An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News | Aug. 7, 2015

DLA hosts annual DoD distribution process owners meeting

By Amanda Neumann DLA Public Affairs

Leaders from the Defense Logistics Agency and the Department of Defense discussed engagement opportunities and partnerships during a Distribution Process Owner Executive Board meeting Aug. 6 at the McNamara Headquarters Complex.

As DoD’s capstone governance forum for distribution processes, the board is the senior decision-making body established to collaborate, coordinate and direct distribution-related initiatives and operations in support of combatant commanders.

“I think that the representation here in the room really does reflect the broader definition of logistics that we find frequently gets missed by people who aren’t part of this world,” said David Berteau, assistant secretary of defense for logistics and materiel readiness.

The annual meeting was co-chaired by Berteau, DLA Director Air Force Lt. Gen Andy Busch and U.S. Transportation Command Deputy Commander Navy Vice Adm. Andy Brown. Although logistics for the past 15 years has been excellent, DoD is moving forward under increased financial constraint, Berteau said.

“We are moving into a decade where logistics for the last 15 years has been superb, but it’s been marginally excellent because we were able to put the time and money on it we needed to have in order to succeed,” he said. “And everybody here in this room has been part of that. In the next decade, we’ve got the same challenges, but a whole lot less resources to do it with. So I think that the real challenge of processes and outcomes will be reflected in that.”

Transportation is strategically important to the nation, Brown said, and as leaders in the logistics community, discussions like these can help spread that message.

“All of this fits together,” he said. “There’s reasons why we have [the General Services Administration] at the table. [But] most people don’t understand how it all fits together. … Those ships, trucks and airplanes are the ones that are going to help take us to war. And that’s part of the message that we need to get out to the community. So you have to help people get it and that’s part of the reason for today - to make sure we’re all on the same page and we have that story we can talk to people about.”

Afterward, attendees heard briefings from DLA, TRANSCOM, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the Army’s Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. Topics included an overview on joint strategic opportunities, the DLA Strategic Plan, the Joint Distribution Enabling Team and the Defense Personal Property Program.

In addition, the meeting followed up on the status of several action items from previous roundtables held in August 2013 and 2014.