Money Matters

Photo By Maj. Anthony Buchanan | Cpl. Rosalie Maciel and Spc. Christopher Leglar of the 8th Finance Battalion.  

BALAD, IRAQ

04.14.2006

Story by 2nd Lt. Anthony Buchanan 

133rd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

2nd Lt. Anthony D. Buchanan
133rd MPAD

BALAD RUZ, Iraq (April 4, 2006) - In the past, non-combat arms Soldiers had very few worries about actually becoming involved in combat during wartime. Times have changed. Non-combat arms Soldiers are needed to provide essential equipment and supplies to Soldiers serving on the front lines.

For Cpl. Rosalie Maciel and Spc. Christopher Leglar of the 8th Finance Battalion, getting out to forward operating bases in the area to fix Soldiers" pay problems and provide casual pays are just a few of the many things finance specialists do to service Soldiers.

Leglar is a cashier and Maciel is a certifier.

"The corporals are assigned specific FOBs and the cashiers get picked to go to different FOBs," said Leglar, a San Antonio, Texas, native. "Being a cashier you sign for a lot of money and you have to be very good with accounting."

"I overview what he does and we input it into the system," said Maciel who hails from Orange County, Calif. "I make sure it's correct and then I certify or authorize the payment to go out."

"We give out casual pays, take pay inquires and if people have a pay problem, we fix it," said Leglar. "It's fun and I like it because I get to get out of FOB Warhorse and meet different people and different units."

"Everyone knows who you are when you show up," said Maciel. "They say, "Hey, finance," when they see us out.""

Getting out and taking care of money issues is what they do. What some people don't realize is that these finance specialists are getting in harms way like any other Soldier in Iraq. A few days prior to coming to FOB Caldwell to service Soldiers, the tandem's vehicle was hit with an improvised explosive device " being finance doesn't make you exempt from combat.

"We were just driving and all of a sudden " Bam," said Maciel. "We were all like, "What just happened."

"It was a big eye opener. When you go through that it's like wow! The first thing you do is call you family and say l love you and I miss you just in case I didn't tell you, or you didn't know," said Maciel.

"A friend of mine back home said, "The only thing you know how to do is be a paper pusher and use a stapler,"" said Leglar. "Then when he found out that I saw an IED go off in front of my vehicle the first time, he shut up."

They get on the dangerous roads of Iraq to service Soldiers. More faith in the Army pay system would make things a lot easier for them.

"Finance is here to help you," said Maciel. "Some people actually think that we don't know what we're doing, but when they have a pay problem, and they see that it gets fixed, they say "Finance actual does something.""

• Date Taken: 04.14.2006
• Date Posted: 04.14.2006 14:17
• Story ID: 6044
• Location: BALAD, IQ