RAFINO Report
ISSUE 23 - Winter 1999 - Return
to Index
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 |