ANNISTON, Alabama –
On July 13-14, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution commander Army Brig. Gen. John Laskodi made his inaugural visit to DLA Distribution Anniston, Ala., to meet employees, discuss small arms operations, and see the distribution center’s wall-to-wall weapons inventory in action.
The small arms facility at Anniston is one of the more unique in the distribution network, where employees receive, identify, send for overhaul, and stow small arms for the warfighter. The team has implemented new standardized processes to improve customer support, as well as save time and money. Some of these processes include quality control procedures and a specialized database created by the division that helps to reliably identify the hundreds of different types of arms they receive.
The distribution center is conducting a wall-to-wall inventory and labeling of material, consisting of more than one million serialized and non-serialized materials stored in the small arms facilities. More than 130 DLA Distribution employees and reservists from all branches of the armed services augmented this mission. The completion of the inventory will assist with audit readiness assertion this year.
Laskodi also had a chance to operate the only DoD-owned 80-ton heavy lift crane, known as "Clyde," as well as a tractor from the Vehicles and Artillery Division. The crane is used for loading and unloading tracked vehicles and artillery.
Army Lt. Col. Michael Lindley, commander of the Anniston distribution center, noted that Laskodi is looking forward to focusing on the way ahead, including communicating with customers on equipment, appropriate metrics for the distribution center, and working on Care of Supplies in Storage and being good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
While on site, Laskodi met with strategic partners, including Army Col. Martine Kidd, the Anniston Army Depot commander, whom Laskodi discussed the importance of the two commands’ partnership. Kidd likened the partnership to planting "perennials rather than annual flowers."