FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
In this new series “Working for DLA Energy,” we highlight fuel logistics career paths for military and civilian members within Defense Logistics Agency Energy. As a DLA major subordinate command, DLA Energy manages the supply chain for the Defense Department and federal customers’ petroleum products, alternative fuel/renewable energy, and aerospace energy as well as provides fuel quality/technical support, fuel card programs and installation energy services.
In this spotlight, we learn about military quality assurance representatives within DLA Energy Americas East. This region manages more than 1.25 billion gallons of bulk fuel and customer-direct energy products supporting 295 bases within 37 states in the Continental United States, all Central and South America, and islands in the Caribbean.
QARs provide critical quality support and oversight of bulk fuel procurement, storage depots, distribution contracts, into-plane fuel delivery, pipeline operating agreements and other chemical-related commodity contracts awarded by DLA Energy. As the primary link to corporate partners, customers, and Warfighters daily, QARs are on call 24/7 in every type of weather and location to respond to fuel quality and specification requirements on tanks, barges, tankers, and terminals.
While most QARs within DLA Energy are civilian positions, military QARs play an important role bringing fresh military insights and experiences.
Air Force Master Sgt. Dominic Mersino
Mersino began his career as an Air Force fuels apprentice in 2006 and expanded his skills through multiple assignments and deployments to Turkey, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, and Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Throughout his Air Force career, he has worked in fuel laboratories, preventive maintenance, fuels service center, accounting, training and support and fuels distribution.
He joined the DLA Energy Americas East team in 2020 as a chemical quality assurance representative in Tampa, Florida. He says the highlight of his job is researching commodity specifications and interpreting contracts to ensure DLA Energy is purchasing and issuing products within specifications to ensure DODs mission continues worldwide.
He sought an assignment with DLA Energy to learn more about the fuels industry, logistics support across the services, and the role of his civilian counterparts.
“Working for DLA Energy has been irreplaceable because I’ve had the opportunity to learn about almost every aspect of the fuels business,” he said. “I’ve learned about contract quality assurance and surveillance, refineries, quality specifications, bulk shipments, aerospace commodities and more.”
Mersino says he found his calling working in fuels for in the Air Force.
“I went from not knowing what I wanted to do with my life to a full-blown career,” he said. “I’ve learned when there is uncertainty, the best thing you can do is to take the opportunities that are presented to you, try your best, and it will all work out.”
Army Sgt. 1st Class Billy Viljoen
As a QAR for DLA Energy at Defense Fuel Support Point Charleston, South Carolina, Viljoen performs contract quality assurance for 18 contracts in the area of operations for refineries/terminals, cryogenic plants, and into-plane locations. When needed, he performs secure fuel inspections and testing for Air Force One.
Viljoen served for 14 years as an infantryman before he transitioned to petroleum laboratory specialist. It was during an assignment in 2018 working for the Sub Area Petroleum Office at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, that he learned more about DLA Energy.
“Working in the SAPO office allowed me to travel throughout Kuwait, Afghanistan, and Iraq certifying petroleum labs on behalf of the Army Petroleum Center,” he said. “It was my first experience working closely with DLA Energy and seeing how fuel is delivered to the warfighter at the strategic level.”
After the SAPO assignment, Viljoen was selected for his current assignment with DLA Energy.
“My role as a QAR has been one of the most rewarding opportunities of my career. I’ve experienced things at DLA that I would have never been afforded in other roles in the Army,” he said. “I’ve been lucky enough to visit refineries for multiple products, learn about aerospace commodities, learn from other branches of service, and gain a wealth of knowledge from the DLA civilian employees that serve in a variety of roles.”
Viljoen plans to retire after 24 years of service and join DLA as a civilian QAR.
Air Force Master Sgt. Zachary Beggin
Beggin started his Air Force career in 2004 as a distribution operator, performing fuel operations on the KC-135 and C-37 aircrafts. Over the years, he’s honed his skills earning more responsibility leading fuels operations and laboratory testing teams.
In 2019, Beggin was assigned as the DLA Energy QAR at Defense Fuel Support Point Bordentown, New Jersey, where monitors fuel levels, oversees product movements and inspects/tests incoming barge fuel shipments.
“The highlight for me has been working with my fellow QAR’s and seeing what it takes to be one as a civilian employee,” Beggin said. “The job has been an eye-opening experience understanding supply chain management up until the product is transferred to the military. There is so much that goes on behind the scenes that I wouldn’t typically see on a day-to-day basis while stationed at an Air Force base.”
In March, Beggin along with Viljoen joined the DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Jimmy Canlas and a team of senior leaders on a strategic visit to the Houston, Texas, to better understand how fuel transits the Houston ship channel.
Beggin will retire from the Air Force on Jan. 1, 2024, after 20 years of service, and plans to apply to be civilian DLA Energy QAR.
Mersino, Viljoen and Beggin are all great examples of “growing talent” in a career field that is complex and takes years to master, said DLA Energy Americas East Deputy Director Shona Lawrence.
If you are interested in learning more about the Quality Technical career path with DLA Energy, you can read these stories in the DLA newsroom. If you’d like to pursue a career as a federal QAR, you can search USAJOBS to read about open positions. If you are a college student or recent college graduate, the DLA Pathways to Career Excellence Program is a 2-year training program with a quality assurance career path option.