For most of the Army, June is a very special month, but it’s twice as special for Army financial management Soldiers, including twice the cake.
The U.S. Army Financial Management Command held a ceremony celebrating both the Army’s 244th birthday and the Army Finance Corps’ 244th birthday at the Emmett J. Bean Federal Center here June 14.
“This is a celebration, not just of an organization’s beginning, but of our heritage, our history and our heroes,” said Maj. Gen. David C. Coburn, USAFMCOM commanding general. “This year, as we celebrate our Army, we look back with our brothers and sisters in arms at the accomplishments of those who came before us.”
This year, the Army birthday was specifically focused on remembering the service and sacrifice of those who participated in the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, 75 years ago on D-Day during World War II.
“At a time in which most of the world was at war, brave Soldiers rushed out of landing craft straight into a hail of bullets – most of them believing that day would be their last,” Coburn said. “They also believed in the freedom and liberty for which our nation stands, and they believed that tyranny and oppression needed to be stopped, no matter the cost.”
The general also took a moment to recognize the financial management Soldiers who took part in the D-Day invasion. He specifically called out the 136th Finance Disbursing Section, which landed on June 6, 1944, and had set up a pay facility in Normandy the very next day.
“You should know, that we stand on the shoulders of giants, even in our financial management community,” Coburn said. “While there were still pockets of fighting, our financial management forefathers were serving the Soldiers who were willing to sacrifice everything to defeat Nazism and restore freedom around the globe.”
Looking from the past, to the present and on to the future, the general said he’s proud to be a Soldier and how far the Army has come in 244 years.
“Today’s Army is very different than the Army of the American Revolution, or even the Army of World War II…Today, we have the best training, equipment and leadership available,” he elaborated. “One thing that hasn’t change is the fighting spirit of the American Soldier.”
More than 100 Soldiers, Airmen and civilian employees from USAFMCOM and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service were on hand for the ceremony.
“Every one of you here continues to play a supporting role in this great collective history of ours,” Coburn concluded. “We have much to be proud of and celebrate together…Happy birthday!”
A direct reporting unit to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management & Comptroller, USAFMCOM provides finance support and liaison on matters pertaining to the adequacy of finance policies, systems and reporting requirements to Army commands, component commands, direct reporting units, installations, tactical units and DFAS.
USAFMCOM also performs Army-wide, unique actions such as financial management unit technical training, electronic commerce and classified finance and accounting oversight. The command is also responsible for the delivery of Army-wide Financial Management functions including enterprise resource planning systems support, audit and compliance support, financial operations support, ERP business process standardization support and Army field financial management activities operational oversight.
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