Auditor - Shawn Hunkins

When I was nearing the end of my time on active duty in the Marine Corps, I was given the choice to go to Weapons Training Battalion to train Marines how to use different weapons systems or to go to the VITA tax center located on Camp Lejeune, NC.  I decided to learn a new skill set, so I chose the latter, and the Marine Corps sent me through a course at H&R Block to become certified to prepare taxes for individuals and small business.  From this experience I decided I would use my G.I. Bill to pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and then an Executive MBA while continuing to serve in the Marine Corps as a Reservist.  While I was going through school I landed a job at the IRS.  I realized I wanted to find a career in the auditing world so I left the IRS for a private firm to perform governmental auditing.  After more than a year in the private sector, I realized there were certainly some aspects from the military and the Federal Government that I missed, such as comradery and sense of purpose.  Then One day I stumbled across a job opening on USAJobs that seemed to merge my two careers.  I applied for and was accepted to become an Auditor for the Defense Contract Audit Agency.  Now as a civilian employee for the Department of Defense I get to audit contracts to ensure that the Warfighters are getting the gear and support they deserve while protecting the Taxpayer’s best interest.  It is an awesome feeling to be able to serve my country in multiple ways, and interesting for me to see how things work behind the scenes of the battlefield.  Also the Federal Government is very supportive of my military reserve obligations.  My experience in the Marine Corps absolutely gives me a unique perspective for my position that enables me to know exactly what it is like for the Warfighter that is receiving the goods and services from the government contractors.