Anecdotes - Ernie Gregory

I was a scheduler in front for Mrs. Pack, Mr. Gregory and LTG Sinn.  There was a chair in front of my desk where Mr. Gregory would sit down -after walking in from a meeting.  He was quick to say "Hello young lady," pull up his pants bottoms and proceed to show me and tell me "I was SO young his socks were older than me!" This always sparked some interest from folks in the ASA FMC front office because it was a warning he was going to tell me a story and help my young ears, young heart and young mind... and he did. I have wonderful memories of his stories about family, friends and life.  And they were good to pass down to me and those around benefited from the snippets of what I didn't know yet - jumping in when needed to tee up the punch line.  If I could have only walked a few miles in his (shoes) socks! All that he did for soldiers, colleagues, friends, and family. Most important - with a smile!  Recently, my life has taken some difficult turns but I can always be mindful of our shared optimism, jokes, and gratitude.  Hope you can pull out some of those old socks - they sure were important.  With Love Ernie Gregory- Glad to know you are with your God in Peace, 

Tish Zone

I have many memories of “Ernie” stories over the years but the one that comes to mind is a seriously significant personal memory that occurred in early 2002.  Without my knowledge, in May 2001 Ernie had nominated me for a Superior Civilian Service Award for working on the development of an Army Financial Management System.  The award was approved on June 18, 2001 by the Honorable Mr. Robert Young.  As was his practice, Ernie chose to personally present significant awards that he initiated.  That presentation was awaiting his next trip to HQ, U.S Army Training and Doctrine Command, Fort Monroe, Virginia.  Due to there being a new President and administration, his trip to Fort Monroe was delayed longer than usual.  During this delay, a horrendous event occurred on September 11. 2001 when the Pentagon was struck by a plane piloted by terrorists.  As many of us in the military community are aware, the part of the building struck by the plane housed portions of the ASAFM staff.

As Paul Harvey would say, “Now for the rest of the story.”  Ernie finally made that trip to Fort Monroe in early 2002.  I was duly informed to have my wife and children for a ceremony on the designated day.  Ernie charmed the crowd with his wit and comments regarding what accomplishments I had contributed to the success of the project.  Then he deviated from the script for a moment as he relayed why it had taken so long for the award to be presented.  He informed us that the approved award had been in their office on 911.  That area of the Pentagon had sustained significant damage from the impact and firefighting activities following the event.  Due to the damage following the crash and the mold damage following the water from fire hoses, personnel were unable to re-enter that area for some months.  Then while donning a protective mask, they were allowed one visit to retrieve personal and significant items that remained.  At this moment, Ernie’s voice broke and his eyes teared as he recalled how we had lost colleagues and some were still facing long recoveries from injuries encountered on that fateful day.  There were not many dry eyes in the room at that moment.  As he continued, reminding the assembled how important our support to our soldiers, sailor, airmen, and marines was in the ongoing war. 

Later to the side, Ernie apologized to me that the award cover might still smell of smoke and cleaning solution used to remove the mold.  I informed him that I was honored to possess such a treasured remembrance. 

Sam Lancaster
Senior Staff Accountant, Retired
HQ, U.S Army Training and Doctrine Command
Fort Monroe, Virginia 

When DFM&CS (Defense Financial Management and Comptroller School) at Maxwell Air Force Base, AL, was called PMCS (Professional Military Comptroller School), I was an instructor as a USAF major – that’s also when LTC(P) Jack Mutarelli, USA, was the PMCS Deputy Commandant…around 1988-1989.  One of the US Army civilians new to our PMCS stage was GS-15 Ernie Gregory.  Needless to say with another “Gregory” coming to town, I was excited to meet him. 

While waiting in the PMCS speaker’s lounge with Mr Gregory, we decided (you can guess who thought of the idea) to play a little trick on the 65 PMCS students.  As was the school’s protocol, a student gave a short, serious introduction about Mr Gregory before he gave his talk; however, Ernie and I made up the story for me to say after the designated student’s introduction.  Here’s what I interjected before Ernie started speaking:  “You’ve heard all the nice things about Mr Gregory, but Mr Ernie Gregory is my ex-husband.  I have been looking for him for years in back child support and alimony payments.”  To make this even funnier, I was actually about four months pregnant when I announced this to the students before Mr Gregory started his speech.  The students were shocked…how could this nice man ever skip out on alimony and child support payments  to Major Sandra Gregory?  Ernie and I were roaring…and eventually the students started to laugh, too.  Note:  Ernie and I continued to laugh about the fun we had with those students and the fact of our same last names.

Well, Mr Gregory was such a hit as a guest speaker, he was invited back to the PMCS stage for future classes.  I was still pregnant when Ernie returned the next time, so I thought I would play a game on him because it was Halloween.  Ernie was spending the night at Maxwell Air Force Base after he spoke, so he could attend a mentoring dinner with the students and faculty.  We were going to Mrs. Burton’s Restaurant (good home cooked Southern food in a small house in nearby Prattville, AL) which was an icon for all Maxwell AFB students.   It was part of my PMCS faculty duties to pick up Ernie on base and to take him to dinner that evening.  The faculty and students were encouraged to dress up for Halloween, so I was dressed as a pregnant nun, complete with my flat black oxford USAF shoes, a flowing black veil with white cardboard trim, a pillow rounding out my pregnant belly over a long black dress and a white collar.  BTW, I changed clothes at the Maxwell AFB gym – from my USAF maternity uniform to my nun costume.  The entire Maxwell men’s basketball team halted their playing when they saw me dressed as a pregnant nun.  They were shocked.  So was Ernie when I got out of my red mini-van dressed as a pregnant nun.  I let my nun’s veil stream out the open car window while driving the 10 miles to Prattville, and Ernie was still in shock because he never thought he’d be riding in a car with a pregnant nun as the driver.  Ernie continued to tell this story to future PMCS classes and to the FM community when we later had meetings together in the Pentagon.

Although I am not really related to Ernie, it was a delight to have this many laughs with him.  My name hailed from the English-born Gregory clan; and, I believe, Ernie came from the Italian branch.  Regardless of our family roots, we both enjoyed a great laugh.  I still have the nun costume hanging in my closet – lots of funny memories on that hanger.

May Ernie RIP.  We know Heaven is a better place because Ernie Gregory is there.  He certainly made earth a better place, too. 

Sandra Gregory
Brigadier General, USAF, retired
Fairfax, VA 

I met Mr. Gregory in 2007 (I think) when he was at the ASMC PDI in Orlando.  I was working for LMI at the time and two of my colleagues; Ron Brooks and Luis Sepulveda introduced me to Mr. Gregory.  We had a wonderful dinner at the Cuban restaurant in Downtown Disney and that was literally the most enjoyable time I ever had at a PDI.  I was and am a Navy financial manager so I never encountered Mr. Gregory before.  I learned a lot about Ernie from Ron and Luis and have attempted to operate like he did, a relentlessly positive force for financial management excellence and an inspiring and gentle leader.  R.I.P. Mr. Gregory.
 

Robin Farley, PhD
Special Assistant
ASN(FM&C), Pentagon 4D355

I have many Ernie Gregory stories that I intend to write over time.  The thing about Ernie, and his gregarious, Italian heritage, is that he was ALWAYS welcoming, supportive, nurturing, and wanting to teach you something.  I found over time that I learned so much from Ernie, even when he wasn’t in formal “teaching” mode.  Yes, he was a master of explaining the real intent of various emails, and he seemed to find novel ways of weaving ethical behavior and life lessons into whatever topic he was speaking about.  Other times he was much more subtle in his perceptions and respect for people.  In 1998, I was finishing Battalion Command with the 15thFinance Battalion, Fort Hood, Texas.  Our battalion was proudly supporting 1st Cavalry Division, which had just deployed to Bosnia.  Speaking with the Division Commander, MG Kevin Byrnes, there appeared to be an opportunity for me to join him in Bosnia as a member of his staff.  Mr. Gregory had other ideas; feeling my career needed to be rounded out with an understanding and appreciation of what goes on in the Pentagon.  I’ve talked with several people that Mr. Gregory felt needed the same experience.  I wasn’t totally on board with the idea, but my wife, Mary, and I made a trip to Washington DC to explore the opportunity of being assigned there.  In the course of our trip, Mary was alone with Mr. Gregory, and the “teacher” explained to her why this was a necessary move for my career; and why it also was good for our family.  Mr. Gregory listened as much or more than he talked, and he could tell Mary had her own reservations.  His parting comment to Mary was for her to think about everything, make up her own mind, and let him know whether she was agreeable to the assignment.  He then came back to the Pentagon and told the assignment folks that he was going to wait for word from Mary before finalizing whether I would be assigned as his Executive Officer.  I’m sure people questioned why his decision would depend on the desires of a spouse; but that is indicative of the family-orientation that Ernie brought to work and his decision making process.  Mary ultimately agreed to the assignment, it was finalized, and I had the honor of being his Executive Officer from 1998 – 2000.  I learned much from Ernie over the years; and I’ll never forget in this case that our assignment was made because Mary had a say in the process. 

 

Kevin G. Troller
Colonel, US Army (Retired)
DASA(FO) Executive Officer 1998-2000

I started writing this many times, and many times I found myself erasing and starting over.  Having worked for Mr. Gregory, or Mr. G as I referred to him, for so many years, I kept asking myself, where do I start?  Then, I thought about his famous “Ethics” presentation that he delivered across the Army many, many times.  Mr. G would start at the beginning, telling us about his upbringing, family and his own ethics and values.   So, the logical place for me to start is 1982, the day I walked into the Pentagon for my first government job at the age of 18 years old.  To say I was nervous would be an understatement, but then I met Mr. G and all my fears were put to rest!  The first thing Mr. G said to me was, “….. you know Meshell, I will never be twice your age again”….I was 18 and Mr. G was 36!!   We laughed and talked about family and then Mr. G gave me some advice that I took to heart and have carried with me my entire career - (1) family first; (2) if you make a mistake, own up to it; and (3) always be a team player.    After our talk, I knew that I had been blessed with a wonderful boss!   I still strive to live by Mr. G’s advice from that day and all the advice he gave me throughout the years.   Mr. G was a hardworking, dedicated civil servant who always put others first and always treated everyone as equals, whether you were at the low end or the top of the pay scale, you always knew that Mr. G respected you for you.  Mr. G’s wonderful sense of humor was the comic relief in the office whether it was one of his stories, a facial expression, his chin flick at the most appropriate time, or his new nickname that he came up with for me, Radar, after Radar O’Reilly from the TV show MASH…LOL!  Mr. G was resourceful too, when our 3-star had to put on his Class A’s and had forgotten his tie…..Mr. G to the rescue, he was able to take a black sock and make it into a tie….no one ever noticed!  There was never a dull moment.  As the years went by and we started having Internal Review Symposiums, as many as 400 internal review auditors would attend.  When Mr. G arrived, you would think that the Pope had entered the building – Mr. G had a presence about him, everyone would gather around him listening to his every word!  I often told Mr. G that he could captivate an audience talking about a ballpoint pen…..it didn’t matter the subject, everyone just loved listening to him.  He was my mentor, friend and family, not related by blood, but a family member that you chose.  Even though he is no longer with us, he will always live on in my heart and one day, we will meet up again.        

Michelle Doyle
Office, Assistant Secretary of the Army
  (Financial Management and Comptroller)
109 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310-0109

I had the pleasure of serving 2 tours, a total of 6 years at “The Great Place”, Ft. Hood, Texas.  So when Ernie was going to Ft. Hood for a speaking engagement, I was happy to volunteer to be his driver to make sure he arrived quickly and safely to each destination during his trip.  For 2 days, we effortlessly travelled the roads of Ft. Hood, including the training areas, and out to Belton Lake Recreational Area.  It was indeed a homecoming for me; and I was glad to share extra time with my boss as there were always stories to share during our travels.  When our business was over, it was time to travel  from Ft. Hood to Belton on US Highway 290, then I-35 North to the airport in Austin.  Not a very complicated drive; especially for someone that was familiar with the area.  There I was behind the wheel, listening to Mr. Gregory telling stories, driving without a care in the world, when Mr. Gregory asked me if we were going in the right direction.  I probably smirked, and probably rolled my eyes, as I told Mr. Gregory I’m sure we are “given my knowledge of the area.”  Mr. Gregory said OK, continued his story, but then stopped again and asked if we were going in the right direction.  This time I stopped to closely look at our surroundings, only to find we were heading South on I-35, away from the Austin airport.  For all the time I spent at Ft. Hood, about the only time I travelled South on I-35 was on frequent trips to Texas A&M for any of a number of sporting events.  So I apologized to Mr. Gregory as I turned the car around to head in the correct direction.  I told Mr. Gregory I must have been on auto-pilot to A&M, but then I asked him (since he was not familiar with the area) how he even knew we were travelling incorrectly.  Quickly and calmly he stated, “I don’t have to know where we are, all I know is if you’re travelling West, and you want to go North, you don’t turn Left.”  That took me a while to understand, and I still have to stop and choose the wording carefully when I retell the story as I seldom use directionals of North, South, … I usually say turn Left, Right, go straight, etc.  The story would be funny enough if it ended there.  However, Mr. Gregory also enjoyed soliciting other people’s help in his fun.  I don’t know how many people he told of this story, but I do know he did it quickly.  Before we returned to the Pentagon the next day, there were numerous notes on my desk, and a call from Pat Shine, all poking me about my inability to get Mr. Gregory to the airport, from a place I claimed to know so much about.  Ernie enjoyed a good story, and he enjoyed getting other people involved in the fun, and then sitting back with a smirk and a chin-flick, like he had no part in expanding the details of the story.

Kevin G. Troller
Colonel, US Army (Retired)
DASA(FO) Executive Officer
1998-2000

I was fortunate to be Mr. Gregory’s Secretary from September 1994 through 2002 when he served as the DASA(FO).  He was truly a remarkable individual who often displayed his compassion and concern for all who had the pleasure of knowing him.   Prior to 911, to me he was the Lamplighter, who turned on the lights every morning except when he was on TDY or leave.  No matter how hard I tried, he always got to the office first.   I remember on that fateful day in September 2001 when we were all running from the danger of the morning events, Mr. Gregory was the last in our organization to leave the building.   But in true Lamplighter fashion, Mr. Gregory couldn’t leave a phone ringing, the first call was his daughter Maura…he assured her he was okay.  The second call was from my son, who was just out surgery and wasn’t making much sense; called and asked:   “where is my mommy?”   Mr. Gregory alleviated my son’s concerns by telling him that we got out of the building and that is where he was heading as soon as he hung up.  During his career, he earned many titles, degrees and awards; but I do think the most important titles to him were, husband, father, grandfather and family man.   I remember when his beloved wife or children would call, the rule was:  “always put them through.”   The twinkle and the smile that he displayed are worth a thousand words.   To his staff, he was mentor, friend and confidant.   Mr. Gregory’s legacy of truth, honor and compassion is an example we should all follow.   A man to be admired.

Judy Combs (Retired)
Secretary, 1994-2002

From 1998-2009 I worked on site at the Pentagon with the ASAFMC (FO) organization and Mr. Ernie Gregory on the Internal Review Project (1998-1999);  OASA (FM&C) Y2K Task Force (1999-2000);  Defense Travel System (DTS) (2000-2004); and ultimately working as the DTS Program Manager 06 Representative for ASAFM(FO) (2004-2009). During this period the success of all these projects was due to Ernie Gregory's dedication to Public Service, his professional involvement for each project's success, and a deep commitment that the end result would benefit the Army Soldier and Civilian.
        One of Mr. Gregory's unforgettable actions that greatly impacted myself and my family happened on 9/11.  I was supposed to be in Mr. Gregory's Office Monday  morning, but I was  redirected late Friday to participate in a meeting, the morning of  11 September 2001 in South Dakota with a number of other DTS Service PMs. With all the confusion and things to remember that day, Ernie remembered me and contacted my wife directly at home to make sure I was safe. This action testifies to his deep commitment and concern for both civilians and soldiers he worked with.
        Mr. Gregory's views on family values and taking care of the civilian and soldier were aligned with my views of a life to live---Take care of your Faith, Take care of your Family, Take care of your
Friends, Take care of your Fiances, and God will take care of the rest.
        God is now taking care of Ernie Gregory and I hope he is praying for me!

PS. TO: Kevin Troller, Michele Doyle and Judy Combs, God has a special gift for your dedicated friendship to Ernie, his family and the Army Family I know he loved.
 

John L Schoenecker III
Supervisory Information Technology Specialist US Army (Retired)
US Army Software Engineering Center, Ft. Belvoir, VA

Mr. Gregory gave me jobs twice, saving me from the big unknown!  I was still
on Army active duty when I returned from Germany in 1986 and was assigned as the
Deputy Resource Manager at US Army Laboratory Command (LABCOM), co-located
with Harry Diamond Laboratory on the North East corner of the beltway around
Washington DC.  Not too long after beginning work there, LABCOM had a
Manpower Survey and my position was civilianized.  Arty Arteaga introduced
me to Mr. Gregory who brought me to the Pentagon to work in the Deputy Chief
of Staff for Operations (DCSOPS) Internal Review office.  Mr. Gregory had
created this office after some internal control deficiencies in some of the
Army's "black" programs were brought to light.  I worked this office for 4
years in the basement of the Pentagon.  Eventually I realized the only way I
was going to get out of the basement was to retire!!  When Mr. Gregory got
wind of my idea, he offered me an Army Civil Service position.  The Army had
created a civilian position in Mr. Gregory's office when the Defense Finance
and Accounting Service (DFAS) was created.  So once again he provided me
employment.  Working for Mr. Gregory was fun, interesting, professionally
rewarding, etc, etc!  And I moved from the basement of the Pentagon to the
3rd floor!!
I was extremely grateful to him for both of the positions he put me in.  I
spent many hours in the overstuffed chair in front of his desk talking
business, listening to his stories (all the while he was mentoring me)! He
guided me from the end of my  military career to the beginning of my
Civil Service career.

Marlin D. Erickson
Directorate of Accountability and Audit Readiness
Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller)

I worked for Mr. Gregory in 1992 when he was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (DASA) for Financial Operations.  What I liked most about Mr. Gregory was his zest for life and his friendly uplifting attitude about work. During those years when I worked for him, I recall how he walked throughout the offices within Financial Operations to speak to everyone, and he always gave us something to laugh about.  I was sorry to hear about him passing away. He has done much to support the Army’s Financial Management Community and will be greatly missed.

Barbara A. Jefferson
ASA (FM&C)
Enterprise Integration Division (Retired)

In 1992, shortly after the first Gulf War, Ernie was put in charge of the financial establishment of the Defense Reconstruction Assistance Office (DRAO) whose purpose was to help rebuild Kuwait.  The financial aspect of this organization was unique in that it would operate with money funneled from the government of Kuwait.  To set this unique funding mechanism up properly they needed someone extremely intelligent, with a comprehensive grasp of the federal financial framework, so Ernie was the obvious choice.  Ernie needed someone to help process the transactions once he set everything up so I was plucked out of the Secretary of the Army's budget office to fill that role.  I was relatively new to federal finance so this whole operation of funneling money from the government of Kuwait to Chemical Bank in New York to the Department of the Army was well over my head.  Ernie had it all figured out from the moment he brought me on board to the project.  He drove me down to Winchester, VA where he did the final construction of this whole arrangement.  He introduced me to the key people in the process and single handedly worked out the final details of every necessary action which had to occur to make this successful.  He made everything very easy for me, so all I had to do was really just understand the fundamentals and follow the steps he laid out.  He worked so fast and confidently it made my head spin.  Everything worked out beautifully.  And though he did all the hard work in making this project a complete success he never forgot me and my contribution in the years that followed.  No matter the venue, if he saw me in the audience, he would reach out and acknowledge my part in the effort.  He always had a wonderful way of making everyone feel valued and important.

Roland M. Clavien, CDFM-A
Director, Business Resource Division and RM
USACE, ERDC
3909 Halls Ferry Road
Vicksburg, MS 39180

In 1997 I was preparing to retire from active duty and was applying for jobs and going through the interview process. After being rejected by the first company with whom I interviewed, my next interview was late on a Friday afternoon with Coopers and Lybrand where the partner who conducted the interview told me that Ernie was one of her most important clients.

To improve my chances I drove back to the Pentagon immediately following the interview to seek Ernie's help. It was almost 1700 when I got to his office and he was in a meeting. I asked Judy Combs if it would OK if I waited to see Ernie without an appointment. She said OK so I waited. Sometime later Ernie was free and he invited me in without a hint that I was imposing. I asked him if he would be willing to call the partner with whom I had interviewed and vouch for me. He agreed, assuring me he would take care of
things.

The following Tuesday I got a two word e-mail from Ernie, "Message delivered." Three days later I accepted a job offer from Coopers and Lybrand. I'm convinced even today that the only qualification I had that
resulted in a job offer is that Ernie Gregory vouched for me.

I have never known a finer man.

Vince Scatamacchia

I knew Ernie Gregory from three impressive encounters. I immediately recognized him as an excellent leader with amazing people skills and personal convictions. I had gained an introspective of his passion and techniques through his occasional lectures and reports on actions he had taken regarding systems development. I remember reading of his stance on the resolution of systems related problems – something to the effect – “(Bring me the problem with alternatives and depart with my decision. I have little tolerance for system delays.)” The first time I met Ernie, he impressed me with the sincerity of his handshake and eye contact. The second time, I was overtaken by his recall ability and his warm greeting. Not only did he recall my name, he verbally embraced me as if he’d known me for many years. The third instance took place during DFAS’ capitalization and consolidation of the Military District of Washington - Finance and Accounting Office (MDW-FAO). As the DFAS Tiger Team Leader, I had exhausted research on a large number of unmatched transactions that had accumulated over many years. Convinced that the transactions were legit, I prepared a memo and supporting slides detailing the procedures used that supported the write-off of the transactions. The authority to accomplish this would have to come from Mr. Ernie Gregory, the Deputy Assistant Secretary, responsible for all Army policy, programs, systems, and procedures associated with the service's accounting and finance operations, financial systems and internal review and controls. When I entered Ernie’s office, my heart jumped a beat or two as Mr. Ernie Gregory greeted me by name, topic, and objective of the meeting. Obviously, I thought, he had done his homework! After the greeting, he eagerly began reviewing the slides that I had given him. His demeanor and questions, as he paged through the slides, quickly put me at ease. Ernie’s extensive knowledge of military accounting policy and procedures enhanced our dialogue. I found myself experiencing a renewed sense of professionalism and achievement when he handed me the signed memo. Inside of 30 minutes, I observed Ernie portraying all the qualities of an extraordinary leader. I had no doubt that he had done his homework. Fore, a lesser leader would have trouble deciding to accept accountability for such a large number and value of errant, financial transactions. Based on our discussion, I surmised that he chose to overcome the negative and opposing views regarding the write-off, and thus, unify the efforts of the MDW-FAO staff in the expected outcome of the exhausted research He knew that the memo would fully support DFAS’ Capitalization and Consolidation mission. I became convinced that his homework and my answers to the questions he posed to me enabled him to trust the hard work that went into the exhausted research. I sincerely believe that anyone carrying the genes of Ernie is fully prepared with a passion for caring for the success of others.

John S. Medley PhD, CPA, MBA, CDFM, CGFM, CGMA
Sergeant Major
U.S. Army Retired

Leadership Lessons from an Audit Giant

Each of us have likely encountered individuals from whom we have learned much about the art of leadership. If we are fortunate, we are able to look back and identify a handful of inspiring and remarkable individuals who were particularly important influences. In the course of my career, one such leader was Ernie Gregory, an iconic former U.S. Army civilian executive whom I wrote about in my book “Lessons Learned on the Audit Trail.” Ernie recently passed away, and I have been reflecting on the important lessons in leadership that I learned from him.

I first met Ernie in 1982, when I was a junior level internal auditor in one of the Army’s major command internal review (internal audit) offices. Ernie was the newly appointed Army Assistant Comptroller for Internal Review (a position that would later become the Army’s Chief of Internal Review). At the time, the Army’s Internal Review organization was a sprawling network comprising more than 300 offices and over 2,000 internal auditors worldwide. I immediately knew he was someone with remarkable talent, and I always relished the opportunity to be in his presence.

Our professional relationship deepened over the next 16 years as we advanced in our careers within the internal review and financial management fields. In 1993, at Ernie’s request, I left the command where I had worked for 17 years and succeeded him as the Army’s Chief of Internal Review. Ernie had been appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Operations and, for the next four years, he was my boss. His leadership and mentorship were instrumental to the success I enjoyed during my years at the Pentagon, and they played an important role in preparing me for the opportunities that would lie ahead.

As I reflect back on all that I learned from Ernie, there are five leadership lessons that stand out:

Be courageous. One of the first lessons from Ernie was that we must challenge those things that are wrong. Upon assuming his post as the Army’s internal review leader in 1982, Ernie recognized that internal review auditors did not enjoy the level of organizational independence required by Generally Accepted Government Audit Standards (the Yellow Book). They worked organizationally for the comptrollers in their organizations around the world. Armed with evidence that comptrollers sometimes interfered with the work of internal auditors, he persuaded Army leadership to direct the realignment of internal review so that it would report directly to commanders, chiefs of staff, or deputy commanders. It was an extraordinarily brave undertaking – considering he was assigned under the office of the Comptroller of the Army.

Encourage success. In 1988, I was promoted to Chief of Internal Review of the U.S. Army Forces Command. From my first day in this new role, Ernie took me under his wing and I sought his wisdom on a regular basis. He regularly touted the successes we achieved in turning around the performance of internal review in our command. He never took personal credit for his team’s accomplishments, but he also never publicly criticized any of our mistakes.

Leverage your gifts to motivate others. Those who knew Ernie could tell immediately that he was a gifted orator. Unlike almost anyone else I met, he could hold an audience in the palm of his hand from the beginning to the end of a speech. He also had this capacity when engaging in one-on-one conversations. He used his oratory skills to inspire and to motivate the Army’s audit community around the world. I always wanted Ernie to speak at conferences that I organized, but I never wanted to follow him on stage. In the decade in which he served as the Army’s Director of Internal Review, he transformed the sprawling community from a loose-knit group that shared an organizational title to a closely aligned network that shared a vision. The foundation that he laid made my job as his successor much easier.

Model integrity. Ernie became the face (figuratively and literally) of the Army’s commitment to ethics. From the crusade to empower internal review with more independence, Ernie was a symbol of doing what was right. He would never look the other way if he felt someone was acting unethically. His strong moral compass coupled with his gift of oratory eventually led Army leadership to tap Ernie to develop a presentation on ethics, which he delivered to Army commanders and soldiers around the world. Ernie’s presentation was a powerful message that drove home the point of doing the right things for the right reasons.

Remain loyal. Ernie recognized the importance of loyalty to those who served and supported him, and to those who served and supported the Army as an institution. In 1998, I joined the U.S. Postal Service Office as Inspector General. But I knew I could continue to count on Ernie for encouragement and support. When I became Inspector General of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Ernie travelled to Knoxville to speak to my staff on the importance of ethics. He even spoke, at my invitation years later, at an IIA conference. As always, he was a big hit.

After I left the Pentagon, Ernie moved up to even greater levels of responsibilities within the Army. In 2002, he was named Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller). From late 2003 until his retirement in 2004, he served as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller). Ironically, Ernie later joined Deloitte at the same time I was at PwC. Although we didn’t cross paths as often as I had wished in our post-Army roles, I was always comforted knowing that he was bringing the same lessons in leadership to a whole new world.

Former GE CEO Jack Welch once observed, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” As I reflect back on all of the leadership lessons I learned from Ernie over almost two decades, none describes the overall lesson more eloquently. Ernie was committed to lifting those around him, and growing others.

Richard F. Chambers
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Institute of Internal Auditors
https://iaonline.theiia.org/blogs/chambers/2015/leadership-lessons-from-an-audit-giant

Mr. Gregory was a true friend to, and advocate for the National Guard IR Community in our early years (mid-to-late 1980's) when we were developing the professionalism of the Community during our conversion from GS-0343 Management Analysts to GS-0511 Auditors.  

He was a force to be reckoned with, most especially during the push for Auditor Independence; first in "encouraging" National Guard Bureau Leadership to convert their IR workforce from Military Technicians to Civilians, and then ensuring we were organizationally aligned under, reported to, and were rated by the United States Property and Fiscal Officer (USPFO) in the early 1990's.  

I had the opportunity/honor to hear his Ethics presentation at one of the world-wide DA-IR Conferences, and he was a frequent guest speaker at our early National Guard IR Courses and Conferences. He was kind, funny and very down-to-earth; he was the kind of guy who would hang out and have a drink or two with "the little people" after class, and genuinely enjoyed our company.  

Rest In Peace, Mr. Gregory.  

ANITA L. BORIS 
IR Special Projects Officer 
USPFO for Maryland 
(410) 942-8471 DSN 496-8471

Life with Ernie Gregory was not solely about work.  He had a love for life and laughter that thankful went far beyond the walls of the Pentagon.  Before the Nationals returned to the DC area, baseball meant a trip to Camden Yards to watch the Orioles.  Ernie and I shared several games together, usually when my Chicago White Sox came to town (I was born in Chicago, and remain a faithful fan to most teams that have “Chicago” on their chest).  We usually had to park a considerable distance from the park, and our walk to the stadium passed several vendors selling all kinds of trinkets and wares.  One day, I stopped by a vendor selling bags of peanuts, who was proud to say his peanuts were half the price of those sold inside the stadium.  I asked the vendor if he offered a military discount, and Ernie’s mouth dropped wide open.  The vendor and I had a short conversation about the military, and he indeed knocked off another dollar from his price.  Ernie couldn’t believe it.  He asked me how often I ask for military discounts, and I told him all the time – including when I travel overseas.  I’ve found many people are appreciative of our military.  Why pay $3 for a bag of peanuts when you can get it for $2?  From that day on, whenever Ernie and I went somewhere, he always asked me if I was going to ask for a military discount.  The answer was usually, Yes !!!

Kevin G. Troller
Colonel, US Army (Retired)

I am not at all sure when I first met Ernie Gregory.  Why?  My bad memory?  Too many faces and people over too a long time?  Nope, it just seems to me he was always there!  If I called with a problem, he had an answer.  If I called with a request, he was happy to make it happen.  He was a reliable friend and he will be missed.  But, you know what, he is replaced by folks just as reliable and just as friendly, knowledgeable and professional.  And, Ernie would have had it no other way!  Such is the nature of our business.  Whether it is the uniformed or civilian side of the Army finance world, we come and we go .. some of us make a lasting impression and some of us just walk through the fields, hills, jungles, deserts and hallways.  Ernie made an impression!  He made a difference.  I remember calling him one day while I was Commandant of the Finance School back at old Fort Ben and asked if he could come speak at a Dinning Out for one of our Advance Courses.  Of course he agreed and came to address the class.  He charged the graduating class, and the rest of us in the crowd, with the challenge to do the best they, we, could as we left the school and went to our next assignments. The students listened closely and learned from what he had to say to them ... he made an impact.  He influenced their lives.  If I would identify one characteristic that stands out in my mind about Ernie Gregory it is that - He made a positive influence on the lives of those around him ... for that, Ernie, we are all eternally grateful.  Rest in God's hands my friend ... you did your best for us all .
 

Russ Dowden, Colonel, USA, FC, Retired

I call this story Whisper Gray:

I was so blessed to work for Mr Gregory for four years at the Pentagon. He was a superb leader, thinker, and energizer. His keen ability to identify an individual’s potential was amazing. He had a unique way of assigning taskers regardless of its degree of difficulty. He would transform you into a better person and ensured you had fun while doing it. Behind every task there was a story and a purpose. After many years working for him, I feel that his ability to match people to taskers was one of his secrets to success.

One day, out of the blue, Mr Gregory called me to his office and asked me to walk with him down the halls of ASA (FM&C)…so we did. When we got to where ASA (FM&C) and DSCLOG shared part of the hallway, I knew that this was more than an exercise drill. I was about to be hit with a tasker. It was his gentle leadership style that gave you a hint that a tasker was on its way. A day did not go by without a teaching moment. He turned to me, eyeball to eyeball and said “Louie, I do not like this ugly yellowish-green color on the walls. These are not FINANCE colors! I already talked to LTG Wilson (DCSLOG) and he too agrees that this is a bad color and has agreed to any change if we can make it happen. Could you go to the Navy’s “E” Ring and find out what is the paint name of their grey hallways? That color looks more like the Finance Corps colors.” Aha! and so there was the tasker! I saluted and proceeded to the Navy’s “E” Ring. I returned with the name of the paint…. Whisper Gray. He loved the name and kept repeating it to me. In his own way he was sending me a subtle message—I got it. That afternoon I had the Pentagon painters painting the ASA (FM&C) and DCSLOG hallway in Whisper Gray. As Mr Gregory returned from a meeting and entered the ASA (FM&C) and DCSLOG hallway, he noticed the painters and saw me giving instructions to them; he quickly shouted loudly across the hallway -- Whisper Grey Louie, Whisper Grey!!!

I knew that in the days to come I would have more taskers related to his project and I did. For the next two weeks, we coordinated with the Finance Museum located at Indianapolis in hopes of getting pictures that depicted the Finance Corps in various action scenes around the world in different periods of time. The museum was very nice and provided enough pictures to cover the entire hallway. Mr Gregory was a very happy camper at the completion of his project. So much so, that we had a ribbon cutting ceremony. It was his way of saying to the Finance Community—I care and take care of you. Mr Gregory’s loyalty and devotion to the Finance Corps, U.S. Army, and DoD was always evident by his actions. I can still hear his voice today shouting-- Whisper Grey Louie Whisper Grey! It brings tears to my eyes but most of all it brings a lot of joy to my heart.

Thank-You Mr Gregory!!!!! And thank-you Mrs Gregory for sharing him with all of us!!!!! 

Louie Sepulveda

Once upon a time, I took a flight to Salt Lake City to attend the ASMC PDI and a Farewell Dinner for Jim McCall. Lo and behold, a distinguished looking gentleman sat down beside me. It was none other than the inimitable Ernie Gregory and we were headed to the same place. A rambling conversation ensued and at some point the subject of mosquitos in Millinocket, Maine came up. Coincidentally, I had lived there as a young boy. Ernie had Army buddies from there and had either gone fishing or moose hunting with them and encountered swarms of the nasty blood-suckers in the wilderness. After we landed, I offered him a ride to the hotel in my rental car. When we got there he disappeared into the crowd and huge stacks of luggage sitting in the lobby.

I was staying at a different hotel and decided to go see the Great Salt Lake before checking in.  When I got there I had to cross over the salt marshes in order to reach the visitors center.  Suddenly a tornado of black bugs about the size of locusts started splattering onto the windshield. I turned on the wipers which made things even worse by spreading a layer of plaster over my line of sight. I feared that I might find out whether or not a car would stay afloat on the salt water. Eventually I got turned around, stopped at a service station to clean off the residue and headed for the hotel. My white car was now black and  encrusted with insect remains.

When I got there the front desk had a stack of phone messages waiting for me. Ernie had left his luggage in the trunk! I hurried back to town but he was nowhere to be found. I figured he had gone to get a new suit. The event went ahead smoothly without him because his "ex-wife" Sandra Gregory ably covered for him. The rascal had never told me about that! He had not panicked but gone to enjoy dinner with colleagues instead.

This became our running joke afterwards. His wonderfully even temperament, professionalism and calming effect on people in time of crisis set a noble example and stands as a beacon of positive inspiration for all of us as we live out our lives.

May he Rest Forever in Eternal Peace.

A friend...Joe Friedl

I remember my days as Battalion Commander (1996 - 1998), when my CSM (CSM (R)
Randy Loy) and I deployed the 208th Finance Battalion (FB) (Composite) to Bosnia.  
What an honor we had as we received a visit by Mr. Gregory.  I don't think I really knew 
him before then, and so naturally, I was very tense for this occasion.  I remember COL 
(R) Pat Shine accompanying Mr. Gregory, and I remember Pat giving me a warm smile, 
and then stepping back and allowing me to be the ground guide during Mr. Gregory's 
visit.  That small act by Pat really steadied my whole mindset during that time.  Pat
knew I would enjoy this, and he was spot on.  It really gave me an opportunity to know 
Mr. Gregory personally and from that visit, I felt that we had met as strangers and 
parted as friends.  I certainly enjoyed that once in a lifetime opportunity of picking him 
up early in morning, having those one on one conversations, then escorting him to see 
Soldiers, and then being able to talk about whatever we wanted to talk about until the 
next day.  
Needless to say the 208th FB was spread out in different areas serving and supporting 
Soldiers.  It's been way too long for me to recall all the locations where we were 
postured, but where-ever there were Finance Soldiers, Ernie wanted to be there to say 
Hi, to ask them how they were doing, to ask how operations were progressing, but most 
importantly, to ask them what he could do for them.  Every Soldier he came into contact 
with beamed with pride and professionalism.  His humility and heart-felt inquiries were 
surreal to me.  It's not that he asked the question, but we could all see that he purposed 
the question with action and energy in his heart to look into what was requested of him.  
It was one of those moments, when you knew it was going to be a long day escorting a 
leader, but you were glad it was going to be a long day, because you were glad he was 
the leader. 

COL (R) Mike LaValle
"Proudly Serving America's Heroes"

A Big Heart

When it came to caring and loving there was no other than the master himself—Mr. Gregory.

As we approach Thanksgiving 2015, I reflect back to the time I bumped into Mr. Gregory in the Pentagon several years after I had retired. We had a great discussion about many subjects. At the end of our conversation he asked what Toni and I were doing for Thanksgiving. I told him that since our daughters had graduated, married and left the state of Virginia it would be our first year by ourselves. Without hesitation, he said, “That is not going to happen.  I want you and Toni to spend Thanksgiving with my family.”  I did not want to impose on his family plans so I declined. For those of you who knew Mr Gregory, you know what happened next—when he was determined, there was no way out.

Toni and I accepted the invite and had Thanksgiving with him and his family. We had the greatest time of our lives. It was like if we were part of the family. I can recall the long table where we all sat, exchanged stories, laughed a lot and enjoyed the delicious feast that Mrs. Gregory had cooked. There was enough food there to feed a battalion. What a beautiful day it was. It made our Thanksgiving Day an unforgettable one. It was a true honor for us to have shared this day with his family. Mr. Gregory’s invitation speaks of his caring and loving attitude towards everyone.  He was a gentleman, a mentor, a story teller, and most of all a GREAT human being!!! Many thanks to Mrs. Gregory and her lovely family for putting up with two unexpected guests on a short fuse notice.  I learned throughout the years that this was typical of the Gregory’s modus of operandi. God Bless!

Louie Sepulveda

Mr Gregory's interest in those who served in the Finance Corps was always evident, but even more so to me when it came out of the blue.  I had met Mr Gregory, like many us, at functions several times over my career.  For two years from 2000-2002 he served as my senior rater while I had the privilege of being the US Army Finance Command's deputy commander stationed in Indianapolis for COL Bill Landrum.  I learned much from Mr Gregory on how to think strategically during our weekly calls.  

I left Indy for a year of study at US Army War College and learned quickly that he always is keeping an eye on his  "troops."  After graduation I receive an email from Mr Gregory saying in effect I heard you were awarded the Commandant's Award for distinguished research and writing.  I want to read the research paper.  I wrote back that  subject was on economic sanctions as instrument of national power not really a finance or operations issue; it is kind of boring stuff to most people.  He replied that is fine and was excited for me and wanted to read it.  It was about a 30 page document so I mailed him a copy.  

Didn't think much of it after that until I ran into him probably a year or so later in DC.  First I was in trouble for not stopping by and secondly he starts talking to me about the research paper.  Dang I thought!  He actually read the paper - a man of his word. To date, Mr Gregory is probably the only person to have read it. 

I never discovered how he knew of the paper.  I was honored how he took the time and interest when he didn't need to do so; but knew it was important to me. A troop leading lesson from a genuine leader. 

Chip Kacsur
Chief, Financial Operations
US Army Security Assistance Command - New Cumberland 

THAMKFUL FOR ERNIE!

My thoughts and prayers go out to Ernie's family for their great loss of a
father and to those who were close friends to Ernie.

I didn't work directly with Ernie, but met him several times over a decade
or more of auditing. I attended 2 audit conferences as an audit manager
where he was a speaker and found that he spoke out of conviction for doing
the right thing as auditors and that he supported the auditors even when he
moved up into the Department of Army Financial Management hierarchy.

At one point in my career Ernie took time to write up a nice memo to me
about some of my audit accomplishments. Since I didn't know Ernie
personally, but had great respect for his actions to help support auditors
at all level, I have kept that memo for years and still have it and cherish
it even more now.

My workings with Ernie convinced me he was a person of integrity who cared
about others, supported and fought for the strengthening of the audit
function at the highest levels of government, and was a true advocate for
auditors, ethics in government, taking care of people and doing the right
thing.

I was very fortunate and grateful to have worked in auditing during the time
that Ernie was supporting us and for the times our paths crossed.

I'm sure I speak for many that met and were influenced by him that his
memory and actions to benefit us lives on and that he will be remembered by
this generation of auditors who he influenced and supported.

I'm very grateful that his family shared him with the audit community over
his decades of tremendous service to the US Army and that I had a chance to
meet and be influenced by this patriot and fellow auditor!
 

VR, Gary Dissette, CDFM, CICA
Internal Review Chief
(256) 876-4882, DSN 746-4882
USAG Redstone, IMRE-IR Room A240,
4488 Martin Road, Redstone Arsenal, AL 35898 Gary.L.Dissette.civ@mail.mil
Blackberry: 256-541-4874