DFAS Service Day: It's About the Customer."It's About the Customer" was the theme for Defense Finance and Accounting Service The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS), an agency of the United States Department of Defense, provides finance and accounting services for the military and other members of defense. In FY 2004, DFAS:
DFAS Decorative and Fine Arts Society (The Hague, Holland) DFAS Dark Field Alignment System DFAS Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ) Service Day activities at the American Society of Military Comptrollers COMPTROLLERS. There are officers who bear this name, in the treasury depart @ment of the United States. 2. There are two comptrollers. It is the duty of the first to examine all accounts settled by the first and fifth auditors, and certify the balances arising 2004 Professional Development Institute (PDI PDI Protein Disulfide Isomerase PDI Personal Docente e Investigador (Spanish: Personal Educational and Investigating) PDI Pre Delivery Inspection PDI Professional Development Institute ). More than 500 attendees heard how DFAS has improved customer service since the past year's PDI and how the agency's vision will continue to improve customer service. The day began with the introduction of DFAS Director Zack E. Gaddy. Mr. Gaddy became the Director of the DFAS on May 30. In this capacity, he oversees the day-to-day accounting and finance activities of the Department of Defense (DoD). DFAS employs about 15,000 DoD civilian A Federal civilian employee of the Department of Defense directly hired and paid from appropriated or nonappropriated funds, under permanent or temporary appointment. Specifically excluded are contractors and foreign host nationals as well as third country civilians. and military personnel at 26 locations throughout the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. , Europe, and the Pacific. Each year, the agency disburses more than $416.1 billion by processing payments to 5.9 million military members, civilian employees, military retirees, and annuitants; 12.3 million commercial invoices Commercial invoice Bill for merchandise sold. ; and 6.8 million travel vouchers and settlements. Responsible for 279 active DoD appropriations, DFAS is the trust fund manager for $13 billion in foreign military sales That portion of United States security assistance authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, and the Arms Export Control Act of 1976, as amended. This assistance differs from the Military Assistance Program and the International Military Education and Training Program and $194.4 billion in retirement funds. Each year, DFAS processes 121 million accounting transactions and handles financial accounts for worldwide operations and multidisciplined appropriations of DoD. Mr. Gaddy centered his presentation on the current status of DFAS operations and the progress the organization has made in transforming itself. He focused heavily on the three themes on which he intends to base his tenure as director: * Taking care of DFAS customers * Improving DFAS operations * Establishing the "WOW" factor "DFAS exists for three reasons--paying people, paying vendors, and accounting for the funds. Every member on the DFAS team has a critical role to play in carrying out this mission. It is imperative that we continue to be customer-focused, strategy-based, and metrics-driven. We must recommit re·com·mit tr.v. re·com·mit·ted, re·com·mit·ting, re·com·mits 1. To commit again. 2. To refer (proposed legislation, for example) to a committee again. ourselves to understanding our customers, basing our decisions on a strategy that is focused on achieving world-class status, and using metrics metrics Managed care A popular term for standards by which the quality of a product, service, or outcome of a particular form of Pt management is evaluated. See TQM. that drive accountable performance," said Mr. Gaddy. Further, he stated that the agency has made tremendous strides in improving operations and becoming the best value for customers since its inception in 1991. Even so, the DFAS transformation journey continues and will now use the principles of Lean Thinking and 6 Sigma to further increase the organization's value and to eliminate waste. The DFAS Lean6 Program for continued transformation requires a different way of thinking and will yield value by reducing both waste and error. He said that DFAS employees should be proud of their accomplishments and their organization, and if they're not, "What are they doing working for DFAS?" Continuing, he asserted that DFAS employees should be proud of supporting the ongoing war against terrorism, including supporting the mobilization and demobilization de·mo·bil·ize tr.v. de·mo·bil·ized, de·mo·bil·iz·ing, de·mo·bil·iz·es 1. To discharge from military service or use. 2. To disband (troops). of over 300,000 National Guard and Reserve personnel; providing check-cashing and currency conversion; deploying DFAS staff with Air Force expeditionary ex·pe·di·tion·ar·y adj. 1. Relating to or constituting an expedition. 2. Sent on or designed for military operations abroad: the French expeditionary force in Indochina. Adj. 1. units to ensure payment accuracy and timeliness; providing in-theater financial expertise, for example, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait; and providing support and expertise to the Coalition Provisional Authority The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) سلطة الائتلاف الموحدة was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States, . Mr. Gaddy believes that pride and motivation will create the WOW factor for employees while continuing to transform and that asserting the role of DFAS as a finance and accounting leader will create a WOW factor for customers. Ultimately, he sees the future as a more efficient DFAS that delivers better value to customers and focuses on delivering the right products and services in the best way; a DFAS that is committed to acting strategically by anticipating customers' changing needs and delivering what is needed; and a DFAS that is the leader in finance and accounting services in the DoD and the federal government. Following Mr. Gaddy's presentation, other members of the DFAS executive corps detailed specific programs supporting the transformation effort. Lee Krushinski, director of DFAS Accounting Services, closed the morning activities by leading a panel discussion on the five targets for the agency's new strategic plan. Patrick Shine, director of the Military and Civilian Pay Services business line, spoke on the first target, paying service members what they are entitled to on the scheduled pay date. Sally Smith, director of the Commercial Pay Services business line, discussed the second target, expanding electronic commerce for all commercial pay business line processing by fiscal year (FY) 2005. Mr. Krushinski discussed the third target, achieving an unqualified audit opinion on the FY 2007 DoD financial statements. Mr. Gaddy participated on the panel and presented the fourth target, developing a corporate capability to deliver client business intelligence. And Ron Crain, director of Human Resources The fancy word for "people." The human resources department within an organization, years ago known as the "personnel department," manages the administrative aspects of the employees. , closed out the panel presentations with a discussion on the fifth target: retaining, recruiting, and training a DFAS workforce capable of developing and implementing the DFAS Strategic Plan. Brigadier General Jan D. Eakle, Deputy Director of DFAS, opened the afternoon session with a presentation titled "Delivering Value to Our Customers." Mr. Shine followed the general and introduced the new Service Delivery Model. Closing the afternoon session, Colonel Tom Roberts Thomas William Roberts (8 March 1856–14 September 1931), usually known simply as Tom, was a famous Australian artist and a key member of the Heidelberg School. Life presented information on the new Forward Compatible Pay Program, and Jack Rouch spoke on how the DFAS Value Chain and Lean6 have improved customer service. Zack E. Gaddy Director, Defense Finance and Accounting Service Lee Krushinski Director, DFAS Accounting Services Brigadier General Jan D. Eakle Deputy Director, DFAS Patrick Shine Director, Military and Civilian Pay Services To learn more about DFAS, visit the Web site at www.dfas.mil. |
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