DOD's New Chief Financial Officer Introduced to DRMI, Welcomes Latest SIDMC
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U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Lewis Hunsaker
DOD's New Chief Financial Officer Introduced to DRMI, Welcomes Latest SIDMC
By MC1 Lewis Hunsaker
The Honorable David Norquist, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Defense, welcomed attendees to the latest Senior International Defense Management Course (SIDMC) at the Naval Postgraduate School, Aug. 9.
Held through the university’s Defense Resources Management Institute (DRMI), SIDMC provides a diverse international collective of flag level participants with a unique program on strategic planning and the efficient allocation of resources. Norquist took advantage of his short time on the university’s campus to welcome attendees to the program, while also learning more about the unique capabilities within DRMI.
During his discussion with attendees, Norquist talked about two different ways of building a budget – annual planning, and the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) process, which is what the DOD uses to effectively allocate resources within the strategic guidelines and goals established by the Secretary of Defense, extending over multiple years.
“With annual planning, the core question you ask is where are we now and what should we do different next year. The advantage of this process is that it is much easier for decision making and is a faster process,” said Norquist.
The annual process works well in some areas with set functions but not so well in others, Norquist said. He used America’s initiative to put a man on the moon as an example, where planning cannot just be year to year. Rather, the concurrent development of several systems and technologies has to come together at the right time, and, “That’s where you have to plan,” he stressed.
“When you have a changing or dynamic mission, you tend to adopt the [PPBE] strategy,” Norquist continued. “But it is challenging. It takes longer, involves more people, and creates more effort to get approved.”
Norquist also took a few moments to answer questions from attendees, fielding queries on the DOD structure, technology and innovation, and how to make difficult decisions in savings.
In his role as DOD Comptroller, Norquist serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense on all budgetary and financial matters, including the development and execution of the department’s annual budget of more than $600 billion.
The Honorable David Norquist, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Defense, welcomed attendees to the latest Senior International Defense Management Course (SIDMC) at the Naval Postgraduate School, Aug. 9.
Held through the university’s Defense Resources Management Institute (DRMI), SIDMC provides a diverse international collective of flag level participants with a unique program on strategic planning and the efficient allocation of resources. Norquist took advantage of his short time on the university’s campus to welcome attendees to the program, while also learning more about the unique capabilities within DRMI.
During his discussion with attendees, Norquist talked about two different ways of building a budget – annual planning, and the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) process, which is what the DOD uses to effectively allocate resources within the strategic guidelines and goals established by the Secretary of Defense, extending over multiple years.
“With annual planning, the core question you ask is where are we now and what should we do different next year. The advantage of this process is that it is much easier for decision making and is a faster process,” said Norquist.
The annual process works well in some areas with set functions but not so well in others, Norquist said. He used America’s initiative to put a man on the moon as an example, where planning cannot just be year to year. Rather, the concurrent development of several systems and technologies has to come together at the right time, and, “That’s where you have to plan,” he stressed.
“When you have a changing or dynamic mission, you tend to adopt the [PPBE] strategy,” Norquist continued. “But it is challenging. It takes longer, involves more people, and creates more effort to get approved.”
Norquist also took a few moments to answer questions from attendees, fielding queries on the DOD structure, technology and innovation, and how to make difficult decisions in savings.
In his role as DOD Comptroller, Norquist serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary of Defense on all budgetary and financial matters, including the development and execution of the department’s annual budget of more than $600 billion.