NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. –
General Supply Specialist/Quality Assurance Expert, Nicole James, received the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution’s Quality Assurance Civilian of the Year award for 2019.
James was nominated for her dedication and exemplary performance as a member of the Continuing Government Activity at DLA Distribution Hill, Utah.
James provides oversight of the service provider performing storage and distribution operations as part of warfighter first. Extremely efficient and professional in her interactions with the service provider and going above requirements to ensure they are successful, James uses her oversight position as a way to educate and assist the service provider in their efforts to sustain their superior performance in support of all DLA strategic goals and objectives.
James’ significant contributions which improved global distribution excellence included a recognition of a need for additional guidance and assistance in DLA Distribution Hill central receiving operations.
Even though it was not a job requirement, James willingly took all actions necessary to become an expert in her understanding of the receiving standard operating procedures and spent many hours observing the operation and asking questions in her quest to become a receiving advocate. Using her knowledge of the receiving operation and her ability to recognize a systemic problem, James used this as an opportunity to increase readiness and worked tirelessly with DLA headquarters, as well as the service provider personnel to fully understand the intent of the SOP’s.
Identifying the need for some additional input from DLA headquarters, James single-handedly arranged for the receiving subject matter expert at DLA headquarters to spend a week “in the trenches” with DDHU employees, both service provider and government. This type of support is something that had not previously been done at DDHU.
James, and all parties, worked diligently to identify improvements in the SOP. The headquarters’ subject matter expert took the information gleaned from DDHU to assist in rewriting the SOP for receiving so that it is accurate and more appropriate. The result from that collaboration enabled James to coordinate a revised SOP for one of the most important areas in distribution.
In addition to performing her quality assurance duties, James assisted DDHU’s Inventory Action Team in producing over 1,000 inventory vouchers saving our taxpayers nearly $59 million through causative research and adjustments.
In the 10 years James has worked for DLA Distribution Hill, she has brought a very high degree of professionalism, teamwork and a positive environment for her co-workers and our service provider. She is very well respected and is seen as an extremely valuable member of the DDHU workforce and is valuable to DLA overall. James serves this country with great dignity and is very worthy of the recognition as DLA Distribution Quality Assurance Civilian of the Year.