The U.S. Army is doing some restructuring, and that means units across the country that focus on finance will be realigned or merged. 

It’s a way to streamline the ability to acquire battlefield needs. The merging, however, means the unit that serves Fort Drum, is no more.

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. Army is reorganizing its financial units to better serve commanders on the ground

  • The 10th Mountain Division's 33rd Financial Management Support Unit was inactivated and soldiers will be sent to different financial units on other installations

  • The unit was only inactivated and not deactivated, meaning it's not permanent and if the Army sees fit, it could reactivate the unit on Fort Drum

“I feel blessed. I feel it's been a great opportunity to be able to lead these soldiers that we saw today, over 73 and certainly throughout the tenure that I had here,” Major Jose Jimenez, commander of the “Paymasters,” the 10th Mountain Division’s 33rd Financial Management Support Unit.

The division's 33rd, its financial unit, is being inactivated by the U.S. Army.

“I know the soldiers are trained. I know these soldiers wherever they go, they're going to be able to do their job. And I feel like we were responsible that these soldiers are ready,” Jimenez said after an inactivation ceremony.

Jimenez took command of this unit last year. It’s a unit that came to Drum nearly 40 years ago. It’s a unit that, among many duties, helped ensure soldier pay both at home and deployed, handled battlefield cash, vendor contracts and were critical in ensuring command could acquire the equipment needed both here at home and overseas.

“The unit throughout the division providing that support that the commanders need,” Jimenez said. “We also have teams in different parts of the world, and we provide support in that regard.”

But throughout the Army, these financial units were designed a little differently than a typical infantry unit, everything from command rank to just how widespread the companies were. 

The U.S. Army wanted a different way, to streamline the structure, so the commanders on the ground were getting what they needed when they needed it.

“It's all about time,” Jimenez said. “It's all about providing the information that the commander needs in a timely manner so that they're able to make decisions. The proper decision, the right decision at the right moment, at the right time.”

In addition to their financial duties, Jimenez also spent the last year preparing these soldiers for the possibility of battle. 

He's confident that wherever these soldiers go next, they will be ready for whatever they're called upon for.

“They’re qualified to do their jobs as a financial soldier and as a soldier,” Jimenez added. “So, they can shoot, they can move, and they can communicate, and they can do their financial duties as well.”

It’s an honor, he says, every single step of the way. 

Now it should be noted, that the unit was inactivated, and not deactivated — and there’s a big difference.

Inactivation is considered long-term, but also temporary, meaning the Army believes there may be a time in the future when its services will be needed again.

And should Fort Drum need help in the meantime, they can request a team from a streamlined installation to come out and provide what’s needed.