Name: Jay Philippe
Job title: Program Analyst
Assigned: Resource Management Office, Logistics Readiness Center Benelux, 405th Army Field Support Brigade
Location: Chievres Air Base, Belgium
Experience: I’ve been at LRC Benelux in the Resource Management Office for 3.5 years. I started out there as a budget analyst and got promoted to program analyst about 1.5 years ago. Before that I worked for 18 years at U.S. Army Garrison Benelux with the Family Morale Welfare and Recreation Directorate. I started at the bottom of the ladder as a budget technician at FMWR and worked my way up to the chief of financial management. And before working for the U.S. Army, I worked at a Belgium school as a French teacher and then as an accountant.
Hometown: Ath, Belgium
Family: I am married to my wife, Melanie, and have three children – a daughter who is 17, and two sons – ages 9 and 7.
Q: Can you explain the responsibilities of the Resource Management Office at LRC Benelux?
A: In a nutshell, the Resource Management Office is responsible for certifying funding availability for any transaction within LRC Benelux – anything from Government Purchase Card purchases to permanent change of duty station moves and temporary duty travel authorizations to much more. We manage funding, monitor execution and handle the reimbursable program. I like to think of us as problem solvers. My FMWR background as a customer-oriented service provider helps me in my current position at LRC Benelux. To the maximum extent possible, my approach is to always satisfy my customers’ needs and requirements, so long as they are legal, ethical and moral. For example, at the end of fiscal year 2020, I helped to facilitate an expedited purchase of a new forklift in just three days.
Q: Why is the Resource Management mission at LRC Benelux so important?
A: Everything that goes out or comes in here goes through LRC Benelux – any needed equipment, any COVID-19 supplies – everything goes through us. One major requirement here at LRC Benelux that most LRCs don’t deal with is fuel cards. In the Benelux area of operations there’s only one fuel point, and it’s here at Chievres. Well, we also have multiple installations in Brussels and in Brunssum, and there are no fuel points at those locations so we mitigate the lack of fuel points with fuel cards. All the fuel cards that we provide to the units stationed here are on a reimbursable basis. Our shop is handling all the payments to the service provider who provides the fuel cards and all the reimbursement actions for each of our customers. We also handle all the budget requirements for our Maintenance Division, and if they’re not funded properly they won’t be able to accomplish their mission. For example, Chievres Air Base has a snow sweeper for the runway. If we cannot provide funding for the proper maintenance support for the snow sweeper, snow will not be swept and the runway will be unusable during the winter months.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job, and what motivates you?
A: I’m proud to serve the ones who serve. It’s my motivation and something I take pride in. Working at FMWR was the same way – enhancing morale and providing recreational events is a way to serve the ones who serve. Logistical support is another example of that – to serve the ones who serve.
LRC Benelux and 405th AFSB: When it comes to providing day-to-day installation services, LRC Benelux directs, manages and coordinates a variety of operations and activities in support of USAG Benelux. LRC Benelux reports to the 405th Army Field Support Brigade, which is assigned to U.S. Army Sustainment Command and under the operational control of the 21st Theater Sustainment Command, U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The brigade is headquartered in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and provides materiel enterprise support to U.S. Forces throughout Europe and Africa – providing theater sustainment logistics; synchronizing acquisition, logistics and technology; and leveraging U.S. Army Materiel Command’s materiel enterprise to support joint forces. For more information on the 405th AFSB, visit the official website at www.afsbeurope.army.mil and the official Facebook site at www.facebook.com/405thAFSB.