Page 17 - FCA Diamond Point Sept 2022_Edits

FROM THE FIELD

US Army Financial Management Command

(USAFMCOM) Corner
Army Banking Program serves Soldiers, builds readiness:
By MAJ Jose L. Rivera and Mark R. W. Orders-Woempner

INDIANAPOLIS – Ancient Mesopotamians created the first known currency nearly 5,000 years ago,
and then created the first proto-banks shortly thereafter, historically speaking. Since that time,
banks have played a major role in human history, especially in providing the ability to both wage
war and defend peace.

Making history of its own, the U.S. Army Financial Management Command manages the U.S. Army
Banking Program from its headquarters in Indianapolis, with a focus on building the Army’s
operational readiness and individual Soldier readiness.

The program is also supported by banking officers and NCOs in the 266th Finance Support Center
for European banking, the 175th FISC for Pacific banking, and a rotational banking team in the
Middle East, normally assigned to a deployed FISC in Kuwait.

Additionally, all Army installations have an on-post bank and credit union liaison officer assigned,
who can advise leadership on banking policies; maintain and establish working relationships with
federal agencies, private financial institutions, and trade associations; and oversee all financial
institutions located on their installation.

“When we look at Army banking operations, there are two facets,” said MAJ Jose Rivera,
USAFMCOM’s Army banking officer. “The first and most-recognizable are the commercial financial
institutions on our installations that serve our Soldiers and their families, and they tie directly into
the Army’s People and Readiness priorities.”

These on-installation banks and credit unions not only provide traditional banking services to
service members, civilian employees and their families, but they specifically cater to the needs of
the military community. They do this through various education, loan and service programs aimed
at helping their military-affiliated customers make sound financial decisions.

“It’s critical that our Soldiers have their finances in order so they can focus on their wartime
mission and know their families are provided for back home,” explained Rivera. “Additionally, and I
can’t stress this enough, one of the biggest factors with security clearances, which definitely
impacts readiness, are a Soldier’s finances.”

The second focus of the Army Banking Program is operational readiness, especially when it comes
to large scale combat operations against near-peer adversaries.

“The next major conflict will happen with a speed and lethality that mankind has never seen
before,” said COL Greg Worley, U.S. Army Finance and Comptroller School commandant. “We are a
force-projection Army, which means we need to be able to rapidly open a theater to project decisive
force to anywhere in the world.

“We either take everything with us or we buy it along the way. There’s no in-between,” Worley
added. “Between the U.S. Army Contracting Command and our Finance Corps, it’s critical to ensure
we can do the latter.”

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