TRACY, California –
Members of the DLA Distribution Expeditionary Team assigned to DLA Distribution San Joaquin, in concert with partners from DLA Distribution Expeditionary Logistics and DLA Training, hosted an Expeditionary Academy Jan. 17 through 27 for the DLA Distribution Operations Team San Joaquin Navy Reserve unit. The two-week event consisted of classroom and hands-on training, with a focus on DLA Distribution and mobilization training.
The Expeditionary Academy serves as a resource for the deployable team, known as ‘DDXX,’ the reserve team and DLA as a whole. The Academy allows for the expeditionary team and the reserve team to maintain a high level of interoperability and affords the deployable team the opportunity to assess and perfect its capabilities.
“The Expeditionary Academy serves as a platform to assure that the Navy reservists’ skills are sufficient to support DLA deployments and DLA Distribution's mission,” said DLA Distribution Expeditionary Operations lead trainer Donnie Thompson. “As the Army would say, ‘Train as you fight.’”
The first week consisted of classroom training during which the team was broken down into two groups to enhance specific skills according to the sailors’ ranks.
Sailors E-7 and above received expeditionary logistics deployment training to support the DLA Support Teams, known as DSTs. The training consisted of a DLA overview brief; Military Standard Requisitioning and Issue Procedures, or MILSTRIP; requisition flow from Army Supply Support Activities, or SSAs, through the wholesale system; and Army 101, comprised of SSAs, Central Receiving and Shipping Point Yard training.
Further, they performed hands-on training using DLA tracking systems used by the DST teams to include the Web Virtual Logistics Information Processing System, DoD E-Mall, Integrated Data Convergence, and Radio Frequency In-Transit Visibility programs using live requisitions.
For the ranks of E-6 and below, training consisted of DLA 101, MILSTRIP, and the Customer Assistance Logistics Course.
During the second week, the entire unit and DDXX personnel rotated through distribution center’s Material Processing Center, Theater Consolidated and Shipping Point, and Humanitarian Expeditionary Logistics training.
The hands-on training portion of the training consisted a Materiel Handling Equipment Rodeo using DDXX MHE.
Additionally, the Navy team worked with the employees of the Bin Division during the evening hours to receive hands-on training in warehouse functions to include training on Standard Operating Procedures, Job Breakdown sheets, and the functions of picking, packing and stowing materiel release orders.
According to San Joaquin’s deployable chief Jason Middleton, the team achieved its training mission through the invaluable classroom and hands-on training. Middleton stressed the importance of training with the San Joaquin reserve unit.
“The Expeditionary Academy's goal is to enhance the partnership between DDXX, San Joaquin and DLA Distribution Operations Team San Joaquin. During the two-week long event, our outstanding partnership was in full effect! It's always an honor for us to train with our local warfighters,” he concluded.
Chief Logistics Specialist Robert Tan also felt the expeditionary academy was beneficial to the unit. He commented that the overall training evolution was truly educational and an informative experience.