FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
The Coast Guard saw firsthand how Defense Logistics Agency Energy has improved customer support and fuel accounting during a maritime training exercise called Poseidon’s Domain in Puerto Rico in April.
Leading up to the exercise, DLA Energy regional leaders visited several Coast Guard sites to better understand their operational energy needs and work to improve DLA Energy’s processes and services to ensure the Coast Guard is getting the right support.
DLA Energy put the changes to the test during the exercise to help mobilize nearly 250 Coast Guard personnel and dozens of boats to the island and ensure the three Coast Guard Port Security Units and two Navy Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadrons had sufficient marine gas oil, diesel and other energy products to participate in the exercise.
“Fuel was a non-issue for the multiple week mobilization due to the strong petroleum logistics partnerships that were leveraged between the Coast Guard’s Energy Fusion Center, DLA Energy and our suppliers – a true accomplishment given something of this scale hadn’t been done in nearly 15 years,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Todd Remusat, commanding officer of PSU 309.
Coast Guard PSUs are Deployable Specialized Forces trained to provide maritime Anti-Terrorism Force Protection around the world. These expeditionary units have a statutory mandate to deploy at the Department of Defense’s request and be self-sufficient for 30 days. DLA Energy’s customer service must be efficient and prompt because a breakdown in communication can mean the difference between mission success and failure.
DLA Energy worked to improve processes not only to support this exercise but any Coast Guard operation whether its humanitarian aid, contingency support, or executing its six major operational mission programs: maritime law enforcement, maritime response, maritime prevention, marine transportation system management, maritime security operations, and defense operations.
“Our fuel procurement customer support is steady and stronger than ever,” said Sam Alvord, chief of the Coast Guard Office of Energy Management. “We have seen greater efficiencies in receipting and getting DLA paid for the fuel we use.”
Marlin Ingram, team supervisor of DLA Energy Americas East Customer Operations, learned about mistakes and delays in fuel support during talks with Coast Guard members. Further research showed that a communication lag between the Coast Guard and DLA Energy Headquarters caused some of the problems.
Ingram worked with DLA Energy Americas and headquarters to remove the middlemen, build direct relationships, and streamline processes to reduce errors and improve responsiveness for the Coast Guard.
“Americas East built a strong relationship with the Coast Guard experts and its Energy Fusion Center,” Ingram said. “We facilitated the use of Material Release Acceptance, allowing the customer to place, modify and accept fuel orders without any manual entry of information, eliminating common customer mistakes.”
Ingram also began sending a daily consolidated invoice report to the Fusion Center to improve communication and fuel accounting.
“We pride ourselves on our professionalism, attention to detail and investments in our customers,” said DLA Energy Americas Commander Army Col. Josielyn Carrasquillo. “Each and every one of our DLA Energy teammates can make a difference by recognizing challenges or impediments and translating that into an opportunity to improve the services we provide.”
Alvord said the improvements show that DLA Energy values the Coast Guard’s partnership.
“It shows to the other military services, and the rest of DLA internally, that the Coast Guard is structured and aligned operationally, logistically, technically, and administratively.”
During the exercise, Alvord’s team and the Coast Guard Energy Fusion Center also provided petroleum acquisition training to Coast Guard personnel stationed on the island. They discussed the DLA fuel procurement and customer support processes, regional fuel trends, and guidance on potential quality issues within their operating environments.
As one of the six U.S. military services, the Coast Guard is the principal federal agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship in U.S. ports, inland waterways, along the U.S. coastline, and on the high seas.
DLA Energy Americas is the regional office responsible for the service to North, Central and South Americas, plus the Caribbean Island states and territories. It has three sub-regional offices located in Texas, California and Alaska to support customers in those areas. DLA Energy also has regional support located around the world in Japan, Korea, Hawaii, Guam, Europe and Bahrain.