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DLA Energy News

News | March 11, 2016

Army senior enlisted advisors visit DLA Energy

By Tanekwa Bournes DLA Energy Public Affairs

More than just fuel was the theme of a meeting between Defense Logistics Agency personnel and Army senior enlisted advisors at the McNamara Headquarters Complex, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, March 8.

Army Command Sgt. Maj. John Wayne Troxell, the senior enlisted advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Army Command Sgt. Maj. James K. Sims, U.S. Army Materiel Command senior enlisted advisor and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Tobin, DLA senior enlisted advisor, met with DLA Energy Deputy Director George Atwood and military personnel to discuss how the organization supports the warfighter.

“Before meeting Command Sgt. Maj. Tobin, I had no idea how robust DLA’s mission is around the world,” Troxell said.

Air Force Master Sgt. Keith Grady, a noncommissioned officer part of the Logistics Education Advancement Program assigned to DLA Energy, led the discussion.

“We should be our customers’ first choice in energy,” Grady said as he explained the organization’s missions and how it supports combatant commands.

“Having the military personnel we have here makes us a more diverse organization,” Atwood said. “This aids us in having agility while working with combatant commands to anticipate and develop proactive ways to better serve the warfighter.”

Grady explained how DLA Energy works with various countries to supply product to the warfighter through international agreements as well as supply chain velocity. International agreements allow DLA Energy to supply fuel to services through commercial contractors when there is no defense fuel service point in an area.

“It’s all about balance,” added Air Force Col. Todd Cheney, director of Customer Operations. “We also have into-plane contracts in place [which allow for aviation fuel to be purchased at commercial airports.]”

“We also have people embedded at the various COCOMs,” Atwood said. “This helps us to be less reactive and we can anticipate the need.”

The meeting helped Troxell remember assistance he received from the organization when it was the Defense Fuel Supply Center.

“As I listen and ask questions,” Troxell said, “I remember during an operation more than 20 years ago, how we were able to get fuel quickly through a local company in that country.”

During the discussion, members touched on DLA Energy’s successes such as adding pipeline and storage in Guam as well as some challenges the organization faces.

“We are more than fuel,” Grady said. “We are global.”