Photo By Edvin Hernandez | James Henderson, Command Property Officer for Strategic Systems Programs.... read more read more
When employees retire or depart for a new job opportunity, it tends to leave some employers with a knowledge gap to fill. At Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) in Washington, D.C., a new approach is being embraced to ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
Perry Trueax, the Financial Improvement Audit Remediation (FIAR) and Property Section Head, is departing the command next month after more than 23 years of federal service. Through his guidance and expertise, SSP has met auditing requirements ahead of schedule each year. While most of his work is done behind-the-scenes, Trueax’s commitment to the command’s no-fail strategic deterrence mission has improved the workforce’s ability to meet critical financial deadlines.
Recently, Trueax has been sidelined through illness, requiring him to lean on two of his employees to serve as his deputies in his absence. Patrick Perry, the command FIAR manager, and James Henderson, the command property officer, have gripped the burden of responsibility in leading the FIAR/Property section and have been absorbing as much information as they can from their mentor before he departs federal service and begins a new chapter in his life.
Both Perry and Henderson bring unique expertise to the job. Perry, for example, is a former Army service member who was initially involved in auditing work as a contractor supporting the U.S. Marine Corps. Since then, he has collected specialized experience in auditing with the Navy Bureau of Personnel and the Assistant Secretary of the Navy Financial Management and Comptroller office. Henderson, on the other hand, was one of the support contractors who helped the command transition to the Navy’s Enterprise Resource Planning software-based management system in 2011. He was officially hired into SSP’s Enterprise Business Office as a civilian in 2014, and two years later, transitioned to the FIAR/Property section.
Today, Trueax, Perry, and Henderson all play a vital role in preparing SSP for financial-related audits. One of their key methods to success is starting early. The team conducts internal tests on the command’s financial and timekeeping systems. Perry, who oversees some of this testing, said the utility in doing early testing is to ensure the command’s systems are effective; and to address any issues that are identified.
“During the planning phase of the auditing season, the auditors decide how they’re going to perform their audit and in what areas they will focus on,” Perry said. “So, we conduct our own testing with internal controls – tools used by management personnel to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse – and evaluate them to see if they meet the Navy’s financial system requirements.”
Government auditors, according to Perry, are focused on determining the credibility of the systems the Navy frequently uses to conduct business. This includes, but is not limited to, proving purchases for missile equipment and ensuring parts follow documented procedures of purchase and accountability through use.
Government auditors will also conduct blind audits, requesting SSP to rebuild some of their transactions as a means of validating purchase procedures were followed.
“The auditors will sometimes provide us with numbers and then it is on us to go into our records and sort of forensically rebuild some of our transactions,” Perry said. “For us, that means we have to retrace our steps to figure out what transactions belong to what, including the employee who performed the purchase and the supporting documents to validate that transaction.”
Trueax’s team also proves SSP’s property and equipment value. Henderson specifically leads this priority and supports the verification of materials that directly affect the development of the Navy’s strategic weapon system. This, however, is not always the easiest responsibility to fulfill.
“Auditors and accountants speak a different language than engineers and program managers,” Henderson said. “One of the biggest challenges we have is bridging that gap – to be on the same page and have a collective understanding.”
The command holds a unique responsibility for the Navy in developing advanced strike capabilities. Audits for the organization are imperative to understanding where each taxpayer dollar is spent.
“SSP is entrusted to sustain and develop systems that equip our warfighters,” Kevin Talley said, the SSP comptroller. “Audits are an integral part of the process to validate SSP is making the best use of the taxpayers’ dollars in a way that efficiently and effectively delivers the defense priorities SSP is responsible for to ensure our nation’s defense.”
Trueax, who holds a wealth of experience with audits through his time working at the Federal Aviation Administration, Military Sealift Command, SSP, and the Federal Student Aid Division at the Department of Education, emphasized the significance of maintaining healthy working relationships with the various departments at SSP.
“Someone once said to me that my job is like being an air traffic controller, and I make sure everyone is in their right positions and that everything keeps moving,” Trueax said. “If there is an obstacle, I do my best to remove it by asking questions or, if needed, by travelling down to the site to keep the ball rolling. It is my responsibility to keep everything moving so we can meet our deadlines. I stress to my guys the importance of maintaining strong working relationships – we always end up needing each other, so building that positive working relationship is always helpful.”
As Trueax prepares to transition out of federal service, Perry recognized Trueax’s influential leadership and hopes to build on what his mentor started.
“Throughout the years, he has really opened up inroads within the command,” Perry said. “He taught us who the right points of contacts are through this critical process and made tons of great connections. Now it’s on us to maintain those relationships and build new ones too.”
Trueax believes SSP is well positioned to maintain a strong and fluid auditing process under the guidance of Perry and Henderson.
“Our jobs in the FIAR section are to keep everything rolling,” Trueax said. “I have confidence that my guys will keep our financial systems and auditing process straight. They have the tools to continue the work we’ve been doing for decades, and now it is their turn to take this leadership opportunity and make it their own.”
| Date Taken: | 05.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.16.2025 09:11 |
| Story ID: | 498170 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 81 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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