NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. –
In a recent newsletter shared with employees, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Anniston, Alabama, Commander Army Lt. Col. Ayo Oladipofaniyi stated “at DDAA we must confront our challenges (morale and culture). We are very good at what we do, but we need to get better and create an environment to become excellent in what we do.”
According to Oladipofaniyi, they already have the required prerequisites to be excellent within the DDAA formation. He shared a story of one in their ranks who exemplified that characteristic.
“A few weeks back, we had a commercial trucking company schedule a late afternoon pickup. Immediately upon arrival at our location, the truck broke down on Second Avenue West. The truck driver’s knowledge of his equipment was purely limited to operating the truck. For a good hour, while the truck was partially blocking Second Avenue, the truck driver was in the truck’s cab trying to reach the company for assistance. While the rest of us, myself included, stood around wondering, ‘What the heck?’ Mr. Jimmie Walker, one of our truck drivers, stepped in. Within minutes, Mr. Walker was taking charge of the situation.”
That day, Walker was over at the outlying warehouses picking up shipping and saw a driver was having trouble with his disabled truck. He saw a bunch of people standing around and stopped to help, and that was when Walker discovered the truck’s brakes were locked up due to a faulty air compressor. After assessing the situation, Walker gave guidance to the truck driver on what to do and what sort of roadside assistance to request.
The driver was on his way later that evening.
Walker said he is one of those people who is constantly working, and if he can help in a situation, he’ll give it a try. That day – he tried.
“Sometimes you can’t (fix a problem), but you’ll never know unless you give it shot,” said Walker.
Oladipofaniyi said what he witnessed that day was a DDAA employee at his best – being excellent. “Our goal is not having a few Mr. Jimmie Walkers, but for all of us to become a Jimmie Walker in our daily duties – a ‘Band of Excellence.’”