COVER STORY
lifestyle, and in the end, to see them make a change that was going to be a big help to a lot of military homeowners. “ While every day isn’t quite as excit-
ing as that one, according to Petraeus, there have been other victories: help- ing to broaden the Military Lending Act to put interest caps on more types of loans; cracking down on unethical debt collectors who attempt to ignore the laws and bully service members by threatening to have them demoted or have their security clearance put at risk; and providing relevant education and tools for the military community to make wise financial decisions. For one father and son, Harry and
Ari, the CFPB was able to provide a financial lifeline after a car loan that put Ari, a young soldier, over his head in payments. Te car dealership, one of many right outside the gate of Ari’s base, promised to get him a car he could afford. Tey didn’t. But this story, which is chronicled on the CFPB web- site, has a happy ending: Te son gave his father power of attorney before deploying to Iraq, and when his dad looked over the contract, he found that the dealership did not provide what they promised. Harry filed a complaint to the CFPB on behalf of his son. Te complaint was the catalyst to an inves- tigation that helped not only Ari, but also many others who were victim- ized by unethical auto lenders. In June 2013, the CFPB ordered auto lenders to refund approximately $6.5 million to more than 50,000 service members. Ari summed up the value the
CFPB—and, by extension, the OSA—provides to military and Vet- eran consumer, stating, “Te fact that the CFPB took action in the name of service members across the country; it shows us that someone’s in our corner. As a Soldier you think that you have to fight, but you can’t always fight. It’s great to know we have someone in our corner, too.”
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www.hqafsa.org MEET THE OSA THE OFFICE OF SERVICEMEMBER
Nelson Akeredolu is a Marine veteran with more than 15 years of experience in strategic com- munications and marketing in the military and private sectors. He serves as a Consumer Response Specialist for the Office of Ser- vicemember Affairs (OSA).
Mechel Glass is an Army veteran with three years of service in the intelligence field. She also brings 20 years of success and experience from corporate, entrepreneur, and nonprofit fields. She serves as the Financial Education Program Ana- lyst for the OSA.
David DuBois served 20 years in the U.S. Navy and has over 17 years of civilian leadership experience in the military finan- cial readiness area. He currently serves as the deputy director for the OSA.
Reginald Kelley, a Vietnam-era sol- dier drafted in 1969, served three years in the U.S. Army. He serves as an administrative assistant for the OSA.
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