While the nation remains in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution continues to support the warfighter and federal partners with a focus on innovation.
This year, the incredible DLA Distribution workforce sent almost six million shipments worldwide. The agency currently stores over 2.2 million line items valued at more than $136 billion.
In support of COVID-19 efforts, DLA Distribution shipped over 62,000 orders to the warfighter and federal partners. The agency made history in 2022, partnering for the first time with the United States Postal Service, to ship over 730 million COVID-19 tests to service locations in support of the President’s mandate to provide free tests to American households. On Jan. 19, the White House launched the website COVIDTests.gov for Americans to request the free tests and by September, DLA Distribution shipped over 3,500 truckloads to the USPS.
DLA Distribution continues to ship COVID-19 vaccines to deployed troops and their families, shipping over 1.4 million doses of 12 different COVID vaccines to 97 military treatment facilities in 35 countries. Additional COVID-19 supplies, including gloves, masks, hand sanitizer and other supplies continue to ship to troops as the virus looms.
In addition to COVID-19 vaccines, DLA Distribution delivered 3.4 million seasonal influenza vaccines globally to DoD Service members, their dependents and Veterans this year. The partnership with the Veterans Administration expanded this year as DLA Distribution established two long term VA regional readiness centers at DLA Distribution Susquehanna in Pennsylvania, and DLA Distribution San Joaquin in California. The two locations store over 5,100 pallets of ready-to-issue personal protective equipment, high priority medical supplies and a variety of test kits for VA health centers.
DLA Distribution continues to provide COVID-19 test storage and distribution to the Health and Human Services Department. Currently, the agency is storing and distributing high demand Cepheid test kits, multiplex kits that test for Influenza A, B, respiratory syncytial virus and COVID-19, Nov.17. To date, the agency has shipped over 135,000 tests to health care centers with another 4.8 million on hand.
This past summer, DLA Distribution supported Pacer Goose 2022, the annual resupply of Thule Air Force Base in Greenland. Over 116 pieces of material were staged for shipment on the Ocean Gladiator, to provide vital supplies to people stationed on Thule Air Base. During California’s record wildfire season this year, Distribution shipped over 22,000 lines of items in support of the Wildfire Support mission and expedited more than 960 fire shelters in support of the U.S. Forest Service.
DLA Distribution continues to support U.S. European Command to ensure material moves smoothly through the network. Increasing the number of workers at theater consolidation and shipping points and material processing centers ensured the successful shipment of over 76,000 orders valued at about $384 million this year.
With a steadfast focus on innovation, the agency has implemented many modernization efforts in 2022. Moving forward, process enhancements and modernization investments will improve warfighter support and auditability.
A modernized warehouse management system deployed in August at DLA Distribution Corpus Christi, Texas, followed by Whitehall, Ohio and then DLA Distribution Puget Sound in Washington in early December. WMS uses commercial, off-the-shelf software and offers benefits ranging from improved productivity and streamlined processes to better achieve audit readiness and reporting capabilities between DLA and customers. Predictability and efficiency are also gained through automation tools such and computer-controlled systems that automatically place and retrieve material from storage locations. WMS is a state-of-the-art system that replaces DSS and will help employees work more efficiently and effectively. By 2025, the agency plans to have the new system in place at every Distribution Center.
The $200 million modernization effort at DLA Distribution Susquehanna’s Eastern Distribution Center is underway and will change the way material is handled and stored by implementing both proven and cutting-edge technologies. This project has a four-year implementation schedule that includes new automation controlled by an industry-leading warehouse execution system. The new receiving and buffer system and the goods-to-person workstations have been installed and tested. In addition, wireless printers and tablets have been provided to all distribution centers and voice pick technology has deployed to seven additional sites this year. DLA Distribution is currently working to implement additional innovative technologies, including augmented reality and 5G technology.
In the quest to remain audit ready, DLA Distribution’s annual physical inventory counts consistently indicate 99% accuracy levels.
These are just a few of the MANY examples of the extraordinary work accomplished across the network. As DLA Distribution celebrates the successes of 2022, the agency looks forward to what 2023 holds as the agency continues to revolutionize the future.