SCHOOL CHILDREN, WARFIGHTERS HELP EACH OTHER THROUGH DLA FOOD-ACQUISITION PARTNERSHIP
A partnership between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense is enabling the warfighter and school districts to spend money more efficiently while providing nutritious foods.
The USDA DoD Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, which is managed by Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, leverages whole-of-government buying power.
While some military installations are clustered together, forming large military communities, the vast majority of bases are spread out across the country as small stand-alone installations. The relatively small buying power of a stand-alone base makes it difficult to secure favorable contracts with fresh fruit and vegetable vendors.
Many school nutrition programs face similar constraints.
But by combining the demand of the school districts with that of military dining facilities in the same contract zone, DLA Troop Support acquisition professionals in the Subsistence supply chain are able to negotiate contracts with vendors that provide greater access to fresh, locally grown, reasonably priced fruit and vegetables.
“Instead of buying 50 cases of fruit for the dining facility each week, we are buying hundreds of cases of the same fruit for the school cafeterias in the contract zone,” said Pat Scott, the division chief of garrison feeding for the Subsistence supply chain.
And the program continues to grow.
When it started in 1994, the program tallied $3.2 million of fresh produce acquisitions. That number quickly grew to $50 million, where it was capped by legislation for several years. Once the cap was lifted, produce acquisitions surged.
“This year we hope to reach annual sales of $280 million,” Scott said. “That’s a lot of lettuce!”
The Sayre School District in North-east Pennsylvania is contributing to the surge.
“We love the DoD fruit and vegetable program,” said Alice Bennett, the director of nutrition services for Sayre schools. “While we appreciate all the government commodities we are offered, the DoD items are those items we really choose to focus on in our lunch program.”
— Shawn J. Jones, DLA Troop Support
PORT HUENEME’S TEAM SUPPORTS ANNUAL ANTARCTIC RESUPPLY MISSION
Each year, the Preservation, Packaging, Packing and Marking team at Defense Logistics Agency Distribution San Diego, California, at Port Hueneme supports Operation Deep Freeze, the National Science Foundation’s Antarctic research mission at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, the logistics hub for NSF’s research mission. Due to the area’s harsh climate, the resupply occurs in January — summertime on the continent — when the ice is at its thinnest.
The Office of Polar Programs manages and initiates NSF funding for basic research and its operational support in the Arctic and Antarctic. Additionally, the NSF supports scientific research and oversees the cooperative efforts of civilian contractors, the military and several federal agencies by coordinating scientific research and related logistical support in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.
During this year’s mission, Distribution personnel packaged more than more than 450 containers of construction and packing material, frozen and dry foods, repair parts and lumber. The cargo was loaded onboard the Military Sealift Command-chartered vessel, the Polar Star; and departed Port Hueneme shortly before the first of the year.
When the Polar Star returns to Port Hueneme, the haul will include a year’s worth of scientific data and ice core samples that will assist the NSF‘s continued study of the Antarctic.
— Brianne M. Bender, DLA Distribution
DLA R&D BOOSTS PERFORMANCE, SAFETY FOR BATTERIES POWERING WEAPONS SYSTEMS
Battery systems that power some of the military’s key weapons systems are being updated with new technology as a result of Defense Logistics Agency partnerships with Army industrial sites and battery manufacturers.
Recent work led by DLA’s Battery Network research and development program includes the development of a new lithium ion-based power system for the TOW 2 anti-tank missile system and new lead-acid batteries used on armored vehicles such as the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
The current “flooded” lead-acid batteries, in the 4HN and 2HN configurations, still require users to deal with the messy and potentially dangerous task of opening the cells and refilling them with acid. These batteries were commonly used in the ‘50s and ‘60s to keep cars running but have been replaced with safer, more powerful alternatives, said Matt Hutchens, an industrial engineer who leads the BATTNET Program.
“Industry got away from what’s called a liquid electrolyte and moved to a gel or glass-like material that’s solid. It actually lengthens the life of the battery and takes away the hazardous issues of dealing with acid. They also charge quicker, hold the charge longer and have fewer issues in terms of disposal,” he said.
The Army’s Tank-automotive and Armaments Command sought DLA’s input in 2017 on whether the 4HN and 2HN batteries could be replaced with ones made with new absorbent glass material.
“Part of the problem was, we couldn’t find any of the big producers of lead-acid batteries that wanted to fool with these military-unique batteries that DLA buys only 1,000-2,000 of a year,” Hutchens said.
— Beth Reece
SAGAMI EMPLOYEES PITCH IN TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT
Defense Logistics Agency employees in Japan helped U.S. Forces Japan staff think “green” in a quarterly environmental meeting March 7-8.
The participation by DLA Disposition Services Environmental Branch staff at the Sagami site informed USFJ staffers in their discussions with officials from the Japanese Ministries of Environment and Defense and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The DLA Sagami personnel were able to review conservation programs and surveys, along with U.S. installation programs funded by Japan.
Sagami personnel also presented an update on the 833,000 pounds of perfluorooctanesulfuonic acid, or “PFOS” they have disposed of to date. Norma C. Quitugua, Environmental Branch chief at Sagami, said PFOS disposal for Japan (including Okinawa) started in fiscal 2017 using incineration, because PFOS disposal in landfills is not allowed under by Japanese regulation.
Quitugua called the sessions a win-win engagement, noting that “what the other services learn could be used to piggyback ideas onto their programs.”
She said DLA Disposition Services’ working knowledge of Japan’s environmental rules and regulations means DLA is looked on as the last check to ensure the armed services are compliant in their disposal of hazardous materials in Japan.
— Tim Hoyle, DLA Disposition Services