ASMC TIMES - Home - ASMC Cleveland

ASMC TIMES
January President’s Message
Cleveland Chapter January 2012 Issue
Life gives you exactly what you demand of it, as long as you pay the
asking price. No more, no less.
“I Bargained with Life for a Penny” – Jessie Belle Rittenhouse
I bargain with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store;
For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.
I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life
Life would have willingly paid.
What are you demanding out of life? Are you getting it? If not, why
not? Is it that you’re not willing to pay the asking price or is it that
you’re not asking for much? As we’ve wrapped up 2011 and begun
anew, I challenge you to take stock of your new year. Is it as bountiful
as you’d like? If it is, I say kudos to you – keep reaching for the
stars, and not only that, but reach back and give someone a helping
hand. If your answer was no, then I urge you to take a glance at your
requisition, because I’ve found this poem to be true in my life – that
we always get from life what we bargain for, after having paid the
price.
In This Issue
Member News and Events……………………...2&3
Scholarship Information…………………………….2
Nominations News………………………….…….….4
Smart Corner………………………………...………….4
Circle of Kindness…………………………………..….4
Financial Management Article……………….……5
National News……………………………………………5
Treasurer’s Report……………………………………..6
Ask ASMC ……………………………………………...6
Board Meeting Minutes……………………...………7
Chapter Management………………..……………….8
Luncheon–February 23, 2012 at the Doubltree
will be a joint luncheon with AGA featuring
DFAS Director Mrs. Terry McKay
Board Meeting– February 29, 2012 in room
2911G at 11:00AM
Save the Date
"The ASMC Times is the newsletter of the Cleveland Chapter of the American Society of Military Comptrollers. Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of federal agencies.
Items for inclusion are welcome and should be sent to: ASMC Cleveland Chapter, P.O. Box 99907, Cleveland, Ohio 44199-0907. Phone number is (216) 204-7639. We reserve the right to
edit submissions for content, length, grammar and spelling."

WELCOME ABOARD NEW
MEMBERS!
ASMC Cleveland chapter welcomes
the following members
for January:
Timothy Wagers
Michelle Bonner
Michelle Watson
* Please note that there is a lag time between
the ASMC National and Local registries.
We extend our apologies if you are a
new member and your name does not yet
appear on the list.
2
By: Elizabeth Ladiha
Member Spotlight– Aaron Oeken
This month we would like to introduce you to Aaron Oeken. Aaron was recently recognized
at the Members Appreciation Luncheon for being with ASMC for five years. Aaron
joined ASMC because it is a professional organization within DoD Financial Management.
Aaron started his DoD career in the Leaders in Motion (LIM) program as an Accountant.
He had a large part in the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and was on the Norfolk
and San Diego BRAC teams for Accounts Payable. This entailed going to the sites which
were closing, learning their processes and then transitioning that work to Cleveland once
the site closed. While in the LIM program he also rotated in Systems Operations and
Treasury Reporting. After completing the LIM program Aaron spent two years in Accounts
Payable where he prepared a variety of internal and external reports. Some of the
reports that needed to be prepared were on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
In 2010 Aaron received a promotion to a Lead Financial Management Analyst. This new
position is located within Enterprise Solutions and Standards. The area of this department
that Aaron works in is the E-Solutions department for the Navy Wide Area Workflow
(WAWF) Help Desk. Here, Aaron assists his Navy customers and vendors with Navy
contracts on how to use WAWF and also assists with any issues that may arise during the
WAWF process.
Some advice Aaron has for members is to get involved with the chapter and meet as many
people as possible. Networking with individuals in other departments can be very beneficial
when you are need of information. Meeting new people is easy in ASMC due to the
monthly luncheons and the annual Spring Seminar, which also keeps members up to date
with financial management topics. This is one of the reasons Aaron decided to join ASMC.
Aaron became engaged in February 2011 and will be getting married in August 2012. He
also received his Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) certification in May of
2009 and his Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) certification in March 2010.
Aaron is also a huge Cleveland sports fan. He believes that one of our teams will finally
win a championship soon and can’t wait for it to happen.
A quote that is inspirational to Aaron is, "Every passing minute is another chance to turn
it all around" - Vanilla Sky (movie). To him it means that if we do not like the direction
our life is going, we have the power to change it at any given moment.
ASMC Scholarships
(2)$750 joint ASMC/AGA scholarships are being offered in the Accounting/
Finance field. The application process will begin on February 1, 2012 and end on
March 2, 2012.
ASMC Cleveland chapter will be awarding (2) $500 scholarships to high school
seniors and (1) $500 scholarship to an ASMC member
Scholarship requirements and applications can be found at: http://www.asmccleveland.org/members/scholarships/
Do you have exciting news to share (i.e. marriage, engagement, birth announcement or degree completion) or would you like to recognize someone
in the ASMC Times? Let us know about it! Please send an email to askasmc@asmc-cleveland.org, and tell us your story, we look forward to hearing
from you!

3
January Luncheon
The annual Members Appreciation Luncheon was held at the Doubletree hotel on January 18 th. The luncheon recognized
our members for their various accomplishments in 2011. It was also announced that this year’s selected
charity is the Wounded Warrior Project.
The following members celebrated their anniversaries:
5 year: Sharon Buggele, Jeremy Davenport, Jason Denmeade, Anthony Ezell, Leah Huth, Aaron Oeken, Jeffrey
Presley, Mark Rudolph, Martha Smith, Kenneth Sweitzer, Brian Thomas and Bonnie Walters.
10 year anniversary: Nancy Bernard and Matthew Dallas
15 year anniversary: John Luckas and Nelson Woods
20 year anniversary: Gregory Long.
The following members achieved their CDFM and/or CDFM-A within the last year: Kevin Brummert (USAF),
CDFM, Michele Lynn Castronova, CDFM, Ronald L. Colvin, CDFM, Bryan Wayne Conway, CDFM, Christopher
Gardner Ferdinand, CDFM, Pierce A. Hill, CDFM, Leah M. Huth, CDFM, Paula Mausar, CDFM, Tracy A. Meyer,
CDFM, Thomas J. Murphy, CDFM, John K Roeland, CDFM, Greg Scruggs, CDFM, Grace Skaff, CDFM, Lawrence
Walton, CDFM and Donna M Wolfe, CDFM-A
Outgoing Officers and/or Committee Members: Jason Denmeade, President, 2 years, Catherine Furr, VP Membership,
17 years and Kim Hawthorne, Programs, 1 year.
Congratulations to all members on their achievements this year!

Earn CPEs
ASMC now offers CPE credit to
ASMC members who take and pass a
10 question exam based on articles
published in the quarterly journal.
Access the learning center to view the
Journal online, or take the journal
exam by following these steps. 1. visit
www.asmconline.org, 2. click on the
Education/Training tab and scroll
down to select online learning, 3.
follow the link to the Quarterly ASMC
Journal and Exam.
Prepare for the CDFM Exam
ASMC recommends using the Enhanced
Defense Financial Management
Training Course (EDFMTC)
textbook as a study guide. If you do
not already own one it can be purchased
for $65. Directions for purchasing
the textbook can be found at:
http://www.asmconline.org/
publications/text-books/.
Additionally, the study plan “How to
Become a CDFM in Eight Weeks” to
be used in conjunction with the
EDFMTC textbook can be found at:
http://www.asmconline.org/wpcontent/uploads/2011/06/
Toney_Williams_How_to_Become_
a_CDFM_in_Eight_Weeks_6-7-
11.pdf.
If you have a question pertaining to
the CDFM exam or certification process
please contact us at
askasmc@asmc-cleveland.org.
Donate EDFMTC Textbooks
The ASMC Cleveland Chapter is asking
members to donate any EDFM
Training Course textbooks that they
are no longer using. The textbooks
will be lent out to assist ASMC members
who are currently studying for
the CDFM Certification. Please contact
Tonya.Peterson@dfas.mil or
Laura.Farrell@dfas.mil if you have a
textbook that you would like to donate.
4
By: Terry Jackson
ASMC Smart Corner
Low- Carb Mini Meals
• 3 oz. salmon baked with 2 tsp. olive oil, herbs and ¼ tsp. sea salt, steamed
broccoli with lemon juice
• 3oz. low-sodium deli meat and 2 oz. low-fat cheese, 1 cup lettuce, ½ cup each
cucumber and tomatoes, 2 Tbs. fat-free dressing
• Fast food salad with grilled chicken and low-fat dressing (such as Burger King
Tender Grill Garden Salad)
• 2 Tbs. pistachios, 2 sticks low-fat string cheese, raw veggies, salsa
• 5 oz. shrimp, 1 Tbs. cocktail sauce, 1 cup steamed broccoli
• 3 oz. lean ground meat (or ground turkey) sautéed with taco seasoning and
veggies to taste, 1 Tbs. fat-free yogurt or sour cream, rolled in 1 large leaf
Nominations Committee News
Recently updates were made to the ASMC Cleveland Chapter by-laws which includes a
description of Officer positions. Please find the descriptions below and stay tuned for
more information on the nominations and elections process.
Chapter President. This person is the presiding officer, who will enforce all articles of the
Chapter’s constitution and bylaws, contracts, etc.; execute such papers as will require signature;
exercise general supervisory control over the affairs of the Chapter; maintain contact
with ASMC’s Executive Director; determine the division of responsibilities for committees
and appoint their chairpersons; serve as ex-officio member of all committees or
other governing bodies – and examine their minutes, books and records.
President-Elect. This person will oversee the committees assigned by the Chapter President
and sign such Chapter documents as may be required. In the temporary absence of –
or vacancy in the office of – the Chapter President, this person will perform the duties of
the President.
Vice-Presidents. These persons will oversee the committees assigned to them by the Chapter
President and sign such Chapter documents as may be required.
Secretary. This person will oversee the committees assigned by the Chapter President and
sign such Chapter documents as may be required. This person will record the proceedings
of the Chapter’s general Membership, Executive Committee and Planning Board meetings;
be custodian of the charter, seal, documents and papers of the Chapter; maintain contact
with ASMC Headquarters; answer correspondence; provide assistance; and, perform
other duties as may be directed by the Chapter President.
Treasurer. This person will oversee the committees assigned by the Chapter President and
sign such Chapter documents as may be required. Incumbent remains in this office until
the Chapter's books of account are audited/closed and applicable tax returns are filed
(approximately 3-4 months after the end of the business year). This person will receive
and deposit all monies of the Chapter; pay its just bills; maintain its tax exempt number;
maintain its books of account; and, make appropriate reports on the financial condition of
the Chapter to the Chapter President and the Chapter membership as directed.

5
By: Stephanie Paschel
Updated CDFM Renewal Requirements
In an effort to continue to increase the value and distinction of the
Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) designation, the
ASMC is adding a new requirement to the certification renewal
process.
Two of the 80 required CPEs for CDFM renewal must now come
from ethics training. If ethics training is already included in your
agency’s/organization’s professional development requirement, it
can also be used to fulfill this new CDFM renewal requirement.
For more information visit: http://www.asmconline.org/certification/cdfmforms/renewal/
White House Planning to Propose Small
Pay Increase for Civilian Federal Employees
The White House is planning to propose a 0.5 percent pay increase for civilian federal employees in its 2013 budget
proposal, the Washington Post reported Friday. The proposal was confirmed by two senior administration officials
who are familiar with the plan, the paper said.
A federal pay freeze with continued raises for within-grade step increases and promotions has been in effect since
late 2010. The proposal would require Congressional approval to take effect.
Senior administration officials also told the Washington Post that "a permanent pay freeze is not an acceptable policy.
While modest, a 0.5 percent increase reflects the belt-tightening we must do in these difficult times."
The proposal would save approximately $28 billion over the next ten years and $2 billion in fiscal 2013, the officials
said.
However, the pay increase would be less than the rate of inflation. The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social
Security recipients this year was 3.6 percent. The COLA is based on Consumer Price Index increases.
Federal leaders had mixed reactions to the proposal.
The proposed 0.5 percent increase would be "wiped out" by increased health care, food and other costs, said John
Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, in a statement.
While Carol Bonosaro, president of the Senior Executives Association, acknowledged the proposal was "pretty minimal,"
she also told Federal News Radio that, "These days, given the economic and political atmosphere, it's certainly
welcome."
Source: FEDManager E-Report, January 10, 2012
News From ASMC National Headquarters
Save the date for PDI 2012!
PDI 2012 will be held at the Anaheim Convention
Center May 29 - June 1, with a theme of Professionalism
in Action. Registration for PDI and the hotel reservation
system will open in early February
2012. Stay tuned to http://pdi2012.org/
for more information.

Respectfully,
Kim B. Hawley
Treasurer
6
Cleveland Chapter ASMC
Finance Report
Chapter Year 2011/2012
Second Quarter Report
1 October – 31 December 2011
Below is the financial report for the 2nd quarter of the 2011/2012 chapter year.
Chapter Year 2011/2012
Earnings for Current Quarter: Expenses for Current Quarter:
Membership Rebates $ 530.00 General Membership Meetings $ 3,913.20
Sponsor Revenue $1,000.00 Charitable Donations $ 1,096.48
Bank Dividends $ 35.16 General Operating Expenses $ 296.98
Luncheons/Events $1,369.00 Awards $ 581.57
**Equipment $ 1,043.87
Beginning Balance 1 October 2011 – $46,951.63
Activity: 1 October 2011 – 31 December 2011
Rebates/Proceeds $ 1,530.00
Dividends $ 35.16
Meeting Expenses ($2,544.20)
Charitable Donations ($ 1,096.48)
General Operating Expenses ($ 296.98)
Awards ($ 581.57)
Equipment ($ 1,043.87)
TOTAL ($ 3,997.94)
Ending Balance 31 December 2011 $ 42,953.67
** Laptop and Projector purchased as Chapter Inventory
Q. Where can I find a copy of the chapter by-laws?
Treasurer’s Report
Ask ASMC
A. The chapter by-laws can be found online at http://www.asmc-cleveland.org/. Submit a question to “Ask ASMC”, and if your
question is selected to be featured in the monthly newsletter, you will win a prize. Submit all questions to:
askasmc@asmccleveland.org

ASMC Board Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Location: 2911 G
Attendees: Jason Denmeade, Cathy Furr, Shana Gronostaj, Jessica Rust, Zachary Bendzuck, Monte Mitchell, George Harris, Bryan Conway, Kim
Hawley
7
Membership
Recruiting Contest Winner – 2-way tie. Instead of giving an iPod to one winner, it was decided that each will receive a $100 Visa gift card.
Recruiter of the Year – Jason recruited 6, Cathy 5, 5 members recruited 2 new members. Jason and Cathy are not considered for recruiter of
the year prizes, so prizes will be awarded to those that recruited 2 new members. Prizes consist of 1 year of paid dues plus a $25 Visa gift
card.
Nominations
Nominations mass email will be sent out in Jan/Feb with position and nomination info.
Nominees will have the chance to introduce themselves at April luncheon prior to the election.
Election runs 2 weeks before PDI and 1 week after.
Hoping to name new officers 3 weeks before turnover.
Treasury
Color printer – Not to exceed $300 with supplies. Purchase approved by 4 officers. Cathy to purchase.
Shana and Jessica to create a spreadsheet/etc. to inventory and track ASMC Cleveland property.
Receipts from December’s community service project should be turned in to Kim.
Monte to send Kim a copy of the December luncheon’s sign-in sheet.
Upcoming Expense – Charity of choice donation. The charity selected for this year is the Wounded Warrior Project.
Programs
January 18 th Member Appreciation Luncheon @ Doubletree.
No speaker in order to allow time for awards and recognition. We’re also hoping to receive a marketing video, etc. from this year’s
charity of choice, the Wounded Warrior Project, which will be shown during the luncheon.
ASMC Cleveland does not pay for awardees’ lunches.
February 23 rd Luncheon w/ AGA featuring Mrs. McKay @ Doubletree, 11:30-1 PM.
No CPEs awarded as Mrs. McKay will not be speaking long enough to qualify for CPEs.
Tight schedule – Speaker to eat from 12-12:15, speak from 12:15-12:45, and return to AJC by 1.
March – Local PDI.
Kim Carpenter and Francisco to meet with AGA for planning purposes.
Venue will probably be the CSU Wolstein Center.
An informal social may follow.
April Luncheon feat. Jennifer Sizemore of ASMC National.
Tentative location – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
This year’s scholarships will be awarded.
May Luncheon – Speaker to be determined, possibly a group proposed by Jeff Hayden.
Possible future speaker – Elyria Auditor (POC Kim Hawley).
Secretary
Marketing
Ordered and received pens, key rings, and sticky notes for various marketing events (especially Local PDI).
Ordered large banner with ASMC logo
Ordering podium banner in early January
Website
Created 2 Additional tabs in order to attain maximum points for Five Star and align with the Newsletter. Each tab is updated on a
monthly basis
Members News
Financial Management Articles
Newsletter
December Edition distributed before holidays
Social Networking
Facebook page has been created
Will update with pictures and possibly unveil during January luncheon

8
ASMC TIMES STAFF
Stephanie Flynn –Editor
stephanie.flynn@dfas.mil
216-204-4407
Terry Jackson
terry.jackson@dfas.mil
216-204-1231
Elizabeth Ladiha
elizabeth.ladiha@dfas.mil
216-204-7844
Shayna McCauley
shayna.mccauley@dfas.mil
216-204-3286
Stephanie Paschel
stephanie.paschel@dfas.mil
216-204-3029
Matthew Sylvain
matthew.sylvain@dfas.mil
216-204-2784
Visit Us Online At:
http://www.asmc-cleveland.org/ -
ASMC Cleveland Chapter
http://www.asmconline.org/ -ASMC
National
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
President
Vice President-Membership
Vice President-Programs
Vice President-Nominations
Treasurer
Secretary
Past President’s Advisory Board
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Executive Assistant
Membership-Awards
Membership-Retention
Membership
Membership
Membership
Local PDI
Local PDI
Education/Scholarship
Education/Scholarship
Education/Scholarship
Treasurer
Social Networking
Publicity
Marketing
Strategic Committee
Strategic Committee
Strategic Committee
Luncheon Committee
Special Events
Community Service
Community Service
Community Service
CDFM
CDFM
Corporate Sponsorship
Webmaster
Jason Denmeade
Cathy Furr
Monte Mitchell
Cheryl Halsey
Kim Hawley
Jaclyn Donadio
Jeff Hayden
Jessica Rust
Keela Lawrence
Bryan Conway
Bryant Ealy
Bertie Lance Jones
Carmen Colombani
Francisco Rivera-Hernandez
Kim Carpenter
Diana Jin
Toris Johnson
Shellice Forrester
Shana Gronostaj
Koushik Nalluru
Brian Lewis
John Giammo
Michael Ciccolini
Jaime Kudary
Joe Zachar
Zachary Bendzuck
George Harris
Amanda Preis
Candace Johnson
Frankie Denmeade
Tonya Peterson
Laura Farrell
Charvez Forte’ Walker
Dan Boss