TOP STORY >>Air Force and Better Business Bureau partner

By Staff Sgt. Monique Randolph
Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs

WASHINGTON (AFPN) — Representatives from the Air Force and the Council of Better Business Bureaus signed a memorandum of understanding July 16 at the Pentagon that will benefit Airmen and their families.

Tim Beyland, assistant deputy chief of staff for Manpower and Personnel, and Steven Cole, chief executive officer of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, signed the memorandum which establishes an agreement between the Air Force and CBBB to better assist Airmen and their families with consumer-related issues.

“A few years ago, the evidence was mounting that military families were increasingly becoming the target of unethical and fraudulent business practices,” said Mr. Cole.

“At a time when these military personnel and their families needed to focus their energies on doing their jobs in support of the war on terrorism, they were more and more being courted by unethical businesses, surrounded by predatory lenders, pressured to buy unneeded insurance products and at high risk for identity theft during deployment,” he said.

As a result, the CBBB entered into partnerships with the Department of Defense Financial Readiness Campaign, and with the Army and Navy and now the Air Force to offer their programs, services and materials to military members and their families.
There are currently 114 BBBs and 50 branches throughout the United States. These branches will work with the Airman & Family Readiness Centers on Air Force installations to provide training and general financial consumer education to members.

The CBBB also has developed a Web site dedicated to Air Force members where they can access BBB services and specialized Air Force consumer services.

“We want to prevent Airmen from being cheated and offer our help if they are,” said Mr. Cole. “We are here to support them, be their advocate and share our knowledge of the local marketplace.”

Currently, the BBB offers a number of free services: business reliability reports, dispute resolution, consumer education, reviews of charitable organizations and a list of on-line companies pledged to meet BBB standards of ethical business practices.

“This agreement with the Council of Better Business Bureaus will go a long way toward providing our Airmen information on how to be smart consumers and another avenue for help if required,” said Mr. Beyland. “In the end, it will strengthen our families, which strengthens our mission readiness.”

For more information, contact the local Airman & Family Readiness Center or visit the BBB Air Force line.