Millions of paychecks are issued and large amounts of materials are purchased by the services each year. To account for military spending, exact financial records must be kept of these transactions. Finance and accounting specialists organize and keep track of financial records. They also compute payrolls and other allowances, audit accounting records, and prepare payments for military personnel.
What They Do
Finance and accounting specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:
- Use computers to perform calculations, record details of financial transactions, and maintain accounting records
- Review or audit financial records to check the accuracy of figures and calculations
- Prepare paychecks, earnings statements, bills, and financial accounts and reports
- Disburse cash, checks, advance pay, and bonds
- Organize information on past expenses to help plan budgets for future expenses
Helpful Attributes
Helpful school subjects include mathematics, statistics, bookkeeping, and accounting. Helpful attributes include:
- Ability to work with numbers
- Interest in using office machines such as computers, and calculators
- Interest in work requiring accuracy and attention to detail
Training Provided
Job training consists of classroom instruction, including practice in accounting techniques. Course content typically includes:
- Accounting principles and procedures
- Preparation and maintenance of financial reports and budgets
- Statistical analyses to interpret financial data
- Computation of pay and deductions
Work Environment
Finance and accounting specialists work in offices on land or aboard ships.
Civilian Counterparts
Civilian finance and accounting specialists work for all types of businesses and government agencies. They perform duties similar to military finance and accounting specialists. Civilian finance and accounting specialists are also called accounting clerks, audit clerks, bookkeepers, or payroll clerks.
