The Defense Logistics Agency recognizes March as Women’s History Month. The national theme for this year’s observance is “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace and Nonviolence.”
Women play key roles at every level and in every aspect of the Defense Logistics Agency’s mission. One need look no further than the DLA Hall of Fame to discover women whose accomplishments have made DLA a success.
Marilyn Barnett became the first civilian woman to head a DLA major subordinate command as the administrator for what was then the National Stockpile Center in 1991, for example. She was inducted in 1999.
Sara Bird of the former Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, now DLA Troop Support, was inducted in 2003 for being a role model of women throughout the federal government.
“She smashed through the ‘glass ceiling’ and paved the way for a whole generation of female leaders in the DLA community who now occupy key positions at every level of the organization,” according to her citation.
And Nancy Rheaume, a 2008 inductee, led improvements and reduced support costs for DLA Disposition Services, then Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service. Inducted in 2008, she was lauded for challenging others to think strategically and exercise leadership whether they occupied formal management positions or were seeking to improve leadership capabilities in their current roles.
Women who continue to make a difference at DLA in leadership include DLA Aviation Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Linda Hurry and DLA Joint Reserve Force Director Navy Rear Adm. Deborah Haven, who also heads DLA’s Audit Task Force.
A Women’s History Month observance is scheduled for Mach 20 at 10:30 a.m. in the Kabeisman Room. Kim Parker, director of social trends research for the Pew Research Center, will speak on the demographics of women in the workplace.