EagleCash: Don't deploy without it!

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Don Branum
  • 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq (AFPN) --  The commander of U.S. Air Forces Central and the U.S. Central Command Combined Forces Air Component recently reminded commanders in the AOR that all Airmen in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility are required to have an EagleCash Stored Value Card.

"The EagleCash Stored Value Card promotes deployed financial readiness and meets strategic operational goals in the battlespace," Lt. Gen. Gary North said in a memorandum.

The EagleCash card is a free cash-management tool the Air Force provides to support deployed personnel. The program provides Airmen fee-free access to personal funds via a linked checking account, better security of personal financial information and the ability to transfer money from one Airman's card to another's.

Maj. Michael Gallant, the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing comptroller, said the 332nd AEW's Financial Management office has long encouraged Airmen to use the EagleCash card because doing so reduces the risk of identity theft.

To obtain the card, Airmen should visit the nearest Air Force finance office with their ID card, a Department of Defense Form 2887, Eagle Cash Enrollment and Authorization Agreement, and a copy of their orders. Airmen also will need the routing and account numbers of an active checking or savings account to which they want to link the EagleCash card. If that account is the same one through which they receive their military pay, the data is available through myPay at https://mypay.dfas.mil/.

Airmen may transfer up to $350 per day from their bank account to their EagleCash cards, compared to a $300 limit per week for cashing checks, said Staff Sgt. Michael Tucker, a customer service representative with the finance office here.

EagleCash kiosks are available at various locations an installation so Airmen can access their money more easily and at any time of day.

Airmen may withdraw cash from their EagleCash cards by visiting the finance office. This allows them to deploy without personal checks, reducing the risk that their checking accounts will be compromised, Sergeant Tucker said. Airmen can also withdraw up to $20 in cash when they make purchases at the BX.

Vendors on base also save money. Army-Air Force Exchange Service outlets must pay 2 to 3 percent of credit card transactions to credit card companies. EagleCash transactions do not impose fees on vendors, which means the money can go into a base's morale, welfare and recreation fund.

Airmen whose EagleCash cards are stolen should report the incident immediately. The card will be locked out, and the finance office can issue a new card within 48 hours, Sergeant Tucker said. Funds that were on the card when it was reported stolen will be returned to the bank account linked to the card.

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