COLUMBUS, Ohio –
Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Commander Navy Rear Adm. John T. Palmer, hosted DLA Energy’s Deputy Commander W. Eric Smith during an orientation visit March 3.
Smith became Energy’s deputy commander in November 2019 and has been visiting the Agency’s major subordinate commands to broaden his knowledge base of DLA’s different supply chain operations.
Smith was previously assigned to DLA, so he’s no stranger to the DLA mission. Prior to his promotion to the Senior Executive Service in 2007, he was a former Army logistics colonel and the executive officer for the DLA Director in 2007 and served as the staff director for DLA’s Logistics Operations Center in 2006.
During his briefing, Palmer touched on the scope of Land and Maritime’s mission and how it supports DLA operations. He shared his team’s operational successes in incorporating its logistical analytical capabilities and praised the positive impact that the DNA Marking initiative has achieved in adding security to the Agency’s supply chain.
Palmer and Smith, flanked by members of Palmer’s leadership team, shifted the conversation’s focus to the shared Agency objective of efficient and reliable support to the nation’s warfighters. Discussion of the inclusion of the DLA Director’s dashboard and the efficiencies its incorporation generated in the Agency’s awareness of the services needs was an agreement point for the group.
Referencing service demands, Smith articulated the services desire to have DLA provide more support to them and discussions spurred by MSC visits help produce solutions that move us forward.
Smith shared some objectives his Energy team is working that are designed to meet the warfighter’s growing needs. With a common understanding of the unique logistics issues challenging DLA operations, there was unanimity on the important role that successful logistics operations play in the operational readiness and success of our nation’s services.
Palmer summarized the orientation when he said that efficient logistics serve as the lynchpin to any successful military engagement.
After the Land and Maritime orientation, Smith toured the installation and made a short stop at the Continuity of Operations facility to receive a briefing on their contingency operations to conclude his visit.