Photo By Wayne Cook | Spc. Tracy Dillard of the 1128th Financial Management Detachment of the Tennessee...... read more read more
Wayne Cook
ASA-Dix Public Affairs
ARMY SUPPORT ACTIVITY-DIX, JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. — For 25 experts of the 1128th Financial Management Detachment, Jan. 30 couldn't come soon enough when the organization gained full accounting of their capabilities at Army Support Activity-Dix to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sgt. Maj. Raymond Riley and his team, of the United States Army Finance Command in Indianapolis, traveled to New Jersey to train and assess the 1128th Soldiers.
"The Soldiers of the 1128th Financial Management Detachment are really preparing themselves for their mission downrange to replace the unit in theater [Iraq]. They are pretty perceptive of the training we have provided. This unit's disbursing skills are top-notch. It is a definite asset to their overall mission," Riley said.
The detachment will be split between two forward operating bases in country, which will pose a slight challenge, but Riley believes they will be able to overcome that because of strong team leadership.
Maj. Ken Greer, a finance systems officer at USAFINCOM said the mission of the Tennessee Army National Guard detachment from Smyrna, Tenn., will be to support warfighters to resolve military pay, entitlement and leaves issues with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service. This includes issuing casual pay to Soldiers and overseeing the EagleCash Card program.
Casual pay is a temporary payment intended to help Soldiers overcome financial hardships caused by circumstances beyond their control.
EagleCash is a cash management tool designed to support U.S. military personnel deployed in combat zones and on peacekeeping missions. EagleCash cards can interface with automated kiosk devices located at convenient locations on the base. This allows enrolled cardholders self-service access to funds in their U.S.-based checking or savings accounts. Funds on the card can be used to purchase goods and services at the Post Exchange or Base Exchange, postal facility, and select concessions on base.
The 1128th commander, 1st Lt. Sherrie Dewitt a native of Murphreesboro, Tenn., believes the size of the detachment is strength because all the Soldiers are like a family.
"We're like brothers and sisters. We may scuffle once in a while but when it comes to getting the mission accomplished, these Soldiers know how to pull it together and get the job done," she said.
The lieutenant said the training at ASA-Dix ran the whole gambit of requirements for her Soldiers from weapons training to cash disbursement and was very intense. She added the training staff was very supportive of the detachment.
"I'm a little anxious, but I'm also very confident we will do great because we have a great group of Soldiers. We're not kicking down doors, but we will be supporting those who do," said Dewitt.
Spc. Tracy Dillard, of Hopkinsville, Ky., had the experience of joining a new unit and learning a new job in order to deploy with the 1128th. This former human resources assistant assigned to the 105th Personnel Company in Nashville heard about the occupation field from some friends and thought working in the finance was an interesting challenge.
"Besides my own home unit, I don't think I could have deployed with a better unit. I have learned a whole lot through all the training we've been through. I had to learn first to crawl, then to walk, and now to run as a finance specialist. I feel confident that I can do my job when we get overseas. Training at ASA-Dix with Sgt. 1st Class [Tonya] Patterson of the U.S. Army Finance Command has helped me immensely," Dillard said.
| Date Taken: | 02.03.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 02.16.2010 09:25 |
| Story ID: | 45411 |
| Location: | ASA-DIX, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 181 |
| Downloads: | 122 |
This work, Pay Experts Meet Requirements for OIF Deployment, by Wayne Cook, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
