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News | Aug. 9, 2017

DLA Distribution Warner Robins PPPM team selected for Team of the Quarter

By DLA Distribution Public Affairs DLA Distribution Public Affairs

The DLA Distribution Warner Robins, Georgia, Preservation, Packaging, Packing and Marking Section Special Assets Division team has been selected as DLA Distribution Team of the Quarter for third quarter, fiscal year 2017. 

In order to clear the last major hurdle of a PPPM consolidation project, DLA Distribution Warner Robins assembled a multi-functional team comprised of four packers, a woodworker, a distribution process worker and a material examiner and identifier.  This combined the two major PPPM functional areas into one major PPPM functional area in a different building. 

The seven-person team, comprised of Ernest Melonson, Greg Bedford, Christie Williams, Jonah Blount, Jettie Evans, Richard Langford and Michael Scott, was tasked with packaging and clearing remaining material in the previous PPPM functional area.  

Even though the team was assembled as an ad hoc team, the team members achieved exceptional teamwork results, according to Mark Lane, DLA Distribution Warner Robins Box Shop supervisor.  “They immediately established and maintained excellent rapport as they devised a superb plan to tackle this challenging task.  The team’s outstanding knowledge of packaging, material identification and examination, and the Box Shop Work Order system was crucial to the successful, timely completion of this difficult task.”  

The team worked with the Systems Office to obtain a precise inventory of the items assigned to this functional area and determined the breakdown of the approximately 6,000 assets as 10 percent bulk, 25 percent medium, and 65 percent small items.  They opted to clear the bulk items first to provide more room to work the remaining medium and small items as well as offer a staging area for items requiring further research.    

According to Lane, the team attacked this task with enthusiasm and resourcefulness.  If required containers were not readily available in the project area, they canvassed all the de-pack areas and worked closely with the reclamation contractor to obtain the needed containers to keep the project progressing forward.  

Team members used their specialized training and knowledge to identify which material required more intricate Special Packaging Instruction containers and packaging and which needed more straight-forward dimensional containers with limited packaging. This drove the team’s efforts to promptly clear the material requiring the least packaging effort first in order to remain on schedule with the project. 

This team’s ability to work in a unified and cohesive manner led to the closure of approximately 1,800 work orders consisting of approximately 6,000 units as well as the release of several thousand sq. ft. of warehouse space for further usage by Central Receiving and other functional areas within the distribution center.  

“This team demonstrated teamwork, high morale and exceptional enthusiasm on a daily basis throughout this project.  They readily adapted and changed the plan when necessary to ensure the project migrated to a successful conclusion,” said Lane.  “The team’s actions and stupendous work effort produced immediate and lasting positive results.  These employees were selected for this team because they are highly respected, reliable and dependable.  They were highly self-motivated with successful job accomplishment always the number one priority.”