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News | Feb. 12, 2020

Successful charity campaign earns agency DOD kudos

By Dianne Ryder DLA Public Affairs

The Defense Logistics Agency has earned Defense Department recognition for its 2019 Combined Federal Campaign thanks to contributions from employees in the National Capital Area. Winners were announced in a Pentagon ceremony Feb. 11.

DLA won in seven categories for medium-sized agency: Best Outreach Plan, Best Special Event, Best Photography, the Innovation Award, the CFC Impact Award for Campaign Success and 100% of Goal Award. DLA leaders and campaign workers were surprised when officials announced at the ceremony that the agency also received the CFC Campaign of the Year award for a medium-sized agency. 

DLA also garnered four honorable mentions in four categories: Executive Involvement, Best Digital Media, Best Campaign Display and Best Campaign Publication.

“We are all very proud and it makes our efforts all the more rewarding,” said Watt Lough, DLA’s CFC campaign manager. “Not only did DLA exceed its $274,000 monetary goal, we also planned and executed a remarkable campaign.”

No other DOD agency won in each category and no medium-sized agency won in as many categories as DLA did, Lough said.

Winning entries and honorable mentions will go forward as DOD’s entry to compete in the larger CFC NCA Campaign Contest. Lough entered DLA in the DOD contest with help from keyworkers.

“Four of us took to writing the narratives to support our entries and a team of three pulled the evidence together for each entry. It was a herculean effort, but well worth it.”

A team of 102 keyworkers and 9 coordinators spread throughout DLA NCA offices were available to answer employees’ questions throughout the campaign, which ran Oct. 15, 2019 through Jan. 12, 2020. Though information is available on CFC’s website, Lough said it’s important to have keyworkers who engage with employees.

“It’s my experience that people like to be asked,” he said. “Folks may not step forward until they are asked to help.”

Lough has assisted in DLA’s CFC campaign before and appreciates the opportunity to work with employees across the agency.

“Everyone likes to do well and DLA has a history of doing exemplary work,” he said. “This was no different. People worked together to support the CFC. In the end, the DLA workforce gave generously all the way around.”