President's Message

Let me begin by saying that my prayers are with everyone who’s been impacted by the recent hurricanes in the southeastern United States.

It’s been heartbreaking to see the devastation left in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. While recovery efforts will almost certainly last for months, if not years, please know that Navy Federal is taking steps to support members whose lives have been affected by these storms. If you’re a member living in a FEMA-declared disaster area, please visit Navy Federal’s Emergency Relief Loans page to learn more about the options available to you and your family.

As fall moves along and the holiday season approaches, Navy Federal is again partnering with nonprofit group Feeding America on our No Plate Left Behind campaign. Now in its second year, the campaign is designed to raise awareness about and address food insecurity in the military community. As the Military Times recently reported, more than a quarter of all US Active Duty servicemembers are “food insecure… while 15% rely on food stamps or food banks to help support their families.”

No Plate Left Behind raised over $132,000—the equivalent of 1.32 million meals—for food banks with large surrounding military populations in 2023. Through this year’s campaign, more than 900,000 meals have already been directed to Feeding America’s national network of local food banks. To learn more about what you can do to fight food insecurity in America, visit the No Plate Left Behind website.

Finally, last month I had the honor of joining leaders from the USO at the opening of its newest ship-based Center aboard the USS Truman in Norfolk, Virginia.

As two organizations bound by foundational missions to serve Americans in uniform and their families, the USO is a natural partner for Navy Federal in so many ways. In the days after our visit to its new Center, we were thrilled to announce the launch of a new partnership with the USO. This three-year agreement will focus on enhancing financial education for America’s men and women in uniform, specifically for early-career servicemembers and their spouses.

You’ve heard me talk a lot about financial education since I entered this role back in March. Of course, this credit union has always recognized the importance of helping our members stay informed and up-to-date as you make decisions about budgets and spending. But we continue to see a critical, national gap which we believe we can—and have a responsibility to—help address.

By leveraging the strengths of our organizations, Navy Federal and the USO will work to ensure military families have access to the financial education that is critical to their sustained success and stability. And I look forward to sharing more about this partnership in the months ahead.

As always, thanks for placing your trust in Navy Federal.

Sincerely,

Dietrich Kuhlmann
President/CEO
Navy Federal Credit Union