BATTLE CREEK, Mich. –
Maryland. Afghanistan. Kuwait. Japan. Italy.
For the past 15 years, Angela Sakryd has handled DOD property disposal across Planet Earth, where each new team she works with is just a little bit different and a lot the same.
“Each site has its own nuances, but the people in place work hard to make it come together,” Sakryd said. “Our customers throw unique challenges our way, and I’m always excited to see our success in moving and processing [equipment].”
The former teacher, Corpus Christi native and military spouse began working for the Defense Logistics Agency as a contractor in 2008. A year later, she took a GS position with DLA Disposition Services and “learned everything [she] could” about property disposal and reuse while stationed in Maryland at the Fort Meade office. From there, she embarked on a continuing series of deployments, homecomings, and overseas tours.
She is currently serving as operations supervisor for the agency’s disposition office at Aviano Air Base in northern Italy, where she was recently captured the honor of DLA Disposition Services Employee of the Quarter for the 3rd quarter of fiscal 2023.
Aviano Area Manager David Stickney praised Sakryd as “a driving factor” on a recent rise in the property disposal hub’s overall customer support metrics and for her reliability as acting area manager in his absence.
“She has proved to be a hands-on, forward-leaning, proactive supervisor,” Stickney said. He also cited her money-saving work on finding local equipment mutilation opportunities and enthusiastic leadership and coordination across multiple offices in three countries.
“I make sure the site is taking the right actions to support our customers,” Sakryd said, describing her role. “I encourage our customers to learn more about the Reutilization, Transfer and Donation program and how it can benefit them globally.”
In addition to formerly serving as a teacher for DOD schools in Japan in the early 2000s, Sakryd herself is a lifetime learner. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of North Florida and then completed her MBA from the University of Maryland while working for DLA in 2010.
“I challenge myself to learn as much as I can about whatever I am doing, and I am always excited to share knowledge,” Sakryd said, noting that she was proud to be recommended as employee of the quarter. “I support training everyone to be confident in working up through the ranks of our organization. I love seeing other people move up in our agency. I’m proud to be nominated, I worked hard to get here, I took chances and appreciate the opportunity to meet and work with amazing people around the world.”