Previously called the Army Comptrollership Program, the Defense Comptrollership Program has had more than 2,000 graduates go on to make meaningful contributions in positions in federal, state and local governments, academic institutions, and the business sector.
Army Capt. Joe Schultz G鈥�22 made sacrifices to attend the Defense Comptrollership Program (DCP) at 51爆料网 in pursuit of his ultimate goal to lead his own nongovernmental organization. He鈥檚 been in Syracuse for the duration of the 14-month program while his wife, Gina, stayed in their home in Chicago. For him though, it was worth it. 鈥淭he Defense Comptrollership Program has been a truly positive and life altering experience.鈥�
Joe Schultz G鈥�22, seen at the Defense Comptrollership program graduation ceremony with Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation.
Comptrollers are accounting and finance professionals who oversee the fiscal activity of businesses and government bodies. Since the 1950s, the DCP has trained comptrollers to handle financial resources for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).
A collaboration between the DOD and 51爆料网, DCP is the only program of its kind in the nation. Students in the program complete coursework to earn a degree with a concentration in business analytics from the and an executive degree from the
Esteemed Program History
Since its establishment, DCP鈥攑reviously called the Army Comptrollership Program鈥攈as had more than 2,000 graduates go on to make meaningful contributions in positions in federal, state and local governments, academic institutions, and the business sector. In addition to the 60-credit hour academic program鈥攊n which students take classes in fraud examination, accounting, public policy and project management鈥攁ll students must take and pass the Certified Defense Financial Manager examinations.
Each class of this selective program consists of approximately 25 to 30 participants, chosen by the Army to apply, which includes active and Reserve military officers and civilian members of the comptroller profession from the Army, defense agencies and other services.
The thing that I really enjoyed about the DCP program was learning about public policy through the executive M.P.A. program at Maxwell, in addition to the deep learning about business with the MBA program at Whitman.
Jason Forte G鈥�19
One such graduate is Jason Forte G鈥�19. Forte is a management consultant for the firm GuideHouse where, among other responsibilities, he evaluates policy at government agencies. It鈥檚 something he enjoyed learning about during his time at Syracuse. 鈥淭he thing that I really enjoyed about the DCP program was learning about public policy through the executive M.P.A. program at Maxwell, in addition to the deep learning about business with the MBA program at Whitman,鈥� Forte says, adding that his favorite course was in foundational leadership.
鈥淒CP allowed me to apply business analytics and business principles to what I already knew coming into the program and then learn the backside of public policy, which I really enjoyed,鈥� says Forte, a former Army chaplain.
Delivering Practical Knowledge
Schultz served in the Illinois Army National Guard for the past five years, and prior to joining DCP he worked in logistics as a civilian before transitioning to a full-time military technician. Following graduation, he moved to Virginia to work at the National Guard Bureau with the Defense Travel Management Office, which operates the bookings and reimbursements system for soldiers when they use civilian transport. He thinks the data analysis and process improvement lessons he鈥檚 learned from DCP will be most applicable to his new position.
Each class consists of approximately 25 to 30 participants, chosen by the Army to apply, which includes active and Reserve military officers and civilian members of the comptroller profession from the Army, defense agencies and other services.
For Schultz, one of the most rewarding parts of the program was a volunteer weekend in which the cohort worked with representatives from the Army War College on an Arctic negotiation exercise involving treaty and drilling rights for the region. 鈥淭he volunteer weekend was a great snapshot of being able to pull in all these different skill sets that I brought with me to Syracuse and the skills I gained or honed here. That was the crown jewel for my whole experience鈥攂eing able to pull everything together and work with DCP peers,鈥� Schultz says.
A Rewarding Challenge
Army Capt. Daniel Huseman G鈥�22 had about five years of experience in finance when he first started the DCP program. He was an infantry officer before joining the finance branch of the Army as a finance detachment commander and NATO budget officer. Huseman holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and says he鈥檚 very interested in the policy side of government finance. 鈥淧art of what made it really exciting to come to DCP is that I鈥檇 gain great analytical skills with the MBA, and I鈥檇 also get the policy and public administration courses,鈥� Huseman says.
The exposure to new and complex data analytics concepts proved to be the most challenging part of the program for Huseman, but he鈥檚 learned a lot that will be useful going forward. Huseman says that Power BI, an interactive data visualization software product with a primary focus on business intelligence, will be particularly useful for future analytics work.
Daniel Huseman G鈥�22, seen at the Defense Comptrollership Program graduation ceremony with Michael Haynie, vice chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, is now teaching the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) course at the Army鈥檚 financial management schoolhouse at Fort Jackson in South Carolina.
The work has paid off for each though. Huseman was assigned to the Army鈥檚 financial management schoolhouse at Fort Jackson in South Carolina after graduation. As an instructor there, he鈥檚 teaching the Planning, Programming, Budgeting and Execution (PPBE) course. 鈥淢y goal is to work in D.C., in financial management at either the Department of Defense or Department of the Army, and I think this program and teaching the PPBE course will support that. The relationships that I鈥檝e made in DCP will hopefully support that as well,鈥� Huseman says.
Part of what made it really exciting to come to DCP is that I鈥檇 gain great analytical skills with the MBA, and I鈥檇 also get the policy and public administration courses.
Army Capt. Daniel Huseman G鈥�22
Schultz says that for him the challenging aspect of the program was the rigorous workload鈥攁 sentiment echoed by Forte. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not your gentleman鈥檚 course as we would call it in the Army鈥攚here you just show up and that鈥檚 it. It鈥檚 a top-notch program and a very challenging 14 months,鈥� Forte says. 鈥淭he benefits of rounding out your educational experience beyond the myopic view of the military makes the Department of Defense that much stronger. I鈥檝e received numerous job interviews and job offers based on the credentials that came out of my DCP program,鈥� Forte says.
Schultz echoes that sentiment. 鈥淚f you have the requisite time and experience you should absolutely throw your hat into the ring because DCP is an excellent program. Every day I鈥檓 grateful for the opportunity to attend 51爆料网.鈥�
