R 141358Z MAR 12 ALCOAST 122/12 COMDTNOTE SUBJ: 2011 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO) AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC R132205Z JAN 12, ALCOAST 026/12 B. MEDALS AND AWARDS MANUAL, COMDTINST 1650.25(SERIES) 1. THE 2011 COAST GUARD CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO) AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE RECOGNIZE THOSE PERSONNEL WHO HAVE MADE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO COAST GUARD OPERATIONS IN THE FIELDS OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, COMPTROLLERSHIP, ACQUISITION, PROCUREMENT AND LOGISTICS. DUE TO THE MANY STRONG TEAM NOMINATIONS RECEIVED, I HAVE SELECTED TWO WINNERS FROM THIS CATEGORY TO SHARE THIS YEARS CG CFO AWARD. 2. I AM HONORED TO ANNOUNCE THE 2011 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AWARD WINNERS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CATEGORIES: A. ENLISTED PERSONNEL (E6 AND BELOW): SK1 DAVID KNAPP, BASE HONOLULU, HI. SK1 KNAPP DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL PROFESSIONALISM AS HE PROCESSED OVER 420 SECTOR HONOLULU AND SFLC SMALL BOAT PRODUCT LINE PROCUREMENT TRANSACTIONS SUPPORTING OPERATIONAL MISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE 14TH COAST GUARD DISTRICT AREA OF OPERATIONS. FULLY UTILIZING ALL MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL RESOURCES, SK1 KNAPP SUCCESSFULLY COORDINATED COMPLEX TRANSPORTATION REQUIREMENTS ENSURING MISSION CRITICAL REPAIR PARTS REACHED ASSETS OPERATING AT EXTREMELY REMOTE LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE PACIFIC OPERATIONAL THEATER. SK1 KNAPP ALSO SERVED AS THE PROCUREMENT UNIT LEADER DURING THE 2011 ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION (APEC) CONFERENCE AND WAS SELECTED BY THE WHITE HOUSE STAFF AS AN ESCORT FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER WORLD LEADERS FOR VARIOUS EVENTS DURING THE CONFERENCE. ADDITIONALLY, SK1 KNAPP DEMONSTRATED HIS COMMITMENT TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT BY EARNING HIS CERTIFIED DEFENSE FINANCIAL MANAGER (CDFM) CREDENTIAL. B. ENLISTED PERSONNEL (E7 AND ABOVE): SKC JAMES BIGGS, SILC DET WASHINGTON, DC. ONLY A SHORT TIME AFTER REPORTING ABOARD, SKC BIGGS DEMONSTRATED HIS SUPERIOR LEADERSHIP AND TECHNICAL SKILLS WHILE FILLING IN FOR THE SILC DET WASHINGTON COMPTROLLER FOR A TWO MONTH PERIOD WHILE THE INCUMBENT WAS TAD IN SUPPORT OF DEEPWATER HORIZON RESPONSE EFFORTS. SKC BIGGS SUPPORTED ALL COAST GUARD HEADQUARTERS DIRECTORATES AND OUTLYING UNITS BY EXPERTLY ALLOCATING, RECONCILING, AND TRACKING 12 ACCOUNTS THAT HELD OVER 16 MILLION DOLLARS IN OPERATING EXPENSE (OE) FUNDING. SKC BIGGS ACHIEVED PHENOMENAL RESULTS ENSURING STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE GENERAL ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES WHICH RESULTED IN HIGH BUDGETARY METRICS SCORES. SK1 BIGGS ALSO PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE IN PLANNING FOR THE BASE NCR STAND UP AS WELL AS THE MULTITUDE LOGISTICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ST. ELIZABETH MOVE. SKC BIGGS EFFORTS DIRECTLY LED TO THE REORGANIZATION OF MULTIPLE SMAS, PROCESSING OF NEW CREDIT CARDS, AND NUMEROUS MEMORANDUMS OF UNDERSTANDING (MOUS) WITH VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. SKC BIGGS INSIGHT AND EXPERTISE WAS ALSO HIGHLIGHTED DURING THE COMPREHENSIVE CAPITALIZED AND NON-CAPITALIZED PERSONAL PROPERTY INVENTORY. C. CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE UP TO GS-8: MS. KYLENE YAMAUCHI, BASE HONOLULU, HI. MS. YAMAUCHI DISTINGUISHED HERSELF BY HER PRECISE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE COAST GUARD FINANCIAL SYSTEM WHILE SERVING AS THE JUNIOR MEMBER OF THE COAST GUARD BASE SUPPORT UNIT HONOLULU FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING BRANCH. MS. YAMAUCHIS IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONABLE PROGRAM ELEMENT REPORT TRANSACTIONS LED TO THE IDENTIFICATION AND CORRECTION OF ACCOUNTING ERRORS TOTALING OVER 80 THOUSAND DOLLARS. CLOSELY WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF FINANCIAL MANAGERS, MS. YAMAUCHI SUCCESSFULLY VALIDATED AND CLEARED UNDELIVERED ORDERS VALUED AT OVER 230 THOUSAND DOLLARS. MS. YAMAUCHI VOLUNTARILY ASSISTED THE PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACTING DIVISION TO PROCESS NEW FISCAL YEAR RECURRING SERVICE CONTRACTS AND TOOK ON ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD IN ORDER TO ALLOW ONE OF YOUR TEAM MEMBERS TO DEPLOY IN SUPPORT OF THE COAST GUARD DEEPWATER HORIZON INCIDENT RESPONSE OPERATIONS. D. CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE GS-9 TO GS-12: MR. JOHN BOWERMAN, USCG YARD, BALTIMORE, MD. MR. BOWERMAN IS RECOGNIZED FOR EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE AS INTERNAL CONTROLS PROGRAM COORDINATOR AND DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO) AUDIT COORDINATOR FOR THE CG YARD. MR. BOWERMAN WORKED CLOSELY WITH COMDT (CG-85) INTERNAL CONTROLS TEAM MEMBERS TO REVIEW FINANCIAL OPERATING PROCEDURES AND TO PREPARE YARD PROCESS OWNERS FOR EXTENSIVE TESTS OF DESIGN AND THE SUBSEQUENT TESTS OF EFFECTIVENESS OF OVER FOUR DOZEN YARD INTERNAL CONTROLS. MR. BOWERMAN INCORPORATED KEY PROCESS OWNERS IN THE INTERNAL CONTROL TESTING AND PROMPTLY ADDRESSED ANY DEFICIENCIES OR HIGH RISK AREAS. DEMONSTRATING LEADERSHIP AS THE YARDS AUDIT COORDINATOR FOR THE FY2011 DHS FINANCIAL AUDIT, MR. BOWERMAN FIELDED OVER 100 AUDIT REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION AND TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO ACTIVELY PURSUE REMEDIATION OF REPORTABLE CONDITIONS. COAST GUARDS FIRST QUALIFIED AUDIT OPINION UNDER DHS. E. CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE GS-13 AND ABOVE: MR. JIM BRINER, C4IT SERVICE CENTER, OAKLAND, CA. AS C4IT SC ASSET LOGISTICS DIVISION FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT BRANCH CHIEF, MR. BRINER MASTERFULLY COORDINATED PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF C4IT SERVICE CENTERS 503 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET ACHIEVING A 99.96 PERCENT FY11 OBLIGATION RATE. THIS TASK WAS PARTICULARLY COMPLEX BECAUSE IT COVERS 750 ACCOUNTS WITH MORE THAN 75 THOUSAND TRANSACTIONS SUPPORTING STAFFS AT 88 LOCATIONS ACROSS THE US. CENTRAL TO THIS ACHIEVEMENT WAS MR. BRINERS TIRELESS LEADERSHIP AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ROBUST BUDGETARY TRANSPARENCY PROCESSES AND TOOLS. MR. BRINER IMPLEMENTED A NEW FY11 FISCAL PLAN OF ACTION AND MILESTONES, ALIGNING PROJECT MANAGERS, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, AND CONTRACTING. HE DEPLOYED A WEEKLY C4IT DRILLDOWN REPORT FOR ACCOUNTING AND FISCAL TRANSPARENCY, A WEEKLY LATE PROCUREMENT REQUEST ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT AND A BI-WEEKLY OVER-COMMITMENT REPORT, ENSURING A COMMITMENT-LEVEL SOLVENCY OF ALL C4IT SC ACCOUNTS. MR. BRINER ALSO REDUCED OVER-COMMITTED ACCOUNTS 86 PERCENT AND VALIDATED 100 PERCENT OF FY11 AND FY12 OBLIGATIONS. IN ADDITION, MR. BRINER OVERHAULED THE FY12 BUDGET PLANNING PROCESS, ALIGNING FY12 INVESTMENTS WITH C4IT SC DIRECTOR, CIO, AND OPERATIONAL PARTNER PRIORITIES. F. CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER: CWO IAN WEISS, CYBERCOM PRECOMMISSIONING DET, WASHINGTON, DC. CWO WEISS DEMONSTRATED SUPERIOR FINANCIAL PLANNING SKILLS BY IMMEDIATELY TURNING CGCYBERCOMS NASCENT VISION INTO A COHERENT RESOURCE PROPOSAL FOR FY13. HE COMPLETELY REVAMPED CGCYBERCOMS PAYGO FOR FY12 AND THEN EXECUTED A PERFECT END-OF-YEAR SPEND-DOWN FOR FY11. EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVELY, CWO WEISS DRAFTED A STATEMENT OF WORK AND LED THE AWARD OF A MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT TO IMPROVE INFORMATION ASSURANCE TRAINING THROUGHOUT THE COAST GUARD. WITH NO PREVIOUS CYBERSECURITY OR INFORMATION ASSURANCE BACKGROUND, CWO WEISS THOROUGHLY RESEARCHED THE COAST GUARD CYBERSECURITY TRAINING CURRICULUM, SIGNED UP FOR CYBER COURSES ONLINE TO IMPROVE HIS UNDERSTANDING OF CYBERSECURITY, LED THE SOURCE SELECTION FOR THE CONTRACT, AND MANAGED THE CONTRACT WHILE ALSO PERSONALLY REPRESENTING CGCYBERCOM TO UNITS AROUND THE COAST GUARD. G. COMMISSIONED OFFICER UP TO O-3: LT WILLIAM SANDERS, COMDT (CG-831), WASHINGTON, DC. LT SANDERS DEMONSTRATED EXEMPLARY INITIATIVE TO ENSURE ALL COAST GUARD APPROPRIATION MANAGERS WERE ARMED WITH POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO EFFECTIVELY MONITOR OVER 10 BILLION DOLLARS IN FUNDS AND REDUCE AUDIT RISK. EXAMPLES OF PARTICULAR MERIT INCLUDE RE-ENGINEERING OF PROCESSES FOR ALLOTMENTS, ANTECEDENT LIABILITIES, OUTLAY PROJECTIONS, AND DEVELOPING A PROCEDURE FOR MANAGEMENT OF A BUDGETARY RESOURCE DOCUMENT REPOSITORY. LT SANDERS IDENTIFIED A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL SYSTEM ERROR THAT CAUSED MULTI-YEAR ACCOUNT BALANCES TO BE MISSTATED IN THE FPD FUNDS CHECK MODULE BY OVER 50 MILLION DOLLARS. LT SANDERS IMMEDIATELY RE-CALIBRATED FUNDS CHECK THRESHOLDS, NOTIFIED KEY STAKEHOLDERS, AND INITIATED TRANSACTION-LEVEL MANAGEMENT OF EFFECTED ACCOUNTS. ADDITIONALLY, LT SANDERS DISPLAYED EXCEPTIONAL EXPERTISE WHILE CONDUCTING AN IN-DEPTH ANTI-DEFICIENCY ACT INVESTIGATION FOR A SISTER DHS COMPONENT AGENCY. H. COMMISSIONED OFFICER O-4 AND ABOVE: CDR CARL MESSALLE, AVIATION LOGISTICS CENTER, ELIZABETH CITY, NC. AS THE COMPTROLLER OF THE COAST GUARDS AVIATION LOGISTICS CENTER (ALC), CDR MESSALLE ACHIEVED UNPARALLELED, PRECEDENT-SETTING PERFORMANCE AS HE SPEARHEADED THE EFFORTS OF 100 MILITARY, CIVILIAN AND CONTRACT PERSONNEL IN EXECUTING 530 MILLION DOLLARS OF APPROPRIATIONS. PROVIDING INSPIRED LEADERSHIP, CDR MESSALLES DIVISION SUCCESSFULLY MANAGED AND ACCOUNTED FOR ALL CAPITALIZED PROPERTY (CP), OPERATING MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES (OMS), REPAIRABLE SPARES, FUNDS BALANCE WITH TREASURY, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE (AP) AND RECEIVABLE (AR), SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATING THROUGH ALL AUDIT TESTS WITHOUT ANY MATERIAL DEFICIENCIES NOTED. ALD ACHIEVED ALL FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE TARGETS AND MET ALL CFO AUDIT REPORTING DEADLINES, ENABLING THE AGENCY TO RECEIVE ITS FIRST-EVER QUALIFIED OPINION, DESPITE ENDURING BUDGET REDUCTIONS IN 0PERATING AND EXPENSE (OE) FUNDING, A 15 PERCENT REDUCTION IN AC(AND)I AUGMENTS, AND WITHOUT THE ADDITION OF A SINGLE BILLET. I. TEAM AWARD: DISTRICT 11 BUDGET BRANCH PERSONNEL, ALAMEDA, CA. THE D11 TEAM WORKED CLOSELY WITH COMDT (CG-831) AND FINANCE PERSONNEL TO COORDINATE THE REVIEW OF OVER 150 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS AT D11 UNITS, AND PROVIDED TRAINING TO PACAREA AND DCMS UNITS IN THE D11 AOR. THIS IMPORTANT BODY OF WORK PLAYED A ROLE IN THE COAST GUARD RECEIVING A QUALIFIED AUDIT OPINION FOR THE FIRST TIME WHILE AS A COMPONENT OF DHS. UTILIZING LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIS INITIATIVE, THE D11 TEAM IMPLEMENTED A DISTRICT-WIDE SOP TO IMPROVE THE ACCOUNTING OF OVER 10 MILLION DOLLARS IN ANNUAL AVIATION FUEL PURCHASES, REDUCING ERROR RATES BY OVER 90 PERCENT. BASED ON THE SOP SUCCESS, D11 DEVELOPED AND PROMULGATED A DESK GUIDE FOR AVIATION FUEL ACCOUNTING WHICH HAS BEEN PRESENT TO COMDT (CG-832) AND FORCECOM FOR CG-WIDE ADOPTION. FACING SIGNIFICANT BUDGETARY TIGHTENING IN FY12, D11 ENHANCED FISCAL STEWARDSHIP BY IMPLEMENTING OVER 200 THOUSAND DOLLARS IN BUDGET REDUCTIONS THRU THE IDENTIFICATION AN ELIMINATION OF LOWER PRIORITY TRAVEL, THEREBY REDUCING THE IMPACT OF CONSTRAINED BUDGETS ON FIELD-LEVEL OPERATIONS. J. TEAM AWARD: USCG FUND BALANCE WITH TREASURY TEAM, WASHINGTON, DC. THE FUND BALANCE WITH TREASURY GENERAL LEDGER (FBWT/GL) TEAM LEVERAGED THE CAPABILITIES OF THE AUDIT COMMAND LANGUAGE (ACL) DATA ANALYSIS TOOL TO PARSE COMPLEX FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS INTO USEFUL SEGMENTS AND TO ATTEMPT TO TRACE TRANSACTIONS THROUGH CAS, NESSS AND ALMIS. THIS DETAILED WORK PROVIDED THE FIRST-EVER COMPREHENSIVE INVESTIGATION TO CONFIRM THAT THE DEBIT/CREDIT PAIRINGS IN USE WITHIN CAS WERE ALIGNED WITH THE AUTHORIZED ACCOUNT TRANSACTIONS FROM THE U.S. TREASURY FINANCIAL MANUAL. THE TEAMS WORK WITH IMPROPER TRANSACTION CODES IN NESSS AND ALMIS AND THE ON-TOP ADJUSTMENTS OCCURRING IN CAS NOT ONLY RESULTED IN FULLY DOCUMENTED AND SUPPORTED JOURNAL ENTRIES, BUT ALLOWED THE COAST GUARD TO SUPPORT THE REMAINING BALANCES IN THE IMPACTED ACCOUNTS. THE FBWT TEAM DEMONSTRATED GREAT CREATIVITY AND RESOLVE IN SUPPORTING THE COAST GUARDS 6.5 BILLION DOLLAR FBWT LINE ITEM, CLEARING THE LAST SIGNIFICANT HURDLE TO OBTAINING A QUALIFIED OPINION ON THE DHS BALANCE SHEET. 3. I CONGRATULATE ALL NOMINEES AND AWARD WINNERS ON YOUR SUCCESS AND ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY TO CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE IN THE WORK YOU DO. THE INNOVATIVE AND DEDICATED EFFORTS BEING MADE EVERY DAY THROUGHOUT THE COAST GUARD TO MANAGE OUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORT OUR OPERATIONAL NEEDS WAS REFLECTED IN ALL OF THE NOMINATION SUBMISSIONS. 4. THE COAST GUARD CFO AWARDS WILL BE PRESENTED DURING THE COAST GUARD SERVICE DAY AT THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MILITARY COMPTROLLER (ASMC) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (PDI) IN ANAHEIM, CA MAY 30 TO JUNE 1, 2012. COMDT (CG-8) WILL PROVIDE FUNDING FOR PERSONAL AWARD WINNERS AND THE TEAM LEADER OR DESIGNEE OF THE TEAM AWARD TO ATTEND. PLEASE ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS CONCERNING NOMINATIONS, AWARD PRESENTATIONS, ACCOMMODATIONS, TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AND FUNDING TO MS. SERENA SANCHEZ AT (202)372-3603, OR EMAIL SERENA.I.SANCHEZ(AT) USCG.MIL OR LCDR WILL BUDOVEC AT (202)372-3655 OR WILLIAM.A.BUDOVEC (AT) USCG.MIL. 5. RDML S.P. METRUCK, ASSISTANT COMDT FOR RESOURCES/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER SENDS. 6. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.