What It Means to Be a DoD Financial Management Professional
By Morgan J. Holl
Located in the margin of page 3 of the ASMC Armed Forces Comptroller journal, you’ll find the very principles on
which ASMC was founded, the most important thoughts and concepts that govern Society membership and
behavior.
How many of us skip the opening act at a concert? Gloss over the Foreword of a novel? Fast-forward through the
opening credits of a movie? When it comes to the ASMC Pledge of Professionalism, don’t hit the fast-forward
button. Don’t skip ahead to the “good stuff.” Read the marginalia. Let the words resonate! Spend five minutes and
reflect on how you measure up to the characteristics and attributes of a Department of Defense (DoD) financial
management professional. One could break down ASMC’s Pledge of Professionalism into its ten components,
expounding in length on each individual statement and thought. Let’s instead take a simpler approach by examining
what it means to pledge professionalism and then exploring the unique characteristics that apply to a DoD financial
management professional.
A person is only as good as his or her word. Put another way, the degree to which we keep our promises serves as a
measuring stick in evaluating our character. A promise can take many forms. It is the vow we take when we commit
to one another as husband and wife. It is the oath of office that the President of these United States must affirm
before assuming the presidency. A pledge is a promise. ASMC’s Pledge of Professionalism is not just a set of ideals
but rather a promise and an individual commitment to uphold those ideals. By becoming members of ASMC and
taking that pledge, we enter into a contract and agree to be held accountable for keeping that pledge. We consent to
having our character judged on the extent to which we keep our word. Our pledge is a promise, a promise to
demonstrate the highest degree of professionalism in all that we do.
There’s nothing esoteric about the concept of professionalism. Professionals are compensated for what they do
because they possess unique skill sets and, as such, are held to a higher standard of work that connotes a notion of
expertise. A high degree of trust is placed in professionals because they are experts in their crafts. Consider getting
in a car accident or chipping your front tooth. You go to a mechanic for a professional estimate for repairing your
car. You visit a dentist for a professional opinion on fixing your tooth. You go to a professional because you believe
that individual to be knowledgeable, trustworthy, honest, and ethical.
As a DoD financial management professional, you shoulder responsibility for the planning, programming, budgeting
and execution processes for the world’s largest defense budget and preeminent military force. It’s not a task that
should be taken lightly. Whether it’s an entry-level clerk processing a travel order or a senior resourcing official
making multi-billion dollar acquisition decisions, the work of a DoD financial management professional is critical to
the success of our nation’s military. While business executives might have to answer to their company’s board of
directors and shareholders, DoD financial management professionals—ASMC members—are accountable to every
American taxpayer. Prudent and careful management of DoD resources impacts the taxes that hard-working
Americans contribute; the overall economic state of our nation; and more directly, the health, safety, and readiness
of our all-volunteer force. The contributions to the success of our military that DoD financial management
professionals make should not be overlooked or minimized.
Like the words found in the margin of an old manuscript or a great literary work, ASMC’s Pledge of
Professionalism should provide the lens through which you approach each and every work day. Memorize the
pledge, or better yet, spend time ruminating on what it means to pledge professionalism. You promise to uphold the
virtues of a consummate professional. Adhering to ASMC’s Pledge of Professionalism demonstrates your personal
commitment to doing the best job possible, acting ethically and responsibly as a representative agent of the U.S.
Government, and “always remembering that public office is a public trust.”
Author bio
MORGAN J. HOLL, CDFM-A
Morgan Holl is a senior program analyst with U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany. He holds a
bachelors degree in Economics and Spanish from the University of Virginia. Mr. Holl is a CDFM-A as well
as a Certified Government Financial Manager. He is a member of ASMC's Greater Stuttgart Chapter.