Fairchild finance hosts top AF comptroller, discusses new audit program

Published April 7, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Sam Fogleman
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- The Honorable Dr. Jamie Morin, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller, visited Fairchild April 1 to observe the rollout of the Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System, the new method by which the Air Force will maintain audit readiness in regards to all of its finances and allocations.

Dr. Morin stopped at Fairchild en route to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., given they were two of the Air Mobility Command bases transitioning to DEAMS on that date.

"The Department of the Air Force has a legal requirement to be ready for a full audit by 2017," Morin said. "Gen. Darren McDew and I will be working closely together getting this system up and running by the end of the year."

Part of the push toward a successful audit readiness structure is in light of conversion complications experienced the past few years while trying to move away from the previous archaic legacy system.

"They had to rebalance everything," Morin recalled. "The legacy systems do not have rigorous edit controls. Working through that massive list of rejected documents was insurmountable."

Part of the intention of Morin's visit was boosting morale from his post at the Pentagon to his organization's direct subordinate units across the Air Force.

"Our commitment is that we've got your back," Morin said. "More standardization makes the institution easier to manage."

Morin stressed that time and legality were both of the essence when it comes to the Air Force's audit readiness push.

"The Air Force is in the midst of a major transition from the core accounting system that dates to the 1960s," Morin said. "We have to make the transition, both to be more efficient stewards of taxpayer dollars, and because of the legal mandate. Some of the changes need to be implemented in 2014, and all of them by 2017. We are charged with squeezing the maximum combat capability out of every dollar."

Morin spoke to the changes Fairchild personnel can expect under the DEAMS program.

"There's a lot going on across the Air Force," Morin said. "For folks in finance and resource management, there will be a direct systems change. If you're turning a wrench on the flightline, there will be more accountability for assets. The core of most jobs should not change all that much."

Following a meet-and-greet with much of the 92nd Comptroller Squadron, Morin spoke at an all-call gathering for that unit.

"These changes are demanding a lot of the financial community," he told attendees. "We have an important responsibility to help Airmen get their jobs done. We're doing this in an environment where force shaping is attracting everyone's attention."

Morin went on to explain the true intention of DEAMS.

"This is about building community and a common metric," he said. "My top priority is the audit and about giving the Secretary of the Air Force a clear assessment of how we're doing. She needs to make her budgetary assertions with the best possible advice. Secretary James' view is that we should lean forward.

"My next priority is the resource picture," Morin added. "The president asked for an increase in our budget. We don't know if we will get that from Congress. We have to plan for both eventualities."

Comptroller leadership was on hand at Morin's all-call talk, as well as for much of his visit.

"Dr. Morin's visit shows that senior leadership fully supports the DEAMS program and ensures we have a successful transition from our aged legacy systems," said Maj. Kevin Watts, the 92nd CPTS commander. "In addition, he further instilled the importance of ensuring we meet audit readiness standards."

Morin left on an optimistic note.

"We recruit incredibly talented people," Morin said of the Air Force. "We're not going away."

Following Morin's roughly six-hour visit to the Fairchild area, he was on his way to JBLM.