MSgt Private RallyPoint Member193949<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>In your experiences what has been the best military (DOD) approved bank or credit union? Just thought I would ask this question to the RP community for the benefit of anyone looking for a good military geared financial institution.What are the best military accredited banks or credit unions.2014-08-04T12:29:16-04:00MSgt Private RallyPoint Member193949<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>In your experiences what has been the best military (DOD) approved bank or credit union? Just thought I would ask this question to the RP community for the benefit of anyone looking for a good military geared financial institution.What are the best military accredited banks or credit unions.2014-08-04T12:29:16-04:002014-08-04T12:29:16-04:00MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca193953<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>USAA for total banking and insurance services.Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Aug 4 at 2014 12:39 PM2014-08-04T12:39:03-04:002014-08-04T12:39:03-04:00MSG Wade Huffman193963<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I'm not sure that DoD accredits any bank or credit union.<br />Based on my experience, USAA is about the best bank I've ever worked with. As far as Credit Unions go, I have worked with Wright Patterson Credit Union for both a refinance on a mortgage and several car loans and find them to provide very good service and very competitive rates (and they are local to me).Response by MSG Wade Huffman made Aug 4 at 2014 12:55 PM2014-08-04T12:55:06-04:002014-08-04T12:55:06-04:00MAJ Private RallyPoint Member193977<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I use a combo of USAA and Navy Federal. Navy is handy if you need to do anything in a local branch.Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2014 1:15 PM2014-08-04T13:15:01-04:002014-08-04T13:15:01-04:00Capt Private RallyPoint Member193978<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>For those of you overseas, DoD contract banks have some serious drawbacks compared to other options. I am stationed in Germany and have a few options for DoD banks (Andrews FCU & Community Bank [BoA subsidiary]). Pros include banking options like you are used to in the US. Cons, however, include a DoD mandatory foreign exchange fee of 2.5% so when it comes to paying your bills or rent you can be hit with a $30-50 fee every month just to exchange money. That said, overseas, I keep my USAA account and withdraw cash from an ATM for regular use and to deposit into my German bank (I save the 2.5% foreign conversion fee by using my ATM card). That said, USAA is definitely the way to go when overseas ... excellent support, no foreign transaction fees (not even the usual 1% that Visa and Mastercard usually charges), and international phone numbers to contact them. Any questions for what I wrote, please let me know and I'll clarify.Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2014 1:15 PM2014-08-04T13:15:06-04:002014-08-04T13:15:06-04:00SCPO Private RallyPoint Member194015<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>We have a savings account with USAA so that we can use ATMs anywhere free of charge, in effect. We make more extensive use of Navy Federal - and our other "bank" is a non-DoD affiliated Federal Credit Union. I started using Navy Fed when I was mobilized to Bahrain in 2003 and have been very happy with them.Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2014 1:41 PM2014-08-04T13:41:18-04:002014-08-04T13:41:18-04:00Cpl Private RallyPoint Member194109<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I am pretty satisfied with Navy Federal. Especially now that they have relaxed the rules on who may join.Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 4 at 2014 2:57 PM2014-08-04T14:57:27-04:002014-08-04T14:57:27-04:00SPC Chelsea Fernandez523570<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>USAAResponse by SPC Chelsea Fernandez made Mar 11 at 2015 1:25 AM2015-03-11T01:25:48-04:002015-03-11T01:25:48-04:00PO1 John Widick2711434<div class="images-v2-count-0"></div>I still use Navy Federal and USAA depending on which gives me the best deal at the time. I have friends that swear by PenFed as well.Response by PO1 John Widick made Jul 7 at 2017 11:00 PM2017-07-07T23:00:16-04:002017-07-07T23:00:16-04:002014-08-04T12:29:16-04:00