Battle Creek, Michigan –
As 2017 unfolds, officials at DLA Disposition Services continue to reach out to customers about the Network Optimization initiative to ensure field sites in the continental United States support customer requirements in the most efficient and cost effective manner possible.
A December letter from DLA Disposition Services Director Mike Cannon to all customers outlined the intent of the initiative to meet Defense Department realignments and “ensure the right staffing at the right locations with the right equipment and infrastructure.” He also said the effort strives to more accurately predict future customer requirements and have minimal impact to the customer while the organization creates the optimal organizational structure.
Since then Cannon has travelled to the Pentagon where he said his brief to senior Army and Navy logistics personnel went well. “They understand the need for us to become more efficient and appreciate us building our network around the Services' (our customers') requirements.” He added that the leaders from both services agreed that the most appropriate sites were being considered for changes.
“I will be briefing the Marine Corps and Air Force very soon and expect much the same response,” Cannon said.
Cannon’s briefing outlined the three phases of the initiative as:
Phase I - Assessment: Examines future site size and configuration to include transportation, facilities, equipment, and personnel with 90 days’ notice to customers before any changes to the current network.
Phase II - Initial Operation Capability: Involves the reorganization, staffing and equipping of sites based on Phase I results and historical workload.
Phase III - Integration: Completes all remaining actions required and employs lessons learned from Phase II through on-going assessments of the network.
By Oct. 1, 2018, the initiative should be at the end state, which Cannon describes as a “network that maximizes efficiency, provides the lowest risk to both individual sites, the collective network, and sustains our current high level of customer support.”
Customer Support Branch personnel are also working to inform customers through mass emails, their Insight newsletter and promotional materials. Sherry Low, DLA Disposition Services customer relations chief, said it is important for warfighters to see DLA’s willingness to adapt as the needs of those warfighters change.
“Communication on Network Optimization is important so our customers understand the changes and how we have postured ourselves to where the warfighters we support are generating the work, which enables us to be more efficient and responsive to their needs.”
A resource page for Network Optimization was established on the DLA Disposition Services website to help customers check for updates on the initiative. An email address was also created to capture customer questions at dladispsvcsnetopscustomerquestions@dla.mil so that DLA Disposition Services staff members can provide answers.