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News | Jan. 29, 2024

Employees, teams honored during DLA’s 56th Annual Employee Recognition Awards

By Nancy Benecki

The Defense Logistics Agency celebrated the accomplishments of its workforce during the 56th Annual Employee Awards Ceremony at its Fort Belvoir, Virginia, headquarters Jan. 25.

In total, 44 individuals and 12 teams from across the agency earned 56 awards in 14 categories.

DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic presided over the ceremony. It was her fourth since coming on board as the agency’s director in July 2020, but only her second in-person Employee Recognition Awards ceremony.

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VIDEO | 1:03:00 | 56th Annual Employee Recognition Awards Ceremony (open caption)

Coming on as the DLA’s director during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic meant she couldn’t travel in the beginning of her tenure, but she was impressed by what she saw when she finally was able to visit many of the agency’s locations.

“I’ve worked at DLA before, but honestly I am in awe of DLA. Every week, I am learning about something new, a new line of effort that we’re taking on. The truth is, we always continue to step up and deliver results because we can, and we do it quite well,” she said.

She praised the award winners and all of DLA’s workforce for the work they do every day for the agency and in support of the warfighter.

A Navy Vice Admiral gives a speech at a podium with military flags in the background.
Defense Logistics Agency Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic served as the host of the agency’s 56th Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony, held Jan. 25, 2023, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. (Photo by Christopher Lynch)
A Navy Vice Admiral gives a speech at a podium with military flags in the background.
Employees, teams honored during DLA’s 56th Annual Employee Recognition Awards
Defense Logistics Agency Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic served as the host of the agency’s 56th Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony, held Jan. 25, 2023, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. (Photo by Christopher Lynch)
Photo By: Chris Lynch DLA Photographer
VIRIN: 240125-D-HE260-1002

“The winners distinguished themselves in a number of roles, running the gamut from being brilliant on the fundamentals of what we have to do every day, to innovating the next cutting-edge solution. Thank you for all that you do,” Skubic said.

Jose Flores Jr., a material planner at DLA Troop Support, was named one of the Ten Outstanding DLA Personnel of the Year. He managed the requisition and distribution of 6.3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses and 13,000 ancillary kits shipped outside of the United States.

Natalie Lee-Haynes, a supervisory distribution facilities manager for DLA Distribution, also was named as one of the Ten Outstanding DLA Personnel of the Year. Under her guidance, DLA’s F-35 team received over 16,000 line items valued at more than $108 million.

The Small Team of the Year award went to the Bluedog Pin Rivet Ad Hoc Deployment Team at DLA Aviation. The DLA and Anniston Army Depot Tracked Vehicle Support Team from DLA Land and Maritime won Medium Team of the Year. Large Team of the Year went to the DLA Veterans Administration Personal Protection Equipment Mission Support Team at DLA Distribution.

Several acquisition professionals were honored. Taru Taylor from DLA Acquisition was named Acquisition Support Professional of the Year. Lisa Keyser Vega from DLA Land and Maritime received the Excellence in Acquisition Award. The Individual the Individual Equipment Integrated Supply Team from DLA Troop Support won Acquisition Workforce Team Achievement award. Brittany Schofield from DLA Distribution received the Acquisition Workforce Individual Achievement Award.

Four people stand on stage during an awards ceremony.
The Defense Logistics Agency honored its ten outstanding personnel of the year winners during the 56th Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony, held Jan. 25, 2023, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Pictured are DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic, left; Correen Scivoletti, material examiner and identifier lead at DLA Disposition Services and one of the agency’s top 10 employees; DLA Vice Director Brad Bunn; and DLA Senior Enlisted Leader Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Alvin Dyer. (Photo by Christopher Lynch)
Four people stand on stage during an awards ceremony.
Employees, teams honored during DLA’s 56th Annual Employee Recognition Awards
The Defense Logistics Agency honored its ten outstanding personnel of the year winners during the 56th Annual Employee Recognition Ceremony, held Jan. 25, 2023, at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Pictured are DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic, left; Correen Scivoletti, material examiner and identifier lead at DLA Disposition Services and one of the agency’s top 10 employees; DLA Vice Director Brad Bunn; and DLA Senior Enlisted Leader Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Alvin Dyer. (Photo by Christopher Lynch)
Photo By: Chris Lynch DLA Photographer
VIRIN: 240125-D-HE260-1004

The complete list of winners is below.

Top Ten DLA Employees of the Year

Category A:

  • Air Force Tech. Sgt. Demar Russell, DLA Logistics Operations
  • Correen Scivoletti, DLA Disposition Services

Category B:

  • Agnes Eugenio, DLA Energy
  • Tanner Evans, DLA Aviation
  • Jose Flores Jr., DLA Troop Support
  • Natalie Lee-Haynes, DLA Distribution

Category C:

  • Gordon Cain, DLA Troop Support
  • Jennifer Davis, DLA Distribution
  • Tiffani Harris, DLA Land and Maritime
  • Navy CDR David Odom, DLA Aviation

Leader of the Year:

  • Level 1: Nicole McDonald, DLA Land and Maritime
  • Level 2: Ronald Schwinn, DLA Land and Maritime
  • Level 3: Margaret Smith, DLA Land and Maritime
  • Level 4: John Cuorato Jr., DLA Troop Support

Employee of the Quarter:

  • Category A: Kathy Simmons, DLA Distribution
  • Category B: Jason Hochstetler, DLA Land and Maritime
  • Category C: Corey Perkins, DLA Information Operations

Team Awards:

  • Small: Bluedog Pin Rivet Ad Hoc Deployment Team, DLA Aviation
  • Medium: DLA and Anniston Army Depot Tracked Vehicle Support Team, DLA Land and Maritime
  • Large: DLA Veterans Administration Personal Protection Equipment Mission Support Team, DLA Distribution

Equal Employment Opportunity Awards:

  • Achievement in EEO by an Employee: Teresa Brunotte, DLA Land and Maritime
  • Achievement in EEO by a Supervisor or Manager: Anthony Zuk: DLA Distribution
  • Achievement in EEO by an Organization Cat 1: DLA Troop Support
  • Outstanding Employee with a Disability: Vivian d’Alelio, DLA Installation Management at Fort Belvoir
  • Outstanding Employee with a Disability: Gregory Ramsey, DLA Installation Management at Columbus

Military Personnel Awards:

Service Members of the Year:

  • Field Grade Officer of the Year: Navy Lt. Cmdr. Gary Maurer, DLA Distribution
  • Company Grade Officer of the Year: Air Force Capt. Kwadralyn Townsend, DLA Aviation
  • Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Army Master Sgt. Alvin Ortiz-O’Neill
  • Junior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kayla Pustejovsky

Reservists of the Year:

  • Joint Reserve Force Field Grade Officer of the Year: Navy Lt. Cmdr. Curtis Bender, DLA Energy
  • Joint Reserve Force Company Grade Officer of the Year: Army Capt. John Delano, DLA Aviation
  • Joint Reserve Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Navy Yeoman Chief Petty Officer Debra Warden, DLA Disposition Services
  • Joint Reserve Force Junior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Navy Logistics Specialist 1st Class Constantine Rublyov, DLA Disposition Services

Installation Support Excellence Awards:

  • Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Facility/Program Excellence Award: Eagle Eye Golf Club, DLA Installation Management at Columbus
  • Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Program Management Award: Cynthia Paredes, DLA Installation Management at San Joaquin
  • DLA Police Officer of the Year: Officer Marc MacLain, DLA Installation Management at Susquehanna
  • DLA Lead Police Officer of the Year: Sgt. Michael Gallione, DLA Installation Management at Richmond
  • DLA Supervisory Police Officer of the Year: Deputy Chief Greg Bock, DLA Installation Management at Richmond
  • Outstanding Police Activity of the Year: DLA Installation Management at Columbus
  • DLA Firefighter of the Year: Firefighter Joshua Paul, DLA Installation Management at Susquehanna
  • DLA Fire Officer of the Year: Assistant Fire Chief Fred Smith, DLA Installation Management at Susquehanna
  • DLA Fire Service Instructor of the Year: Assistant Fire Chief Gregory ​Watkins Jr., DLA Installation Management at San Joaquin
  • DLA Fire Prevention Program of the Year: DLA Installation Management at Richmond
  • DLA Emergency Communication Center Dispatcher of the Year: Lead Dispatcher Noah Kingham, DLA Installation Management at San Joaquin
  • DLA Fire Department of the Year: DLA Installation Management at Susquehanna

Enterprise Safety Excellence Awards:

  • Safety Professional of the Year: Jelisa Vazquez Nazario, DLA Europe & Africa
  • DLA Safety Champion of the Year: Ashley Contreras, DLA Distribution
  • DLA Employee Safety/Voluntary Protection Program Team: Defense Depot San Joaquin California Automated Materiel Handling Systems Team, DLA Distribution
  • Management System Achievement: DLA Disposition Services Fleet Management Team, DLA Disposition Services

Security Professional Awards:

  • DLA Junior Security Professional of the Year: Daniel Avila, DLA Distribution
  • DLA Senior Security Professional of the Year: Patricia Murphy, DLA Intelligence

Acquisition Excellence Awards:

  • Excellence in Acquisition: Lisa Keyser Vega, DLA Land and Maritime
  • Acquisition Support Professional of the Year (Individual): Taru Taylor, DLA Acquisition
  • Acquisition Workforce Team Achievement: Individual Equipment Integrated Supply Team, DLA Troop Support
  • Acquisition Workforce Individual Achievement: Brittany Schofield, DLA Distribution

Information Technology Excellence Awards:

  • Information Technology Program Manager of the Year: James Daniels, DLA Information Operations
  • Information Technology Team of the Year: SecureView Support Team, DLA Information Operations