FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
Editor’s Note: This is one of six stories featuring 2023 DLA Hall of Fame inductees. An induction ceremony will be held 2 p.m. May 18 at the McNamara Headquarters Complex auditorium at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The ceremony is open to all DLA employees; invitations are not needed.
A finance leader known for instilling greater efficiency and higher standards of service throughout Defense Logistics Agency Distribution is a member of the 2023 Defense Logistics Agency Hall of Fame.
John Kurtz helped solidify DLA Distribution Finance at New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, as a key player in the agency’s worldwide support. As director of DLA Distribution Finance from June 2006 to March 2016, he enabled the major subordinate command to manage over 10,000 employees, an $87 billion budget and 54 million square feet of storage across 33 centers.
“Mr. Kurtz consistently honored technical innovation that allowed the industry to overcome seemingly impossible challenges,” according to his nomination. “By consulting with financial leaders and military organizations, he set the example of constantly improving by finding cleverer ways to complete tasks and emulate process excellence.”
The 25-year DLA employee is credited for making impacts in numerous finance jobs with ever-increasing responsibility, first as a cost accountant supporting A-76 competitions, then as part of special project teams. He worked for several years as a staff analyst supporting the consolidation of distribution center operations under DLA.
Kurtz also solved the financial puzzle of developing fully equipped expeditionary teams, called DDXXs, that provide storage and distribution during disaster response in the continental United States. The DDXX is now considered a critical mission partner of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Northern Command, and it is among DLA’s first assets on the ground during hurricane relief efforts.
When the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure decision required the military services to transfer to DLA supply, storage and distribution functions at depot maintenance locations collocated with an agency distribution center, Kurtz also used continuous process improvement concepts to carry out the cost-saving mission.
“Through pioneering methods and oversight of the execution of DLA Distribution funds, he facilitated the accomplishment of the DLA mission while institutionalizing stewardship to ensure his team provided maximum customer service while accounting for each dollar spent,” says Kurtz’ nomination.