RAFINO

RAFINO Report
ISSUE 23 - Winter 1999
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Message From The Honorary
Colonel of The Finance Corps Regiment
BG (Ret.) Roger W. Scearce

Dear Members of RAFINO and RAFINCO,

First things first -- HAPPY NEW YEAR / NEW CENTURY / NEW MILLENNIUM!

Well, we made it!  All the prognostications and best guesstimates regarding Y2K proved to be unfounded [thank goodness!!].  I hope this issue of the newsletter finds each of you well, in good spirits, and excited about what 2000 and beyond has in store for us.

I'm pleased to report that our proud Corps is alive and well, and, as always, standing tall and prepared to support and serve soldiers, no matter where or under what conditions they may be stationed.  Our Army continues to change dramatically, and much of the transformation is centered around changes in combat structure and doctrine.  Our Finance Corps is also adjusting to all this change while continuing to leverage technology and automation to provide better support while reducing our footprint on the battlefield.

The summary below highlights but a few of the more exciting initiatives being worked today in the Army finance community:

1. Future Finance Force Structure Initiatives - "FIRM" is an acronym for Finance/Resource Management (formerly known as "44/45" merger).  At recent Finance Boards it was determined to vigorously pursue the merger of the finance branch (BC 44) and the Comptroller functional area (FA45).  The Commandant will chair a committee of 26 members who represent all levels, areas, and interests within the current 44 and 45 communities.  The desired outcome is to determine the best methodology for achieving the integration of both Finance and Comptroller career fields.

2. Initial Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) - The Army is redesigning its combat structure by focusing on the Initial Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), formally known as the Prototype or Medium Weight Brigade.  Our Finance Corps is fully engaged supporting the new vision and has developed a concept of support and proposed Finance unit support structure(s) for the IBCT.  Finance Corps is particularly well suited to support the IBCT due to our modular structure, flexible support capabilities, and habitual/area support relationships with current Divisions and Corps worldwide.

3. DFBS (Defense Battlefield Finance System) - The Finance School has determined that a DFBS system redesign is due, and has developed 4 options for a more powerful and streamlined DFBS (internally referred to as the Future Finance System, or FFS) based on redesign input from DFAS, ASA (FM&C), Finance MTOE units, and others.

4. PERPAY - While moving military pay input functions and responsibilities to the Adjutant General Corps is still under study, it is ultimately dependent on SIDPERS3 [the Army's personnel system] being able to handle all pay transactions in a fully automated fashion as well as interfacing with the Defense Joint Military Pay System [DJMS].  Further, as DoD moves toward a fully integrated Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System, or DIMHRS, which is envisioned to be fully capable of performing single source financial and personnel input transactions, PERPAY concepts and issues are now worked on two systemic levels: SIDPERS3 and DIMHRS.  The timeline for full PERPAY/SIDPERS3 military pay input to personnel is 2004, while the development and fielding of DIMHRS is projected for 2007/08.

5. Training Developments - Distance Learning (DL) is "the delivery of standardized individual, collective, and self-development training to soldiers, civilians, and units at the right place and at the right time through the application of multiple means and technologies, including the worldwide web."  The Army is pursuing several future training applications via DL, and Finance School training developers and contractors are creating new ways of doing business focused on a student-centered learning approach with opportunities for self-study at home station.  The first available application, "Employ the Defense Finance Battlefield System (DFBS)," is already available on the Finance School Home Page on the worldwide web.  DL is a bold initiative, but one with tremendous payoff capability when fully implemented.

6. Stored Value Card - In the first test in a deployed environment, Stored Value Card was fielded in Camp McGovern, Bosnia, on 8 Dec 99. AAFES is now 100% supportive; clearly, this technology has potential to take large amounts of cash off the battlefield.

7. SSF - Another challenge this year will be supporting the Army's revolution in logistics and the transition to a single stock fund (SSF).  This HQDA initiative is designed to reengineer Army inventory management functions and financial processes by eliminating redundant inventories [retail and wholesale], redistributing excesses, reducing materiel distribution costs, and reducing staffing and workload.

8. Defense Joint Accounting System (DJAS) - an integrated, single entry financial management system being developed by DFAS for a March 2000 implementation date at Fort Benning, GA where it will be tested thoroughly.  When fully deployed, Army commanders will not only have accurate and timely financial information; but will also have auditable financial statements as required by the Chief Financial Officer's Act.

9. Defense Travel System [DTS] - is designed to allow the traveler to personally prepare their travel orders; book airlines, hotels, and car rentals; have access to government tables for per diem; and to even set up how they want to be reimbursed - either all to themselves, or split disbursement between the traveler and the government charge card company.  DOD expects DTS to be fully deployed by the end of FY02.

10. SPS/Paper-less Contracting - The Standard Procurement System (SPS) was developed to enable a totally paper-less [electronic] feed from the contracting office to DFAS accounting records.  SPS was fully deployed in December 1999, and paper contracting documents will cease being produced by the end of Jan 2000.

As is easily seen, there's plenty going on.  And through it all, our soldiers are supporting and serving over 30,000 troops deployed away from their home stations as I type this.  Unreal, but true, and not much relief in sight.  On a brighter note, we continue to attract and retain America's finest young men and women to serve in our Finance Corps, and those officers and NCOs leading them are even more impressive - - all in all, I'd say we're in pretty good shape as a vital part of today's Army!

Lastly, a calendar reminder.  Our next RAFINO/RAFINCO reunion is 1-4 September 2000 in Washington, DC.  Hopefully, each and every one of you is looking forward to and making arrangements to attend this great event.  I guarantee this one will set the standard for our reunions, both in terms of things to do and opportunities to meet, greet, and do some serious socializing!!  If you haven't already gotten the details, you will note that this issue of the RAFINO Report does remedy that.  Or, better yet, look up the information and even respond on line at our very own, fantastic new web site: www.rafino.org.

Looking forward to seeing all of you in September, if not before, and wishing you all the very best in this New Year.

"To Support and Serve",

- Roger