Certified Defense Financial Manager (CDFM) Certification Program

Certified Defense Financial Manager™ The Sign of Distinction in Defense Financial Management asmconline.org/CDFM

Certified Defense Financial Manager™ (CDFM™) Earn the premier credential in your field.

The American Society of Military Comptrollers is proud to offer the Certified Defense Financial Manager Certification Program, the only assessment-based certification focused exclusively on the field of defense financial management.

Why Become a CDFM™?

• Demonstrate mastery: The CDFM is designed to show your mastery of financial management competencies in all areas of defense financial management.

• Advance your career: As a highly-regarded credential in both the public and private sector, the CDFM equips you for the next step in your career.

• Stand apart and lead: With its rigorous and thorough requirements, the CDFM demonstrates your preparedness to lead your organization into the future.

• It’s DOD-approved: The CDFM is one of the DOD-approved, test-based certifications recommended for individuals with DFMCP Certification Levels 2 and 3. In addition, OUSD(C) released an exception to policy memorandum in January 2021 which allows FM workforce members to earn and maintain the CDFM as an alternative to any of the three DFMCP levels.

Essential to the security of our country is the optimal use of the financial resources, appropriated by Congress for the defense of our nation. This requires a first class corpus of professionals, highly trained and certified to optimize the purchasing power of the Defense budget. ASMC’s CDFM Program provides the knowledge, rigor and assurance our profession requires to provide top quality, financial management and comptroller support to the Department of Defense. CDFM Certification helps ensure we are highly competent in our duties and we hold ourselves to the highest standards of professionalism and stewardship.”

—LTG (RET.) THOMAS HORLANDER, US ARMY

Launch your journey to become a CDFM today! Before starting the certification process, please make sure you review the Candidate Handbook for complete details. Download the Candidate Handbook at asmconline.org.

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Step 1: Are you eligible?

Before beginning the certification process, it is important to ensure that you are eligible to earn the CDFM. To be awarded CDFM or CDFM-A certification, a candidate must: • Possess a high school diploma or equivalent.

• Pledge to adhere to the ASMC Pledge of Professionalism.

• Enroll in the CDFM Program.

• Pass CDFM exam modules 1, 2, and 3 within a 4-year timeframe. (Module 4 can be taken at any time, but the CDFM-A cannot be awarded until all of the CDFM requirements are met.)

• Submit a qualifying VFME form demonstrating the required financial management experience outlined below: • An associate degree or higher plus 2 years of defense-related or 4 years of Federal Government-related financial management experience, OR • A high school diploma or equivalent plus 3 years of defense-related financial management experience.

Step 2: Preparing for the exam There are many avenues to preparing for the CDFM. While ASMC does not endorse any specific person, product, resource, or service as a means of preparing for or achieving certification, we are happy to provide a suite of exam preparation tools, including: • CDFM Practice Exam—an online subscription-based pre-exam assessment • ASMC Textbooks • Enhanced Defense Financial Management Training Course (EDFMTC) • CDFM Module Refresher Courses • Group study at local ASMC Chapters • And more! View a full list of preparation opportunities at asmconline.org/cdfm/prep

Step 3: Enrolling in the CDFM™ Program By enrolling in the CDFM Program, you are agreeing to abide by the ASMC Pledge of Professionalism and the CDFM Certification Agreement, which can be found in the Candidate Handbook. Upon payment of your enrollment fee, you can begin purchasing the CDFM Module Exams and start your journey to exam completion!

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CDFM™ Exams To achieve CDFM Certification, a candidate must pass CDFM exam modules 1-3 within a 4-year timeframe. A candidate must also pass exam module 4 in order to earn the CDFM-A (Certified Defense Financial Manager with Acquisition Specialty).

• Each examination module contains 80 multiple-choice questions.

• Candidates are allotted two hours to complete each module.

• Modules may be taken one at a time or all in one sitting.

• Modules may be completed in any order.

Step 4: Purchasing your exams ASMC offers online-proctored CDFM testing or in-person testing through Pearson VUE’s Testing Network. To begin the examination process, you must purchase the appropriate CDFM examination at asmconline.org/exams.

Step 5: Scheduling your exams After purchasing an exam on the ASMC website, you will receive a unique Pearson VUE candidate ID and scheduling directions. If you require ADA accommodations, email certification@asmconline.org.

Step 6: Taking the exam—in-person or remote proctoring ASMC offers online-proctored CDFM testing so you can take your certification exam securely from your home or office. Computer-based testing is also available at authorized testing locations worldwide through Pearson VUE’s Testing Network.

Step 7: Verifying your experience Demonstrate your eligibility by submitting a Verification of Financial Management Experience Form (VFME) signed by a supervisor who can verify your experience.

Exam Modules Pursue the CDFM today and demonstrate your mastery of:

Module 1: Resource Management Environment

Module 2: Budget and Cost Analysis

Module 3: Accounting and Finance

Module 4: Acquisition (Optional – must pass to achieve CDFM-A certification)

I decided to pursue the CDFM as one of my professional goals as an Army civilian in the Department of Defense. To be competitive for the next level of my career, pursuing a test-based certification was important to me. I chose to earn the CDFM for both personal and professional reasons, and to grow my knowledge, my skills, and abilities.”

— ELIZABETH MCCULLOUGH, CDFM-A, MBA, DFMC3, DIRECTOR, RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, U. S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS

Get started today!

• Download the Candidate Handbook at asmconline.org.

• Enroll in the CDFM Program.

• Take and pass the required exams.

• Submit verification of your qualifying experience.

Join the elite group of Certified Defense Financial Managers: asmconline.org/cdfm/active-cdfms

Launch Your Journey To Become a CDFM™!

Questions? Contact our team at certification@asmconline.org or (703) 549-0360 / (800) 462-5637 to learn more about the CDFM.

Follow ASMC on social media! facebook.com/ASMCNationalHQ twitter.com/asmctweets linkedin.com/company/americansociety-of-military-comptrollers instagram.com/asmc_hq

Maintain your CDFM™ with ongoing professional development.

Be sure to keep your CDFM or CDFM-A certification active. You will need to recertify every 24 months.

Requirements include: • Completing 80 hours of Continuing Professional Education (CPE) by your recertification deadline, to include two CPEs in an ethics-related topic.

• Adhering to the ASMC Pledge of Professionalism.

• Paying the CDFM recertification fee.

The 2018 National Defense Strategy makes it clear that the Department of Defense (DOD) faces a competitive environment. A modern, agile, and professional DOD requires a motivated, diverse, and highly-skilled workforce. Developing leaders who are competent in financial management enables a 30,000-foot view and enriches national-level decision-making. The CDFM program provides a curated pathway to empowered performance. Its universal framework provides a foundation and lifelong learning for entry-, mid-, and senior- level financial managers. I strongly encourage the pursuit of the CDFM and CDFM-A designations as badges of excellence across the DOD financial management community.”

—SCOTT W. BAUER, CDFM-A, DFMC3, DAWIA BUS-FM LEVEL 3, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, PRODUCTION COORDINATION & OPTIMIZATION, DEFENSE ACQUISITION UNIVERSITY

Earn CPEs through ASMC or other sources.

Accepted CPEs are readily available through a wealth of ASMC resources or other educational outlets. Some of the many options include: • ASMC Professional Development Institute (PDI)—the live event or Virtual PDI, spanning mini-courses, workshops, and general sessions • ASMC Journal Tests, based on Armed Forces Comptroller content • ASMC educational programs and training courses • Relevant college/university courses • Attending professional conferences and/or presentations on relevant subjects

View details on requirements and convenient, accessible ways to meet them at asmconline.org.