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News | April 17, 2022

Leadership reflection: Christopher Milazzo

Alaska Area Manager, Anchorage

A man poses for an official agency portrait.
Alaska Area Manager Christopher Milazzo.
A man poses for an official agency portrait.
220404-D-D0441-501
Alaska Area Manager Christopher Milazzo.
Photo By: DLA photo
VIRIN: 220404-D-D0441-501
Tell us a little about yourself.

Marine Corps veteran with a passion for fishing and hunting. I love spending time with my wife of 11 years and with my 3-year-old daughter.

Describe your job.

Manage a team of professionals in the state of Alaska providing reverse logistics support to a wide range of customers.

How long as a fed, including military service?

16 years.

How long with DLA?

7 years.

Favorite thing about the job?

Being able to repurpose an item that would have otherwise been thrown away.

Noteworthy memory with DLA?

Traveling to Qatar and providing technical assistance on Material Handling Equipment (MHE) to our civilian and military members overseas. Being able to properly license the team so they could safely utilize their MHE to accomplish the mission.

What characteristic should every leader possess?

Be the example.

Describe your leadership style.

Constant communication, while holding all team members to the highest standards. 

How do you approach change?

Embracing change is important. We all want to be better individuals, team members, and employees. The way we achieve that is by adapting to our changing environments.

What keeps you motivated?

Seeing my team progress and become more knowledgeable in their positions.

What’s your biggest accomplishment?

Earning a chance to lead 12 DLA employees in Alaska. I feel a lifetime of successes, failures, challenges, and opportunity have brought me to my current position.

Read any decent books lately?

The Total Money Makeover,” by Dave Ramsey.

What was your first job?

14 years old, picking fruit on a local Northern California orchard.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Police Officer.

Who is your hero? 

My father. He molded me into the man I am today by being a positive role model. He held me accountable for my actions and made me earn everything along the way. I wouldn’t change a thing!   

What are your hobbies?

Spending time with my daughter and watching her grow up! Soon, she will join my wife and I with our other hobbies - fishing, hunting, and hiking.