International Finance Conference in Kuwait

Courtesy Photo | Lt. Col. Ed Fonseca from Fort Jackson, S.C., stated that the Finance School is currently preparing a more robust 36-day technical training plan that will mirror theater operations.  

03.16.2007

Courtesy Story

377th Theater Sustainment Command

377th Theater Support Command
PRESS RELEASE

KUWAIT— Senior key financial leaders throughout the Army met in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait to address financial "battlefield" operations.

The 13th Finance Group, a unit of the 377th Theater Support Command, hosted a Finance Transformation Conference in Kuwait from Jan. 21-23. The purpose of the conference was to synchronize the financial community on the way ahead for transformation and solidify plans to prepare the Operations Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) Theater of Operations for follow on modular finance forces.

Transformation efforts have been based largely upon the supposition that Army divisions are too heavy and slow to deploy, given the uncertain nature of new and often unconventional threats. Emerging Army design under the modularity construct is brigade based and will provide the Army with enhanced capabilities in mobility, force tailoring and force dominance. The Financial Management (FM) community has worked vigorously, along with all other branches, to develop units conforming to and supporting this concept of operations.

The Army's new brigade based design has created a need for Financial Management to reexamine missions, core tasks and required capabilities in support of evolving Army requirements. As a result of this effort FM is converting force structure from Finance Commands, Groups and Battalions to a more modular and tailorable set of designs that include G-8's, FM Centers, FM Companies, FM Detachments and FM Support Operations (SPO) planning cells within each of the sustainment brigades.

377th Theater Support Command Commander, Maj. Gen. Thomas Robinson welcomed the attendees and stated the importance of having a smooth-flowing operation when it comes to dealing with Soldiers, vendors, contractors—and their funds.

Training both active and reserve component finance personnel to perform their wartime mission continues to be a challenge. "We want to ensure that finance personnel receive realistic, hands-on training prior to deployment, and want to develop a plan to ensure rear area finance operations continue unimpeded" said 13th Finance Group Commander, Col. Stephen J. Riviere.

Because of Riviere's and other finance leaders' efforts, finance personnel will now receive realistic, hands-on training prior to deployment. Lt. Col. Ed Fonseca, Reserve liaison at Fort Jackson, S.C., established a model finance office at Fort McCoy and is currently preparing a more robust 36-day technical training plan that will mirror theater operations.

"One of the biggest tools we have is the Eagle Cash Card, which reduces the need for a lot of cash in theater," Robinson stated.

The Eagle Cash Card is similar to a prepaid gas or gift card that government facilities and vendors in theater accept for payment of goods and services. Soldiers link the card to a checking account which allows them to load funds on the card instead of carrying cash around. Not only does the card provide "electronic cash" and meet the need of our Soldiers, it decreases the need for cash on the battlefield. This supports the efforts of reducing the amount of U.S. currency circulating in theater and boosting the value of the host nation currency. Eagle Cash Cards provides Soldiers easier and safer access to currency.

Phase IV of the Eagle Cash Card fielding is a synchronized effort among the 13th Finance Group, AAFES, Postal, the U.S. Treasury, and the United States Army Finance Command, focused on fielding 19 sites throughout Iraq.

• Date Taken: 03.16.2007
• Date Posted: 03.16.2007 16:06
• Story ID: 9474