COLUMBUS, Ohio –
Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime received the Commander in Chief’s Award for installation excellence during a video teleconference ceremony June 29.
Land and Maritime Deputy Commander James McClaugherty and senior staff members accepted the award from Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics James MacStravic.
The field-level agency for DLA located at Defense Supply Center Columbus won the award along with four other Department of Defense installations, including facilities representing the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.
“This is a very impressive award,” said MacStravic. “It represents the many accomplishments of the men and women who operate our installations and provide the daily support and services that keep the military trained, supplied, housed, healthy and ready.”
DSCC is operated by DLA Land and Maritime and employs nearly 8,000 federal civilians, military personnel and contractors. Other major tenants on the installation include Defense Finance and Accounting Services Columbus and the Defense Information Systems Agency.
Land and Maritime’s core functions include purchasing materiel, monitoring inventory levels, maintaining technical data, and assuring quality conformance of almost 2 million spare and repair parts.
The agency awards more than 660,000 contracts annually, supports more than 2,000 weapon systems and handles more than 9 million orders, with sales from the 2016 fiscal year topping $3.4 billion. During that same year, Land and Maritime’s Nuclear Reactors Program achieved its 107th consecutive month with more than 95% material availability.
“DLA exists only to support the warfighters, and it’s an honor to share this award with these other great installations here with us today,” McClaugherty said. “We have a lot of pride in what we do here in Columbus, and we have an even greater pride in what the warfighters do on behalf of the nation.”
Installations competed on how well they achieved departmental objectives in several areas of installation management that included quality of life, unit morale, energy conservation, environmental stewardship, safety and mission support.
DSCC’s notable accomplishments in 2016 included its second recertification as a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star Site; a successful Feds Feed Families donation program that generated 30,475 lbs. of food items; enhanced gate security initiatives and a year-over-year reduction in installation energy consumption.
“The professionalism and commitment to warfighters and their families is a hallmark of each of these winners,” said MacStravic. “It’s evident that each of these installations is providing first class support by improving operations and the quality of life, while at the same time reducing costs for the government.”
Secretary of Defense James Mattis announced the winners in May. Representatives from U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Naval Base Kitsap, Wash.; and Barksdale Air Force Base, La. also accepted their awards during the June 29 telecast event.
Each winning installation received a Commander in Chief's crystal award trophy, flag and a letter of congratulations from the president. This year represents the third time in the past six years DSCC has received the award.