RICHMOND, VA –
Name: Lance Cronin
Organization: DLA Aviation at Ogden, Hill Air Force Base, Utah
Years of Service: Two
What is your job title, and what do you do, specifically? I’m a material support specialist. I manage an inventory of pneudraulics parts, a combination of hydraulic and pneumatic powered parts. They include landing gears, rudders, ailerons, and speed breaks to name a few.
What do you like most about your job? I like being able to interact with customers on a daily basis most. I know a lot of DLA jobs keep you separated from the user/customer, so being able to have face-to-face interaction with them makes the job a lot more rewarding.
What is your fondest memory of working for DLA Aviation? So far, my fondest memory of working for DLA Aviation would have to be co-leading a committee to plan our site holiday party. It was a lot of stress and work going into it, but seeing everyone here at Hill come and enjoy a few hours of food and activities together made everything worth it in the end.
What would you say has been your major contributions to your organization this year in your job? During this year on the job, I have been able to lead a team to help improve our inventory “statistics.” Pneudraulics is one of the fastest turning inventories on Hill Air Force Base, and we have been able to improve our stock effectiveness and our supply rates from 70 percent to almost 95 percent—overall this ensures our customers receive material in a timelier manner resulting in faster turnarounds for parts being worked in our building.
What was your first job? My first job was working security forces supply at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.
What is the most surprising/unexpected thing others don’t know about you? I’ve been able to play basketball at the northernmost point in the United States. My high school basketball team flew to Barrow, Alaska, and played a few games against their team in the middle of winter. Luckily the games were inside, because it was the coldest and windiest place I’ve ever visited!
What’s your biggest pet peeve? Sitting in traffic. I feel like there are more productive and enjoyable ways to waste time.
If you could pick a personal motto, what would it be? My personal motto is a quote from C.S. Lewis that I have had as my motto for about four years now, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.”
Have you had a mentor that helped you grow in your career and how? Yes. My mentor, even to this day, is Orson Mason. He’s the chief diversity and inclusion officer for Indiana University Health. When I first got out of college, he helped me get started in a logistics career and then worked to groom me for the positions and work I am performing today. He invested time and effort into me to help grow my career in a variety of ways by teaching me a multitude of things such as how to handle myself professionally, building resumes and tips for interviewing. Honestly, without his guidance and coaching, I do not think I would be where I am today.