Armed Forces Bank's Enduring Leadership in Military Financial Readiness Earns Army and Navy Honors

U.S. Departments of the Army and Navy Name Armed Forces Bank at Fort Leavenworth and Naval Station Great Lakes "Distinguished Bank of the Year" at 2026 Military Banking Summit

32 Awards Since 1997 and Recognition in 15 of the Past 16 Years Reflect Armed Forces Bank's Sustained Impact on the Financial Well-Being of Service Members, Veterans and Military Families

LEAVENWORTH, Kan., Oct. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Armed Forces Bank, a full-service military bank committed to serving those who serve since 1907, has earned "Distinguished Bank of the Year 2025" honors from both the U.S. Departments of the Army and Navy. The awards, presented at the Association of Military Banks of America's 2026 Military Banking Summit in Washington, D.C., in September, continue a remarkable record of recognition that reflects Armed Forces Bank's enduring commitment to the military community.

The Department of the Army recognized Armed Forces Bank at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, while the Department of the Navy selected the bank's Naval Station Great Lakes location in Illinois. With only one on-installation financial institution selected annually by each of the Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force, Armed Forces Bank earned two of the three available honors.

The Distinguished Bank of the Year award recognizes financial institutions that make an extraordinary impact on the financial well-being and resilience of military members, veterans and their families. With this year's honors, Armed Forces Bank has received 32 Distinguished Bank of the Year awards since 1997 – 15 from the Navy, 11 from the Army and six from the Air Force – and has been recognized by at least one military service branch in 15 of the past 16 years.

At both honored locations, Armed Forces Bank associates support military financial readiness through hands-on education and community involvement. At Armed Forces Bank at Naval Station Great Lakes, associates provide financial education briefings to recruits during boot camp, helping them build foundational skills in budgeting, saving, investing and money management. At Armed Forces Bank at Fort Leavenworth, associates host financial workshops and work closely with military and community organizations to support service members, veterans and their families. Both teams also support installation events, local food pantries, veteran organizations and military family programs.

"Earning this recognition reflects the extraordinary commitment our associates bring to serving the military community every day," said Paul Holewinski, CEO of Armed Forces Bank and Dickinson Financial Corporation. "The consistency of these honors shows that our longstanding mission is making a meaningful difference for service members, veterans and their families. We remain committed to helping military families strengthen their financial readiness and build lasting financial security."

That commitment extends through practical programs and resources designed to strengthen financial readiness across the military community. Armed Forces Bank offers Access Freedom Checking with no monthly fee or minimum balance requirement and Military Early Pay; supports military career-transition and veteran-assistance programs, including its partnership with Hire Heroes USA; provides financial education through its "Militarily Speaking" podcast and Military Family Financial Readiness Report; and helps eligible borrowers understand and use their VA home loan benefit.

"These awards reflect what our associates do every day – from helping recruits at Naval Station Great Lakes build foundational money-management skills to providing financial education and support for service members and families at Fort Leavenworth," said Tom McLean, Senior Vice President and Regional Military Executive for Armed Forces Bank. "That personal, practical support is at the heart of how we serve the military community."

Armed Forces Bank's financial-readiness efforts are also delivering measurable results. During Veteran Saves Week 2025, the bank reached more than 50,000 people and recorded more than $1.9 million in savings-account growth. Those results earned Armed Forces Bank the sole Veteran Saves Week "Community Impact Award" among more than 900 participating organizations nationwide and made it one of only two banks to receive the Consumer Federation of America's "Designation of Savings Excellence."

Since 2013, the bank has also helped more than 12,000 homeowners close more than $4.7 billion in VA loans.

About Armed Forces Bank
Armed Forces Bank, founded and headquartered in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, is a full-service military bank committed to serving those who serve since 1907. Armed Forces Bank provides affordable, personal and convenient banking and financial services to both active and retired military, as well as civilian clients in all 50 states and around the world. Approximately 75% of Armed Forces Bank associates have some type of military affiliation either by spouse, retired themselves or their children.

Armed Forces Bank has $1.4 billion in assets and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dickinson Financial Corporation, a $4.6 billion bank holding company headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Armed Forces Bank's sister bank, Academy Bank, is a full-service community bank with 80 branch locations in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri. For more information, visit www.afbank.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Member FDIC.

SOURCE Armed Forces Bank