A free credit report for military personnel is more widely available nowadays, since a federal law was passed enabling people who have been denied credit to have a copy of their credit report. There are 3 credit reports produced by the 3 top credit agencies. These are TransUnion, Experian and Equifax. You can request a copy of your report directly from each agency or you can obtain a copy of each from the FTC website annualcreditreport.com.
Checking your credit report on a regular basis is very important because you need a good credit history when you borrow credit in the future. The report consists of information about your credit accounts and the amount of debt you still owe. The credit report will also contain information about how good or bad you are at paying back your debts. When lenders and banks are checking your credit application they will focus particular attention on your payment history.
If you have a very good payment history you should have nothing to worry about. However, if you have missed payments, defaults and delinquent accounts on your credit file then you do have something to worry about. These can all drag down and lower your credit score. A low credit score puts you at a disadvantage because you will have to pay higher rates of interest compared to someone with a high credit score. You also have limited options with lenders you can borrow from as you are seen as a higher credit risk. This can mean that you will have to accept deals that do not work in your favour.
However, by checking your credit score and report before you borrow you have the opportunity to improve it. Improving your credit score is simple but not always easy. In many ways you have to choose the way you handle your money and finances. The key things are to lower your debt levels, ensure you pay your dues on time and remove any errors on your credit report.