INDIANAPOLIS –
Col. Ralph M. “Mac” Crum, U.S. Army Financial Management Command finance officer, retired from the Army after 27 total years during a ceremony at the Maj. Gen. Emmett J. Bean Federal Center in Indianapolis Nov. 26.
Brig. Gen. Paige M. Jennings, Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff Manpower and Personnel director, presided over the ceremony.
Crum most recently served as the chief of staff for USAFMCOM, which delivers precision enterprise-wide financial operations to integrate, synchronize and sustain the battlefield through the Joint Strategic Support Area.
In his role, Crum oversaw daily staff functions supporting the command, including nearly 1,200 personnel at 54 locations worldwide. These functions included human resources, physical and personnel security, current and future operations, logistics, information technology, budget and more.
An Ohio-native, he is a proud graduate of Canfield High School. Crum received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Youngstown State University and his Master of Education degree from Ashland University. He also graduated as a distinguished military graduate from the YSU Reserve Officer Training Corps program and commissioned as a field artillery officer. After battery command, he was selected to serve as a comptroller.
His military schools include the Field Artillery Basic and Advanced Officer Courses; the Army Finance Officer Basic course; Operations Research and Systems Analysis Qualification and Advanced courses; amongst others. He is also a graduate of the Army’s Airborne School and wears the Headquarters, Department of the Army Staff Identification badge.
During his career, Crum served four combat tours in various countries. His most recent deployment ended in April 2022 where he worked closely with Department of Defense, U.S. Treasury and State Department senior officials to close out U.S. financial interests in Afghanistan. His recent assignments include 13th Finance Center director at Fort Cavasos, Texas; Third Armored Corps deputy resource manager, Fort Cavazos; and Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller operations research analyst.
His top awards include the Legion of Merit, four Defense Meritorious Service Medals, four Meritorious Service Medals, an Army Commendation Medal and two Army Achievement Medals. He is also a member of the Field Artillery Honorable Order of St. Barbara and a recipient of the Maj. Gen. Nathan Towson Regimental Medallion.