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News | Nov. 12, 2015

Land and Maritime leaders brief Director during visit

By Michael Molinaro DLA Land and Maritime Public Affairs

DLA Land and Maritime senior leaders discussed the field activity’s operations Oct. 29 during DLA Land and Maritime’s Annual Operating Plan Review inside Building 20 on Defense Supply Center Columbus.

Leaders from across the organization briefed DLA Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Andy Busch on the organization’s major strategic and operational objectives. Land and Maritime’s commander said it was a total team effort from across the organization in preparing the brief.

“We put strong emphasis on addressing the Director’s specific guidance for DLA Land and Maritime, such as pursuing PBL relationships, implementing the Army Supply Plan, and identifying more appropriate time-to-award goals,” Navy Rear Adm. John King said. “We also focused on briefing our overall superb warfighter support - as well as our intensified efforts on People and Culture.

“There weren’t any surprises, it afforded us a terrific opportunity to reemphasize the great successes we've had in FY15 - while looking ahead to implementing goals from his Strategic Plan."

Topics discussed during the briefing included Land Maritime’s strategic focus on warfighter support, nuclear enterprise support, building relationships with DoD customers as well as industry partners, small business, and improving the CPI culture.

Leadership wanted to emphasize the organization’s new People and Culture Directorate. Putting together a vision that includes collaboration, diversity, inclusion and trust, Land and Maritime is very committed to growing the workforce as well as supporting the customer, James McClaugherty, deputy commander, said.

“We celebrate culture only as an avenue to higher performance,” McClaugherty told the director.

Busch followed by saying that the idea of a People and Culture Directorate was “very thought-provoking” and that there will be more discussions on it in the future from the DLA Enterprise perspective.

The director turned his attention to CPI. He said a lot of it is driven by the snapshots of time he has in his past two tours with DLA, in addition to his current assignment and where he thinks the agency needs to go in the future. Land and Maritime leadership briefed him on the organization’s Executive Steering Group, which meets monthly in an increased effort to improve the CPI culture.

“This is part of what I believe is necessary if CPI sustains itself in DLA,” Busch said. “If you have a body that does this stuff and does the tollgate function it’s likely to survive change in leadership.”

Busch concluded his visit to Columbus by hosting a Town Hall in the Building 20 Auditorium. Busch provided an update on the strategic plan and discussed his recent visit with President Obama before answering questions from associates.