Stede Harwood, a financial management systems analyst with the U.S. Army Financial Management Command (USAFMCOM), has been honored as the U.S. Army Materiel Command Employee of the Quarter for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2025.
His exceptional work in reconciling the Army’s portion of the Fund Balance with Treasury Statement of Difference has made a significant impact on the organization.
With a remarkable 96.8 percent reduction in aged Statement of Difference transactions, Harwood’s efforts have greatly diminished audit risks while enhancing the accuracy of the Army’s financial statements.
Maj. Todd Anderson, who supervises Financial Management and Field Operations Oversight under Army Financial Services, praised Harwood’s tireless work ethic, collaborative nature, and extensive expertise.
The Statement of Difference (SOD) report is critical as it highlights discrepancies between amounts recorded in Army disbursing systems and those ultimately reported to the U.S. Treasury.
When imbalances arise, Harwood collaborates with various disbursing offices, including those in the continental U.S. and overseas operations run by the 106th Finance Battalion in Germany and the 125th Financial Management Company in the Pacific.
In explaining the reconciliation process, Harwood noted the Treasury’s compliance requirement for transactions to be resolved within 60 days to avoid being categorized as aged, which could adversely affect the Army’s financial statements and overall auditability.
Crowder emphasized the importance of disbursing systems, which are essential for providing warfighters with the resources they need in contested environments—often under challenging conditions with limited connectivity.
However, he highlighted that the controls associated with the disbursing systems are not as robust compared to the Army’s General Fund Enterprise Business System (GFEBS).
Crowder remarked that the lack of internal controls can sometimes lead individuals to bypass proper documentation, contributing to the discrepancies Harwood works to reconcile.
The task is made even more complex by the diverse transaction types, the overall structure of the Army, and the inexperience that often comes with junior disbursing officers.
“Stede has to be incredibly knowledgeable on all the transactions out there, he has to have great skills in establishing cooperation, and he has to train young lieutenants and captains on the constant changes,” added Ken Crowder, AFS director.
According to Anderson, it is Harwood’s talent for fostering teamwork that has underpinned his success, enabling him to bring stakeholders from across the Department of Defense together to take action.
This collaborative effort proved vital in addressing a backlog of discrepancies that had grown to nearly 700 transactions.
Despite the accolades he has received for his performance in a role often filled by only one individual, Harwood is quick to acknowledge the collective contributions of his team.
“This is an honor, and I appreciate the acknowledgement of the work I have done; however, this effort isn’t a solo act,” he stated.
“I’m honestly thrilled at the inroads I’ve been able to forge with DFAS Cleveland and the various Army commands to bring attention to the need for timely collections.”
Harwood’s achievements not only reflect his exceptional analytical abilities and attention to detail but also his proactive approach in preventing future discrepancies.
The Major further noted, “His proposal and review of instructional documentation to enable direct vouchering will have a lasting impact on preventing discrepancies from being created in the future.”
Harwood’s career in Army finance and comptroller operations began as a Soldier in 1987.
After serving for 13 years, he transitioned to the commercial sector before returning to the Department of Defense as a contractor in 2009, working on the Deployable Disbursing System.
In 2012, he became a civil servant with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service for 11 years before moving to USAFMCOM.
His journey in financial management showcases his commitment not only to addressing existing financial discrepancies but also to ensuring future accuracy in financial reporting for the U.S. Army.
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