Army Service Day: financial management fitness--relevant and ready.

The Honorable Francis J. Harvey

Secretary of the Army

The Honorable Valerie L. Baldwin

Assistant Secretary of the Army

(Financial Management and Comptroller)

Lieutenant General Jerry Sinn

Military Deputy for Budget

SFC Joseph Wilson 

3rd Special Forces Group

Fort Bragg, NC

Herbert Morikawa, 25th Infantry

Division, G8, Schofield Barracks, HI

Wilett Bunton

Lily Hum

Army Service Day brought over 750 financial mangers together to participate in various forums on to resource management.

Keynote Speaker--Secretary of the Army Francis J. Harvey

For the first time in the history of Army Service Day, the Secretary of the Army was the keynote speaker. The Honorable Valerie L. Baldwin, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller), introduced Dr. Francis J. Harvey, the nineteenth Secretary of the Army, to the audience. Secretary Harvey prefaced his remarks by thanking those in attendance for their valued contribution to the Army, especially by ensuring that our soldiers get the resources they need to wage the Global War on Terrorism. He went on to state: "I understand the life of a financial manager and the comptroller function--nothing happens without resources."

Secretary Harvey's presentation was wide ranging in citing the strategic context in which the Army will be working, the complexities of meeting national security requirements while balancing the need to transform the fighting forces of the Army, and the importance of taking care of the people, both soldiers and civilians, who make it all happen. He laid out his vision for the Army, discussed the four overarching and interrelated strategies he is using to fulfill that vision, and detailed several of the 21 supporting initiatives being fielded to accomplish those strategies.

Army Day also included four workshops on current financial management topics of interest, as follows.

Army Financial Management Strategic Priorities

In her presentation, Secretary Valerie L. Baldwin emphasized that the strategic priorities for the financial management (FM) community must support Secretary Harvey's Armywide vision, strategies, and priorities. She stressed that the mission of Army FM is to provide the resources necessary to support Army missions, control the distribution of funds, account for Army assets, and ensure the efficient and effective stewardship of the nation's resources entrusted to the Army.

She stated, "Our vision is that Army financial management will continue to be an effective, efficient provider of support to the joint and expeditionary Army." To accomplish the mission and achieve the FM vision, she identified and discussed four overarching strategies for the Army FM community.

Army Force Generation Model--What It Means To Resource Managers

Lieutenant General Jerry Sinn, Military Deputy for Budget, explained the new Army Force Generation Model (ARFORGEN). He identified how the Army is converting from a force based on 18 divisions (10 Active and 8 Army National Guard, with 15 Enhanced Brigades) to one with 77 Brigade Combat Teams (43 Active and 34 Army National Guard). The new structure will have a tiered rotational cycle to better meet future security challenges and needs of the Army. For example, the restructuring is designed to improve stability operations, increase the rotational depth, provide scalable and tailorable forces, enhance Reserve Component readiness, and meet evolving homeland defense requirements. LTG Sinn encouraged each resource manager to be intimately aware of his or her activity's mission requirements to support and execute ARFORGEN-related functions.

Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) Experiences and Lessons Learned

SFC Joseph Wilson of the 3rd Special Forces Group (Fort Bragg, NC) and Mr. Herbert Morikawa of the 25th Infantry Division, G8 (Schofield Barracks, HI) shared their GWOT experiences and lessons learned while participating in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in Afghanistan. Both individuals had to adapt and overcome numerous difficult tasks, from SFC Wilson's hunting down the Taliban, to Mr. Morikawa's supporting the financing of local operations and missions. Both men and their teams successfully accomplished their missions in support of OEE We are thankful for their service and dedication to our country.

Professional Management of Army Comptrollers (PROMAC)

Ms. Wilett Bunton and Ms. Lily Hum discussed and demonstrated the new PROMAC system. The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) developed PROMAC, which will be used to manage and shape the Army's financial management workforce. PROMAC integrates military and civilian resource management workforce demographics and functional competencies. The ready access to enhanced professional development information will help the Army to build a "bench" of competently trained resource management professionals who support the Army's wide range of missions around the globe. PROMAC also automates the application process for centrally funded, short-term training courses, such as the Army Comptroller Course, Professional Resource Management Course, Defense Financial Management Course and Enhanced Defense Financial Management Training Course.

The 2005 Army Service Day was successful in highlighting the newest issues in the Army FM community. We look forward to another great PDI in San Diego next year.