Page 12 - FCA Diamond Point Dec 24-smg review

AT THE FOREFRONT

Defense Finance and Accounting Service (Cont’d)

Ms. Davis, thanks for officiating this ceremony and for your mentorship and friendship over the
years. I have observed your outstanding leadership of this agency where you navigate each
situation with class and professionalism marked by a sense of coolness and calm. Our agency and
the Department are better because of you.

Honorable Miller, thanks for your kind comments today. I am honored to have had the opportunity
to support you and Honorable McCord. The timing of my retirement mattered to me as I wanted to
ensure Mr. McCord and you were at the helm to support the senior executive replacement
decisions.
Honorable Speer, thanks for speaking today. We go back about 34 years, as then, MAJ Speer
needed Joint Service Software deployment for Fort Bragg for the XVIII ABN Corp and 82d ABN DIV
while all of our DFAS five-teams task force was scheduled to deploy to EUSA in Korea. So, we took
the challenge, turned it into an opportunity, split the task force and successfully deployed to two
major organizations concurrently. Years later, I believe you had something to do with changing my
follow-on assignment from Korea to US Special Operations Command which really broadened my
horizons. I followed you as the Senior Military Assistant for the ASA FM&C. As the Commandant,
you respected my decision to retire from the Army which would prove beneficial to all as we ended
up working together to deploy GFEBS when you were PDASA FM&C and the ASA FM&C.

Honorable Spangler and Mr. Cooke, thanks for attending and especially thanks for representing our
Army the last four years ensuring the Army and DFAS relationship continued to improve.

Thanks to CSM (RET) Paul Morrisette for your service as CSM of the Finance Corps, past President
of the Finance Corps Association, and service at DFAS. Wow! I am blown away by the recognition
today.
Mrs. Terri McKay, I take pride in your selecting me for SES at DFAS and in the years of your
decisions positively affecting the agency and my career. The detail to DFAS Limestone as the
Acting Site Director, selection as the DFAS Rome Director in 2008; Deputy Director DFAS
Indianapolis in 2010; Director, DFAS Indianapolis in 2012 and DFAS Director of Information and
Technology in 2014, and Deputy Director Strategy & Support in 2019 are all your decisions. Our
many trips to the Middle East were special moments. Because of your decisions, I am standing
here today having had the opportunity to work the job of my dreams, as the DFAS Director
Operations. You are proof positive one person can make the difference. Thanks for your support!

Mr. Jonathan Witter is the Principal Deputy Director of our agency, but a little surprise for some
here today is most importantly Jonathan is my friend. I started working directly for you in
December 2014. After working together for just shy of ten years, our relationship has grown to the
point where we almost finish each other’s sentences. We have met challenges together that have
made us both better leaders. I know I was a pest when you were in the battle for your life, and I
called or texted almost every day. Whether it is work, family, or medical you’ve been there for me.
Thanks for being my friend.

Mr. Wayne Ingle, you always set a superb example and ensured I applied for SES. You shared with
me GUNG HO - the spirit of the squirrel, the way of the beaver, and the gift of the goose.
Edna Knight, big sister, you were the voice I needed when I wondered if I should compete for SES.
You and Elaine Kingston provided me the example of the SES package and the commitment to
doing what was right regardless of the circumstances. Thank you!

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