Soldiers compete for Finance Warrior of the Year title

By Ms. LaTrice Langston (IMCOM)May 10, 2018

FINANCE1
Spc. Weizhe Qi, 175th Financial Management Support Center, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, performs evaluation of a causality during the 2 day Finance Warrior Challenge May 8-9 on Fort Jackson. To become Finance Warrior of the Year Soldiers and Non-Commissione... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

As part of Financial Management week, the U.S. Army Financial Management School hosted the

Army Financial Management Workshop at the 81st Readiness Division here on Fort Jackson.

Keeping with this year's theme of "Enabling FM Warriors to Fight and Win in Large-Scale Combat Operation," Financial Management Soldiers competed in a two-day Finance Warrior Challenge May

8-9.

In competing for the coveted title of Finance Warrior of the Year, Soldiers and non-commissioned

officers completed various warrior task and battle drills that consisted of a hand written essay, evaluation of a causality and clearing, disassembly, reassembly and function check of a weapon.

The challenges that the Soldiers and non-commissioned officers were given are designed to test

their physical fitness and tactical proficiency.

"I think I did fairly well with the physical fitness test," said Spc. Tashana Cruz, officer in charge of

In and Out Processing, Fort Drum Defense Military Pay Office 33rd Financial Management Support

Unit, in Fort Drum, New York. "I didn't hit my goal of 300, but I felt like I pushed myself and I did just as much as the male Soldiers did; they have muscles but they don't have heart."

"Having heart is what drives me throughout the competition," Cruz said. Her biggest challenge of

the competition was performing a finance task that is not a part of her everyday battle rhythm.

"The most challenging part was processing the 1081 because I don't have much experience with it,"

Cruz said. "It's not something I do every day, but it is something I can get done."

For Sgt. 1st Class Shamekia McCurty 125th Financial Management Support Unit, Schofield Barracks,

Hawaii, the Finance Warrior Challenge dispelled common myths regarding the Finance Corps.

"We're finance MOS so a lot of people think, 'Hey, all they do is sit in the office all day,' but they

don't see that we actually come out here and we're doing these battle drills," McCurty said. "We are fit to fight and we are able to go and if need be we're able to complete that mission physically."

As a non-commissioned officer, McCurty said she feels it is important to let her Soldiers know that

they are able to accomplish all tasks.

"I feel like everything I do I'm able to at least push my Soldier to make sure they know, 'Hey I did it, I know you can do it,'"McCurty said.

Incorporating the Finance Warrior Challenge in its new form, into the Army Financial Week celebration showcases the mental and physical strengths of the Finance Corps.

"The Financial Management Warrior Challenge showcased the physical fitness and tactical proficiency

(of) our FM Warriors throughout the FM community.

Accomplishment of our goal will strengthen the FM Warrior within the Finance Corps, enabling

Commander's to fight and Win," said Command Sgt. Maj. Gennaro Penn, command sergeant major

for the Financial Management School.