Annual awards program.

Individual Achievement Award

An ongoing awards program presented annually to individuals who have been nominated for outstanding accomplishment within one of the functional fields of Comptrollership. Areas for recognition are Accounting and Finance; Analysis and Evaluation; Auditing; Budgeting; Comptroller/Deputy Comptroller; Education, Training and Career Development; Manpower Management; Resource Management; and Intern/Trainee.

Team Achievement Award

This award is presented to teams of four to fourteen individuals, within or across comptroller disciplines. Criteria include impact on the way the organization, DoD financial community, U.S. Coast Guard, National Guard, or Reserve establishment operates. The award category recognizes outstanding team performance, accomplishments, adoption of study results, outcome or savings, and excellence in the advancement of military comptrollership.

Essay Contest

Three awards are presented for outstanding essays on a specified topic. The winning essays are published in the Armed Forces Comptroller magazine. The topic for the 2001-2002 annual program was "What Is Custmore Service?"

Editorial Award

This award is presented to the authors of the best articles published in the four issues of the Armed Forces Comptroller magazine in the year preceding the National PDI.

Research Award

This award recognizes individual or team efforts resulting in a specific written product that encapsulates the research effort, finding, and recommendations. Awards are given to reports deemed to be significant or singularly outstanding.

Members' Continuing Education Program

Grants are provided to members of ASMC to aid in financing their academic endeavors.

Scholarship Program

Monetary scholarships are presented to graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding leadership skills and academic achievements.

National President's Awards

Each year, the National President of ASMC recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the Society and/or the military comptrollership field.

Chapter Competition

This award program is designed to encourage chapter programming that fulfills the mission of the Society. Chapters compete in their size category and are awarded points in eleven different fields of programming. Areas of competition for which chapters obtain points include membership, manuscripts, educational activities, monthly meetings, awards programming, newsletters, sponsorship of new chapters, publicity, research, community service, and reporting.

Membership Growth

Three awards are given to chapters that achieve substantial percentage or actual membership growth. All chapters with membership growth are eligible. In addition, a Recruiter of the Year is chosen in each chapter size category.

Community Service

This program rewards a chapter's sustained effort in service to its community. Chapters must complete a minimum of one year of continuous voluntary service or demonstrate leadership in organizing, implementing, and/or administering a continuous voluntary service program.

Corporate Member

This award recognizes a corporate member for outstanding contributions made to a local chapter and the national organization in the furtherance of the goals of the chapter and the Society. Nominee must have been a corporate member for at least two consecutive years.

Chapter Leadership

This award is designed to recognize outstanding members who have demonstrated their commitment to the advancement of the Society at the chapter level.

Newsletter Competition

Awards are presented for the chapter newsletters that best foster internal chapter communication and professionalism. Awards are based on content and quality of presentation.

Five Star Competition

This award is presented to any chapter that sets a standard of effort for well-rounded chapter performance. The chapter must report throughout the year in areas of administration, meetings, and newsletters. The competition is divided into two categories, Distinguished and Meritorious, with different requirements for each.

Accounting and Finance

Major Command Headquarters or Higher

Distinguished

SMSgt Van D. James, USAF

HQ Air Combat Command, Langley AFB, VA

Throughout the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the Air Staff and other Major Commands, SMSgt James is the expert on ENDURING FREEDOM/NOBLE EAGLE finance issues. SMSgt James established the first-ever Air Force centralized in-theater accounting and disbursing operations and the first single Air Force point for entitlements processing. Additionally, SMSgt James is "the man" for the Air Combat Command's highly visible Government Travel Card (GTC) Program. His tenacious drive lowered the command's delinquent GTC dollars from 13 percent to 4.7 percent in just 4 months. During the same period, the delinquent accounts in the command plummeted by over 800, a real-time decrease of 59 percent. SMSgt James is also a leader in the community. As a result of his exceptional efforts, $25,000 was raised for survivors of the Pentagon and World Trade Center attacks.

Meritorious

Mr. Allen R. Thuring

National Pollution Funds Center, USCG, Arlington, VA

Mr. Thuring served a critical and essential role in the United States Coast Guard's (USCG) successful response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the New York City World Trade Center. On September 12, 2001, Mr. Thuring helped the USCG Activities New York establish a comprehensive finance and cost documentation system for all the USCG activities in the New York metropolitan area. Coast Guard actions included pollution response, port security, and other Federal Response Plan taskings from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. By September 14, 2001, Mr. Thuring had implemented systems whereby the USCG Activities New York and the NPFC successfully reported comprehensive financial and cost date to the Commandant. This was the first financial data received by USCG Headquarters, which also fulfilled a data call resulting from the Department of Transportation and congressional inquiries.

Meritorious

MSgt Lu Ann Trent, USAF

HQ AETC/FMF, Randolph AFB, TX

MSgt Trent expertly managed 13 military pay and travel offices affecting 57,000 permanent party and 431,000 student trainees. MSgt Treat also led the benchmark effort to pay dislocation allowance to Air War College and Air Command and Staff College graduates who remained on site as faculty members. Additionally, she was instrumental in mandating the use of the Government Travel Card (GTC) and providing monetary rewards to bases with the highest split disbursements and the lowest delinquency rates. As a result of this tremendous effort, the GTC delinquency rates decreased from 21 percent to 4 percent. Additionally, MSgt Trent devised a strategy requiring members to use Individually Billed Accounts to purchase airline tickets. This superb initiative is projected to save $120,000 per year and countless manhours in the Transportation Management Office.

Unit Under A Major Command

Distinguished

SSG Jason R. Gerard

White House Communications Agency, Anacostia Annex, DC

SSG Gerard led the agency's $70 million operations and maintenance and procurement programs supporting the President, Vice President, and First Lady. In fiscal year 2001, SSG Gerard supported presidential communications teams at 244 presidential trip sites in 49 states and 23 countries. As the Lead NCO for telecommunications billings, SSG Gerard's duties included estimating and reviewing costs for satellite, radio, and ground communications; prompt payment of vendor; and coordination of billings with the Secret Service and the White House operations. SSG Gerard also led operations directly supporting the President in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack. This exceptional effort included a $1.4 million buy of White House communications equipment used for national emergencies and the purchase of $328,000 in force protection equipment for the agency's 880 members.

Meritorious

Captain Ted Wahoske, USAF

Seymour Johnson AFB, NC

Captain Wahoske was a driving force behind his squadron's achieving 100 percent compliance during the Unit Compliance Inspection. He was lauded by the Inspector General as "second to none" and he was singled out as a "Superior Performer" for leadership. Captain Wahoske's flawless execution as mobility officer during the Operational Readiness Inspection resulted in the wing's being awarded an "Excellent" rating. His exceptional performance was also an integral part of Seymour Johnson AFB winning the Commander-In-Chief's Installation Excellence Award, number one base in the Air Force. Captain Wahoske also led the charge to challenge the Basic Allowance of Housing (BAH) rates. His watertight analysis resulted in a 23 percent increase in the 2001 BAH for enlisted members at Seymour Johnson AFB. Captain Wahoske also partnered with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to reduce interest penalty payments for the wing by 31 percent. To date, $15,000 has been returned back to the wing for other critical needs.

Meritorious

MSgt Joseph Banks, USAF

DFAS, Denver, CO

MSgt Banks leads a diverse workforce of over 200 military and civilian personnel in providing outstanding customer service to over 150 Financial Services Offices and Military Personnel Flights worldwide. He spearheaded the inclusion of Military Pay as a separate subject matter area for upgrade purposes, which significantly benefited the entire career field with upgrade requirements to the five, seven, and nine levels. MSgt Banks also redesigned the military Leave and Earnings Statement to include Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) data, updated terminology, and expanded the remarks section into a single-page "self-mailer." The new design is estimated to save over $225,000 annually. Additionally, MSgt Banks was the sole Defense Finance and Accounting Service military representative for the TSP Discovery process meetings that developed the programming requirements and procedures to successfully implement the new legislative military TSP entitlement.

Analysis arid Evaluation

Major Command Headquarters Or Higher

Distinguished

Major George A. Guthridge III

HQ, Department of the Army, Pentagon, Washington, DC

While assigned to the Program Analysis and Evaluation Directorate, Major Guthridge developed, on his own initiative, the Real-rime Automated Bill-Billpayer Tool (RABBiT) model, an analytic tool for use in resource deliberations during the Army program build. Deployment of this model allowed the Army to address funding tradeoffs in a time- and resource-constrained environment. The model was developed at no cost to the Army, while similar models used by the other Services were developed and maintained by contractors at considerable expense (several million dollars). In light of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, RABBiT provided essential value as the Army adjusted their POM to reflect additional Antiterrorism and Force Protection requirements in a very short timeframe.

Meritorious

Ms. Phyllis A. Schaefer

U.S. Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL

In response to USTRANSCOM Deputy Commander in Chief (DCINC) direction, Ms. Schaefer arranged a monthly Business Review Video Teleconference between the DCINC and the component commanders, providing data to portray financial impacts to operational decisions, leading to major decisions regarding operational changes in such areas as Air Mobility Command's flying hour program, commercial aircraft augmentation levels, and cargo workload initiatives. To increase customer understanding of USTRANSCOM rates, she developed the first comprehensive "business rules" to portray development of AMC cargo and passenger rates, spearheading the publication of the FY 01 Rare Guide. She also led a financial architecture forum to develop hardware and software to provide the customer a single bill, as well as tiered rates based on shipment priority, mapping required processes and policies to effect the improvements.

Meritorious

Mr. Thomas A. Mulczynski

HQ, United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), Ramstein, Germany

Mr. Mulczynski's economic analyses for 31 projects greatly benefited the entire spectrum of USAFE missions. His options for comm support at Tuzla brought about outsourcing of air traffic control functions, saving critical military personnel for emergency operations. His analysis of billing options related to housing support for NATO personnel billeted at Ramstein kept negotiations with NATO HQ AIRNORTH on track. The proposed realignment of theater basing within Europe led to his review of multiple options for moving the US European Command's Joint Analysis Center, identifying annual savings in excess of $21 million. To develop and maintain cost and analysis skills of other analysts, he published periodic "Economic Analysis Tips" to focus attention on important cost issues. He also went on the road to provide a training course he had developed to analysts in the field. Recognized for his expertise, he was asked to share his perspective at the 10th Annual AF Economic Analysis Conference.

Unit Under A Major Command

Distinguished

Major Jay B. Helming DFAS, Offut AFB, NE

At the request of the Air Force 11th Wing, Major Helming devised a program known as "FM Tools" to track the status of funding accounted for by nine separate DFAS field organizations worldwide, facilitating the assessment of operations costs and allocation decisions based on those costs. After this system was tested and declared fully mission capable, Major Helming developed a concept briefing to offer this service to other customers managing worldwide funds. It has been approved as a DFAS business initiative, and has already improved the timeliness and accuracy of funds status information for over 60 percent of Air Force annual funding exceeding $50 billion. "FM Tools" is also playing a vital role in tracking costs related to "Operation Infinite Resolve" following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Meritorious

Mr. Chuck Burdulis

Marine Corps Air Bases, East, Cherry Point, NC

Mr. Burdulis was instrumental in the development and successful implementation of a business reform initiative that will result in significant annual savings to his command. His efforts resulted in a complete restructuring and streamlining of processes in the financial operations at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. He was able to orchestrate a consolidation of all financial operations, including personnel, into one single organization housed in one location. Savings were three-fold: personnel, time, and money. Customer satisfaction increased as processes were improved. This initiative was later briefed at other Marine Corps installations, where the concepts and similar plans have been adopted. Similar benefits materialized, making possible the reallocation of scarce resources to higher-priority requirements.

Meritorious

Mr. Thomas G. Felton Reconnaissance SPO, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

Mr. Felton, the recognized expert for U-2 programs and projects, completed the Business Case Analysis on the Fuels Conversion Program Acquisition Technology Demonstration. His detailed analysis identified a potential $66 million in savings by switching fuels from the U-2's own to the Air Force primary (JP-8) fuel with a low-cost additive. He also completed the first-ever Integration and Flight test estimate scoped during the restructuring of the U-2s $1 billion modification and upgrade program. He was key in identifying the source of funds to cover this phase of the restructure plan. The efforts of Mr. Felton and his team put the U-2 back on a schedule and financial track that supports its worldwide mission with a significantly improved aircraft.

Auditing

Major Command Headquarters Or Higher

Distinguished

Ms. Julie A. Sullivan

Air Force Audit Agency

Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

Ms. Sullivan made significant contributions to Air Force's management of acquisition and logistics programs. She single-handedly planned and directed the independent evaluation of FY 2001-2005 organic and contract depot maintenance activities. During the evaluation, which she completed in only 4 weeks, she recommended adjustments totaling about $500M in AF's annual report to Congress and over $110M in contractor maintenance overstatements. Ms. Sullivan also developed a unique approach for examining and determining Depot Maintenance Activity Group expenditures for FY 2000. Her oversight and summarization of this area of high interest with the Congress identified over $270M in reporting errors requiring reconciliation.

Meritorious

Ms. Linda K. Williams

European Audit Office

Ramstein AFB, Germany

Ms. Williams conducted a comprehensive analysis of the Turkish Base Maintenance contract awarded by USAFE. She reviewed pre-solicitation through award documentation and concluded that the USAFE Contracting Squadron did not demonstrate that the contract awarded was in the best interest of the government. Ms. Williams found that contracting personnel had not adequately developed the contract estimate and did not use prior history to help define costs and reduce risk by awarding a fixed-price/cost reimbursement contract. Ms. Williams also was able to demonstrate that awarding a dual denominated contract was both problematic and costly to the government.

Unit Under a Major Command

Distinguished

Mr. Arthur L. Payne

US Army Audit Agency

Europe Field Office

Mr. Payne distinguished himself by shouldering what amounted to an audit workload far in excess of his peer group. During the year he managed over 20 different engagements, authored 26 written products, and identified over $23M in monetary benefits. Mr. Payne's customers consistently gave his audits high marks for timeliness and usefulness - overall his audits were rated 4.68 on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high), which was well above the Agency's goal. Mr. Payne continuously looks for ways to conserve limited resources and as a result of his strong planning skills, he was able to achieve the lowest costs per auditor day and travel day costs in the Agency. In addition to his heavy audit workload, Mr. Payne played a crucial role in educating senior Army leadership of the value associated with conducting many of the audits planned in the European Theater.

Meritorious

Ms. Edie M. Bridges

Air Force Audit Agency, Midwest Area Audit Office

Scott AFB, IL

Ms. Bridges consistently demonstrated outstanding performance while evaluating the CF6 spare engine requirements computation process at the Air Mobility Command. While making the review, Ms. Bridges found that flying hour data needed to validate logistics assumptions was not maintained. Ms. Bridges' knowledge of Air Force systems allowed her to identify and query another source of the information she needed to complete the review. Ms. Bridges down-loaded over 44,000 records into an access data base and wrote 72 queries and 66 reports, enabling her to identify which aircraft required the spare engines. Her keen analytical skills and tenacity in determining true spare engine requirements will save the Air Force as much as $637M.

Meritorious

Ms. Kimberly A. Jung and Ms. Leigh Ann Nadler

Defense Information Systems Agency

Scott AFB, IL

Ms. Jung and Ms. Nadler demonstrated exceptional audit and investigative skills and made significant contributions to the successes realized by the Defense Information Systems Agency in CY 2001. During the audit of the Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization CONUS Property Management, they identified material management control weaknesses, which they attributed to a lack of internal controls, procedures, training, and program oversight. They authored two highly critical audit reports containing a high-level interdisciplinary team to develop new Agency-wide policies and procedures regarding capital asset projects.

Budgeting

Major Command Headquarters or Higher

Distinguished

Major Carol C. Giachetti

Air Force Pentagon

Washington, DC

Major Carol Giachetti made outstanding contributions in two critical areas. Her work in the counter drug budgeting produced an analysis of economic impact that ultimately supported construction of barracks at Manta, Equador, alleviating safety and affordability concerns in connection with high-risk operations. Major Giachetti also achieved outstanding results in her work as the key Air Force budget integrator through the FY02 Budget Amendment and war-related supplemental requests during 2001-2002. These efforts, due to extreme time compression and urgency, created a demand for a clearinghouse, integration, and deconflicting efforts to ensure that requirements and issues were described, understood, vetted, and tracked. Major Giachetti held that process together through her innovation, responsiveness, and unique capability to capture the critical issues, actions, and arguments. Her efforts paved the way for dramatic funding improvement and the flow of resources to vital operations worldwide.

Meritorious

Mr. Sergio Garcia

US Coast Guard, Alameda, CA

Mr. Sergio Garcia was the creative force in upgrading important procurement and financial management processes. He developed web sites that established access to information and tools at the installation at which he serves and subsequently for all West Coast Personnel involved in oil spill clean up, procurement solicitations, Performance Based Service Contracting templates, funding transfers, open obligations, published financial management guidance, prior-year program costs, and measurements of effectiveness. Mr. Garcia applied his financial understanding and computer skills to revolutionize the way comptrollers and procurement managers can access critical, pertinent, and current information to better perform critical tasks. His efforts are in the best tradition of applying expertise in financial, IT, and functional activities to produce a dramatic improvement of business processes.

Meritorious

Mr. Harold E. Bechthold

Peterson AFB, CO

Mr. Bechthold performed outstanding work as part of the Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) team implementing Space Commission initiatives. He devised the financial element of a complex plan for Integration Space & Missile Center (SMC) into a new organizational structure for Space management. He laid the foundation for a funding transfer, negotiating O&M and investment account realignments covering billions in space resources. He worked with Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS) to accomplish the necessary accounting transitions. He accomplished the early stand-up of the newest active duty wing at Buckley AFB involving new roles between Air National Guard and Air Force in base support. He also staged a first-ever major command civilian pay workshop, a prototype for future training that base-lined knowledge on personnel, manpower, and DFAS interactions.

Unit Under a Major Command

Distinguished

Ms. Deborah L. Rush

HQ, Fifth US Army

Fort Sam Houston, TX

Ms. Rush made extraordinary contributions as Program & Budget Division Chief at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Her funding oversight of dollars supporting Fifth Army Training Support Divisions, as well as execution management of all funds allocated to Fifth Army have created a record of financial and resource accomplishment that has won praise and recognition from the highest levels. She has established a standard of excellence in all budget phases to include development of requirements, budget execution, and resolution of problem issues for over 15 operations or exercises, eliminating time-consuming rework and review. She has streamlined closeout and turned a difficult process into a planned, orderly, and successful effort that is supportive of the mission rather than an interruption to smooth operations.

Meritorious

Capt Jorge E. Solares

Geilenkirchen, Germany

Capt Jorge Solares, while deployed as a NATO Kosovo Force Theater budget officer, led a multi-national team, which executed a complex, 19 NATO nation contingency budget. He was the focal point for directing all O&M and Investment funding throughout Kosovo, Macedonia, Greece, and Albania. He led the coordination effort with NATO HQ in executing the contingency budget during border hostilities, ensuring that FOR personnel received mission-critical equipment and resources when needed. He led financial integration of multi-national logistical support operations throughout the KFOR theater, acquiring facilities and equipment vital for mission success to over 5,000 NATO peacekeeper border monitors. He won approval to conduct financial operations out of a Kosovo bank, which led to banking contract negotiation and greater trust in Kosovo's banking industry, enabling KFOR paying agents to drastically reduce cash-on-hand exposure. Capt Solares also developed a progressive training program for newly appointed KFOR fund managers, a major key to mission success.

Meritorious

MSgt Mark A. Hawes

353 SOG/FM, Kadena AFB, Okinawa

MSgt Mark Hawes made vital contributions to the improved management of the Flying Hour program at three geographically separated areas, and contributed outstanding efforts that led to improve training and performance for his entire function. He improved flying hour closeout and created a detailed and comprehensive automated funds control tool. This helped ensure better accounting for and control of funds, as well as a significant workload reduction. He developed an internet-linked electronic Resource Advisor desk-top reference and training guide while providing immediate access to all financial products/standardized fiscal guidance, which proved instrumental in achieving superior customer service.

Comptroller/Deputy Comptroller

Major Command Headquarters or Higher

Distinguished

Colonel Larry O. Spencer, USAF

Headquarters Air Combat Command (ACC), Langley AFB, VA

As comptroller for the largest command in the Air Force, he superbly resourced the operating forces during Operation Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle. In FY-01, he managed $32 billion across 43 appropriations and 112 funding points and identified $150M of funding that was realigned to higher command priorities. He also developed the "FM Lab" concept to test and evaluate new programs and systems such as Activity Based Costing for use throughout the command.

Meritorious

Colonel Donna M. Taylor, USAF

Air Mobility Command (AMC), Scott AFB, IL

As comptroller for AMC, she was responsible for resourcing the Air Force's strategic transportation mission and the airlift portion of the Transportation Working Capital Fund (TWCF). She reengineered the TW-

CF business processes by maximizing the use of technology. She also developed and deployed LeaveWeb, the paperless military leave system across the Air Force.

Meritorious

Ms. Nancy Hacker

Headquarters, Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO

Implemented actions directed by SECDEF's Space Commission Report to merge acquisition and operating functions resulting in the Air Force Space Command's budget increasing from $2B to $8B. She established the strategic vision, objectives, policies, procedures and staffing to enable the Air Force Space Command Comptroller's office to support the mission of the new command.

Meritorious

LtCol Anthony T. Kitt, USAF

HQ NORAD and US Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO

LtCol Kitt chaired the Integrated Process Team that developed the implementation plan to execute the Space Commission mandate to merge acquisition and operations and maintenance into one command. He re-baselined the command's operating budget to identify and fund the highest priorities. He also reengineered quality performance indicators that analyze command information across 15 critical areas.

Unit Under a Major Command

Distinguished

Major Jeanna L. Pryor, USAF

37th Comptroller Squadron, Lackland AFB, TX

As a result of the Kelly Air Force Base BRAC realignment, Major Pryor became the comptroller of the largest comptroller squadron in the Air Force, with a budget Increasing from $1B to over $8B. She validated the increased workload and staffing required, then resourced it to ensure mission accomplishment. Major Pryor reengineered and improved the finance support provided to all of the squadron's customers to include financial support provided to contingency operations.

Meritorious

LT David D. Gefell, USCG

USCG Activities, NY

As comptroller, Lieutenant Gefell restructured the financial accounts at his command to better track variable expenses and to identify savings opportunities. He was also responsible for tracking all direct and indirect costs related to the Coast Guard's response to the World Trade Center attack. He developed and maintained accounting systems supported by the innovative use of technology to link remote supply centers to ensure timely and accurate reporting of expenditures in the required cost reporting categories.

Education, Training and Career Development

Major Command Headquarters or Higher

Distinguished

Ms. Terry M. Evans

HQ Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, TX

Ms. Evans masterminded a total revamp of the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Financial Management training program. She developed concise and detailed training continuity books, step-by-step instructions for the Professional Military Comptroller School (PMCS) and Financial Management Staff Officer Course (FMSOC), and breathed life into the AETC Financial Management Readiness Training (MRT) program. Additionally, Ms. Evans structured a Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program for all Comptroller personnel. Her outstanding leadership has ensured that a well-trained, professionally competent workforce is available, trained and ready to assume critical Air Force and AETC financial management roles.

Meritorious

MAJ Sean T. Hannah, OASA(FM&C)

Pentagon, Washington, DC

MAJ Hannah astutely developed, orchestrated, publicized, and oversaw the Army's Functional Area 45 (Comptroller) "Training With Industry" (TWI) program. Through MAJ Hannah's thorough and comprehensive efforts, a rigorous oversight process with concise program details was developed. Following these efforts, Assistant Secretary approval was granted in Fall 2000, and several partnership agreements with Fortune 100 industrial giants were executed. Finally, five new annually-funded FA 45 Officer training manpower allocations were established, and MAJ Hannah publicized and conducted a comprehensive orientation program. As a result of his detailed, studied, and comprehensive approach, the FA 45 TWI program has been hailed as the new standard in training partnerships with America's leading corporations.

Unit Under a Major Command Distinguished

MSgt Dave A. Du Bois DFAS, Dayton, OH

MSgt Du Bois expertly led and directed the on-going, highly-regarded Red, White, and Blue Training Program at DFAS-Dayton. He personally developed training aids, briefings, and certification tests to ensure certification of all personnel on every 11 Core Task - an accomplishment unprecedented in DFAS history. Additionally, he developed a first-ever Skill Level Upgrade Checklist and instructional materials to ensure everyone was versed in the responsibilities and requirements for developing and maintaining Branch Master Task Listings (MTL). Because of MSgt Du Bois' untiring efforts, DFAS Dayton's Top Dollar Team won the Runner-Up Trophy during the DFAS Top Dollar Competition and garnered 100% successful mission coverage during South America and Air Expeditionary Force deployments.

Meritorious

SKCS Beth L. Bunn Aircraft Repair and Supply Center, Elizabeth City, NC

SKCS Bunn was instrumental in establishing a low-cost Apprenticeship training program between the U.S. Coast Guard, the North Carolina Department of Labor, the Pasquotank High School System, and a veteran-owned small business. This was the first-ever apprenticeship program with a Federal Government Agency in North Carolina. Through her expert coordination and negotiating skills, an agreement was created to provide high school students an opportunity to develop marketable workforce skills. This Apprenticeship training program will ensure a future cadre of skilled workers to assist on the ever-growing workload of the U.S. Coast Guard Repair and Supply Center (ARSC) at Elizabeth City, N.C.

Meritorious

Mr. Daniel Goff Professional Development Center, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO

Mr. Goff has made major contributions to all facets of workforce training at Ft. Leonard Wood (FLW). He has created the largest and most effective in-house "corporate" training program within TRADOC. Through his innovative management of the training mission, he has established the only inter-service Instructor Training Course. The course features a "tracked" approach--based upon duty assignment, the greatly expanded automation training offersl6 different course offerings with 150 classes conducted in the last year. His efforts are directly attributable to FLW's yielding 3 of the 5 TRADOC MANSCEN (Instructor Award Program) winners.

Meritorious

Ms. Glenda H. Scheiner

Professional Military Comptroller School

Maxwell AFB, AL

Ms. Scheiner has propelled the Professional Military Comptroller School (PMCS) to new heights by her superior capabilities, drive, energy, and creative vision. She is a superb educator and has guided over 40 students through the rigorous PMCS research program. Her students consistently name her as the top instructor on end-of-course critiques. She introduced Certified Defense Financial Manager objectives in PMCS and, in response to FM leadership's desire to incorporate a discussion on change, designed a brand-new seminar based on "Who Moved My Cheese?" She was responsible for the first-ever migration of PMCS manual test database to an automated test generation and analysis system -- resulting in an 80% reduction in scoring time while dramatically improving accuracy.

Intern/Trainee

Major Command Headquarters or Higher Distinguished

Mr. Peyton Keesee

Air Combat Command

Nellis AFB, NV

Mr. Keesee, a Palace Acquire trainee, has extensively contributed to the significant overall process improvements of the Base Budget Office and the entire Nellis AFB Financial Management arena. His meticulous attention to detail, ability to seize opportunities, and personal commitment to excellence are evident in his exceptional management of the wing's $82.8M budget. He also identified and justified $4M in Unfinanced Requirements, prepared the $35M FY03 Air Warfare Center Financial Plan, and developed an automated management information reporting process that saves 480 man-hours annually. Mr. Keesee has twice been selected as the 99th Comptroller Squadron Most Valuable Player and is the embodiment of the spirit of customer service espoused by his organization.

Meritorious

Ms. Paula Philbin

OASN(FM&C), Pentagon

Washington, DC

Ms. Philbin, a Centralized Financial Management Trainee Program Intern, has demonstrated abilities far exceeding her experience. Her keen analytical talent and professional diplomacy resulted in the realignment of millions of dollars within the USMA 0&M, MC accounts and the sustainment of the Department's resources in subsequent OSD/OMB reviews. Additionally, Ms. Philbin was instrumental in developing the Program Budget Decision to improve the budget plan for the DoN's FY 2003 Flying Hour Program and identified $57 million in utility inflation savings between FY2002 - 2007, which was realigned to other high-priority Navy projects.

Meritorious

Mr. Benjamin B. Stohr

HQ Air Education and Training Command

Randolph AFB, TX

Mr. Stohr has displayed unparalleled dedication to providing quality direction, control, analysis, execution, and stewardship of Air Education and Training Command (AETC) financial resources. He single-handedly developed an ACCESS database to capture $140M of Information Technology expenditures. All Resource Managers at 13 AETC bases and ATEC's Corporate Panel Members use the database to analyze and make resource decisions. Additionally, Mr. Stohr has flawlessly managed the command's Official Representation Funds program and provided an innovative method for the equitable distribution of these funds.

Unit Under a Major Command

Distinguished

Mr. Jeremy S. Mitchell

Aeronautical Systems Center

Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

Mr. Mitchell can best be summed up by the phrase "performs like a journeyman." Even an experienced analyst would have a difficult time stepping up to the challenges Mr. Mitchell has successfully overcome. As the new Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) trainee, Mr. Mitchell is leading a strategic initiative dubbed "Doing the Right Things Right." In this capacity, he is leading a group of senior individuals in developing and implementing methods for consistently communicating to everyone what are the "tight" financial products and services. He has outlined comprehensive schedules and tasks to meet goals/objectives and is leading this ream to success. He has been accomplishing this while continuing to progress through his training program -- including mastering three new cost-estimating models without formal training, becoming a critical member of the ERCM and CALCM estimate efforts, and developing a "Cost Risk" Module for the ASC Analyst.

Meritorious

Ms. Holly C. Mehringer

437th Comptroller Squadron, Charleston AFB, SC

Ms. Mehringer is recognized for her dynamic and energetic talents to support the Comptroller's mission. Among her many accomplishments are an automated linking of WinBAS data into Excel spreadsheets; building in specifics for each group/ squadron with appropriate double checks; training each analyst on the procedures/use of this new tool -- that makes the management data available in 15 minutes instead of 3 hours. This tool saves 2,800 man-hours annually. She also managed a $6.9M program, finding $ 100K in posting errors, and was able to realign the funds to other high-priority unfinanced requirements, while she led two group efforts in identifying yearend executable requirements, for which $8.5M were subsequently funded. She is a talented newcomer!

Meritorious

Ms. Jennifer Perkins

16th Comptroller Squadron

Hurlburt Field, FL

Ms. Perkins is a dynamic team player who steps forward to fill voids where and when she's needed. Her talents and drive for self-improvement have enabled this trainee to quickly reach an analytical and technical competence level comparable to airmen with years of experience in this career field. She was indispensable during the FY01 closeout, doing extensive follow-up on open commitments that ensured the timely obligation or reutilization of funds. Ms. Perkins has also mastered the challenge of learning the General Accounting System (GAFS) and greatly assisted with the Tri-Annual Reviews, ensuring requests for deobligations had been accomplished. Ms. Perkins' dedication to duty has earned her program responsibilities normally reserved for more experienced airmen.

Resource Management

Major Command Headquarters Or Higher

Distinguished

CDR Ronald R. Oard

USTRANSCOM, Scott AFB, IL

CDR Oard's leadership and tireless efforts have been the driving force behind the success of USCINCTRANS' highest priority improvement effort-the Strategic Distribution Management Initiative (SDMI). SDMI has improved DLA and USTRANSCOM performance, thereby avoiding inefficiencies and readiness shortfalls. His direct efforts resulted in over $62M in savings to DoD, while greatly improving transportation performance. His research into commercial industry pricing and contracts yielded a commercially competitive military air bill that matches perfectly with the door-to-door distribution process provided to the customer, resulting in a win-win for USTRANSCOM and DLA combining commercially equivalent delivery performance with a fair and comparable bill.

Meritorious

MSgt Victoria L. Petit

HQ USAFE, Ramstein, Germany

MSgt Petit provided outstanding contributions to both DFAS-Europe and Headquarters US Air Forces in Europe. She coordinated a thorough review of local national pay procedures, resulting in a complete overhaul of accounting support for Germany accounts for two main bases and the headquarters. In addition, she led efforts to clear $4M in backlogged airline billings and analyzed duplicate billings returning $850K to the Air Force for erroneous contractor charges, thereby preventing the Air Force from having to divert critical resources to cover invalid bills. Moreover, MSgt Pent helped realign priorities to provide $14M for immediate budget needs for Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle.

Meritorious

Capt Christopher M. Robinson

Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, IL

Capt Robinson redefined the command's Unfunded Requirements (UR) philosophy, creating a process that identifies only critical mission needs early in the year, saving fallout needs until year-end via a newly created web-based submission, validation, and tracking system. He reduced the maximum number of line items from 10 to 3, thereby decreasing workload. His new policy saved over 2,500 man-hours across the wing and command. In addition, as the command's focal point for the FY02/03 PBD Cycle, Capt Robinson coordinated input from 13 directorates and processed over 40 Program Budget Decisions under very tight deadlines, ensuring that all reclamas were briefed to the AMC Vice Commander.

Unit Under a Major Command

Distinguished

TSgt Anthony D. Schlievert

Maxwell Air Force Base, Gunter Annex, AL

TSgt Schlievert was personally selected by the Standard Systems Group (SSG) Executive Director to spearhead a $1.5M computer purchase. He coordinated all phases of the purchase and his personal involvement helped save over $200K and more than 1,000 man-hours for the SSG. He served as the co-chairman of the SSG IMPAC Smart Pay Team. He crafted a database utilized by all SSG IMPAC program personnel that improved documentation, flawlessly provided authorized funding visibility by category of expense, eliminated 142 spreadsheets, saving in excess of 1,600 man-hours, and yielded over $165K in cost savings. Cardholders, approving officials, and Air Force Audit Agency praised the system.

Meritorious

MSgt Judy A. Griffis

352nd Special Operations Group, RAF Mildenhall, UK

MSgt Griffis engineered a major review of the group's Open Document Listing (ODL). As a result, line items were reduced by 50% and $600K was reallocated to other mission requirements. Erroneous travel obligations were also reviewed, and $180K in prior-year dollars was also freed up and returned to the Air Force Special Operations Command. She is also the author of "FM Spotlight," a comprehensive monthly newsletter containing important military, travel, and pay information. An outstanding mentor, MSgt Griffis always shares her knowledge and expertise with airmen, ensuring maximum job perormance.

Meritorious

Ms. Karen M. Lauterbach

HQ Battle Command Training

Program, Fort Leavenworth, KS

Ms. Lauterbach is the Program Analyst for the Battle Training Program (BCTP), which had a $51.9 million budget forecasting based on a requirements model that she created from scratch and new tools she developed to monitor the financial commitments on the BCTP support contract. Ms. Lauterbach was able to revamp standard operating procedures and the review process for support contractors, resulting in cost savings of over $4.9M in FY01.

Team Achievement

Distinguished

Business Case Analysis Team

Team Leader

LTC David Ardner

Team Members

Vera Hanna

Paula Flash

Ginny Lester

Paulette Richards

Lynn Hughes

Bernard Schwertner

COL Martha Lupo

MAJ Tom Sydes

MAJ Bob Griffith

Bob Huff 

Barbara Jendrusch

COL Glenn Mitchell 

COL Aida Perez

Jo Anne Cyr

Susana Rodriquez

The team developed an extensive business case analysis process for the purpose of evaluating various business proposals throughout the command. Using the inter-disciplinary team's business analysis process, they reviewed and prioritized 51 submissions, and submitted 23 initiatives for Congressional venture capital funding. These initiatives will generate a $45.6 million return, on investment for the Army through fiscal year 2007. Additionally, the new business case analysis tool has served as the prototype for the two other service medical departments' venture capital proposals, and is being used to evaluate other types of projects throughout the Army Medical Department. As a result of their exhaustive efforts, the team created a process that not only ensures best use of specially mandated Congressional funds, but is also capable of examining many other types of proposals as well.

Meritorious

Defense Working Capital Fund

Accounting System (DWAS)

Implementation Team

Team Leader

Ms. Sara Smith

Team Members

MSgt James L. Bridges

Thomas Obringer

Charlie Moss

Linda Jones 

Tom Gandy

Tom Cochrane

MSgt James Morrison 

Ramona A. O'Brien

Elizabeth Lett

David R. Mills

MSgt James M. Reynolds

Angela L. Faulkner

Tommy Pope

David Donahue

David Kent

Carolyn Jones

Rosemary Benjamin

David Furst

The team successfully implemented an Air Force financial management system ahead of schedule and under budget, reducing the original capital cost by 59 percent. Their use of a commercial-off-the-shelf software solution combined with selected modifications to support business areas reduced the system implementation costs while providing a more robust and flexible system. The funds control structure, implemented with the new system, resulted in an online and real-time fund availability check, virtually eliminating the risk of an ADA violation. Prior to conversion the team mounted an aggressive and successful data-cleansing campaign that eliminated more than $2 million in dormant accounts and erroneous records and reduced conversion time from nine to four weeks, a 56 percent time reduction enabling quicker system activation, and reducing systems rejects by 95 percent. Finally, the team implemented a security matrix, tailoring access based on functional job requirements, and web enabled all training for future re ference and on the job training.

Meritorious

C-5 Aircraft Engine

Replacement Requirements Team

Team Leader

Mr. Joseph Ritzel

Team Members

Stephen A. Westhoff

Raymond Van Horn Jr.

Aubrey R. Chitsey

Edie M. Bridges

The team saved the Air Force and American taxpayers $463.2 million by reducing the amount of the C-S engine budget request. Using a unique approach, the team visited commercial passenger and cargo carriers, interviewed management and maintenance personnel, and evaluated engine operational and maintenance data from the Federal Aviation Administration. Through its research and analysis, the team concluded the Air Force could fully support its peacetime and wartime missions by reducing storage locations, lowering engine breakage rates, and decreasing repair times that make up the requirements of the computation process. In a final statistical assessment the team examined engine reliability data and compared it to major aerial port operations. The team found that based on their recommendations the probability of a C-5 aircraft missing a mission due to the lack of an engine was less than 1 percent, far exceeding the aircraft's overall stated availability goal of 80 percent.

Corporate Members of the Year

Distinguished

Management Concepts, Inc.

Meritorious

Northrop Grumman, Information Technology, TASC 

Chapter Competition

Distinguished

Alamo City

Sandhills 

Ozark

Amigo

Meritorious

Washington

Middle Georgia

Ft Knox

Crystal Coast

Newsletter

Distinguished

Alamo City

Middle Georgia

Southside Virginia

Crystal Coast

Meritorious

National Guard

Blue Angel

Buckeye

Amigo

Community Service

Redstone/Huntsville

Chesapeake

Aloha

Hampton Roads

Greater Omaha

Forty-Niner

Aviation

Fort Campbell

Big D

Washington

Coastal Georgia

Ozark

Jersey Devil

Crystal Coast

Potomac

Los Angeles

Mount Vernon

Greater Atlanta

Alamo City

Blue Angel

Tri-State

Indianapolis

Music City

Great Plains

San Diego

Amigo

Japan

Kansas City

Pioneer

High Desert

Charlestowne

Pikes Peak

Fort Knox

Gateway

Vandenberg Space & Missile

Central NY Leatherstocking

Membership Awards

Established Chapter Absolute Growth

Alamo City

Established Chapter % Growth

Antilles

Recruiters of the Year

A-1 Ann Frampton, Alamo City

A Joan M. Deem, Heidelberg

B Wanda Whitlock-Kinkade, Gateway

C Debbie A. Hargreaves, Vandenberg Space & Missile

Essay Contest

1st Debra Crandol Nicolai

2nd Colonel Roger A. Bick

3rd Ramona Butler

Chapter Leadership

A-1 CMSgt David Babcock, Aviation

A Linda Ann L. Tam, Aloha

B MAJ (R) Joseph M. Calloway, Potomac

President's Awards

Colonel Robert M. Weidert, USMC, CDFM 

Donna L. Brown, CDFM

Gladys J. Commons

Colonel (Ret) David B. Berg, CDFM

Ronald A. Davidson

Five Star Recognition

Alamo City

Aloha

Amigo

Aviation

Big D

Blue Angel

Bluegrass 

Buckeye

Central NY Leatherstocking

Central Texas

Charlestowne

Chesapeake

Cleveland

Coastal Georgia

Cochise

Crystal Coast

Fort Campbell

Fort Meade

Forty-Niner

Fort Knox

Gateway

Greater Atlanta

Greater Jacksonville

Greater Omaha

Green Tree

Gulf Coast

Hampton Roads

Heidelberg

High Desert

Indianapolis

Jersey Devil

Kansas City

Korea

Land of Lincoln

Los Angeles

Middle Georgia

Mile High

Montgomery

Mount Vernon

National Guard

Ozark

Panama City

Picatinny

Pikes Peak

Pioneer

Potomac

Red River

Redstone/Huntsville

Rio Grande

Rock Island

San Diego

Sandhills

Southside Virginia

Space Coast

Tampa Bay

Thousand Islands

Tri-State

Vandenberg Space & Missle

Washington

Western Maryland

Editorial

Larry McKenzie