PHILADELPHIA –
Partnering to solve problems early was a key takeaway for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers logisticians who visited Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support in Philadelphia Dec. 3.
The USACE group learned about DLA Troop Support’s various products and capabilities throughout its supply chains: Subsistence, Clothing and Textiles, Medical, Construction and Equipment, and Industrial Hardware.
DLA Troop Support Deputy Director Richard Ellis welcomed the group and discussed opportunities for partnership between the two organizations.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for partnering with our C&E supply chain with our [maintenance, repair and operations] contracts,” Ellis said.
Marko Graham, C&E chief of executive agency and plans and integration office, explained the global presence of MRO contracts, along with other functions of the supply chain USACE may be able to take advantage of.
“Reach out to us if there’s a seat at the planning table,” Graham said. “If we can be involved earlier, we’ll be able to help much better.
In fiscal 2015, USACE sales with C&E were approximately $42.6 million, C&E Collective Customer Division Chief Kyle McCarthy said. MRO, metals and cable were among the top items and services DLA Troop Support provided.
USACE logistics management specialist Tonga Hackett said the visit to Troop Support was very informative, particularly talking to the C&E and Medical supply chains.
“We’re pretty much trying to see how we can better align ourselves with DLA, as well as learn from DLA and the way they’ve partnered with other services,” Hackett said.
Closing out the visit, the group toured Clothing and Textiles’ flag room, which Hackett described as the “icing on the cake” of the visit.
“The visit has been a great experience, we’ll be able to take this [information] back, talk to our other functions within [USACE], let them know how DLA functions, and how we can partner and better service each other,” Hackett said.