Defense Finance & Accounting Services Center

• Origins in 1991: The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) was established in 1991 to consolidate and standardize finance and accounting services across the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). • Massive Scale: DFAS processes over 6.5 million payroll payments monthly for military, civilian, and retiree personnel, making it one of the largest payroll providers in the world. • Billions Managed: Each year, DFAS pays out more than $700 billion in DoD appropriated funds, including vendor payments, travel reimbursements, and contract payments. • Global Footprint: DFAS supports financial operations not only in the United States but at military installations and embassies worldwide. • Headquarters: The main headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, on the former site of the Fort Benjamin Harrison Army base. • Technology Innovator: DFAS pioneered the use of electronic funds transfer (EFT) for military and civilian pay, helping to reduce paper checks and improve payment accuracy. • Cost Savings: Since its founding, DFAS has saved billions of dollars for the DoD by streamlining processes and reducing redundancy in financial management. • Employee Strength: DFAS employs approximately 12,000 people across multiple centers in the United States, making it one of the largest employers in the federal government. • Combat Support: During military operations, DFAS teams deploy to support financial operations in combat zones, ensuring troops and contractors are paid on time. • Audit Challenges: DFAS plays a key role in helping the DoD achieve a clean financial audit, a long-standing goal due to the department’s size and complexity.