The Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization Division updated efforts for restoring and maintaining Department of Defense fuel storage assets at the McNamara Headquarters Complex, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, April 19.

“Last year we completed about 147 tank inspections and repairs,” said SRM Division Chief Eric Wiedemann. “This was a great achievement. From here out we anticipate we will be in the 80-90 tank range and we’re moving toward a steady state of inspecting and repairing.”

SRM had completed a record number of tank modifications at the end of fiscal year 2017. The success helped move the division into operating in a new way.

“We have moved from a reactive business practice to a proactive one,” Wiedemann said.

The DLA Energy SRM office is responsible for inspecting, repairing and maintaining 75 percent of the DoD’s fixed fuel infrastructure in the best possible condition in order to minimize operational impacts and ensures each facility complies with engineering and environmental regulations and meets emerging warfighter needs.

The quarterly SRM meeting provides updates to service control points and senior defense leaders about the progress and projections for tank inspections and repairs for the remainder of the year.

Participants included the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Navy Facilities Engineering Command, the Air Force Civil Engineer Center and DLA counterparts. The group shared ongoing and completed projects and provided estimates for fiscal year 2019.

“This is the first time we have been able to brief a long-term plan for SRM said Debra Simpson, the Program Analysis and Master Planning branch chief for the SRM division.

Simpson is responsible for the recurring maintenance and minor repair program within the SRM division. She has oversight of 452 sites and conducts more than 450 planned inspections every year. Current projects include work at Craney Island, fuel tank repairs on Kwajalein Island and support to weather related disasters.

Planning for future projects requires coordination from the service control points and service construction agents. SRM project managers maintain close visibility of installation projects from cradle to grave.

“Over the last three years, SRM has had a good look at what’s coming,” Simpson said. “At our last construction agent meeting we shared everything that we already knew internally with leadership.”

“The key is forward-looking integration and synchronization of projects,” Wiedemann said.

“I feel very good about where we are, but there is always room for improvement,” Wiedemann said. “We can improve some of our internal processes and with our construction agents then look at what’s going to make us a better organization three years from now.”

Editor’s note: The DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Chapin presented the SRM Division Chief Eric Wiedemann with a commander’s coin for his commitment and dedication to develop and improve the SRM program at the conclusion of the quarterly update brief.