BATTLE CREEK, Mich. –
Joey Martinez is a current member of Pathways to Career Excellence Group 48, which began in 2024. For his second year in the PACE Program, he will be placed at the Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services site at San Antonio, Texas.
Why did you first apply to the PACE Program?
I applied to the PACE Program to develop practical skills, gain valuable work experience and build new relationships to explore different career paths throughout the DLA agency.
What was your position before coming to the PACE Program, if any?
I was the Reutilization Transfer Donation Specialist (RTD) in Kuwait.
What has been your favorite parts of PACE?
The overviews of each department here in the federal building and getting the opportunity to network with individuals from each department.
Do you have a favorite memory as a PACER?
My best moment so far has been talking to other PACERs about different work situations in the field and how those situations were resolved. The funny thing is, even though we all dealt with the same difficult situation, none were resolved the same.
If there was one thing that could’ve been different for you in PACE, what would it be?
I would change the Temporary Change of Station (TSC) to Temporary Duty (TDY). In our group there are a few of us who not only have to pay for an apartment here but also have a mortgage payment back home. There are other individuals that are paying for two leases, one here in Battle Creek and in their hometown where they are going back to.
What would you say is the most important quality to succeed in the PACE program?
Being able to sit in on leadership meetings, seeing and hearing how to handle difficult situations.
In your own words, how would you describe the PACE program, and what can you gain from it?
In my own words the PACE program is good for individuals who are willing to accept change. What I am gaining from the program is knowledge. The knowledge to know who to reach out to when the site I am going to has a situation that we just cannot take care of ourselves.
What background do you have? Do you have a lot of DLA experience, or were a recent graduate, or did you come from another field?
I have been with DLA for three years. I started off as a Material Identifier and Examiner at San Antonio. Roughly six months later I became a Work Lead in the warehouse. Later, I applied for a position in Kuwait as the RTD (Reutilize, Transfer, Donate) Specialist. While in that position, I learned a lot from the leadership team about DLA. Their knowledge allowed me to do great things with the RTD program. I have been a part of two WMS rollouts. The first was in San Antonio and the second was in Kuwait.
Where are you assigned to next year? Where was it on your list (was it your top choice)?
I am assigned to go to San Antonio next year. San Antonio and Kuwait were at the top of my list.
What are your plans for your future in the agency? Do you hope to have a specific pathway/career field? Or a certain GS level?
The idea is to be part of a leadership team where I can use the knowledge and skills I have learned while on the program.
Editorial Note: The Pathways to Career Excellence Program for DLA Disposition Services is a two-year program that takes PACER's through all of Disposition Services and its processes to learn as much as possible about the directorate. The first year takes place at DLA Disposition Services Headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan, and the second year either takes place in Battle Creek for Contracting PACER's or at an assigned field site for Property Disposal PACER's. PACERs begin as general schedule 7s, move to GS-9s at the end of their first year, and graduate the program as GS-11s. There are multiple pathways to becoming a PACER, including being hired internally, as a recent graduate, or from military service.