delivered three webinars focused on income tax strategies, mentorship and upskilling, and the growing influence of AI on financial and retirement planning.
Led by subject-matter experts from The College, Consortium programming engaged 226 participants in 2025, demonstrating its growing influence in advancing military-affiliated talent in financial services.
Military Summit
The Military Summit remained the Center’s flagship annual event, honoring service while advancing educational and networking opportunities for the military community.
The 2025 Summit welcomed 112 attendees while reinforcing the Center’s mission to expand access to professional pathways for military-affiliated professionals. The event featured three dynamic workshops and the annual Soldier-Citizen Award and Scholarship Fund Dinner. The workshops began with Connecting the Dots: Where Finance Meets Technology, led by Maury Stewart Lecture marquee speaker Rebecca Patterson. This was followed by Surprising Optimism in Retirement, led by Michael Finke, PhD, CFP®, director of the American College O. Alfred Granum Center for Financial Security. The workshop series concluded with a fireside chat on Lessons in Leadership, featuring a conversation between 2025 Soldier-Citizen Award recipient Vice Admiral James Zortman and advisory council member Steve Florence, CLU®.
The Soldier-Citizen Award was presented to Vice Admiral James Zortman, USN (Ret.), honoring a career defined by service, sacrifice, and selflessness. The evening raised $271,000 in support of the Center’s Scholarship Program, with support from Penn Mutual, New York Life, Prudential, USAA, the USAA Educational Foundation, Nationwide, NFP, and National Debt Relief. These partnerships strengthen the Center’s educational offerings, extend its reach, and reinforce a network dedicated to empowering the military community.
As part of the Summit, the MRG Consortium hosted a dedicated Networking Lounge, bringing together 40 participants from 11 companies. Monique Street, a military spouse, delivered remarks highlighting the ongoing challenges of military spouse unemployment. Vice Admiral Zortman also shared remarks in the Networking Lounge, speaking about the importance of hiring military spouses.
Thought Leadership and Visibility
The Center amplified its message in 2025 through targeted thought leadership and media engagement, reinforcing key messages about the value of military experience, the importance of inclusive career pathways, and the role financial services can play in restoring stability and opportunity for those who serve. As part of this effort, Vice Admiral Zortman joined The College’s Shares podcast for a special Veterans Day episode, highlighting how military experience prepares individuals for successful careers in financial services, along with the experiences of military families and the importance of strong role models during career transitions.
Mentorship Program
Building on this support, the Center partnered with USAA to launch a pilot mentorship program for 22 CMVA Scholars pursuing the Wealth Management Certified Professional® (WMCP®) designation. Over nine months, the program offered scholars biweekly group sessions, one-on-one mentoring, and engagement through the Brightspace community. Scholars gained a clearer understanding of the financial services profession and strengthened their professional readiness. Participants who completed both the WMCP® and Mentorship Program became eligible for an additional CFP® Certification Education Program scholarship. USAA mentors supported three sessions, providing industry insights and real-world perspectives. Participant feedback shows that seven mentees were already engaged in the financial services industry upon starting the program. An additional five mentees, 23% of program participants, transitioned into the industry within six months of starting the program.
Military Consumer Financial Education
Through a partnership with the USAA Educational Foundation, the Command Your Cash® program provides 50 hours of free financial education and the opportunity to transfer three credit hours to The College.
Designed to meet the requirements of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, which mandates comprehensive financial education, the program currently has 108 enrolled learners, with 14 who have completed the program, and three transferring credits into The College. Notably, 53% of graduates reported increased financial confidence, underscoring the program’s impact.
An active duty U.S. Army participant shared their experience with the program:
“I didn't have a clue how to get myself out of debt. Ever since I have taken this course, I have learned a variety of techniques that were very easy to understand and to apply them to my life. This course showed me how to look at life from a higher perspective. I feel great, powerful, and confident knowing what I know now after completing this course. I would hope that others that are going through financial hardships can take this course because I believe it can help anybody's financial situations and help them navigate through their unique financial struggling situations. I 100% recommend this course to everyone that has lost hope in life dealing with financial issues. Thank you!”
Scholar Impact Story
The College’s Centralized Scholarship Program supports military-affiliated learners by providing fully funded scholarships to professional education opportunities and creating pathways into meaningful careers across the financial services profession. In 2025, the Center awarded 75 scholarships thanks to the generosity of corporate and individual donors and foundations including the Charles Schwab Foundation, First Command Educational Foundation, Lincoln Financial Foundation, LPL Financial Foundation, Finance of America Cares, and Commonwealth Cares.
Scholarships awarded in 2025
Jessica Chominski, MAJ, USA (Reserve), CFP® Certification Candidate
Jessica Chominski, a U.S. Army Reserve officer and scholarship recipient, exemplifies the impact of the Center’s mission in action. A financial advisor at Stonecrop Wealth Advisors, Jessica is studying to become a CFP® professional, an opportunity made possible through the generosity of the Center’s supporters.
Chominski described receiving her scholarship as a moment of profound transition, recalling the mix of fear and excitement she felt jumping from a C-130 at Airborne School. Like her leap out the door of a plane, she views this opportunity as being “met with another door,” one she is grateful to step through.
Speaking at the 11th annual Military Summit’s Soldier-Citizen Award and Scholarship Fund Dinner, Chominski reflected on a journey shaped by social work, 20 years of military service, motherhood, and a life defined by servanthood. This calling ultimately led her to financial planning, a profession which reinforced what she now recognizes as a shared calling to help people help themselves. She recalled watching an advisor translate complexity into clarity for a young family, giving them confidence in their future. It was a moment which confirmed her belief in financial planning as “another expression of that same servanthood,” empowering others to move forward with confidence and purpose.
Research
In 2025, Center scholars participated in the LPL Longitudinal Scholarship Study, examining the overall impact of scholarship programs on the career trajectories of financial services professionals. Led by Kaylee Ranck, PhD, director of the Office of College Research, the findings demonstrated strong completion outcomes and meaningful career impact among CMVA scholarship recipients. Scholars who completed their programs pursued education to gain technical knowledge while building personal development skills and professional confidence.
Among scholars who completed a designation or certification program, 63% reported receiving a promotion and 67% experienced increased income. Additionally, 80% reported a significant positive impact on their technical knowledge, 48% cited a significant boost in professional confidence, and 52% saw a positive impact on their ability to apply their knowledge from the program.
Among scholars who completed a designation or certification program
reported receiving a promotion and
experienced increased income.
Upcoming Plans
In 2026, the Center will prioritize the launch and promotion of the newly approved Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) graduate and undergraduate certification curriculum, developed in partnership with The College’s academics team. The graduate certification will launch in April 2026, with an undergraduate program to follow.
The AFC® credential plays a critical role in military financial readiness, as credentialed professionals serve as personal financial managers or personal financial counselors on military installations nationwide. The program equips professionals with specialized knowledge to address the unique financial challenges faced by service members and their families.
The Center will ensure alignment with broader financial wellness efforts across the Department of Defense and veteran-serving organizations. This alignment will expand access to education and career advancement, increase scholarships awarded to military spouses, and help reduce military spouse unemployment.
Beyond expanding the scholarship pipeline, the Center will broaden access to education, networking, and employment opportunities to support long-term financial security for the military community. Together, these efforts advance the Center’s goal of supporting financial security, career mobility, and lasting opportunity for the military community.
A Legacy of Industry Leadership
Founded in 1927, The American College of Financial Services is the nation's largest nonprofit educational institution devoted to financial services professionals. Holding the highest level of academic accreditation, The College has educated over 200,000 professionals across the United States through certificate, designation, and graduate degree programs. Its portfolio of applied knowledge also includes just-in-time learning and consumer financial education programs. The College's faculty represents some of the foremost thought leaders in the financial services industry. Discover all the ways you can expand your opportunities with us.
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The American College of Financial Services is committed to equal access to its educational programs, facilities, and employment for all persons, regardless of race, color, sex, disability, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, or any other protections afforded by applicable laws. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board's initial and ongoing certification requirements.
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