Gainey selected as newest DLA Hall of Fame inductee

Gainey served as DLA Distribution’s commander from June 2002 to June 2004.  She retired from the United States Army in 2013 with more than 35 years of military service.  She mostly recently served as senior vice president, Logistics for Cypress International from January 2014 to December 2016.

During her time as DLA Distribution’s commander, Gainey established new standards for performance and direct support to the warfighter during a period of national emergency.

She planned and established the organization’s first-ever combat theater distribution platform, located in Bahrain, which resulted in critical inventories being effectively positioned for direct delivery to allied units engaged in combat operations.   Such forward positioning allowed over $30 million worth of bulk material to be placed using surface transportation modes, saving tens of thousands of dollars in shipping costs and freeing critical aircraft capacity for emergent supply requirements.

Building upon lessons learned in the wake of 9-11, Gainey forged the DLA Distribution “Emergency Essential” personnel program, which enhanced timely command response to critical contingency requirements.  In addition, under her direction DLA Distribution facilitated the movement of combat logistics support material into the Defense Transportation System, providing an improved channel for delivery and significantly reducing costs. 

She routinely engaged the Services and developed a Freight Route Plan that packed pure freight destined for troops in the Central Command Area of Responsibility to the individual supply activity level.  DLA Distribution also began tailoring route plans to consolidate freight to specific supply activities when the volume did not enable a pure pallet to be built.  Customized logistics of this nature, responding to the unique needs of the deployed customer, enabled accelerated throughput of freight and benefited both the customer and the provider, and became the standard for all freight movement into theater. 

Additionally, Gainey led groundbreaking initiatives that not only resulted in a Business Systems Modernization plan of “Hub and Spoke,” ensuring effective stock positioning in support of Enterprise-wide strategy and goals, but also improved overseas customer support through the establishment of new overseas distribution centers.  As a result of her vision, DLA Distribution Sigonella, Italy, and DLA Distribution Guam, Marianas, commenced full operations in 2004, and, under her leadership, plans were established to stand up distribution center operations in South West Asia and Korea.

The induction ceremony will take place Sept. 22 at 10:30 a.m. at DLA Headquarters, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.