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News | June 22, 2021

Four DLA employees graduate from service college

By John Phinisey

After a challenging 10-month academic year, four new national security leaders returned to Defense Logistics Agency upon graduating from Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security & Resource Strategy June 10.  

DLA Energy’s Rachel Dunlap, Khalid Hamidi, and John Phinisey and DLA Logistics Operations’ Peter Battaglia each earned a Master of Science in National Resource Strategy during the program.

“DLA champions an environment that encourages employees to reach their full potential,” said DLA Energy Acting Deputy Commander Patricia Wilkins. “Our employees are our greatest resource and with that in mind, we're committed to developing high-performing employees who are capable of meeting future mission challenges.”

Every year, DLA sends rising senior leaders to the Eisenhower School as part of the Executive Development Program. The purpose of the EDP is to develop DLA’s current and future leaders, prepare them to effectively navigate and manage leadership challenges, and develop leadership competencies critical to maintaining supply chain excellence.

The program is very selective, and participants must first be nominated by their respective commands before being interviewed and nominated by the DLA Executive Resource Board that consists of the DLA Vice Director and agency Senior Executive Service members.

“John, Khalid, Rachel and Peter are defined by those rare qualities sought in Eisenhower School graduates,” said Steve Dubernas, DLA Faculty Chair at the Eisenhower School. “They're scholars-practitioners ready to lead in the future National Security environment.”  

Dubernas is a full-time DLA employee on a three-year detail and was the DLA student's primary faculty advisor. He serves as the lead for the Global Agility Industry Study and teaches courses at NDU.

In addition to the traditional required Industry Studies course work, students participated in specific concentrations and courses of study designed to provide an in-depth understanding of a particular field or community. Phinisey focused on the Organic Industrial Base, Hamidi participated in the Financial Management Concentration and Dunlap participated in the Senior Acquisition Course. Battaglia participated in the Biotechnology Industry Study to learn more about harnessing cellular and biomolecular processes to develop technologies and products.  

“I was honored to have the opportunity to participate in this exceptional program and to meet and learn from high caliber professionals,” Dunlap said. “I'm excited to bring back the new knowledge and experiences to DLA.”

National Defense University’s mission is to educate joint Warfighters in critical thinking and the creative application of military power to inform national strategy and globally integrated operations.