PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - Capt. Alfonso I. Castillo was one of two Army Reserve soldiers selected by an Army Financial Management Panel to attend the Defense Comptrollership Program at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y., he will begin the program to obtain two masters degrees within 14 months May 2012.
Castillo, a New Orleans native, and the operations and management branch chief of the Army Reserve Medical Command, is honored to be one of two Army Reserve soldiers chosen.
“I am looking forward to going back to school,” said Castillo, who will start in May. “I am ready.”
The board consisted of a five person panel: a senior executive service member and four senior ranking Financial Management officers, who reviewed nearly 20 applicants for the DCP opportunity. He was notified by Capt. Chris J. Ronald, company grade assignments officer for the FM Branch at U.S. Army Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Ky., of his selection into the program.
"Capt. Castillo’s knowledge of Army financial systems … and his professionalism make him a most worthy candidate,” said Lt. Col. Michael Tolbert, deputy chief of resource management. “He is an indispensable member of our section here at the Army Reserve Medical Command, we don’t want to see him go, but this is a great opportunity for him.”
Since the program’s inception in 2002, there are more than 1,600 Department of the Army DCP graduates. The DCP represents a unique collaboration between SU and the Department of Defense. SU developed a graduate education program to meet the Army’s comptrollers needs. There are approximately 30 participants in each DCP class. The majority of the class is made up of Active and Reserve military officers.
The 14-month program provides comptrollers with leadership and management skills, practical and analytical tools and a conceptual perspective required in the challenging and demanding resource management environment. Upon completion of the DCP, students receive a Masters of Business Administration, as well as an Executive Masters of Public Administration.
"Capt. Castillo has been a good mentor … I believe going to Syracuse is a great opportunity for him and for us," said Staff Sgt. Paul Martin, budget non-commissioned officer and lead defense travel administrator. “Our paths will cross again.”