Fort Belvoir, Virginia –
Defense Logistics Agency and Marine Corps leaders met May 1 at DLA’s Fort Belvoir, Virginia, headquarters to discuss strategic issues and ensure DLA support is aligned with customer priorities during Marine Corps-DLA Day. DLA senior leaders attended the annual event in person with representatives from several Marine Corps organizations and major subordinate commands attending mostly virtually.
DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic co-hosted the event with Lt. Gen. Edward Banta, the Marine Corps’ deputy commandant of installations and logistics, and Steven Morani, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for sustainment.
Skubic said she was excited about the agenda.
“DLA and the Marine Corps are very good at having candid, constant conversations about what we have to get after and I know that is going to continue,” she said. “I am excited about today because of the team effort to get here but also because of all the work that is being done across our teams.”
Morani encouraged Marine Corps attendees to think about ways they can use DLA to meet future demands.
“It is all about process and finding ways to refine those processes by leveraging technology and leveraging the talents that we have across DLA,” he said. “Think about ways you can leverage the buying power and strength and the competencies that we have put into DLA.”
Discussions included topics like greater financial transparency, demand planning and analysis, the Marine Corp’s Warehouse Utilization Program, and strengthening the clothing and textiles industrial base.
“A lot of great issues are currently underway such as Warehouse Utilization, which has been a big success story for the Marines,” Banta said.
The Warehouse Utilization Program improves warehouse support by consolidating space and moving material closer to shipping and receiving sites. The program is projected to net up to $222 million in benefits across Marine Corps logistics bases in Albany, Georgia, and Barstow, California, over five years.
Bruce Carson, director of customer operations for DLA Troop Support’s clothing and textiles supply chain, briefed the group on industrial base issues such as lagging availability of some military uniform items since COVID-19.
Carson said DLA has taken several steps to assist vendors and the services. Actions include establishing a governance board to determine where to focus efforts on strengthening industry, using the Defense Production Act Title III and Warstopper investments to increase production of uniforms and other items, and establishing a “watch” list that provides visibility of items that could potentially have supply chain concerns.
Banta thanked DLA for recognizing the Marine Corps’ challenges with uniforms and textiles and the effect that they’ve had on their recruit training centers.
Marine Corps organizations in attendance were PEO Land Systems, Marine Corps Installations Command, Marine Corps Systems Command, Marine Corps Logistics Command and Headquarters Marine Corps Combat Development and Integration Force Development.