Who is the DoD Chief Financial Officer responsible for formulating DoD-wide financial management policies and directing the DFAS?

Who is the DoD Chief Financial Officer responsible for formulating DoD-wide financial management policies and directing the DFAS?

• A. Under Secretary of Defense - Comptroller (USD(C))
• B. Secretary of Defense
• C. Deputy Secretary of Defense
• D. Director, DFAS

Answer: (A)

The DoD Chief Financial Officer is the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). This official is responsible for formulating DoD-wide financial management policies and providing overarching direction to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which carries out the department’s accounting, payroll, disbursing, and financial reporting operations. The director of DFAS runs the agency’s day-to-day activities, but it is the USD(C) who sets policy and guides DFAS to implement it. The Secretary and Deputy Secretary lead the department but do not serve as the DoD CFO, and the Director of DFAS does not set broad DoD-wide financial policy.

The DoD Chief Financial Officer is the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). This official is responsible for formulating DoD-wide financial management policies and providing overarching direction to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, which carries out the department’s accounting, payroll, disbursing, and financial reporting operations. The director of DFAS runs the agency’s day-to-day activities, but it is the USD(C) who sets policy and guides DFAS to implement it. The Secretary and Deputy Secretary lead the department but do not serve as the DoD CFO, and the Director of DFAS does not set broad DoD-wide financial policy.