If your ROTC experience was anything like mine, by the time you leave college you could consider yourself a “T” [trained] at packing a ruck sack, taking a PT test, and performing a squad attack. You may also have had a majority of combat arms instructors tell you all about leading Soldiers and the “Real Army”. If you can relate to that experience, do not worry, you are not alone. As you skim through the list of branches available to rank order (or have already been chosen for you), there may be some less obvious branches listed. By the time I was a junior I had figured out what the S1 through S6 shops did, but Finance wasn’t one of my battalion’s “S Shops”. So, when Finance came up as my basic branch assignment, my first question was, what does a finance lieutenant do?
The history of the finance corps traces back to 1775 when the paymaster had duties such as traveling out to units in the field with a safe full of money to pay Soldiers in physical currency. You may have noticed that the Army no longer paysSoldiers in physical currency anymore, but the need to manage appropriated funds from Congress and have physical cash on the battlefield are invaluable capabilities that need the Army’s toptalent. People are the Army’s most valuable resource, and I would argue money (includes budgeted funds) is the Army’s second most important resource. Nothing happens without money! If you’ve traveled to training, received a piece of equipment, eaten a MRE, or even used a Porta-Jon, you’ve benefited from the use of money.
Not Bankers Hours
Before I get branch specific, please understand most of the day-to-day activities of a finance lieutenant are very similar to those of any branch. A finance lieutenant will still do PT in the morning with the Soldiers, run rifle ranges, counsel Soldiers, inventory equipment, and lead projects around the battalion. But, the mission of the finance corps is a unique one that ONLY a finance officer can do. Anyone can perform the basic battle drills, but only a finance officer is authorized to certify appropriated funds.
Think about the last few war clips that you watched…how many ATM machines were just randomly located in the jungle or the mountains of Afghanistan? I’ll save you the time, there were none; because random ATM machines do not exist in an austere environment. A finance lieutenant on the battlefield may be in charge of millions of dollars in various currencies to make casual payments (let Soldiers get currency to buy items on the local economy) or pay local contractors and vendors. If you are not in charge of physical currency, you may be working budgeting.
Congress appropriates money to the Army for it to use for everything from paying for training and paying our Soldiers, to procuring the latest weapon system and executing major construction projects. Financial managers are the people that budget and pay for everything that happens in the Army. The bottom line is, if you are thinking about choosing the Finance Corps, you are choosing to be a detail oriented leader that makes every mission happen. As I think about what makes a successful finance officer, there are three lessons that come to mind.
Lesson One: Attention to Detail
As a junior leader in the Army, you rely heavily on Non-Commissioned Officers. But, you also need to have strong research and information finding skills. You aren’t expected to have all the answers, but you need to be able to find the answers. Other officers and leaders will be there to mentor you, but you need to do your due diligence. Most mistakes come down to a lack of attention to detail.
I learned this lesson early, with my first operations order to run rifle range. I went to my platoon sergeant for some help, and after my first cut at it, I thought I was ready to brief the Commander.
“Who are the driver and TC of each vehicle?”
“Who is tasked to bring the staple gun for the targets?”
“I didn’t see staples on your supplies list, how will you put up targets without staples?”
“If your MEDEVAC vehicle leaves for an emergency, what’s your plan?”
Caught with cotton in my mouth and no answers to provide, I was taught a valuable lesson that day. Leave nothing to chance and always look to make your plan better – always improve your foxhole.
Attention to detail is imperative in all branches, but it is incredibly important in Finance. As a young financial manager, you may be accountable for millions of dollars of currency that you must keep track of down to the penny. Conversely, you may be certifying purchases using appropriated funds that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Did I mention that financial managers have pecuniary liability for every transaction they touch? That means a financial manager is financially on the hook for anything they sign. It is an enormous responsibility that requires a disciplined leader.
Lesson Two: Relationships Matter
You are an ambassador for the Army, your unit, and yourself. Everything you say and do reflects on more than just yourself. This is true for all of your actions on and off duty. One of my brigade commanders in Hawaii said, “Relationships Matter” at almost every staff meeting. He was not just talking about the relationships between the people sitting in the room, but also our relationships with everyone outside of the room as well.
The military is a very competitive environment, and to a large degree competition breeds excellence. Every unit wants to be the best; whether it’s platoons within a company, companies within a battalion, or even rivalry between services. As you progress through your career, building relationships will be the key to your success. If you develop a bad reputation it hurts you and your units ability to perform. Also, you never know when you may need to reach out to someone for help or expertise. Focus on building relationships so you can get the tacit knowledge that only the people within the institution possess. And, if none of that makes sense, smile and keep your ego in check.
Lesson Three: Care
The last lesson is common sense, but worth mentioning. To be successful you need to care. Care about what you do every day and care about the people you work with. If your Soldiers know that you care, they will be more motivated to work with you. And don’t forget to care about your family. It is easy to develop Army myopia, but ensure you remember your spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc. Keeping in contact with people will help ground you and give you a fulfilling life. Life in general, but especially the Army, is a people business.
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Best of luck to you as you endeavor on your Army journey. You may not get the branch you want, but remember – the one thing every branch has in common is the opportunity to lead and serve Soldiers. Do it well, because no matter the branch, your Soldiers deserve the best of you. I want to thank Lopez on Leadership and The Company Leader for the opportunity to share my thoughts.
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