Being from a military family, I have learned to appreciate the role of the war fighter and Defense Department customers. Once I learned of the opportunity to work for the Department of Defense while applying my Accounting and Finance skills from the classroom, I knew this would be a perfect fit.
The first DFAS employees I met were at a recruiting fair at The Ohio State University. The professionalism displayed by these individuals caught my attention. Since this was my first opportunity to work as an intern, I was not sure what to expect. However, the management and employees quickly made me feel like part of the DFAS team and I felt confident in contributing my skills on the job.
My first rotation was being assigned to DeCA Europe, however as time went along, I helped DeCA CONUS (or Continental US) as well. I knew that DeCA was an acronym for the Defense Commissary Agency, which are essentially the grocery stores on military bases. It was neat to see that some of the stores I had helped account for were in fact, some of the stores I used to buy groceries from.
I have noticed that DFAS promotes initiative. While working for DeCA I was able to help automate some of the business processes. I helped modify an existing Accounts Payables database that would age payables automatically instead of through manual intervention. I was also able to build and re-design several other databases that helped save time and increase efficiency. Some of those include a payroll database which allows the user to pull pertinent information by SSN, a Trial Balance database to track and chart monthly percentage changes, and an Accounts Receivable database to properly age receivables.
My second rotation was being assigned to DFAS Accounting. Here, I learned the role accounting played for Defense Department customers such as the armed forces. I was able to help reduce some of the workload by automating some of the manual processes. I built several databases including an Accounts Receivable and an Eliminations database which tracked the purchases of items from one government agency to another government agency. I was given the responsibility to maintain a checklist for the Fiscal Year-end which entailed attending meetings and making sure tasks were being completed on time.
I also gained experience in working on a special project. During the summer I spent the first week with the new interns as they got accustomed to DFAS. In the first week, the new interns attended several meetings to learn about DFAS as well as participate in some "get to know you" activities (ice breakers) and teambuilding exercises. Along with this, I was able to share with the new interns my experiences and offer guidance throughout their summer experience.
While working at DFAS I have been able to improve on many skills including communication, listening, professional, and presentation skills. I have had the opportunity to give several presentations as well as teach a couple of training classes. In addition, I have been able to attend multiple trainings which have proved valuable to improve my on-the-job knowledge as well as comprehension of DFAS as a whole.
One of the things I respect most about DFAS is their ability to work with my schedule. I have had the opportunity to continue working at DFAS part-time throughout the school year while still attending my college classes. DFAS has been able to accommodate a flexible schedule to allow for my classes. My supervisors have taken an interest in my development and have been great mentors towards this development.
There are many opportunities present for a future at DFAS and I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to get my foot in the door with a summer internship. The longer I work at DFAS the more I understand the vital role I play in supporting the war fighter. The pride and sense of accomplishment I have received from my first summer and every day since, has made me realize DFAS is a perfect fit.
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