Directorates and Offices of ASA(FM&C)

Mission:
The Army Budget Office (ABO) is responsible for budget formulation, the presentation and defense of the budget through the Congressional appropriation process, budget execution and analysis, reprogramming actions, and appropriation fund control/distribution. The personnel in the ABO work closely with the functional program/subprogram managers and sponsors who are responsible for program development and management.

Functions:

• Supervise and direct development, submission, and defense of the President’s Budget (PB)
• Transform the Program Objective Memorandum (POM) to the Budget Estimate Submission (BES) to the PB
• Allocate funds, oversee execution, and maintain Total Obligation Authority controls
• Manage the Army Working Capital Fund (AWCF) cash
• Oversee, manage, analyze, and evaluate funding available for Civilian pay and benefits through PPBE
• Initiate, coordinate, and oversee the Mid-year Review and Army input to OSD Reprogrammings
• Coordinate with Appropriations Committee, OSD and OMB, in accordance with laws and regulations and implement guidance

 
Major General Mark Bennett became the thirty-second Director of Army Budget in the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller ASA(FM&C) on 3 August 2021.

MG Bennett was commissioned in 1990 into the Field Artillery as a Distinguished Military Graduate. He began his operational assignments with the 6th Battalion, 37th Field Artillery in Korea and also served as the Task Force Finance Officer for 4th Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, for a Multinational Force and Observers rotation to Sinai, Egypt. He had two company command experiences with the 82nd Finance Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and the 177th Finance Battalion in Korea. Following completion of graduate school at Syracuse University, he served as the Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Resource Management, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command at Ft. Monroe, Virginia. Shortly after arriving for duty at the Pentagon, he supported the Army and Nation’s response to the 9-11 attacks before attending Command and General Staff College.

He returned to the 82nd Airborne Division as the Division Finance Support Operations Officer at Fort Bragg and deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He then served as the Executive Officer to the Director of Army Budget, as a Program Examiner at the Office of Management and Budget, and as a Congressional Budget Liaison for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management & Comptroller ASA(FM&C).

MG Bennett commanded the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, New York for 31 months including a deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan. He returned to HQDA as the Executive Officer to the Military Deputy for Budget, ASA(FM&C) and Chief of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution System Integration for the ASA(FM&C). MG Bennett also served as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G8, at Headquarters, I Corps, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington before deploying again to Afghanistan. He served as the Deputy Director of Resource Management with the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan (CSTC-A) in support of the Resolute Support mission. MG Bennett then served as the Chief of Army Congressional Budget Liaison (SAFM-BUL), in the ASA(FM&C). He served as the Director of Resource Management (G8) for the Headquarters, Installation Management Command (IMCOM) before most recently serving as the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Financial Management Command.

A native of Ohio, MG Bennett holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in Accounting from John Carroll University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Syracuse University. He additionally holds a Master of Science degree in National Security and Resource Strategy from the National Defense University. His military training includes the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course, Finance Officer Advanced Course, the United States Army Command and General Staff College, and the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.

His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit (4OLC), Bronze Star Medal (1OLC), Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (1 SLC + 2 OLC), Senior Parachutist Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Presidential Service Badge and the Army Staff Identification Badge.

 
 

Mission:
The Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Cost & Economics) is responsible for providing Army decision-makers with cost, performance and economic analysis in the form of expertise, models, data, estimates and analyses at all levels.

Functions:

• U.S. Army Cost and Economic Analysis Program
• Acquisition Costing and Army Cost Review Board
• Review and Validation of Business Case Analyses, Economic Analyses, and Special Cost Studies of Major Weapon and Information Systems, Force Structure, and Operating and Support Cost
• Army Cost Research Plan
• Cost Factor Development for Installation Base Operations, Civilian Personnel, and Training Operating Tempo, in support of the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution Processes
• Army Cost Management Program
• Army Financial Management Enterprise, Continuous Process Improvement Program

 
Mr. Loftus was selected to the Senior Executive Service in September 2019. As Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Cost and Economics, Mr. Loftus is responsible for Army policy and technical direction of all cost and economic activities. He delivers the Army's independent cost estimates for weapons & information systems; manages the development of Army cost positions on all systems reviewed by the Army Cost Review Board; and directs cost analyses dealing with force structure, personnel - military, civilian, and contract labor, base operations, and weapons & information systems operation and support. Mr. Loftus supports the Army’s Programming and Budgeting processes with cost and economic analysis. He also directs the Army’s cost management and performance management activities for internal and external reporting. He manages the Army wide cost research program to deliver cost tools, databases, and models throughout the Army.

Mr. Loftus started his career with DASA-CE in 1999 as a cost analyst serving on the Aviation Team of the Weapons System Cost Division where he developed independent cost estimates for Apache, Black Hawk, ATIRCM/CMWS, and Comanche. He then served as Cost Review Board analyst from 2003 through 2008 where he led HQDA working groups through the Cost Review Board (CRB) ACP development process and then as the Director from 2008 to 2020. Mr. Loftus has over 20 years of experience in Department of Defense cost analysis.

Mr. Loftus began his career as a Commissioned Officer in the Field Artillery in 1986 through an ROTC commission from The Citadel where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics & Computer Science. He spent ten years in the Army with assignments in Korea, Fort Carson, Germany, and Northern Virginia. He completed his Masters Degree in Cost Analysis from the Naval Post Graduate School in 2016.

 

Mission:
The Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Operations and Information) (DASA-FO) is responsible for policies, procedures, programs and systems pertaining to finance and accounting activities and operations, Army financial management systems and data integration activities, Army programs for internal control, internal review and audit compliance, the Army Travel Charge Card, fraud, waste and abuse, and other management evaluation activities.

Functions:

• Manage Procedures and Policies to Support Audit Compliance and Remediation
• Produce the Army's Annual Financial Statement and Financial Reports
• Develop and Implement Finance and Accounting Policies
• Implement Policies and Procedures for the Army's Management Internal Control Program (MICP)
• Manage the Army's Internal Review Program
• Develop Policies for Non Appropriated Fund (NAF) Programs

 
Mr. Michael Ramsey was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Operations and Information) in January 2022. He is responsible for oversight and integration of all Army financial operations policies, procedures, programs (to include Financial Statement Audits and internal management controls), and Financial Information systems designed to maintain and improve the Army's financial accountability and fiscal stewardship.

CAREER CHRONOLOGY:

• March 2020 to December 2021: Deputy Director for the Army Budget, Assistant Secretary of the Army, Financial Management and Comptroller ASA (FM&C)
• December 2016 to February 2020: Deputy Director Force Development/Director of Resources, Army G8
• December 2015 – November 2016: Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Cost and Economics, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller
• January 2013 to November 2015: Director of Investments, Army Budget Office, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller
• December 2008 to January 2013: Chief, IT Resource Integration and Acting CFO, Army CIO/G6, HQDA, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
• June 2006 to December 2008: Senior Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc., Herndon, VA
• July 2002 - May 2005: Chief, Program Analysis Division, ODCS, G4, HQDA, Pentagon, Washington D.C. Retired from Active Duty at the rank of Colonel following 26 years.
• June 1999 - June 2002: Director of Resource Management, Fort Stewart and 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, GA
• June 1997 - June 1999 –Senior Budget Analyst and Acting Director for Business Resources, Director of the Army Budget Office, Pentagon, Washington D.C.
• May 1996 - June 1997 – Military Assistant to the Director of the Army Budget
• May 1995 - May 1996 – Senior Budget Analyst G-3, HQDA
• May 1992 - May 1995 Resource Management Officer, Comptroller, 82d Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC
• June 1979 - May 1992: Leadership and staff positions world-wide

COLLEGE:

• Masters of Financial Management, University of Maryland University College
• BBA, Accounting, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN

SIGNIFICANT TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS:

• Level III, Certified Defense Financial Manager
• Certified Defense Financial Manager – Acquisition
• Certified Program Management Professional

AWARDS AND HONORS:

• Meritorious Civilian Service Award, 2013, 2017
• Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf
• Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters
• Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
• Army Achievement Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters
• Senior Parachutist Badge
• Ranger Tab

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS AND ASSOCIATIONS:

• American Society of Military Comptrollers
• Association of the United States Army