NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. –
Defense Logistics Agency Distribution leadership hosted Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly, director, DLA, for an update on the 2026 DLA Distribution Annual Operating Plan progress and discussions on Warehouse Management System sustainment and modernization priorities at DLA Distribution headquarters in New Cumberland, April 14.
Simerly was joined by Army Maj. Gen. Stephanie Howard, director, DLA Joint Reserve Force, and Army Command Sgt. Maj. Petra Casarez, senior enlisted leader, DLA.
During the engagement, Simerly reemphasized his commitment to aligning DLA Distribution with the DLA Strategic Plan and ongoing transformation efforts.
“Transformation requires a disciplined approach, and it begins with a clear vision that the entire team can rally behind,” Simerly said. “By aligning our culture with our strategic goals, we create the motivation and incentives needed to achieve our objectives.”
The discussion also covered how DLA is enhancing its operational effectiveness by ensuring the right skills are in the right places, prioritizing sustainment training, increasing data acumen and ensuring resources align with objectives.
“The pathway to transformation means that we celebrate wins and changes,” Simerly said. “Our ability to achieve short-term wins while prioritizing long-term goals builds the confidence and competence of our teams.”
Joe Faris, acting deputy commander, DLA Distribution, provided an overview of the progress made on the 22 Objectives and Key Results included in the DLA Distribution Annual Operating Plan using Vector to demonstrate how the organization is tracking progress. Vector is DLA’s new strategy management tool for Fiscal Year 2026. It functions as an automated dashboard that tracks Objectives & Key Results from the Agency level DLA Strategic Plan to the major subordinate command level Annual Operating Plan. Vector serves as the system of record for all strategy efforts within DLA.
“We’re using Vector as an accountable record to track our OKR progress,” Faris said. “This allows us to maintain accountability and learn as we work toward our goals.”
DLA Distribution leaders guided Simerly through four of the OKRs, highlighting progress, successes, challenges and lessons learned.
“We’re a learning organization, and we’re constantly reassessing all of the data that is available to us through the Warehouse Management System,” said Jim Stanford, director, Network Integration Directorate, DLA Distribution. “We are continuously adapting and integrating what we learn to improve our processes.”
DLA Distribution leadership team also presented several key focus areas for consideration. These included the operational approach for WMS sustainment, reestablishing performance metric baselines, accelerating centralized artificial intelligence capabilities, and funding and sequencing modernization priorities.
“Today underscored the complexity of DLA Distribution’s mission,” Casarez remarked. “It’s exciting to see how we connect across the agency to execute current operations while simultaneously planning for our long-range objectives.”
Simerly echoed Casarez's sentiments, adding his perspective on the agency's future.
“We are at an inflection point, shifting our focus from efficiency to resiliency,” Simerly concluded. “As we transform, the strategic value of each of our sites becomes more apparent. I am grateful for this team's commitment to the mission and recognize the global impact DLA Distribution continues to have, even as you modernize.”