AFAS chief officer stresses importance of financial support systems available to Airmen Published May 19, 2026 By Senior Airman Michaela Prince 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas, chief executive officer of the Air & Space Forces Aid Society, visited Vance Air Force Base in May 2026 to discuss financial readiness resources available to Airmen and reconnect with a base tied closely to his family’s military history. Thomas first visited Vance in 1988 during pilot training in the T-37 Tweet. This time he returned with his wife Dana to see their son, 2nd Lt. Jefferson Thomas, graduate with Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 26-08. During his Vance visit, Thomas spoke about the importance of financial readiness and ensuring service members understand the support systems available throughout military life. He emphasized that financial readiness directly impacts mission readiness, especially for young Airmen navigating military life for the first time. “Military life can be really challenging,” Thomas said. “It can be tremendously rewarding, but there’s a set of challenges that come along with military life that people need to understand. They’re not alone, and there are a lot of people ready to help them.” The Air & Space Forces Aid Society, founded in 1942, serves as the official nonprofit organization of the Department of the Air Force, providing emergency financial assistance, community programs and educational support to Airmen, Guardians and their families. Thomas said one of the organization’s biggest challenges is awareness. “There are a lot of resources available to help support our families,” Thomas said. “It’s connecting Airmen with those resources and helping them understand what’s there. “When Airmen are dealing with financial stress, it’s difficult to focus fully on the mission,” Thomas said. “Helping people build a strong financial foundation helps them focus on their families and the mission.” During his time at Vance, Thomas discussed several AFAS programs, including emergency travel assistance, child car seat grants and permanent change of station childcare support. “We trust our force to use those funds in the smartest way possible to take care of their family,” Thomas said. “Meeting people where they are is critical.” For Thomas and his wife, the visit also reflected the role military life played in shaping their own children. “One of the greatest surprises for us was having the opportunity for Ed to still be in uniform while our children were also serving,” Dana Thomas said. “It was an unexpected privilege.” The Thomases said their children grew up surrounded by military communities and service-minded mentors. “These were the people in our homes,” Edward Thomas said. “These were the people our children watched serving, taking care of each other and leading with integrity.” That environment, he said, ultimately influenced their children’s decision to serve. “One of the reasons our children joined the military is because they grew up around quality people who were motivated by service,” Thomas said. “They saw leaders who took care of each other and their families, and that shaped them.” Thomas also highlighted the importance of first sergeants, Military & Family Readiness Centers and community support systems in helping Airmen navigate financial or personal hardships. “Challenges in life often don’t come one at a time,” Thomas said. “That’s when people need to ask for help.” As AFAS continues visiting installations across the force, Thomas said the organization remains focused on increasing awareness, so Airmen know support is available before crises occur. “We don’t exist for ourselves,” Thomas said. “We exist for the force.”