ASMC Troller Newsletter

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Nathaniel Moody
6 years ago
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Inside this issue: President s Message Local Chapter/ Membership Info Community Project News/ Kudos Corner ASMC Cookbook Fundraiser Info 1 2-3 4-5 6 CDFM News 7 National News/ National PDI Info

I know that everyone is getting tired of hearing about GFEBs, but it is coming sooner than the Easter bunny and it is not imaginary.

1 Inside this issue: President s Message Local Chapter/ Membership Info Community Project News/ Kudos Corner ASMC Cookbook Fundraiser Info CDFM News 7 National News/ National PDI Info Corporate Sponsors A Look Ahead 11 Newsletter President s Message Happy Spring everyone! I know that everyone is getting tired of hearing about GFEBs, but it is coming sooner than the Easter bunny and it is not imaginary. Most of us have only had to deal with SOMARDS (and in some cases STANFINS) for the past 20 years and find it hard to accept that we have to learn something new. When LMP was implemented we thought that it would never work and though it had its glitches, we have managed to fund the efforts and support our warfighter. One way to help manage this change is the knowledge and experience that each of us have that we can share with others. Our monthly ASMC luncheons provide an opportunity to network and to discuss how we are dealing with implementing GFEBS. It helps that we (at least most of us) are going live at the same time. The ASMC National PDI Professionalism in Action will be in Anaheim, CA 30 May-1 Jun 12. I know that budgets are tight and our workload is increasing. If you do not have the opportunity to attend in person ASMC has gone virtual. This Volume 17, Issue 8 March 2012 allows you to participate and earn continuing professional education (CPE) from your office or home for a fee that is less than the attendance registration. It will have more features than the regular PDI online. To find out more information please view the ASMC website asmconline.org or the virtualpdi.org link. Don t forget to take the 2012 ASMC Online Questionnaire for Defense Financial Professionals sponsored by Grant Thornton. Chapter s with the most survey takers wins cash. You can access the survey by going to the ASMC National Website (asmconline.org) and then going to their Facebook page and you will find the link to the survey. Your local ASMC chapter now has a Facebook page, American Society of Military Comptrollers-Redstone/ Huntsville Chapter. Please take time to like us and check back for news about our chapter. Lisa Lowry ASMC President Redstone-Huntsville Chapter

2 Page 2 LOCAL CHAPTER INFORMATION President Lisa Lowry ASMC COMMITTEES & CHAIRS Vice President Becky Lake Corresponding Secretary Michelle Cobb Recording Secretary Judy Smith Treasurer Dana Wilbanks Assistant Treasurer Karen Carden Ex Officio Member Deborah Chambers Attendance Audrea Edwards Audit Jason McVey Awards Teresa Salmon CDFM Cynthia Brooks Chapter Competition Kim Jean Community Projects Tony McAdory/Gwen Davis Constitution/By-Laws Chris Harper Facilities Mary Ann Brown Membership Millie Reed Corporate Membership Jessica Dunaway Newsletter LaToya S. Sims Nomination Dennis Summers Philanthropy Vickie Compton Programs Judy Smith Publicity/Photo Rhea Paseur Scholarship Lindsey Harper Special Events Sherry Pool Training & Education Martin Roggio Ways & Means Michelle Cobb

3 Volume 17, Issue 8 Page 3 ASMC MEMBERSHIP Information NEWS Welcome the New Year - renew, transfer, or join ASMC today, Members are friendly; will guide you along the way, At our monthly luncheons, we have good speakers, good food as well, There is knowledge sharing, credit for attending; so much to tell. We have special projects to volunteer for, Veterans Day, Salvation Army, Special Olympics, and so much more! The ASMC Mini-PDI and National PDI are great, Register to go now, so you won t be late. This poem is just a little taste, Of the good things we offer, so make haste, We invite you to come be our guest, We need YOU to make our Redstone-Huntsville Chapter the best! Millie Reed ASMC Membership Chair millie.j.reed@us.army.mil If you would like to submit an article to be published in the next Newsletter issue please it to Mrs. LaToya Sims at latoya.s.sims2@us.army.mil. The deadline for submission for April Newsletter is April 18, 2012 Thanks, Mrs. LaToya S. Sims ASMC Newsletter Chair latoya.s.sims2@us.army.mil.

Page 4 Community Projects News The Caring House Bowling and Pizza Party

1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Pin Palace Bowling Center.

Parkway. The Caring House is a part of Hospices Family Care.

to children ages 3 to 18 who have lost family members and/or loved ones.

4 Page 4 Community Projects News The Caring House Bowling and Pizza Party has been set up for April 21, It will be from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Pin Palace Bowling Center. Pin Palace is located between Home Depot and K-Mart on North Memorial Parkway. The Caring House is a part of Hospices Family Care. The Bowling Party is sponsored to provide fun, encouragement, and hope to children ages 3 to 18 who have lost family members and/or loved ones. If you would like to volunteer for this event please contact Debbie O'Neal at onealdeb@nehp.net or call at or

5 Page 5 KUDOS CORNER March Luncheon Speaker, Ms. Joy McKee Director, Operation Green Team Huntsville March Prize Winners Doug Gallaway, Becky Lake, Michelle Green, Mary Anne Brown,Dan Barnett, Vickie Compton, JoAnn Courtland

6 Volume 17, Issue 8 Page 6 ASMC Cookbook Fundraiser The Redstone/Huntsville Chapter of the American Society of Military Comptrollers is putting together another cookbook to raise money for local charities. The last cookbook we did was way back in 2003 and we got a really good response from not only our members but from people in the Redstone and Huntsville community. We are starting to collect recipes for this fun project, so if you have a favorite recipe you'd like to submit you have two ways you can do that. First, you can send your typed recipe along with your name to one of the points of contact below. Please be sure and add your name and organization or you can put in a name and just ASMC Member. Examples when submitting to recipe collectors are as followed: Mary Contrary ASMC Member Or Mary Contrary AMCOM Legal Office Have a family member or office mate that would like to contribute? Invite them to submit recipes as well! In 2003, we even had recipes from the Command Group! Everyone likes to show off their favorite recipes. Since this is a Redstone/Huntsville community effort we invite all members of the community to contribute. Recipe Collectors and your Points of Contact are: Judy Smith (Judith.smith4@us.army.mil) Michelle Cobb (michelle.cobb@us.army.mil Audrea Edwards (Audrea.edwards@us.army.mil) Lindsey Harper (Lindsey.harper@us.army.mil) Becky Lake (Becky.lake@us.army.mil) Stay tuned for more information on publication and sales! Thanks, Becky Lake Recipe Project Chairman

7 Page 7 Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) News BECOME A CDFM (Certified Defense Financial Manager)! The Enhanced Defense Financial Management Training (EDFMT) course is scheduled for Apr 12 and is for Army employees with limited seats available for other DoD employees. The link for this course is: under the Education/Training tab. Please contact Rob Archer, rob.archer@us.army.mil, for assistance if necessary. This course is an excellent opportunity to prepare you for the testing required to obtain CDFM status. GO ONE STEP FURTHER AND BECOME A CDFM-A (Certified Defense Financial Manager with Acquisition Specialty)! To enhance your CDFM status, why not consider taking Module 4 (Acquisition Business Management)? A class will be held for government employees in Huntsville on 3-4 May 12. The link is under the Education/Training tab. If assistance is needed, please contact Rob Archer, rob.archer@us.army.mil. NEW CDFM CERTIFICATION RENEWAL REQUIREMENT. Effective 1 Jan 12, ASMC s CDFM certification renewal process will require that two of your 80 CPE s be obtained from ethics training. This new requirement applies to both existing and candidate CDFM s. If ethics training is already included in your organization s professional development program, it can be applied toward this requirement. Existing CDFM s should note that if their CDFM is up for renewal in 2012, they will have until 31 Dec 12 to attain the ethics training, but will only need one ethics-related CPE. They will still need to renew by the date on their CDFM certificate, but they will be able to renew with 79 CPE s as long as they attain the one ethics CPE by 31 Dec 12. ASMC members can take two ethics-related workshops from the 2011 PDI at no charge by visiting the ASMC Online Learning Center. Any questions regarding this new requirement should be directed to Lisa Deyo at deyo@asmconline.org or at (703) , ext. 109.

8 Volume 17, Issue 8 Page 8 ASMC National News Army problems with military payroll processes and controls hinder meeting readiness goals: GAO Friday, March 30th, 2012 Continuing deficiencies in the Army s military payroll processes and controls threaten the Army s ability to achieve audit readiness by 2014, according to a report issued by the General Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO report cited two major problems: 1) Process and systems weaknesses undermine the Army s ability to identify the population of military payroll transactions and 2) System weaknesses do not allow the Army to match military pay accounts to personnel files. Under existing procedures, the Army was unable to identify a complete population of active duty military payroll accounts for 2010, according to the GAO report. The Army and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service in Indianapolis (DFAS-IN) did not have an effective, repeatable process for identifying the population of active duty payroll accounts, the report stated. GAO also cited the Defense Manpower Data Center s (DMDC) lack of an effective process for comparing military pay account files to military personnel files. Because the systems are not integrated, it took two months of intense labor before DMDC was able to reconcile differences between Army pay records and personnel files. GAO cautioned that this lack of effective processes to identify the population of Army pay records and allow for a comparison of military pay accounts to personnel records will make it difficult for the Army to meet the 2014 audit readiness goals for the Statement of Budgetary Resources. GAO acknowledged that the military pay audit readiness efforts underway increase the chances that the Army can meet the audit readiness goals. However, because these efforts have not been documented, GAO could not evaluate their potential effectiveness. To address the concerns cited in the report, GAO recommend that the Army: 1) document and implement a process to identify and validate the payroll transaction population by fiscal year; 2) identify and develop procedures for maintaining key finance (i.e., pay-affecting) documents that support military pay transaction; 3) require the central location and ready accessibility of key personnel and other pay-related documents that support military transactions; and 4) require the review of service member Official Military Personnel File records to confirm that they are consistent and complete to support audit requirements. In response to the GAO report, Army Secretary John McHugh said the Army generally concurred with the GAO report. McHugh agreed with the need to have consistent, standard documentation rules that support the audit of military pay data. He pointed out that the Army is currently developing comprehensive documentation of processes and controls for military pay. Regarding GAO s evaluation of the Army s and DMDC s ability to compare payroll and personnel records, McHugh said the Army s ongoing process for comparing payroll and personnel records uses Army personnel systems, not the Defense Manpower Data Center, as GAO used.

Volume 17, Issue 8 Page 9 2012 ASMC National PDI PDI 2012, the premier training event hosted by the American Society of Military Comptrollers, will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center on May 30

9 Volume 17, Issue 8 Page ASMC National PDI PDI 2012, the premier training event hosted by the American Society of Military Comptrollers, will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center on May 30 June 1, with a theme of Professionalism in Action. Registration is now open! Our keynote speaker at Wednesday's opening session will be the Honorable Robert F. Hale, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and CFO; and the Honorable Sean O'Keefe, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office Management and Budget and former Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) will be speaking at Friday's luncheon. This year's event will include more than 130 educational sessions and the ability to earn up to 24 CPE, with an additional opportunity for CPE at the Pre-PDI sessions. Workshops will cover topics such as budget and cost, acquisition, audit readiness and ethics. A full draft listing of session topics is available under Program Information. The registration rate for members who register by May 1 is $545, and housing rates will range from $125 to $145 per room night. To register or obtain a room, go to New this year!! Virtual PDI Registration Can't attend PDI 2012 in Anaheim on May 30 June 1 or want to learn from breakout sessions you could not attend? The ASMC will offer registration for virtual participation that will give you the opportunity to earn CPE from many of the sessions recorded at PDI. We know for many of you, a virtual platform may be the only means of experiencing PDI to satisfy your advanced education needs. A full pricing sheet is available on VirtualPDI.org. Volume discounts will also be available through VirtualPDI.org. May 30 June1,2012: Anaheim, California

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11 <<<<A LOOK AHEAD>>>> Upcoming Executive Board Meeting Date: Thursday 5 April 2012 Time: 11:00-12:00 Place: Bldg AMRDEC Guard Shack MAP TO MONTHLY MEETINGS

The ASMC TROLLER Newsletter

Volume 17, Issue 7 February 2012 The ASMC TROLLER Newsletter A S M C President s Message February has been a great month for ASMC. It started with our luncheon. Ms. Sue Goodyear, SES, Deputy Director for