COLUMBUS, Ohio –
Whether locally in the Metro Columbus area or at one of our detachments, Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime believes in connecting with the community and making a positive impact. This is achieved with our business practices as well as through our people – the heart of our organization.
Putting the Warfighter first, associates worked diligently throughout the year to strengthen logistics policies and practices. These efforts resulted in increases in contract awards, improved customer servicing efficiencies and marked achievements in material availability.
Associates also participated in agency sanctioned efforts such as the Feds Feed Families food drive and the Combined Federal Campaign workplace charity pledge campaign. In addition, associates volunteered their time and services throughout the year to improve the community.
2018 DLA Land and Maritime Year in Review
DLA Land and Maritime selected Mark Brown to fill its Acquisition Executive position and inducted him into the Senior Executive Services rank in a March 9 ceremony at the Defense Supply Center Columbus’ Operations Center’s auditorium. Brown is the first SES to be inducted at Land and Maritime in more than a decade. Brown promised to embrace transparency in his leadership approach; to be truly accessible as he’d been in his previous position; to practice speed in handling paperwork and use pragmatism as a guiding principle during his leadership tenure.
Navy Rear Adm. John Palmer assumed command of DSCC and DLA Land and Maritime from Rear Adm. Michelle Skubic during a ceremony June 27 at the Operations Center Auditorium. Since taking command, Palmer has made several site visits to detachments and met with industry partners discussing current projects, future process improvements and best practices to ensure military readiness remains lethal and responsive in the years to come.
In July, Land and Maritime welcomed a new Chief of Staff. Air Force Col. Janette Ketchum serves as a principal advisor to the Commander and Deputy Commander on operations and readiness matters.
The Land and Maritime Technology Council was busy with ensuring the workforce was up-to-date on technology-based requirements allowing associates to perform their jobs efficiently. This year’s efforts resulted in an Access Database migration,
MilConnect registration and training,
EVoIP Extension Mobility migration and various briefings to increase knowledge of information technology communication tools available to assist associates and virtual teams.
DLA Land and Maritime’s Puget Sound detachment achieved a 43 percent increase in contracting actions this year. The contracting division executed more than $103 million in contract awards during fiscal year 2018 in support of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, an increase of nearly 50 percent over FY17.
Furthermore, Puget Sound maintained a small business procurement rate of approximately 81 percent during the fiscal year, totaling more than $83 million obligated to small businesses across all of the socioeconomic categories, far exceeding the DLA Maritime small business goal of 59.6 percent.
US Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command met with Land and Maritime leadership discussing ways to increase supply availability by building the depth, breadth and velocity of the global ground and support systems supply chains. The group considered the future of the industry and reviewed best practices to ensure military readiness remains lethal and responsive in the years to come.
Members of the Land and Maritime workforce, along with other DLA employees, contractors and Joint Reservists joined forces to establish the
DLA Real Property Task Force to complete a worldwide physical inventory of real property assets. This effort supported the fiscal year 2018 audit objective of creating a baseline inventory of all DLA Real Property assets.
In the summer, Land and Maritime hosted its two-day
Supplier Conference and Exposition providing an opportunity to strengthen the industrial base, diversify the suppliers that DLA works with and build collaborative partnerships that positively impact materiel procurement; ultimately improving the readiness of the Warfighter.
In a joint project with Letterkenny Army Depot, the
Avenger Patriot Missile weapons platform was refurbished and reintegrated into use supporting Warfighters around the world. The Avenger is a surface-to-air missile system often mounted on a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, commonly known as the Humvee. The combined weapon system provides mobile protection against missiles, low-flying aircraft and most recently – unmanned aerial vehicles.
Associates’ Community Involvement:
Land and Maritime associate Nicole Banks' chance encounter with a homeless Marine Corps Purple Heart recipient inspired her to assist. Her enthusiasm spread as additional associates got involved with the outreach effort. Her effort helped the veteran transition from living in his car to his own apartment.
DLA Police Officer Daniel McCombs noticed an accident on his way home from work and stopped to help. After speaking to witnesses and realizing there was someone still in the burning vehicle, McCombs with the assistance of a couple bystanders were able to safely remove the driver before the vehicle engulfed in flames.
The Maritime Associate Culture Council developed a community outreach program with a focus on assisting those in need in the surrounding community. This year they collected essential items such as pull-ups, baby wipes, bottles and general hygiene products for a local shelter. Associate involvement exceed expectations and the council was able to collect nearly double their initial goal, providing about 200 items.
The Level III Mentoring program protégés stepped away from the workplace and volunteered at a local mission serving approximately 325 lunches to Central Ohio residents in need with plans to further integrate community outreach into the program.
Maritime associate Elisa Baskins volunteers monthly to deliver meals to local elderly residents. She explained her civic involvement extends from her early years growing up serving food to families that were displaced, homeless and veterans, as well as delivering food to senior citizens and shut-in individuals. In past years, she also has been involved with building houses.
Another Maritime associate Anthony Sutphen regularly volunteers at a local mission aimed at helping homeless and low income members of the community. Each month he takes leave to prepare and serve meals to more than 300 individuals, even postponing personal vacation time upon hearing the mission was low on volunteers this summer.
“He’s set the standard for civic involvement,” Navy Lt. Cmdr. Anas Maazouzi said. “Now several of his coworkers have started volunteering on a regular basis. His motivations have always been to give back to the community and to help others.”
Land Customer Operations associate Donna Mills has also inspired her coworkers to give back. As a 22-year volunteer for the Central Ohio Stand Down event, this year she and six team members helped intake veterans. Their efforts assisted 552 veterans ensuring them access to resources to assist with health, housing and job issues.
Another group of Land Customer Operations associates sponsor underprivileged children at Christmas providing toys, clothing and essential items to ensure their holidays are brighter.
Additionally, associates throughout Land and Maritime volunteered their time and services at local schools.
Veteran associates assisted with an outreach effort at Harmon Middle School in conjunction with their patriot lessons.
Bilingual associates provided their services to Broadleigh Elementary School during parent-teacher conferences. They also support various community events throughout the year.
Members of the agency provided tutoring support to the Columbus Africentric Early Collect School’s elementary students focusing on improving reading comprehension.
Equal Employment Office Federal Women’s Program provided mentoring opportunities for its fifth year to Whitehall students as part of the Whitehall Mentoring Program. The participants meet monthly and receive guidance on topics from academic success to employment options.
Although building community isn’t only about what goes on outside the gates of the Defense Supply Center Columbus. It’s also about raising awareness and enhancing the cultural competences of associates.
During the year, EEO Special Emphasis Program hosted installation-wide events with speakers from the local Ohio community.