Introduction
Soldiers who are unable to effectively handle their financial duties have a negative impact on unit preparedness. They may forfeit their security clearances, rendering them unable to do the task for which they were educated and assigned. Financial management’s main goals include lowering the cost of funding, guaranteeing enough money available, and coping with the planning, coordinating, and managing of financial operations. Regarding the army, financial management activities, including the fiscal triad and “money as a weapon” system, are essential factors that assist in the decision-making processes.
The Fiscal Triad
The fiscal triad refers to the condition in which resource planning, legal, and contracts function together as a single entity. The fiscal triad can lawfully purchase the resources required to support soldiers and host-country people throughout combat operations and emergencies. The fiscal triad depicts the legally binding procedure that oversees the key connection between contractual procurement and financial services for acquisition administration, internal control systems, and the purchasing process’s fiscal legislation (Department of the Army, 2014). From the receipt and certification of money through the legal assessment of the planned contractual action, financial planning, contracting, and legal advice compose a framework that provides essential fiscal assistance (Department of the Army, 2014). Furthermore, the fiscal triad encompasses the procurement of products and services and the disbursement and accounting of public funding.
To avoid fraud, inefficiency, and misuse of federal funding, all three elements of the fiscal triangle must work together to follow current rules, norms, and laws. To combat fraud, inefficiency, and misuse while also preserving resources, commanders at all ranks and contracting authorities must adopt a proactive strategy (Department of the Army, 2019). Each part of the system should be autonomous to guarantee the separation of tasks but function collaboratively to procure products that fulfill the commander’s demands while adhering to existing standards.
As a main definition, synchronization is the period, location, and purpose ordering of military or specifically related activities to achieve maximum proportional fighting force at a pivotal location and moment. Consequently, the procedures within the synchronization context should result in substantially increased efficiency and effectiveness. Financial management executives must synchronize financial management activities, including fiscal triad, by placing financial planning organizations and individuals in time, location, and purpose to guarantee that commanders have the necessary financial management assistance (Department of the Army, 2014). As a practical example of synchronization, to accomplish this condition, financial planning officials can work with the relevant Military Services, Department of Defense entities, federal financial management contractors, and intergovernmental bodies, as needed. In this case, the processes of the exchange of information, knowledge, documentation, and the flow of resources and funds compose the synchronization elements within the fiscal triad.
Money as a Weapon
Division, battalion, and brigade-degree commanders and non-commissioned officers can utilize money as a weapon framework on the counterinsurgency battleground, according to the “money as a weapon” system. By persuading antigovernment groups to discontinue violent and nonlethal activities, coalition funding is eliminating counterinsurgency goals without causing collateral harm (Center for Army, 2009). In addition, it achieves its objectives by producing and providing employment for the indigenous communities, as well as various types of financial support, and by restoring or building critical infrastructure. Money is one of the key weapons utilized by warfighters to accomplish effective mission outcomes in counterinsurgency and humanitarian campaigns in terms of the related authorities, considerations, and decision techniques involved in boosting force capabilities (Center for Army, 2009). In terms of major regulations, executives must ensure that cost considerations are factored into decision-making operations, and they must seek the local government to completely finance or share expenditures. As well as these aspects, the leaders should have the legal right to funding a demand.
The “Money as a weapon” framework requires two essential components: fiscal legislation and contracts. When the commander considers utilizing the money to achieve his purpose, three critical people assist him: the contracting authority, the commanding field officer, and the project buying officer or resource controller, as well as the advocate (Center for Army, 2009). Each gives the necessary understanding of fiscal, contracts, and procurement rules to avoid fraud, inefficiency, and misappropriation of money (Center for Army, 2009). Dealing with these three people allows commanders to remain on top of legislative developments. Congress, for instance, exempted a section of the Federal Acquisition Regulation that pertains to the Commander’s Emergency Response Program, allowing leaders to grant Iraqi and Afghan contractors first priority (Center for Army, 2009). This waiver matches to the rules by overall economic caution and local advice, which states that commanders will not purposefully overpay for items and will pay appropriate rates for suppliers.
Conclusion
To summarize, the fiscal triad describes a situation in which resource planning, legal, and contracting all work as one. The fiscal triad can legally acquire the resources needed to help soldiers and host-country citizens during combat operations and emergencies. According to the “money as a weapon” concept, commanders and non-commissioned officers at the division, battalion, and brigade levels can use money as a weapon framework on the counterinsurgency battlefield. Coalition funding involves achieving counterinsurgency aims without incurring collateral damage by convincing antigovernment groups to cease violent and nonlethal actions. Fiscal legislation and contracts are two key components of the “money as a weapon” system.
References
Center for Army Lessons Learned. (2009).Commander’s Guide to Money as a Weapons System.
Department of the Army of the United States of America. (2014).FM 1-06 Financial Management Operations.
Department of the Army of the United States of America. (2019). JP 4-10 Operational Contract Support.