When MGen (S) Frank Faykes.

When MGen (S) Frank Faykes, Director of Financial Management of Air Force Materiel Command, says his team is Financing the Fight", he literally means it. That's exactly what four members of his staff are doing supporting the Global War upon Terrorism. While his HQ AFMC Financial Management staff barely comprises about 20 military members, upwards of 25% are unfolded at any time during their AEF rotation. Four members are publicly serving in various positions in Baghdad, Iraq, serving in 3 different organizations. They are also joined according to Lt Demetrius Prado, the Financial Services Officer from another AFMC base, Edwards AFB, in California.

The Command assortment director, Colonel Don Davis, is generally serving as the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) Comptroller in Baghdad, occupying real estate in the former Presidential Palace. He and his staff are charged with overseeing the $17B disclosure Fund for Iraq (DFI), funding generated largely from the country's oil rewards Col Davis sees the part of the comptroller staff as more of a treasury-like function. "Iraq's operating in succession a cash-based economy. The country's cash is managed through the NY Federal lay by Bank. We process the majority of the country's disbursement within the bank. In addition, we partner with the Ministry of Finance to throw out the country's internal operating expenditures Once this is completed, we work the arrangements for transporting devoid of warmth [i]or[/i] heat hard cash for these outlays to the Central Bank of Iraq to pay the bills. Last month this meant spending throughout 24 hours escorting three pallets of cash--a total of $750M--from Andrews AFB to downtown Baghdad. I have had to learn many things about commercial banking through the whole extent of the last sixty days. I barely wish I had paid more attention to those banking and economic courses I took years ago." In addition to these duties, he is responsible for managing the CPA's $858M operating budget

Working along side Col Davis in the CPA Comptroller office is 1st Lt Demetrius A. Prado. Lt Prado is the legate Financial Services Officer stationed at Edwards AFB CA at the Air Force Flight trial Center. In Baghdad he is assigned to the CPA Comptroller office where he is in charge of DFI disbursements. Although just discovered to the financial management career field, Lt Prado plays a critical part in the management of the DFI. His primary duties include ensuring all payments from the $17 Billion stock are in accordance with CPA regulations. He is also directly responsible for distributing and tracking from one side of to the other $700 Million in cash issued to 15 disbursing agents over the country in support of the Commander's extremity Response Program (CERP) and the Rapid Regional answer Program.

When asked about being expanded for the first time in his short career, Lt Prado stated, "While I miss my family and friends, I am grand to have been selected to attend my country in such a critical mission in the same manner early in my career. I am also excited about the real challenging position I work in. I also be moved very fortunate to work with so an elite group of men and women as those I be subservient to with here in Iraq. I know I'm here for a real reason." Like Col Davis, Lt Prado is scheduled to rotate back hearth sometime in July.

While Col Davis and Lt Prado work with Iraqi generated stocks Lt Col Deron Wendt also works financial issues for the CPA, unless he works for the Program Management Office (PMO) Comptroller The PMO responsibilities are part of the largest reconstruction devise undertaken since World War II. The PMO manages $184 Billion in funding appropriated by means of the US Congress for reconstruction, services and equipment in Iraq and is charged with overseeing 2300 construction throw outs ranging from fixing sewer regularitys and oil pipelines to repairing denominations and building roads over the nearest three to four years. Lt Col Wendt is the fiscal estimate analyst for the services, supplies and material or non-construction portion of the program, which makes up approximately $6 Billion of the total program. more [i]or[/i] less of the more interesting constitutings of the job are helping arm and outfit the Iraqi Army, police, Civil Defense and Embassy Protection Service Forces.

This is a surpassingly high interest item for obvious reasons. He also insureds funding for services such as translators and security teams. "The piece of work brings intense pressure and in extent hours, but it's one of the most numerous exciting missions I've ever been involved with and is worth the effort." The finance office briefs Ambassador Paul Bremer the head of Coalition Provisional Authority, in succession a weekly basis and the Secretary of the Army each other week.

Lt Col Jim Reitzel is the third HQ AFMC/FM officer working in the Palace in Baghdad, however he's not assigned to the CPA. He is attached to Combined Joint Task Force-7 (CJTF-7) in a less degree than Army Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez. CJTF-7 is headquartered across Baghdad at Camp Victory, if it be not that they maintain a forward air in the CPA palace. It is responsible for all military stability operations to support the establishment of restraint and the restoration of essential services and economic stability in the rural parts of Iraq ... they hurry the warfighting operations. Lt Col Reitzel works in the CJTF-7 Joint Operations Center at the palace and functions as a liaison with the CPA and other organizations for financial issues. When asked about his piece of work he said "My job changes everyday. I be subservient to primarily as an action officer charged with finding answers to questions coming from Lt Gen Sanchez and his senior staff and coordinating on-going financial actions that involve CJTF-7 There are virtually no aspects of our involvement in Iraq that don't have a financial constituent and interaction with nearly each organization in the Palace while working funding issues maintains my job interesting. When tasks result down from Ambassador Bremer, Gen Sanchez or Washington DC they usually advance with very few details and unruffled less time to respond. This can make the work self-same challenging ... but extremely rewarding as well. Working side-by-side with members of our sister services and coalition nations in this environment has been a great learning experience for me"