First Command: Battle-Tested Advice – How Veteran Financial Advisors Empower Military Families

By John Osarczuk, Executive Vice President and National Director of Advisor Operations, First Command Financial Services

As a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and former pilot who proudly served 10 years on active duty, I’ve lived the financial realities military families face. That experience shaped my journey and continues to guide me in my role as Executive Vice President and National Director of Advisor Operations at First Command—a company founded more than 65 years ago with the purpose of serving military families. First Command allows me to honor the military community by helping those who serve navigate their financial lives with understanding—not just intellectually, but also in practice.

Veterans Day honors the valor of our nation’s living servicemembers. This year, I want to spotlight how they continue to serve—not just how they’ve served in the past. Though many are no longer in uniform, they make meaningful contributions to their communities every day.

The Military Mindset Advantage

The military mindset—forged through rigorous training, high-stakes decision-making and unwavering commitment to mission success—uniquely qualifies veterans to excel in the civilian workforce. This skillset proves particularly powerful in financial services, where the parallels between military operations and financial planning are striking.

Veterans bring tactical expertise that translates seamlessly to financial coaching:

• Defining the mission: Establishing clear objectives and positioning resources strategically
• Breaking down objectives: Converting long-term goals into achievable milestones
• Leveraging teamwork: Building trust-based relationships where success requires collaboration
• Prioritizing threats: Identifying and aggressively addressing the biggest obstacles to success
• Maintaining discipline: Demonstrating the mental fortitude to stay the course despite challenges

This military mindset proves beneficial in all industries and explains why veterans maintain a low 3.0% unemployment rate1 and why companies prioritize veteran hiring. Veterans are more likely to be hired, accept job offers and stay longer than non-veteran candidates. According to recent research, they excel in client-facing roles because they bring leadership skills developed in high-pressure environments, operational discipline and accountability and problem-solving abilities mastered in unpredictable settings2.

A Veteran-Powered Approach to Financial Coaching

At First Command, we’ve built our coaching model around this veteran advantage. Today, 75% of our more than 600 Financial Advisors are veterans or military spouses. We’re veteran-powered.

This composition isn’t coincidental—it’s strategic. Shared military experience creates immediate credibility and understanding between our coaches and military families. Our veteran Advisors inherently understand PCS moves, deployment cycles and the unique financial pressures that come with military life. They can authentically translate military discipline into financial discipline because they’ve lived it.

Last year alone, we provided 34,000 complimentary financial plans to active-duty families. Our veteran Advisors guide clients through all military life stages—from active duty through transition, retirement and legacy planning. Our coaching helps families leverage positive financial habits while avoiding common missteps, building both discipline and confidence.

We coach our clients in the use of financial solutions that support their financial goals. We help them:

• Manage day-to-day finances through disciplined savings and responsible budgeting
• Build lifetime assets through a “pay yourself first” mindset
• Protect against the unexpected with safeguards that can help prevent financial derailment

What makes this effective is how our Advisors connect with concepts military families already know. The “pay yourself first” principle resonates with families familiar with the Thrift Savings Plan. Our transparent, interactive planning process mirrors the accountability structures military families trust.

Understanding Born from Experience

Our veteran coaches have navigated military financial challenges personally, so they know how to best provide comprehensive coaching focused on portable financial strategies that accommodate the military lifestyle. We collaborate with clients, recommending concrete actions and solutions that evolve as their needs change throughout their military careers.

We communicate using military principles—clear, direct and mission-focused—making complex financial concepts accessible. Our regular check-ins mirror the accountability structures military families understand, while our flexible planning process constantly evolves to meet changing needs, preferences and situations.

We ensure our clients feel understood, valued and supported. We’re honest in our recommendations, tell the truth about expenses and fees and help clients fully understand tradeoffs that balance current wants and needs with long-term goals. This isn’t just financial planning. It’s financial readiness coaching designed specifically for the military community by people who understand that community intimately.

A Commitment to Continued Service

Veterans choose to continue serving, just in different ways. At First Command we honor our founder Lieutenant Colonel Carroll Payne’s commitment to service. Our veteran coaches don’t just help with investments and insurance. They help military families build the financial foundation that supports their service to our nation.

We inspire confidence that long-term financial security is achievable, even with the unique challenges of military life. We help families rebuild in times of loss and provide solutions that support their continued pursuit of financial objectives.

As we observe Veterans Day today, we recognize that the value veterans bring to their post-military careers extends far beyond their resume credentials. Their understanding, experience and commitment to service create trust that can’t be taught—only earned through shared experience and continued dedication to those who serve.

For military families in Fort Worth and across the nation, working with a veteran financial coach isn’t just about getting financial advice. It’s about receiving guidance from someone who truly understands your unique journey and challenges. That understanding makes all the difference in achieving lifelong financial security.

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