KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany –
The charge to deliver food, uniforms, medical items and more to ensure the combat readiness of America’s warfighters throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East changed hands June 5.
Army Lt. Col. Tracy Yates assumed command of the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Europe & Africa from Lt. Col. Sherdrick Rankin during a change of command ceremony in Kaiserslautern, Germany.
Col. Krista Hoffman, DLA Europe & Africa commander, officiated the ceremony in front of a small group at a Kleber Kaserne conference room due to COVID-19 public gathering restrictions. The ceremony was later broadcasted on the DLA Facebook page.
DLA Troop Support Europe & Africa is a forward element of DLA Troop Support in Philadelphia and supports warfighters in the region through five supply chains: Subsistence, Clothing & Textiles, Construction & Equipment, Medical and Industrial Hardware.
Hoffman said she met Rankin while serving with DLA in Qatar. And after he quickly connected with her and others personally, she knew right away that he “was a great leader and a people person.”
“I’ve had the pleasure of watching Sed lead an already superb team to new and incredible heights,” she said. “Under Sed’s leadership, millions of critical supplies, from Subsistence to barrier material to repair parts, and to most recently medical materiel, were provided to our warfighters at the right time, at the right place and at the right condition to ensure mission success.”
Rankin gave credit to the military service members, DLA civilians and local national workforce of DLA Troop Support Europe & Africa for finding “innovative solutions to support DOD warfighters in Africa, Europe and Southwest Asia.”
“To the men and women of DLA and your families, what you do on a daily basis is of fundamental importance to our nation’s defense,” he said. “It was amazing to serve alongside you the last two years.”
Rankin will attend the Air War College at Maxwell Airforce Base, Alabama.
Yates takes command after serving with the 21st Theater Sustainment Command in Kaiserslautern. She also previously served at DLA Europe & Africa as a joint strategic plans officer.
“I’d also like to thank the DLA chain of command for this amazing privilege to command Troop Support Europe & Africa,” she said. “I do not accept this responsibility lightly. And I look forward to serving this great organization and its vital mission to support the warfighter.”