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FM folks focus on $$$ and sense

By SSgt. Marilyn C. Holliday
AIA/PA
Kelly AFB, Texas

A billion-dollar budget is something that the majority of us will never have to worry about. But for the folks in AIA’s Financial Management Directorate, slicing and serving up that billion-dollar pie to AIA subordinate units is their job.

“Our mission is the AIA mission,” Lt. Col. Larry Trower, Budget director, said. “We supply folks with the dollars they need to get the mission accomplished, while supporting quality of life.”

But none of the divvying happens without careful consideration, expert planning and the involvement of the entire headquarters staff,” he said. “In Budget we look at current year and the next year. We’ve just closed out FY99 and are starting fiscal 2000, although the budget was submitted to the Air Staff in May 1999.”

The budget comes to AIA from three sources: NSA, Defense Intelligence Agency and the Air Force. Additionally, which source of money pays for what is determined by a number of factors, such as, what task is being performed, who hired the people for the task, and who is the end-customer for the product.

With plans made a year or two in advance and multiple funding sources, what about requirements that weren’t listed in the financial plan?

“That’s what makes budget execution an art form and not a science,” Trower said. “The commander provides us guidance. We use that guidance and the AIA corporate process to evaluate requirements and rack-and-stack them, funding the most important ones first - the one’s that best meet the AIA missions and goals.”

FM members played a part in several popup requirement successes during fiscal 1999, including activation of imbedded Information Warfare Flights at 9th Air Force, Shaw AFB, S.C., and the 7th Air Force, Korea. Funding sources were found for contractor support, renovation and remodeling of facilities, equipment, computers and communications lines.

“While that was a multi-million dollar effort, all of our successes weren’t necessarily with large dollar amounts,” he said. Other successes are AIA Heritage Hall funding, dormitory furniture at the 694th Intelligence Group, Ft. Meade, Md., and a future learning center at the 303rd Intelligence Squadron, Osan AB, Korea. “These are examples of small dollar amounts that are considered great successes because they affect AIA members directly,” Trower said.

“Our folks try to keep their fingers on the pulse of what’s happening,” Trower said. “If there’s a secret to our success it’s being in the know and having a good working relationship with the staff. “

Three of FM’s members were awarded top honors by the Alamo Chapter of the American Society of Military Comptrollers, which boasts a membership of more than 800. Winners are: Ted Johnson, Civilian, Maj. Kyle Kuhn, Officer; and SMSgt. Paula Lumby, Senior NCO.

“We’re a solid team,” he said. “Our charter is to satisfy all AIA missions by using taxpayers’ dollars in the most prudent fashion possible.”

With the start of fiscal Y2K upon them, the FM directorate’s master chefs are among the first to ply their trade in the new millenium, carefully mixing and sifting three new pots of money to bake yet another fiscal pie for all AIA’s anxiously waiting customers.