On this month’s episode of The Business of Defense, Rich Brady speaks to Jim Shelton and John Brown, co-founders of Poncho about the possible correlation between personal financial wellness and military readiness.

Personal financial stress costs the military services $15 billion annually, points out Jim Shelton, a former career Marine Corps officer. “The effect on mission is the distractions that come from somebody who is experiencing personal financial woes. They are not able to focus on the task at hand. Their deployment capability is limited. Clearances are an issue. The stress on the family,” Shelton said during an interview for the Society of Defense Financial Management’s The Business of Defense podcast on Federal News Network. To help Defense Department organizations, active-service military members and veterans address personal finances, Shelton partnered with John Preston Brown to co-found Poncho. The pair met when they both were in Marine Corps Officer Candidates School and saw the impact that financial difficulties had on servicemembers, their commanding officers and ultimately the service.

Continue reading for more on the conversation and/or to watch the video podcast.