Navy Medicine was recognized as a leader in financial management at an awards ceremony Aug. 30.

Dr. Susan Rabern, assistant secretary of the Navy (ASN) financial management and comptroller (FM&C), presented Navy Medicine's financial management team with seven out of 28 ASN (FM&C) awards for the 2015 fiscal year at the Pentagon.

"These awards demonstrate the high caliber and creativity of our financial management workforce," Rabern said.

Lisa St. Andre, director of business operations, U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), accepted the awards on behalf of the Navy Medicine financial management team.

"The awards our team received this year confirm that we have a group of truly incredible people around the globe who are doing their absolute best to support the warfighter," St. Andre said. "Our team is focused on ensuring that our medical personnel have what they need to provide the best care we can offer to our Sailors and Marines. That focus is what really drives our team to continue to do the phenomenal work that they do."

ASN (FM&C) selected the Navy Medicine team for their management and oversight of contract close-out controls and procedures. Navy Medicine was recognized in all other categories including audit, budget and execution, financial management certification, as well as outstanding trainee.

Samuel Fontanez-Berrios, BUMED's Financial Management Career Program (FMCP) trainee, was recognized as one of three outstanding FMCP trainees in the Navy. The recent graduate was given the opportunity to rotate among different Navy organizations to give him a better understanding and insight into how the Navy's financial management and comptroller system operates.

"What set me apart was being ready to lead and contribute to special projects, always meeting deadlines and staying focused on doing the right thing and ensuring the organization audit is ready, not only at BUMED, but wherever I was." Fontanez-Berrios said.

"Our team consistently performs in these categories because we're focused on audit readiness," said David Howell, deputy director of financial policy and internal controls at BUMED. "Audit readiness is critical not only for our leadership or our command, but also for our Sailors and Marines out in the fleet."

Navy Medicine is a global health care network of 63,000 personnel that provides health care support to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, their families and veterans in high operational tempo environments, at expeditionary medical facilities, medical treatment facilities, hospitals, clinics, hospital ships and research units around the world.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

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