Page 19 - FCA Diamond Point Dec 24-smg review

FROM THE FIELD

management system, JUMPS permitted Service-specific modifications. The U.S. Army Finance and

Accounting Center (USAFAC)/Assistant Comptroller of the Army (Financial Management) (A/COA)
implemented JUMPS-Army worldwide between July and December 1971. According to Colonel J.
Claud Wallace, who was the Project Manager for 14 months, JUMPS-Army centralized the pay and
entitlements of military personnel; deducted allotments from Soldiers pay); and mailed checks to
designated addresses. JUMPS-Army included options for military pay as either “check to bank” or
“check to unit.”

During the 1970s and mid-1980 strong opposition existed to making mandatory the “check to bank”
option. When assigned to the 3 Armored Division Finance Office in West Germany (1978-1980), a
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fellow Finance Officer traveled to several units to provide classes on proper management of a
banking account and checkbook. During one class, he told me, a commander commented that he

“would prefer a Soldier carry around a loaded weapon rather than a checkbook.” Later (1982-1985),
when I was the Army Banking Officer, I was told by a major general, who resisted requiring Soldiers

to have a “check to bank” pay option: “As long as Soldiers had blank checks, they believed they

had money.” I understood the attitude because unit commanders spent a considerable amount of
time dealing with Soldiers who overdrew their accounts and the recipients of those “bounced”
checks.

Many Soldiers had large allotments taken out of their pay and sent to financial institutions, but not

all their pay! Therefore, many of the “check to unit” checks were for a modest amount. I have many
memories of being on the third floor of USAFAC’s Central Pay Operations when payday checks

were being printed and prepared for shipment to units. (What a mess when one of the printers
jammed!) The printed checks were bundled by unit and put in bright orange bags. This facilitated

transportation and handling in order for the checks to arrive at their unit in time for payday on the
last day of the month.

While the checks were going to the units by mail, commanders had to

designate pay officers and, if stationed overseas, foreign currency
exchange officers, to pick up cash in U.S. Dollars (or foreign currency if

overseas). These “Class A Agents” arrived early at the Finance Office on
payday, received a list of names and amounts due, signed for a paper

bag filled with U.S. Dollars, and went to a room to count and confirm the
amount received. Foreign currency agents only picked up cash but did
The Making of a Non-Commissioned Officer by SSG
have to count it. This photo was taken in 1970 when I was a Military Pay
Clerk in Pleiku, Vietnam. Prior to JUMPS implementation, we manually typed monthly pay vouchers
Alisha A. Gonzalez, 36B SLC, 003-21
for Soldiers to sign and paid them in cash. Any pay sent to banks by USAFAC was through
Introduction
allotments. In Vietnam, Military Payment Certificates (script) were used in lieu of US Dollars.

Great leaders are students of leadership and are constantly evolving and adapting to those whom
This monthly process was the norm and targeted by the Grace Commission as a candidate for cost
they lead. The important qualities of an outstanding leader are constant growth and personal
reduction. For the upcoming fiscal year (1985), OMB cut the Army’s budget request to force the
development, being a servant leader, and giving trust and respect. They emulate the ability to
Army into improving the process, and the Army/Treasury ATM Project to test the concept. The U.S.
adopt change and are stewards of being a servant leader. From person to person, leadership
Treasury involvement was crucial because they had to approve establishing the test finance office
looks differently. No two styles are the same, so while someone is developing their leadership
as a financial institution with the capability of accepting automated clearing house (ACH)
style, they take from the people who have been a mentor to them in the past. Not every person
transactions representing the Soldier’s pay. These ACH transactions eliminated the need for a
who has authority over others exhibits good behaviors. Through negative behavior, Soldiers and
“check to unit” and a pay officer. The Army also used an intergovernmental contract to piggyback
Leaders learn lessons. Leaders earn trust and respect, and building on that foundation with peers
on an existing Treasury contract to award a contract for project management (the Orkand
and subordinates requires consistency. It takes more than a day to develop great leaders.
Corporation, Falls Church, VA) and purchase of two National Cash Register ATMs and the “back
Although some people have natural leadership, it does not exempt them from continuing to grow.
office” support equipment for processing, storing, monitoring and reconciling ACH receipts and
ATM disbursements. Growth and Development

Growth as a leader comes with self-reflection, willingness to receive constructive criticism, and
In the next issue of Diamond Points will discuss “How” this project was conducted and the results.
taking experiences from others to incorporate and build on. Self-reflection requires a person to
have introspection when situations arise. Internally those persons may seek to understand how
to address situations from various perspectives. This applies to all ends of the spectrum
17
throughout your leadership career; not every encounter will be a walk in the park. When faced
with adversity, it gives a person an opportunity to cultivate a chance to evaluate the
circumstances of each instance. Individuals trying to better themselves value constructive