NEW CUMBERLAND, Pennsylvania –
On Dec. 13, 26 students from Central York High School’s advanced placement U.S. Government and Politics class visited Defense Logistics Agency Distribution headquarters for an overview on how the Department of Defense supplies its men and women in uniform.
DLA Distribution chief of staff Perry Knight welcomed the students, briefly chatting with them about why he is passionate about his job supporting Distribution’s mission, and advising the students to actively seek out their own passion.
“Even now, as sophomores, juniors and seniors, you need to ask yourself ‘What are the goals that I want to achieve? Where do I want to be?’” said Knight.
After recounting his time growing up on farm in rural Virginia, Knight explained that although the odds were against him escaping small-town life, he followed his dreams and attended Virginia Military Institute on a track scholarship, where his coach validated his drive for success. “Everybody that you come into contact with is part of who you are and who you will be. The most important thing is to never let anybody steal your joy.”
Following their discussion with Knight, the students received a command brief, which highlighted DLA Distribution’s network of 25 distribution centers around the world and detailed how those sites support industrial customers, other government agencies, and the warfighter in the field.
The students ended their day with a tour of the Department of Defense’s largest warehouse, the Eastern Distribution Center. The tour focused on how the distribution center receives supplies that are then stored or consolidated with other supplies and sent on to the warfighter upon request.