Equipment modernization and inventory management topped the agenda during the spring Army/DLA Day at the Pentagon May 9.
The event, led by DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Darrell Williams; Army Lt. Gen. Aundre Piggee, the service’s deputy chief of staff for logistics; and Army Materiel Command Deputy Commander Army Lt. Gen. Edward Daily, included officials from each of DLA’s major subordinate commands and Army logistics leaders.
The group began with a review of the status of Army-owned inventory reductions at Fort Carson, Colorado, the operationalization of DLA weapon system support and Authorized Stockage List Implementation, all key action items generated during the previous Army/DLA Day held in September.
Michael Scott, deputy director of DLA Logistics Operations, gave a live presentation of the DLA Enterprise Dashboard, which provides a near-real time view of readiness rates for three air and 10 ground systems operated by the service. The Dashboard is a compilation of metrics from DLA systems and the Army’s common operation picture, and is expected to help officials improve readiness through close scrutiny of supply metrics like material availability and backorder statuses.
Attendees also received a financial overview detailing the $8,552 million worth of orders the service made in fiscal 2017 for everything from subsistence, medical supplies and repair parts to fuel and distribution and disposition services. The brief included a breakout of the service’s cost recovery rate, the fee DLA charges customers for supplies, materiel preparation and operating costs. The Army’s rate has decreased from 29 percent in fiscal 1991 to 11.6 percent in fiscal 2017 due to the agency’s focus on efficiency and effectiveness.
The Army’s desire for improvements in administrative lead time for consumable items such as spare parts needed at depots like Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and Huntsville, Alabama, generated additional discussion. Transferring Army-managed consumables to DLA would allow the agency to leverage existing capabilities and would take advantage of DLA automation and its long-term contracts. The effort would also support Department of Defense audit goals.