NEW CUMBERLAND, Pennsylvania –
On April 11, students from Juniata High School’s advanced placement Political Science 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 deputy commander Twila Gonzales, Senior Executive Service, welcomed the students to the installation, adding that she hoped it became an annual event for future classes.
Gonzales talked about her experience working with the Department of Defense as a civilian, and how she has had a rewarding career, starting out as a GS1 and moving all the way to SES. She said, "the job is very fulfilling and if you want to feel like you're giving back, it's a great way to serve your country.”
Following their discussion with Gonzales, 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.
Ryan Borden, from DLA Human Resources, then discussed the DLA Pathways Internship Program with the students, which provides federal employment opportunities to students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment as degree seeking students taking at least a half-time academic, technical, or vocational course load in an accredited high school, technical, vocational, two or four year college or university, graduate or professional school.
For students, the DLA Pathways Internship Program provides work experience which is directly related to the student's academic program and career goals. Students may be noncompetitively converted to term, career or career-conditional appointments following completion of their academic and work experience requirements.
The students ended their day with a tour of the Department of Defense’s largest warehouse, the Eastern Distribution Center at DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. 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.