Camp Pendleton announced Friday that Staff Sgt. Dylan Heatherton, a finance technician with Headquarters and Service Battalion, was named the 2025 Marine Corps Staff Noncommissioned Officer Financial Technician of the Year.
The finance technician acts as the final safeguard to ensure payments are legal, correct and accountable, which includes travel claims, entitlements and large-scale fiscal actions, according to base officials.
Officials said that because of Marines like Heatherton, the Marine Corps has the distinction of being the only service to pass its third consecutive financial audit.
In 2025, Heatherton served as deputy dispersing officer for the Regional Disbursing Office West. In that role, he was responsible for reconciling and correcting unmatched financial transactions to ensure funds were allocated accurately to the proper units and accounting lines.
Heatherton estimates his work supported the reallocation of more than $130 million, officials said.
“My initial reaction was, I didn’t necessarily believe it. It was a very happy and surreal feeling … it feels really nice because it feels like the day-in, day-out work … comes to fruition,” Heatherton said. “A lot of what we do is pay contracts on time so we can maintain a good relationship with partner nations or vendors so that when Marines do an exercise or deploy, they are able to get what they need from these vendors.”
According to officials, Heatherton emphasizes that technical excellence in finance requires humility, continuous learning and attention to detail. He regularly mentors junior Marines on regulations and process improvement to reinforce accuracy at every level, they said.
“Everything I do, I can’t do without them,” Heatherton said when asked about his Marines. “If they don’t do their job correctly … then treasury funds or U.S. government funds can go to the wrong place.”
“You can be a good leader and hold people accountable while still being a good human being. Teaching Marines the purpose behind their work rather than simply correcting mistakes reinforces understanding of their job while enforcing a high standard,” he added.
Heatherton said he aims to continue serving the Marine Corps as a finance warrant officer.
— City News Service
