Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Walter Bia (left), a mortarman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd...... read more read more
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By Sgt. Chad Menegay
CAMP TAJI, Iraq - The 113th Financial Management Detachment, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), also known as the “Tar Heel Paymasters,” an Army National Guard unit out of Siler City, N.C., deliver necessary funds to isolated battalions and units located in and around Baghdad.
The conjured up image of finance specialists traveling through Iraq with bundles of cash is only part of what the 113th Fin. Management Det. does.
“We provide financial support to all of the detachments here on Camp Taji, as well as surrounding forward operating bases in isolated areas, so we do [travel] to those locations,” said Sgt. 1st Class Lucious Mceachin, detachment sergeant with the 113th Financial Management Detachment and a Durham, N.C., native.
Mceachin said the Paymasters go out once or twice a month to deliver cash to Soldiers who do not have a dedicated finance company on base.
“We provide cash support to those Soldiers who can’t get money any other way, so they can send money home or pay their Internet bills, purchase movies and things of that nature,” Mceachin said. “They are extremely happy to see us when we get out there.”
The financial management support team, which delivers the cash after coordinating with a unit’s personnel section, consists of two or three people.
The 113th is conducting a relief in place with Charlie Detachment, 15th Financial Management Company. The 15th Fin. Management Company’s mission is expected to mirror that of the 113th Fin. Management Det.
“We do whatever services [the isolated units] need,” said 1st Lt. Aaron J. Draper, a disbursing agent with the 15th Fin. Management Company and an Ithaca, Mich., native. “We just ask that when they request the service that it’s detailed, so we know what forms and how much money to take out there. We can do pretty much anything out there that we can do here; we just bring back all the paperwork and process it in our office here.”
At Camp Taji, Iraq, the 113th Fin. Management Det. and 15th Fin. Management Company handle and resolve issues regarding military pay and deployment entitlements. They provide services to the Commander’s Emergency Response Program in case contractors need funding to build bridges, schools and roads. They also assist all service members and civilian contractors with banking, to include cash payments, electronic fund disbursements and the Savings Deposit Program.
“We make sure everyone is getting the entitlements they need,” Draper said. “If there is an issue, they can come in and we can fix it for them. We pay contracts either through cash payments or through electronic funds payments. There’s the disbursing center in here, where Soldiers can come in and get cash, or we can fund their Eagle Cash card.”
Draper said finance is of great importance.
“I think it really helps with a Soldier’s morale in theater, knowing that their pay is taken care of, and there’s always a way that they can get pay if they need it and fix their pay,” Draper said. “It makes me happy when we can help a Soldier fix something, especially if it’s been an ongoing issue that they’re to the point where they almost think it’s never going to get fixed, and we can finally give them an answer. Seeing a smile on their face makes me feel good about the job I do.”
Mceachin said the RIP process is going very smoothly, because the 15th Fin. Management Company came in prepared and ready to work.
“The 15th is a high-speed active duty unit,” Mceachin said. “They have done finance on a daily basis. They seem motivated to start here. They came in and jumped right into the hot seat feet-first.”
| Date Taken: | 07.16.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 07.26.2010 13:42 |
| Story ID: | 53402 |
| Location: | CAMP TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 202 |
| Downloads: | 105 |
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