Thomas C. Steffens
Mr. Thomas C. (Tom) Steffens is the Deputy Chief Financial Officer (DCFO) in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) (OUSD(C)). He serves as the principal advisor to the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer and Defense senior leaders on all issues involving the amended Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 (CFO Act) and related financial management reforms. He is responsible for improving and sustaining DoD’s financial framework inclusive of policy, systems, audit, and reporting; leading compliance with government accounting standards, Federal regulations, and laws; and promulgating best practices for the effective, efficient, and legal use of DoD resources. His portfolio includes annual financial audit support and issue remediation, as well as oversight of the Department’s internal control programs, improper payment program, and Digital Accountability and Transparency Act compliance.
Prior to becoming the DCFO, Mr. Steffens served as Chief Financial Officer and Director of Resource Management for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) from 2016-2022. In this role, Mr. Steffens was successful in ensuring USACE achieved their 14th consecutive unmodified “clean” audit opinion. Previous to his USACE assignment, Mr. Steffens served as Director of Accountability and Audit Readiness, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management and Comptroller) from 2012-2016, where he led preparations for the first Army-wide audit of financial statements by an independent public accountant.
Mr. Steffens served over 27 years as an officer in the U.S. Army Finance Corps, serving at every leadership level through Battalion Commander. Additionally, Mr. Steffens earned a Master’s Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College in 2007, a Master of Business Administration degree from Syracuse University in 1993, and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Saint Peter’s University in 1985.
Mr. Steffens was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in May 2013. He is an American Society of Military Comptrollers member (since 1986), a Certified Defense Financial Manager (since 2002), and is Level 3 DoD Financial Management Certified.