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News | Oct. 6, 2015

DLA Distribution’s Expeditionary Team talks capabilities with Emergency Management Workgroup

By Jessica Roman DLA Distribution Public Affairs

As part of the recent Emergency Management Workgroup at Defense Distribution Center, Susquehanna, the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Expeditionary Team was on hand to talk about their own capabilities – both in the event of contingency operations, and closer to home in central Pennsylvania.

The Expeditionary Team supports distribution requirements that cannot be completed from DLA Distribution’s fixed-base network of distribution centers.   “For our theater deployments, our goal is to stand up a distribution facility that will receive, store and issue DLA materiel with the intent of reducing reliance on strategic airlift,” said Paul Plevich, chief of DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pa’s., Expeditionary Team.

For many of the team’s humanitarian efforts, they may not stand up a full distribution center, but still provide much-needed support.  “We provide essential items such as blankets, water, and cots,” said Plevich.  “We’ve had a chance to help people during Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, and Operation United Assistance, just to name a few.”

Donnie Thompson, chief of Deployment and Training in DLA Distribution headquarters’ Expeditionary Logistics division, said that it’s imperative to maintain readiness for deployers.  “Contingencies happen at a moment’s notice,” he said.  “We have to be adaptable, flexible, and understand that missions don’t always go by the book – we have to be ready anyway.”

In addition to the team’s capabilities to support missions worldwide, they also focus on being ready within their own home in central Pennsylvania.  The team supports the Continuity of Operations Plan for both DLA Distribution headquarters and Susquehanna, Pa.

In the event the COOP plan is activated, the Expeditionary Team stands ready to support 26 mission essential personnel with enough workstations and tents to continue basic operations.  Employees can also be plugged into the Expeditionary Team’s satellite communications system to enable telework.

“For example, since we are located very close to Three Mile Island [nuclear power plant], we are prepared to set up operations outside the perimeter to continue our receive, stow, and issue functions, and to provide support to both the distribution center and people in the area,” said Thompson.

As the team moves forward, Thompson says that they will continue to be prepared to support both humanitarian and disaster relief, and contingency operations wherever they are needed – on a large or small scale.