A U.S. State Department need to fuel four newly contracted aircraft delivering supplies to fight the coronavirus was met in 2.5 hours by the Defense Logistics Agency April 10.
“We immediately began making phone calls to arrange for the aircraft to get fuel as we worked to process a more permanent solution,” said DLA Energy Lead Customer Relationship Management Specialist Jennifer Rondez.
The aircraft, initially located on Diego Garcia in the middle of the Indian Ocean, needed DLA Energy-issued Defense Department Identaplates to refuel at military bases. Identaplates resemble a credit card and are embossed with the customer’s account and aircraft tail numbers. They typically take several days to issue.
“Without the proper Identaplates, they cannot purchase government-owned fuel from military bases, which impedes their mission of transporting COVID-19 response resources, whether that is people, medical supplies or other items,” said DLA Energy Customer Relationship Management Intern Stuart Bailey Jr.
Bailey and Rondez coordinated with State Department and Diego Garcia officials to authorize refueling without the cards while they worked remotely to process billing and accounting paperwork. Bailey then printed the physical cards at DLA Energy Headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where a State Department representative received them.
“We are pleased to support our government partners’ domestic and international operations,” said DLA Energy Customer Relationship Management Division Director Marc McConahy. “With fuel positioned all around the world, DLA Energy offers customers access to high-quality fuel anywhere they need it.”
As missions across the government expand to support the COVID-19 pandemic, DLA Energy is using its global fuel network to support customer needs.