88 ABW Spotlight

  • Published
  • By 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Name and rank: Tara Svidish, GS-11

Duty title: Financial specialist

Unit of assignment: 88th Comptroller Squadron

What do you do at Wright-Patt? I am a financial specialist assigned to the 88th Comptroller Squadron, the largest comptroller squadron in the Air Force. I lead a team of accountants that certified more than 15,000 funding documents totaling more than $29 billion to ensure Team Wright-Patt executed all of its critical missions throughout fiscal year 2020. Our team also has a reputation across the base for crushing the Air Force standard of 72 hours for document certification — we get it done in 24 hours. I am responsible for ensuring funding is available to support procurement activities across the installation and funding is expended in accordance with federal acquisition regulations and appropriation law.

“Ms. Svidish’s keen attention to detail is critical in ensuring sufficient funds are available to satisfy purchase requests for nearly 90 units, to include Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, 445th Airlift Wing, and 655th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing,” said Lt. Col. Josh Wolfram, 88 CPTS commander.

Why are you and your job important to the Air Force, AFMC and WPAFB?

Undoubtedly without funds, our mission would come to a halt and exponentially create challenges for our wing to execute and deliver war-winning capabilities. In this environment, many of us have been required to adapt and leverage creativity skills, which our team employed to implement the Air Force’s new accounting system last year.

“Tara flawlessly determined funding availability for missions that support the F-35 and Air Force Materiel Command Digital Campaign, resulting in a seamless transition under dire funding constraints endured across the command,” Wolfram said.

“Her speed, tenacity and accuracy in examining procurements ultimately contributed to the larger scope of providing decision support to our key leadership and warfighters and embodying our organizational mission to provide world-class financial management services.”