DVIDS – News – 4th Finance Company Commander Shares Deployment Retrospective

On Sunday morning, June 9, 2024, New York Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 4th Finance Company gathered in the Whitestone Armory in Queens, N.Y., for a demobilization Yellow Ribbon event, which served as a bridge to connect service members and their families with healthcare, education, financial resources and other benefits, to support their transition back to civilian life.

As these Soldiers navigate the next chapter, the commander of the unit, Capt. Matthew Lenzi shared a retrospective of the company’s time serving with Joint Force Special Operations Command in Southwest Asia.

The mission was to deploy resource management experts who would take over the warfighting finance shops in the region, embedding with special operations units with the intent of the providing support to nation partners, ensuring safety and stability in the region.

Acknowledging the inherent challenges, Lenzi said that the number one challenge was how dispersed the unit’s soldiers were.

“The biggest challenge was to keep everybody together, on the same page, all rowing in the same direction, while not actually being co-located for the majority of the time,” he said.

With less than 20 Soldiers, all subject-matter experts, the 4th Finance is a small, yet mighty, organization.

“The nature of our operation was that we had to provide resource management activities throughout multiple regions, multiple countries, different headquarters, for different special operations units,” said Lenzi.

Even with preparation and job expertise, Soldiers in the National Guard know that one must always be prepared for changing conditions.

“In the aftermath of the events of October 7th, our mission changed greatly,” said Lenzi. “We, had been in country for about three months at that time, and experienced one set of conditions, but obviously, from that day forward, we experienced an entirely different set of conditions.”

The operational tempo increased and so did the threat environment. Despite all this the Soldiers of the 4th Finance Company rose to the occasion.

They divided into very small teams; sometimes teams of just two or even sometimes one. They went off base, conducted operations and took on high levels of responsibility. They would plan, execute and deliver results without much oversight and without much guidance.

“What I’m most proud of is how each soldier developed their own sense of autonomy and their own sense of individual responsibility,” said Lenzi.

While working on a small task force in high level operations, seeing the decisions and actions made by Soldiers have a direct impact with far-reaching results drives home the point that every role is important even if they might not see it.

Lenzi explained that the Army is a big place and although the roles of support services might not grab headlines, and some Soldiers may not even see the results on the ground, what they do facilitates everything.

As commander, Lenzi was able to see the pieces come together and considered it an honor and a privilege.

“Something unique about our mission was that it was a joint services environment, so at the end of the tour, all of the Soldiers received joint service awards, which is very rare even for the active-duty component,” he said.

Many received the prestigious Joint Service Commendation Medal or Joint Service Achievement Medal.

Lenzi reflected on his motivations to continue serving and said that, apart from providing for his family, his service provides him with purpose.

“It gives me the chance to do good in the world,” he said.

The 4th Finance Company’s story is a testament to the vital role of National Guard units. They deploy with specialized skills, adapt to changing situations, and excel in challenging environments.

The 4th Finance deployed in June 2023 and returned April 2024. This Yellow Ribbon event marked a new chapter for them, a chance to reintegrate into civilian life. Yet, their dedication to service and their unwavering commitment to excellence remain an inspiration.

The 4th Finance Company is a subordinate of the 27th Finance Battalion, 369th Sustainment Brigade.