WASHINGTON –
The 2024 Society of Defense Financial Management Professional Development Institute conference, held in the vibrant city of Phoenix, was a landmark gathering for financial management professionals. The Army Community Day sessions on May 29 provided a comprehensive overview of the current financial landscape and a forecast of what lies ahead. It also served as a platform to acknowledge the remarkable commitment, creativity, and leadership exhibited by individuals and teams with the presentation of the FY 2023 Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management & Comptroller awards.
Embracing the Army’s theme, "Focusing on Fundamentals," our sessions encouraged participants to delve deeper into the core principles of financial management while simultaneously considering the broader implications of their work. The agenda was packed with thought-provoking discussions that examined the ways in which the Army's financial management community is not just adapting to, but also driving forward, the integration of cutting-edge technologies. These advancements are pivotal as we prepare for the challenges and opportunities that will define the Army of 2030.
Enabling Operational & Audit Readiness
The Army Community Day opening session began with our OASA (FM&C) leadership team introducing a trio of esteemed guest speakers, each offering unique perspectives on the nexus between operational and audit readiness.
Bruce Miller, Auditor General of the U.S. Army Audit Agency, delved into one of the disconnects within the Army: understanding why audit matters. He advocated for a unified effort, stressing that auditability requires an all-hands Army approach, centered on the awareness and support of all Soldiers, civilians, and contractors. This collaboration is essential for bolstering not only audit readiness but also the Army’s operational readiness, as the two are directly linked.
John Short, a partner at Ernst & Young, shared his experiences leading the Marine Corps through their FY23 audit, which resulted in an unmodified opinion—an exceptional achievement, and a first within DOD. His presentation was a call to action, urging attendees to shift their mindset from identifying barriers to discovering actionable solutions.
Greg Little, senior counselor at Palantir Technologies, engaged the audience with a dynamic demonstration of the application of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) in tracking and deploying assets during Army missions. His session illustrated how these advanced tools can significantly enhance both accountability and the ability to conduct precise audits.
The insights from our keynote speakers laid the groundwork for a series of in-depth Army Community Day breakout sessions on automation, digital transformation, and the essential training required to master these new tools. The takeaways from these sessions make it clear that the Army is not only preparing to meet the challenges of the future but is actively shaping a more efficient and accountable financial landscape.
Resource Manger’s Workspace (RMW)
The session, "Automating Efficiency: An Exploration into the Resource Manager’s Workspace," led by Wes Robinson, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Operations and Information, showcased a new streamlined workspace designed to enhance the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution (PPBE) process.
The current Army resource management environment consists of multiple redundant business systems that require burdensome, time-intensive methods to gather, reconcile, and validate information to produce financial management products. RMW is an essential part of a holistic modernization effort dedicated to establishing an integrated and transparent PPBE process across every layer of the Army. RMW consolidates Army-wide legacy capabilities of resource management functions, from the headquarters down to the brigade level.
“[RMW] is all about delivering PPBE capability to bridge the gap between the President's budget and the year of execution as well as manpower analysis, and we are building this for the commands for what they need,” said Robinson. “Typically, today, they are using spreadsheets and online tools that they have built themselves and we are trying to integrate this for them. We can use the data at headquarters for our purposes, but it is really command-focused.”
The RMW approached commands to collect the requirements for each capability. Initial working groups included HQDA (Army Budget Office) and several Army commands to build a minimum viable product. As capability is released to the Army Service Component Commands and Direct Reporting Units, continuous feedback will be used to incorporate additional functionality into future sprints.
Enterprise Business Systems – Convergence (EBS-C)
Another session, "Modernizing Sustainment Operations: EBS-C’s Impact on the FM Community," highlighted the largest business modernization effort in Army history. Panelists including Col. Matthew Price, EBS-C Executive Officer; Michcell Shoultz, EBS-C Community Transformation Director; Matthew Macko, EBS-C Multi-Functional Capabilities Team Director for Current Operations; and Mr. John Kerr, EBS-C User Experience Contractor Lead, discussed how this initiative will transform sustainment operations by combining major Enterprise Resource Planning systems.
EBS-C provides sweeping improvements to Army business processes across the enterprise. Specifically, it will:
- Re-engineer business processes against commercial best practices to reduce customization and costs.
- Streamline the logistics supply chain from the national to the tactical across all classes of supply.
- Serve as the Army’s authoritative source for financials and auditability.
- Provide a warfighting solution that can adapt to changing conditions at the speed of conflict.
To achieve these objectives, the EBS-C team is employing a human-centered design methodology, a creative approach to problem-solving. HCD starts with the users for whom the product is being designed, strives to understand their real problems, and ends with new solutions purpose-built to suit their needs. Continuous user feedback is incorporated throughout the design and development process to keep the focus on delivering a top-notch user experience and solving the right problems.
"EBS-C is more than a technology upgrade,” said Schoultz. “It’s about focusing on solving Army problems by creating solutions for our users that meet their needs. I believe that true innovation thrives when we keep users at the center of our change."
Self-Service Tools & Capabilities
"Unlock the Power of Enhanced Self-Service Capabilities in Army FM" was an interactive exploration into solutions that empower financial management professionals. Chase Levinson, OASA (FM&C) chief of modern delivery, provided an overview of these capabilities, highlighting tools that enable users to address their challenges without relying on external resources.
The session reviewed topics including the Analytics & Reporting Enterprise System and reporting capabilities, low- and no-code application development, and automation tools. During the session, Levinson also unveiled the launch of the newly established FM Center for Resources, Education, Assistance, Training, and Empowerment (FM CREATE) — an exciting new offering that will empower the financial management community to embrace new capabilities by providing access to resources, available training, and a platform for knowledge sharing. Exposing the community to the various self-service capabilities is a step forward in equipping them to tackle the challenges and requirements of modern financial management.
"A consistent theme I saw during PDI was the availability of new tools — robotics, big data, machine learning, and even AI,” Levinson said. “Even more promising, I saw a hunger out in the profession to start using the new tools! Every panel I sat on, attendees would ask me where they could get training. The financial management community is actively seeking out new ways of doing business, and we should provide the tools and training the community wants."
Workforce Development & Training
Appropriately, the "Workforce Development" session focused on Army training programs and initiatives aimed at transforming our workforce. Panelists shed light on strategies for developing both uniformed and civilian personnel to meet future challenges.
Kimberly Scott, OASA (FM&C) Director of Workforce Development and Training, highlighted several resources to enable the Army financial management workforce with the tools and training they need to succeed at their job, including:
- A SharePoint site that serves as a one-stop shop for the Army FM certification program’s users and command administrators. The site includes information and application guidance for training and development programs, FM certification resources, and career maps for civilian, officer, and enlisted members of Army financial management career fields.
- The Finance Comptroller Connect learning platform. With FC Connect, Army employees enrolled in the DoD FM Certification Program can earn continuing education and training credits toward FM certification via free, virtual, instructor-led classes focused on budgeting, data analytics, accounting, auditing, internal controls, appropriations law, and leadership and management.
- A robust FM certification training program for users, supervisors, and CAs. Additionally, a CA handbook was developed to ensure administrators have all the resources needed to successfully support their population throughout the program.
"Investing in our people is investing in the strength of our Army,” said Scott. “These professional development resources equip our financial management workforce with the knowledge and skills they need to excel. Together, these tools form a solid foundation for success, ensuring that every member of our team has the opportunity to grow and contribute to our mission."
Command Sgt. Maj. Craig A. Rodland, U.S. Army Finance and Comptroller School senior enlisted advisor and Finance Corps regimental sergeant major, encouraged participants to add data analytics to their skillset to improve the decision-making process. He highlighted basic, intermediate, and advanced analytics courses offered via the Army Finance & Comptroller School and the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business.
Additionally, Command Sgt. Maj. Joy L. Allen, U.S. Army Financial Management Command senior enlisted advisor, discussed how the USAFMCOM training catalog offers courses that enhance and complement operational training, including:
- Operational banking short course
- General Fund Enterprise Business System cost management course
- Operations support team: Train the trainer
- Army Process Portal/continuous monitoring program
- Defense travel operations
Sgt. Maj. Terry L. Anderson Jr., U.S. Army Finance & Comptroller Sergeant Major, introduced the Finance Senior Enlisted Integration Committee, which was established to streamline communication and decision-making across the Finance Corps. To date, the FSEIC has developed the following actionable recommendations to support our military personnel:
- Continue to promote awareness through command visits, workshops, and training programs.
- Leverage technology for the Quarterly Soldiers Circle, a forum for the enlisted community to share information about courses, challenges, good news stories, and initiatives that directly benefit the military financial community.
- Establish feedback loops via surveys and case studies.
“The FSEIC enables senior sergeants major in the Finance Corps to better manage the enlisted force, assist our leaders in maximizing the competence and leadership that our Soldiers bring to an organization, and ensure good stewardship of the finance and comptroller profession,” Anderson said. “The FSEIC must own the responsibility of building trust and strengthening integration efforts with our finance and comptroller community. All of our jobs are important, and we must respect each position in our profession to grow the future enlisted finance integrators our Army will need.”
ASA (FM&C) Awards
A highlight of Army Community Day was the FY23 ASA (FM&C) awards presentation. Individuals and teams who have demonstrated exceptional performance in financial management had their time to shine as they took to the stage to be recognized by our leadership team and a standing-room-only audience of their colleagues. (To view the full list of award winners, see: https://www.army.mil/article/277175)
Taelyr Carter, winner of the Intern Award, discovered that the networking opportunities at PDI began immediately, as she took her seat among other award recipients ahead of the Army Community Day opening session.
“At the awards ceremony, I talked to Maj. [Richard] Bobo and we found common connections,” Carter said. “People I talk to day-to-day, like Donald Hall, were there, and it was great to meet them in person and discuss future opportunities,” she said. (Maj. Bobo, Deputy Chief, G8 Program and Budget Division, U.S. Army Europe & Africa, accepted the Above ACOM: Education, Training & Career Development award on behalf of Thomas Cain. Hall received the Below ACOM: Comptroller/Deputy Comptroller award.)
Although Carter had participated virtually in previous years, this was her first in-person PDI experience. “I thoroughly enjoyed being there in person. It was an eye-opener to see how big the community was and to realize it incorporated the entire DoD,” she said. (To read more stories from first-time PDI attendees from the Army, see: https://www.army.mil/article/279375)
Looking Ahead
From automation and self-service capabilities to workforce development and modernization efforts, the Army Community Day sessions at the 2024 SDFM PDI were a testament to our commitment to continuous improvement and adaptation in the face of a rapidly evolving financial landscape. As our community continues to grow, the lessons learned from this conference will play a pivotal role in shaping the Army’s financial future.
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Note: This article was originally published in the Society of Defense Financial Management's Armed Forces Comptroller Journal (Summer 2024) and is reprinted with permission.