FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
Defense Logistics Agency Energy senior leaders closely examined the agency's Talent Management Program against National Defense Strategy priorities during a workshop at the McNamara Headquarters Complex on Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Aug. 22.
DLA Energy Deputy Commander David Kless asked the leaders to critically analyze their approach to recruiting, hiring, retaining, and training the workforce because climate change, rapidly evolving technologies, and threats from Russia and China are among the many areas of concern driving the future needs of the organization.
“Do we have the people we need to face tomorrow’s challenges?” Kless asked. “Don’t be satisfied with status quo. Don’t be satisfied with past successes. Don’t be satisfied with what you’ve done. Challenge yourself. Become uncomfortable. We have the right team right now, but do we have the right team for tomorrow?”
The workshop was led by Defense Acquisition University professor Glenn Lamartin, who holds a doctorate in public administration and is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown’s school of public policy. He is the author of “Rising to the Challenge of the National Defense Strategy,” an article to help the Defense Department acquisition community align workforce initiatives with the NDS.
“The NDS directs how the DOD will fulfill the top-level National Security Strategy issued by the White House. It drives the DOD’s plans, resources, organization, and activities; it also prioritizes threats, as well as the missions and time frames we will use to meet the challenges,” Lamartin wrote in the article.
Lamartin, a self-proclaimed “aspiring futurist,” challenged DLA Energy leaders to think beyond five years and out past the year 2030. He asked them to critically think about how the agency contributes to the NDS and how they can prepare the agency to respond to future demands.
During group activities, Lamartin guided leaders on how to build a workforce that can rise to future challenges in technology, demographics, customer empowerment, a globally dispersed work environment, and the flexibilities necessary to compete with workforce demands.
Patricia Littlejohn, division chief for DLA Energy Bulk Petroleum Supply Chain Services, said her group felt DLA Energy needs to have flexible and adaptable policies to attract employees, use creative hiring authorities, identify possible incentives, revise old rules to meet new hiring needs, and reinforce strong internal relationships.
“We need to work closely with DLA Human Resources to identify gaps and explore all options to not only recruit but retain high performing employees,” Littlejohn said.
Rachel Dunlap, the director of DLA Energy Commander’s Action Group, said her challenge is to fully identify the required skills needed and then build a team to meet those needs.
“DLA and DLA Energy have a variety of career development programs to help us grow a workforce that is ready for the future,” Dunlap said. “My goal is to ensure we actively communicate the programs, their deadlines, and the application process to encourage and support employees who want to participate.”
By the end of the workshop, leaders had tools and resources to help them build a strategic plan for their NDS talent management strategies.
In her closing remarks, Gabby Earhardt, the head of the DLA Energy Contracting Activity, reminded the leaders of their responsibility to help shape the agency’s future.
“It's in moments like these that we must remember the bigger picture and the long-term impact of our actions,” Earhardt said. “Our ability to lead effectively is dependent on the strength of our teams, and the vitality of those teams is dependent on the individuals within them.”
The DLA Energy Acquisition Workforce Development team, the mastermind behind the workshop, plans to take the workshop to other DLA Energy regional offices and tailor the workshop for all supervisory levels. The team also plans to incorporate the NDS Talent Management Initiative into DLA Energy’s Annual Operating Plan.