BATTLE CREEK, Mich. –
What does it look like when two unrelated parts of one big organization are suddenly asked to merge?
If the result looks anything like DLA’s shared office space in San Diego, then it’s sunny skies ahead.
The Defense Logistics Agency recently announced that DLA Document Services – essentially the military’s print shop – would realign under major sub-command DLA Disposition Services. The two entities provide similar types of job-unique, face-to-face warfighter support at sites spread around the wold. Multiple analyses indicated that an organizational chart move for Document Services would generate efficiencies.
“We’re in a lot of the same locations, we service a lot of the same customers, and we're both outward facing – so that's why it made sense for us to be able to join forces,” said DLA Document Services Director Richard TeBeau.
While the missions for each organization will remain the same, and personnel will continue to focus solely on their original duties, there will be a natural closeness that develops through proximity and as a result of eventually relying on shared support functions like DLA Equal Employment Opportunity training, DLA Finance support and shared DLA Installation Management needs.
Employees in the San Diego area got a preview of the two organizations’ closer alignment after a structure fire during depths of the COVID-19 pandemic destroyed a building that housed DLA Disposition Services West region and San Diego region employee offices. No one was hurt, but they needed a new workplace.
Disposal Support Directorate West Director Chris Buchanan said that, partly due to pandemic-related remote work, the nearby DLA Document Services office had extra space and some members of the property disposal team eventually moved in.
“Everyone gets along, it’s been great,” Buchanan said, noting that the print and property disposal teams have begun coming together for safety discussions and he expects they will all participate in activities like employee recognition events and team barbeques. “We have a much better understanding of what [Document Services personnel] do and what they’re capable of. And we have a lot of the same customers, so it makes interacting with DLA more convenient for the warfighters we support.”
Production Specialist Phil Vogel works on the Document Services side of the office, where he and two others provide scanning services and “all-encompassing” custom jobs. He said that the property disposal expertise that DLA Disposition Services brings to the workplace has, on its own, been a huge plus for his print shop team.
“Honestly, it’s been fantastic,” Vogel said. “We’ve been able to get rid of a lot of old and excess equipment. I’ve ben able to clean up the place and make it more productive and organized. … I think it was the greatest thing, at least for this location. Combining us has been a big benefit.”
Vogel said that, moving forward, the team is developing general safety goals and has “a really good plan to make the building much better and more efficient,” which should keep their customers happy and adequately meet their needs.
The release of a General Order is expected during the 2023 calendar year to finalize the “as-is, where-is” realignment. Until its release, DLA Information Operations will continue providing administrative support to DLA Document Services.