An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News | Feb. 23, 2021

Fort Meade disposal specialist recalls protective suit transfer to FEMA

By Jake Joy DLA Disposition Services Public Affairs

Early in pandemic, Defense Logistics Agency employees facilitated the transfer of Tyvek protective suits from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Angela Sakryd standing in front of equipment
Fort Meade-based Property Disposal Specialist Angela Sakryd visits the Pentagon’s media center to help officials prepare for a large-scale remodeling project.
Angela Sakryd standing in front of equipment
Fort Meade-based Property Disposal Specialist Angela Sakryd
Fort Meade-based Property Disposal Specialist Angela Sakryd visits the Pentagon’s media center to help officials prepare for a large-scale remodeling project.
Photo By: DLA courtesy photo
VIRIN: 200915-D-D0441-1234
A key contributor to that effort was Fort Meade, Maryland-based Property Disposal Specialist Angela M. Sakryd, who has spent a dozen years with DLA Disposition Services, including deployments to Afghanistan and Kuwait and a year in Japan. Sakryd recently shared her recollections of DLA’s role distributing excess material to support the federal COVID-19 response.

“This was during the initial phase of lockdown and all supplies were severely limited,” Sakryd said. “FEMA intended to distribute [suits] to those that needed them.”

Sakryd worked with property disposal specialists Kelly Clabbers and Carol Fix to coordinate the transfers and said DLA already had a solid relationship with DTRA from previous receipt-in-place projects.

“I forwarded the receipt-in-place memorandum of understanding and they were able to get everything digitally signed and returned so that we could get the property on record,” she said.

Although pandemic restrictions made it impossible for Sakryd to inspect the items, which were located in Springfield, Virginia, the suits were already palletized and ready for shipment.

“The generator’s main concern was that these would be shipped to one customer to minimize their own requirements to be on-site during the period of max telework and weather and safety leave,” she said.

In all, Sakryd and her colleagues helped guide nearly 40,000 protective suits to first responders from DTRA’s excess stock.

“Just because the world locked down, our customers still had disposition needs and throughout this craziness, a lot of people showed up to make it happen,” Sakryd said. “I am glad that I was able to adapt to the new battle rhythm on the home front and also contribute to making sure property got to the right people at the right time.”