The Defense Logistics Agency is focused on enhancing operational effectiveness by improving how the agency aligns with customers, streamlining processes and presenting a unified face to industry partners, says DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly in a recent leadership message.
“Our transformation is designed for a single purpose: to strengthen our core mission — support to the warfighter,” Simerly says.
This transformation includes the agency’s renewed focus on data and using artificial intelligence. Other priorities involve divesting legacy services and reassessing missions better suited for the service branches, as well as reviewing the entire infrastructure footprint to ensure resources are focused on warfighter priorities.
Simerly says DLA intends to increase the agility and speed of the agency’s support. A primary example of this is the integration of the aviation, land and maritime supply chains. The unified DLA Weapons Support command will eliminate duplicative processes and provide a clear, consolidated demand signal to industry.
Navy Rear Adm. Julie Treanor and Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Launey will continue to serve as commanders of DLA Weapons Support (Columbus) and DLA Weapons Support (Richmond), respectively, until the major subordinate command reaches full operational capability. At that milestone, Treanor will take command of the DLA Weapons Support combined team.
“One command, one operating model, two locations,” Simerly says, noting that the command will provide a single face to the warfighter and a single face to industry from its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, while still maintaining its Richmond, Virginia, workforce.
In preparation for the upcoming annual operating plan reviews, Simerly encourages employees to think critically about how their operations and their use of data contribute to a more agile, effective customer-aligned agency.