FM chiefs attain bottom line at conference

  • Published
  • By Carl Bergquist
  • Air University Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFPN) --  Financial management and comptroller chief master sergeants from across the globe gathered at Gunter Annex's Senior NCO Academy Dec. 3 to 7 to discuss the state of the Air Force financial management transformation.

While attending the Financial Management Chief's Conference, 38 chiefs focused on the development of financial management members and discussed present and future changes in the field to include the standup of the Air Force Financial Services Center and development of a new online tool for leaders at all levels.

The changes are part of a servicewide FM transformation aimed at consolidating processes and improving customer service, and the importance of the conference hinged on informing senior enlisted leadership about the transformation, said Richard Gustafson, the deputy assistant secretary for financial operations from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Management and Comptroller.

"They (FM chiefs) are the ones who carry the word to the troops," he said.

Chiefs represented each Air Force command and the Air National Guard at the conference. 

There are numerous initiatives going on at once, and that poses an integration challenge that requires financial management members to work well together along with the rest of the functional community, Mr. Gustafson said.

Financial management transformation teams have visited more than 130 Air Force locations to help with the transformation, and officials at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Management and Comptroller have revamped more than 70 percent of the basic- and staff-level course material.

Additionally, the standup of the Air Force Financial Services Center at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., is expected to save the Air Force more than $210 million in the next 10 years. The consolidation will also free nearly 600 positions the Air Force can transfer to other career fields, said Brig. Gen. David E. Price, the director of budget operations and personnel at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller. Furthermore, a new online tool called "Dashboard" will give leaders at all levels a real-time picture of the service's financial situation.

John G. Vonglis, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management and comptroller told the chiefs the transformation would be nowhere without them.

"You make it all happen, and we as leadership are very aware of that," he said. As long as the United States is a nation at war, what financial management people do is "exceedingly important."

Attendees said the conference is helping all the chiefs to stay on the same page.

"Too often when we are at work as managers, we are not involved in the day-to-day operations," said Chief Master Sgt. Karen Fish, the functional manager at Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla. "The conference offers us an update and a view into the perspectives of others that will be very useful in implementing the transformation. I have to say I feel better about the process after attending the conference."

"Issues have been raised, and I think everyone is joined at the hip in going forward with the transformation," said Chief Master Sgt. Barbara Gill, the superintendent of financial management at Air University.

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