Richmond, Va. –
Richmond employees gathered for a town hall hosted by Defense Logistics Agency Aviation Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Linda Hurry May 16, in the Frank B. Lotts Conference Center on Defense Supply Center Richmond, Virginia. She recognized employees for their outstanding work and comically made the distinction of which military service won the most service awards.
“Congratulations to each and every one of you. Thanks so much for all that you’re doing for our team and most importantly, [for] the warfighters across the globe,” said Hurry.
For their efforts supporting the warfighter, Hurry presented Stephen Mason, director, Supplier Operations Original Equipment Manufacturer Directorate, with the Meritorious Civilian Service Award; Kevin Bettis, chief, Mapping Division, Customer Operations Directorate, with a Superior Civilian Service Award; Alok Upadhyaya, deputy director, Supplier Operations Commodities Directorate, with the Department of the Army Superior Civilian Service Award; recognized both Scott Szczesniak, acquisition specialist, and Ryan Finan, program manager, Strategic Acquisition Programs Directorate, as the team nominees for the Air Force Materiel Command 2019 General Mark. A. Welsh III One Air Force Award; and Richard Alexander, Jr., contract specialist, Strategic Acquisition Programs Directorate, with the Employee of the Quarter for fourth quarter fiscal 2018 and the Director’s Strategic Goals Award for first quarter fiscal 2019.
Dorothy Lohr, former procurement analyst, DLA Aviation, was recognized for being selected for induction into the 2019 Defense Logistics Agency Hall of Fame. For 40 years of federal career service, Federal Career Service Awards and pins were given to Paul Hughes, Donnel Cherry, Sr., Ferdinand Tramontin, Vickie Smith, Richard Wolfe, Norman Ray, Gerol Meadows, Daryl Spriggs, Alan Roddy, Virginia Corless, Michael Straily, Aurora Reyes and Dierdre O’Keefe.
First quarter fiscal 2019 recipients for the DLA Aviation Service Members of the Quarter Award were Air Force Capt. Jennifer McCourt, Air Force Staff Sgt. Sabrina Cayetano, and Master Sgt. Lashaundra Myers. Second quarter recipients for the DLA Service Members of the Quarter Award were Air Force Capt. Adrian Buttenhoff and Air Force Tech Sgt. Lee Anthony Mendoza.
“Now I have a challenge out there for a couple of folks in the room. It’s very cool, since I am in an Air Force uniform, to see all the Air Force folks winning DLA’s service member awards, but I have a challenge out there to our Navy, Army and Marine Corps teammates: Ya’ll need to step up your game!”
She followed up with a sincere focus to DLA Aviation employees, “I want to recognize the great things that everybody on our team is doing. I see on a day-to-day basis all the great things that you guys are doing help generate readiness and make it better for our warfighters,” she said. “And you guys are doing an absolutely phenomenal job. Quite frankly, you all deserve every bit of recognition coming our way!”
Hurry then highlighted two additional areas Aviation is focusing on to take care of its most precious resource – its people. First, she introduced Tanya Hill, DLA Aviation’s new chief of staff to speak about professional development opportunities and rotations, as the cornerstones to help “build the Aviation bench.”
Hill anticipated the question of how funding plays a role, since DLA is in ‘cash conservation mode for mandatory training that is still being funded. There are also certain classes that are being paid for through the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Fund, she said. There are also classes being paid for that are centrally-funded, “we’re not telling you that you can’t put any classes on your IDP [Individual Development Plan],” she said. “Just make sure that it is mission essential, justified and keep in mind that the IDP that you’re doing is for next fiscal year.”
Hurry then introduced Adrianne Moore, chief, Installation Management Division, DLA Installation Management Richmond. Moore provided a facilities update, with the East Gate construction scheduled for completion in November, paving the gravel lot at Lotts Center with an estimated completion in June 2020, start of construction for DLA Aviation Operations Center Phase 2 estimated for July 2020 and the conversion of H Road to a 3-lane road slated for completion October 2020.
Hurry then addressed performance and accomplishments, saying, “Thank you for the things you are doing, thank you for your innovation and thank you for driving the right type of change. Most importantly, thank you for all the support you have given me over the past two years. It has been a tremendous honor to serve with each of you,” she stated. Hurry ended with a promise that Aviation and the entire DLA team will always have an advocate in the Air Force, as she departs in mid-July to serve as the Director of Logistics for the U.S. Air Force.