End of Year closeout a success for comptrollers, contracting

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amber Corcoran
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  The sun had set hours before, most Team Barksdale members were sound asleep and the night seemed almost quiet. There was a buzz however, happening on base- the sounds of keys being struck on a keyboard, hurried footsteps in the hall and hushed voices as the minutes ticked away. Then, at 11:59:59, Sept. 30, time stood still for just that moment.

The final deadline had arrived for the Fiscal Year 13 end-of-year closeout for the 2nd Comptroller and 2nd Contracting Squadrons.

"The [EOY] closeout was very successful," said Lt. Col. Anthony Smith, 2nd CPTS commander. "We were able to put the limited resources we had to the most pressing, needed requirements in the wing. We made sure any dollars we had available went towards the mission."

Throughout the year, the 2nd CPTS works through customers' requirements, and the 2nd CONS awaits new contracts, while preparing for the EOY closeout. The fiscal year is 365 days, but the deadline of Oct. 1 always looms.

"The closeout is just like the super bowl for us," said Tech. Sgt. Steven Huffines, 2nd CPTS contract specialist. "We build up every year for this; it's what we get ready for. After all our hard work, [2nd CONS and 2nd CPTS] get to physically see what we provide directly to the mission during closeout- it's gratifying."

More than 50 Airmen and civilians in both squadrons worked extended hours through the soft closeouts for the 2nd Bomb Wing and Air Force Global Strike Command and during the final countdown Sept. 30 to make sure the fallout funds from the top are executed back to the wing.

"We had approximately $30.8 million total drop for wing projects and commodities," said Kimberly Luce, 2nd BW budget officer. "The final closeout was very successful and went smoothly. The interaction between contracting and comptrollers was seamless."

For the end-of-year hard closeout of Oct. 1, the 2nd Comptroller and 2nd Contracting Squadrons were working hand in hand to deliver.

"We're in close conversation this time of year," said Staff Sgt. Justin Williamson, 2nd CONS contracting specialist. "This is when you get that big push of making sure everything is prepared because we don't know what money will come down and when. Finance gives us a head's up as to what projects may get funded, so we get those ready to go and ready to award. We have to as prepared and flexible as possible."

The squadrons were running a normal program up until that point for the end-of-year closeout. As the deadline passed, final touches still needed to be accomplished.

"The time limit we have to stop obligating is 11:59:59, but to actually close out the books, the [Defense Finance Accounting Service] requires three working days to complete all paperwork/book keeping for the accounting records," said Smith. "Although we cannot obligate anything new, we can go back in and fix errors or any administrative issues. We were in government shutdown mode while we were still trying to close out the fiscal year."

As the deadline approached, so did the wavering worry of the government shutdown and the effects it could have on the mission.

"As you can imagine the government shutdown impacts financial operations for a wing as well, so not only were we trying to finish and closeout a fiscal year, we were also trying to plan for the government shutdown and the impact it has for the installation," said Smith. "Most of my budget analysis staff, at least senior individuals, who work in that area are civilians, so they were definitely impacted by the furlough. We were basically doing two big muscle movements at the same time with a small staff."

Fortunately, several junior and mid-tier NCOs stepped up to play, taking on the important tasks for the mission to continue.

"This is where we shine, this is where we work the hardest to ensure we take care of the majority of the people on the base, whether they know it or not," said Smith. "We have to stay focused to be able to do that. And then, the Airmen out on the flightline and around the wing, benefit from the hard work we put in during that time."

Though the fiscal year super bowl has been won, preparation and practice continue for the next end-of-year closeout.

"It was a big sigh of relief for everyone and we were able to relax a bit," said Senior Airman Ka'Mille Williams, 2nd CPTS budget analyst. "We're glad we made it through another successful fiscal year. We all got together and did our team chant before we left for the night."