ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – My DCMA showcases the Defense Contract Management Agency’s experienced and dedicated workforce and highlights what being part of the national defense team means to them. Today, Suraiya Ali shares her story.

My name is Suraiya Ali, and this is “My DCMA.” I am a financial specialist at DCMA Chicago, and I have been with the organization since January 2023. During my 30-year professional career, I have worked primarily in the accounting and finance field. I enjoy working with numbers, and I am analytical, detail oriented, and organized in setting priorities.

I currently manage the budget for the DCMA Chicago Mission Support Operations Office. I oversee the fund execution for the Defense Travel System and the government purchase card for the procurement of non-labor funds. I provide reports, including the correction of labor execution, within my limited timekeeper functions. I communicate regularly with the contract management office’s deputy, MSO chief, and program managers to ensure travel funds, supplies, and other non-labor funds are allocated and executed timely and properly. I have developed various processes to ensure the budgets for non-labor, overtime, awards, and other categories, are tracked closely to provide our senior leadership the visibility, transparency, and assistance to meet execution requirements.

My position with the MSO requires me to fulfill multiple roles. As the finance defense travel administrator, I am responsible for loading funds into DTS and tracking travel funds. I review the GPC pre-approval forms to ensure that lines of accounting are assigned properly. In that capacity, I ensure funds are available and Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness compliant before signing off as the funds control officer. I also analyze daily reports from the Defense Agencies Initiative, also known as DAI, to ensure funds are obligated properly and in a timely manner. In addition, I maintain DCMA Chicago’s budget execution tool and provide a monthly briefing to senior leadership about budget execution.

DCMA is important to America’s warfighters because we help provide the best equipment and services to them to keep our nation safe.

I enjoy working in the DCMA Chicago MSO because everyone interacts with each other with kindness and respect. I am grateful to Chong Yim, DCMA Chicago’s deputy director, for his guidance and training. Also, Dan Wert, DCMA Chicago’s director of Engineering and Manufacturing; Nick Reedy, MSO supervisor; Kristina Jett, budget analyst; and my team have all been very helpful. The entire team has been understanding, kind, respectful, responsible, and oftentimes make the challenges of my job a little smoother.

In addition to the great people I work with, DCMA Chicago is located approximately 30 miles outside of Chicago, so there are many activities I can enjoy. I can visit museums, see Lake Michigan, shop, and experience a variety of cultural food experiences within a reasonable driving distance. I have been able to bring some of these experiences into the office through my participation in our CMO’s employee activity committee. This committee organizes events, including a Taste of Chicago, Fall Feast, annual holiday party, and Walk to Wellness activities. It brings employees together and makes it a fun place to work. These events allow us to connect with each other, including employees who work on different teams and are in the office during different days of the week.

I have seen some changes during my time at DCMA Chicago. Since I joined the agency team, I have witnessed a change of command ceremony. It was a smooth transition and now that our CMO is going to merge with another office as part of DCMA Vision, it will be interesting to see what’s next.

I have enjoyed being a part of the DCMA team for the past two years. I completed the required classes for the Financial Management Certification Level 2, and I am waiting to fulfill the final requirement to receive my certificate. My future career goals include looking for challenging opportunities to learn and grow in my field. For example, I would like to pursue roles as a budget analyst, financial analyst, or another challenging role. I believe in training, and I have applied for the Introduction to Data Analytics for the Defense Management Certificate Program Pilot with the Naval Postgraduate School. I would also like to pursue the Financial Management Certification Level 3.

My favorite hobbies include spending time with my family and friends, playing with my cats, watching television shows, bowling, and reading.

Something unique about me is that I can stay calm under pressure and find solutions that work for everyone involved. I tend to consistently search for ways to simplify our processes, find the root of the problem, and provide accurate information to the best of my knowledge to resolve issues. If I come across any mistakes, I try to fix the problem and find ways to avoid it from happening again.

My personal goals for 2025 include eating healthier food and working out at least three days a week to stay active.