5th Comptroller Squadron builds financial readiness through targeted training days Published May 27, 2025 By Senior Airman Kendra A. Ransum 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 5th Comptroller Squadron strengthens its financial mission and operational readiness through structured training days held weekly for both military and civilian personnel. Every Tuesday, office hours are limited to appointments only from 9 a.m. to noon, followed by two hours of finance training in the afternoon. During these training hours from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, the 5th Comptroller Squadron (CPTS) has its doors closed to focus on these trainings. The goal of these training days is twofold: to meet mandatory contingency training requirements and to address recurring trends or knowledge gaps that impact the squadron’s effectiveness. The 5th CPTS is responsible for the maintenance of congressional appropriations by resource management, budgetary planning and programming and providing fiscal oversight of Wing funds. The squadron is divided into two sections: the Financial Management Analysis (FMA) flight, which manages budgets and execution documents and the Financial Services (FMF) flight, which handles everything from military and civilian pay to travel entitlements and final payments for separations and retirements. Both the FMA and FMF flights attend training sessions together, ensuring that every member—military and civilian—receives standardized instruction. Training focuses on common mistakes and how to avoid them, while also giving new Airmen insight into how their role affects the broader mission. “Topics do change by the week,” said Tech. Sgt. Alexander Stojadinovic, noncommissioned officer in charge of the Financial Operations Flight. “The NCOIC and the Flight Chief map out each year all the training days for each quarter. These topics are subject to change and we flex due to mission requirements.” Stojadinovic emphasized the importance of laying that foundation now, before Airmen find themselves in a contingency environment. “It is probably difficult to directly attribute an Airman’s performance as a direct result of training days as two-thirds of the training is targeted towards contingency operations," said Stojadinovic. “But I do think it’s important to lay that foundation for when Airmen do deploy down range, that it is somewhat familiar to them and they’re not seeing it for the first time when they get there.” Beyond technical proficiency, the training aims to build cohesion, mission awareness and long-term readiness. In a career field where accuracy and timing are essential, the squadron’s approach reinforces not only individual competence but the reliability of financial operations that support every airman at Minot AFB. In a role where accuracy, timing and understanding of fiscal policy are critical, the 5th CPTS’s training approach aims to ensure every Team Minot member is mission-ready and financially competent.