Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Mary Mott | CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq- Graham Mackenzie (left), program manager, U. S. Treasury...... read more read more
CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq " Soldiers from Multi-National Division " Baghdad will now be able to handle nearly all their cash transactions from within their base camp, and at selected forward operating bases, with just a card and a simple touch on a screen.
The EagleCash cash management program was developed by the U.S. Army Finance Command and the U.S. Treasury Department to support the financial needs of personnel serving in "contingency areas of operation."
The program, currently being rolled-out at selected sites in the Operation Iraqi Freedom theater, allows cardholders to access funds in their stateside bank or credit union accounts.
The program will add convenience to Soldiers" lives, said Graham Mackenzie, program manager, U. S. Treasury Department.
"With an EagleCash card linked to their bank or credit union, Soldiers won't have to go to finance and stand in line. They can access their funds when they want to at convenient locations," said Mackenzie.
At an EagleCash card enrollment drive held June 23 at the Liberty Post Exchange, one of the first MND-B Soldiers to sign up was Sgt. 1st Class Jerry Pearson, air traffic controller, G-3 Air, 4th Infantry Division.
"This is pretty cool. It will cut down on the time I spend in line," said Pearson, who hails from New Haven, Conn.
EagleCash uses a 'smart" card technology, which allows Soldiers to access personal funds through a self-service "kiosk" machine. Cards are free and can be obtained at finance offices, said Mackenzie.
There are no transaction fees at any time, and Soldiers can load money onto their card, or unload money back into their account, and perform card-to-card transactions as well, said Mackenzie.
"This program was developed in 1999 to support Army personnel assigned to the U.S. peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Kosovo and later to support the Joint Task Force at Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras," said Mackenzie.
Over the last two years, the program has been expanded to support personnel based in Afghanistan, Krygyzstan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
"Now we're in the process of introducing it to bases in Kuwait and Iraq," said Mackenzie.
The program is scheduled to be implemented later this year to support the Multi-National Force and Observer Peacekeeping bases on the Sinai Peninsula, he added.
"It's dangerous and expensive to ship U.S. currency to a deployed location like the area Operation Iraqi Freedom supports. EagleCash is a cost-effective electronic replacement for cash at a lower risk," said Mackenzie.
"EagleCash reduces the amount of U.S. currency in circulation overseas. It helps reduce national debt and helps reduce the threat of counterfeit dollars being introduced into the U.S. monetary system," added Mackenzie.
Eagle Cash also provides Soldiers with a safer way of handling their transactions.
"These cards are replaceable if lost or stolen. We have the ability to replace your funds if the card is lost," he said.
EagleCash implementation teams are made up of members from the 266th Finance Command (Forward), U.S. Army Finance Command, U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Bank. These teams are training local personnel in finance, postal, Army and Air Force Exchange Services and concessionaires, on how to use the system and are also setting up acceptance devices with merchants on all of the bases within the Camp Victory complex, including Camps Victory, Liberty, Slayer, Striker, Baghdad International Airport and adjacent bases.
For information on getting your EagleCash card, see the base Finance office.
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2006 13:38 |
| Story ID: | 6990 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 153 |
| Downloads: | 15 |
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