1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:18,370 --> 00:00:20,530 Welcome to DLA Dialogues from factory 3 00:00:20,530 --> 00:00:22,697 to foxhole , the podcast where we dive 4 00:00:22,697 --> 00:00:24,697 into the heart of DLA's mission and 5 00:00:24,697 --> 00:00:26,889 mindset . I'm your host , Jake Boyer . 6 00:00:27,790 --> 00:00:29,568 Today we're exploring a crucial 7 00:00:29,568 --> 00:00:31,846 component of DLA's strategic framework , 8 00:00:32,130 --> 00:00:34,352 the War Stopper program . Joining us is 9 00:00:34,352 --> 00:00:36,574 Sharon Kroll , an expert on the program 10 00:00:36,574 --> 00:00:38,352 and its impact on our logistics 11 00:00:38,352 --> 00:00:40,519 capabilities . Sharon , welcome to the 12 00:00:40,519 --> 00:00:42,630 show . Thanks for having me . To kick 13 00:00:42,630 --> 00:00:44,797 things off , Sharon , can you give our 14 00:00:44,797 --> 00:00:46,963 listeners a once over the world on the 15 00:00:46,963 --> 00:00:46,720 War Stopper program and its history ? 16 00:00:47,049 --> 00:00:49,216 Sure , I'd love to . Um , I'm going to 17 00:00:49,216 --> 00:00:51,549 take you back to about 30 years plus in , 18 00:00:51,549 --> 00:00:54,669 in history , post-Cold War . We're not 19 00:00:54,669 --> 00:00:56,780 really . Focused on fighting the next 20 00:00:56,780 --> 00:00:59,002 fight , you know , as a nation , and we 21 00:00:59,002 --> 00:01:00,947 kind of , you know , get into this 22 00:01:00,947 --> 00:01:03,058 congratulatory , things are gonna get 23 00:01:03,058 --> 00:01:05,058 better , uh , sort of time . And so 24 00:01:05,058 --> 00:01:07,280 back in the day , DLA managed and still 25 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,449 does today , the nerve agent antidotes 26 00:01:09,449 --> 00:01:11,616 that are needed for chemical warfare . 27 00:01:11,616 --> 00:01:14,819 And at the time back in the 80s , that 28 00:01:14,830 --> 00:01:17,330 that particular vendor indicated to DLA 29 00:01:17,330 --> 00:01:19,779 that there wasn't Any kind of demand 30 00:01:19,779 --> 00:01:21,612 signals at this point because we 31 00:01:21,612 --> 00:01:23,501 weren't , you know , stocking our 32 00:01:23,501 --> 00:01:25,612 arsenal for this . And so they didn't 33 00:01:25,612 --> 00:01:27,612 have enough demand to keep the line 34 00:01:27,612 --> 00:01:29,779 running and open . So the 9th director 35 00:01:29,779 --> 00:01:31,779 of DLA , Lieutenant General Russo , 36 00:01:31,779 --> 00:01:33,668 knew that this could be a problem 37 00:01:33,668 --> 00:01:35,835 because we probably need that if we're 38 00:01:35,835 --> 00:01:37,779 going to go to war in the future , 39 00:01:37,779 --> 00:01:39,835 right ? And so he reached out to the 40 00:01:39,835 --> 00:01:41,946 army and convinced them to generate . 41 00:01:41,946 --> 00:01:44,168 Almost this demand signal that wouldn't 42 00:01:44,168 --> 00:01:46,949 have otherwise existed . Now , the 43 00:01:46,949 --> 00:01:48,949 forethought behind that was perfect 44 00:01:48,949 --> 00:01:51,230 because two years later , um , once 45 00:01:51,230 --> 00:01:53,910 this came into play , there was Desert 46 00:01:53,910 --> 00:01:55,688 Shield that kicked off in those 47 00:01:55,688 --> 00:01:57,799 military operations . So Jake , could 48 00:01:57,799 --> 00:02:00,069 you imagine sending your loved ones to 49 00:02:00,069 --> 00:02:02,470 go fight a chemical warfare without any 50 00:02:02,470 --> 00:02:04,748 nerve agent antidote with them ? Right ? 51 00:02:05,830 --> 00:02:08,869 So what happened was they did an after 52 00:02:08,869 --> 00:02:12,389 action review on those operations , and 53 00:02:12,389 --> 00:02:14,389 they determined that because of the 54 00:02:14,389 --> 00:02:17,350 actions that DLA took , that it 55 00:02:17,350 --> 00:02:19,572 prevented the line from going cold , so 56 00:02:19,572 --> 00:02:21,572 it saved two years , which it would 57 00:02:21,572 --> 00:02:23,794 have taken to reconstitute that line to 58 00:02:23,794 --> 00:02:26,128 make nerve agent antidotes to then take , 59 00:02:26,128 --> 00:02:28,183 and then it would have cost over $40 60 00:02:28,183 --> 00:02:30,239 million back in the 80s . So you can 61 00:02:30,239 --> 00:02:32,461 imagine kind of what that would be like 62 00:02:32,461 --> 00:02:34,865 in today's . And so that really was the 63 00:02:34,865 --> 00:02:37,945 genesis of the War Stopper program , 64 00:02:37,955 --> 00:02:40,945 and it became um one of those things 65 00:02:40,945 --> 00:02:44,375 where Congress even put it in the uh 66 00:02:44,824 --> 00:02:46,880 National Appropriations Acts back in 67 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:49,744 '92 and '93 . DOD , you have to make 68 00:02:49,744 --> 00:02:52,464 sure that you have items at all times 69 00:02:52,464 --> 00:02:54,520 for the military services for things 70 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:56,242 that could stop a war fighting 71 00:02:56,242 --> 00:02:58,186 capability . So that's how the war 72 00:02:58,186 --> 00:03:00,242 Stopper program was actually named . 73 00:03:00,242 --> 00:03:03,490 And clearly it paid off in 2003 and 74 00:03:03,490 --> 00:03:05,657 hopefully we , if we ever have to find 75 00:03:05,657 --> 00:03:07,823 ourselves doing that again , it'll pay 76 00:03:07,823 --> 00:03:09,990 off in the future . When you're in the 77 00:03:09,990 --> 00:03:09,770 War Stopper program , what exactly are 78 00:03:09,770 --> 00:03:12,250 you doing to mitigate risk ? So I think 79 00:03:12,250 --> 00:03:14,610 the best way to relate it to just folks 80 00:03:14,610 --> 00:03:16,721 that aren't familiar with the program 81 00:03:16,721 --> 00:03:20,009 is to kind of compare it to maybe 82 00:03:20,009 --> 00:03:22,176 running . Do you run , Jake ? I'm just 83 00:03:22,176 --> 00:03:24,176 now getting back to running . Yes , 84 00:03:24,176 --> 00:03:26,410 fantastic . So let's pretend that 85 00:03:26,410 --> 00:03:29,865 you've never run a half mile . ever , 86 00:03:30,136 --> 00:03:32,192 but you're going to train and I tell 87 00:03:32,192 --> 00:03:34,247 you , Jake , get off the couch today 88 00:03:34,247 --> 00:03:36,414 and go run a 10k . Can you do that for 89 00:03:36,414 --> 00:03:38,580 me in 10 minutes ? I could not do that 90 00:03:38,580 --> 00:03:40,469 now and I could not do that in 10 91 00:03:40,469 --> 00:03:42,535 minutes . But what if we took time 92 00:03:42,535 --> 00:03:44,975 together to say , let's start off and 93 00:03:44,975 --> 00:03:47,416 do , you know , just 5K , just a basic 94 00:03:47,416 --> 00:03:50,895 minimum 5K , you know , to to just stay 95 00:03:50,895 --> 00:03:52,951 healthy . And then I said , tomorrow 96 00:03:52,951 --> 00:03:54,951 you're going to run 7 , 8K . Do you 97 00:03:54,951 --> 00:03:57,006 think that that's a stretch ? Like , 98 00:03:57,006 --> 00:03:59,391 could you do it ? Once I was up , yeah , 99 00:03:59,641 --> 00:04:01,752 yeah , that's doable . So you're kind 100 00:04:01,752 --> 00:04:04,085 of you've got your endurance and you've , 101 00:04:04,085 --> 00:04:06,252 you've got your strength warm . That's 102 00:04:06,252 --> 00:04:08,419 one way that War Stopper gets out of , 103 00:04:08,419 --> 00:04:10,474 uh , gets after risk mitigations and 104 00:04:10,474 --> 00:04:12,697 the supply chains to make sure that the 105 00:04:12,697 --> 00:04:14,919 military has what they need . We try to 106 00:04:14,919 --> 00:04:17,511 sustain those um capabilities . The 107 00:04:17,511 --> 00:04:20,002 other way we get after it is , what if 108 00:04:20,002 --> 00:04:22,224 I said , Jake , you've been training so 109 00:04:22,224 --> 00:04:24,446 hard you can do 10k , but I need you to 110 00:04:24,446 --> 00:04:26,724 run it in 3 minutes . Is that possible ? 111 00:04:27,019 --> 00:04:29,350 Without a DeLorean , that's impossible . 112 00:04:29,989 --> 00:04:32,045 What if I could get you a DeLorean ? 113 00:04:32,045 --> 00:04:34,100 Well , we can talk about that if you 114 00:04:34,100 --> 00:04:36,100 can find one . I feel like we could 115 00:04:36,100 --> 00:04:38,322 probably piece part it together , but , 116 00:04:38,322 --> 00:04:40,267 uh , all joking aside , that's the 117 00:04:40,267 --> 00:04:42,378 other um aspect that War Stopper does 118 00:04:42,378 --> 00:04:44,630 is really looking at what can we do to 119 00:04:44,630 --> 00:04:47,130 gain that momentum and to help industry 120 00:04:47,390 --> 00:04:50,309 meet those fast unexpected surges that 121 00:04:50,309 --> 00:04:52,420 you have during military mobilization 122 00:04:52,420 --> 00:04:54,589 operations . So we both sustain , but 123 00:04:54,589 --> 00:04:57,190 we also both enable a very fast , quick 124 00:04:57,190 --> 00:04:59,250 turnaround . So now we've talked 125 00:04:59,250 --> 00:05:01,850 through what you're doing . How does 126 00:05:01,850 --> 00:05:04,850 this fit into our attempts to be 127 00:05:04,850 --> 00:05:06,683 prepared for contested logistics 128 00:05:06,683 --> 00:05:08,906 environment ? So our program , think of 129 00:05:08,906 --> 00:05:11,239 us as an enabler . You need us for a 130 00:05:11,239 --> 00:05:13,640 certain phase of time in your readiness 131 00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:17,390 strategy . Our entire program's purpose 132 00:05:17,679 --> 00:05:20,399 is contingency support so that the 133 00:05:20,399 --> 00:05:22,621 soldiers can fight when and come home . 134 00:05:22,621 --> 00:05:24,640 That's our goal , and we focus on a 135 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:28,109 very key point in time to facilitate 136 00:05:28,109 --> 00:05:30,799 and buy enough time for industry to be 137 00:05:30,799 --> 00:05:33,670 able to ramp up to wartime op tempos . 138 00:05:34,239 --> 00:05:37,959 OK . Can you share 139 00:05:37,959 --> 00:05:40,720 some just high level examples of how 140 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:42,609 the program has been leveraged in 141 00:05:42,609 --> 00:05:44,776 recent years ? Sure , so I'm gonna use 142 00:05:44,776 --> 00:05:47,959 for the sake of just uh common items 143 00:05:47,959 --> 00:05:49,792 that most of your listeners will 144 00:05:49,792 --> 00:05:51,959 probably uh recognize , but I think if 145 00:05:51,959 --> 00:05:55,279 you go back to 2020 . Uh , the pandemic 146 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,359 time frame . I think everyone can 147 00:05:57,359 --> 00:05:59,760 relate to you couldn't find toilet 148 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:01,816 paper on shelves , you couldn't find 149 00:06:01,816 --> 00:06:04,799 masks , you couldn't find a lot of the 150 00:06:04,799 --> 00:06:06,466 medical equipment and we were 151 00:06:06,466 --> 00:06:08,299 postponing , you know , elective 152 00:06:08,299 --> 00:06:10,577 surgeries and things like that , right ? 153 00:06:10,577 --> 00:06:12,688 Because the supply chains were really 154 00:06:12,688 --> 00:06:14,743 strained and constrained both from , 155 00:06:14,743 --> 00:06:17,021 you know , having the resources needed , 156 00:06:17,021 --> 00:06:19,243 but also logistically too . As we're in 157 00:06:19,243 --> 00:06:21,299 more of a global kind of economy and 158 00:06:21,299 --> 00:06:23,355 environment in that realm and so War 159 00:06:23,355 --> 00:06:25,466 Stopper had the forethought years and 160 00:06:25,466 --> 00:06:29,329 years ago back when H1N1 was a thing to 161 00:06:29,329 --> 00:06:31,450 investigate N95 products and 162 00:06:31,450 --> 00:06:33,672 respirators . And so part of what we do 163 00:06:33,672 --> 00:06:35,839 is really partner with industry and we 164 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:37,506 analyze risks and we look for 165 00:06:37,506 --> 00:06:39,339 bottlenecks and choke points and 166 00:06:39,339 --> 00:06:41,450 vulnerabilities that would prevent us 167 00:06:41,450 --> 00:06:43,394 from being able Have a very sudden 168 00:06:43,394 --> 00:06:45,559 increased demand in an item that DLA 169 00:06:45,559 --> 00:06:48,980 manages . And so we had put in place 170 00:06:48,980 --> 00:06:51,459 years prior to the pandemic , um , 171 00:06:51,790 --> 00:06:54,019 contingency contracts that allowed us 172 00:06:54,019 --> 00:06:56,420 to have access to materials , not end 173 00:06:56,420 --> 00:06:58,587 items because we don't want to buy and 174 00:06:58,587 --> 00:07:01,010 put a bunch of stock on a shelf or you 175 00:07:01,010 --> 00:07:03,299 might never use it , or maybe in the 176 00:07:03,299 --> 00:07:05,549 case of N95 respirators . They're going 177 00:07:05,549 --> 00:07:07,605 to go bad and there's a shelf life . 178 00:07:07,605 --> 00:07:09,771 And so you can't really stock your way 179 00:07:09,771 --> 00:07:11,882 out of , you know , the apocalypse or 180 00:07:11,882 --> 00:07:14,049 something , right ? And so what we try 181 00:07:14,049 --> 00:07:15,771 to do is come up with creative 182 00:07:15,771 --> 00:07:17,993 solutions to allow us to have access to 183 00:07:17,993 --> 00:07:20,216 this . And so when that pandemic hit in 184 00:07:20,216 --> 00:07:22,438 the initial days when you couldn't even 185 00:07:22,438 --> 00:07:24,771 buy a box of N95 masks if you wanted to , 186 00:07:24,771 --> 00:07:27,105 or at least reasonably is probably what , 187 00:07:27,105 --> 00:07:28,716 20 to $40 a box , you know , 188 00:07:28,716 --> 00:07:31,420 commercially . Um , so we had things 189 00:07:31,420 --> 00:07:33,420 ready for the military so that when 190 00:07:33,420 --> 00:07:35,642 they deployed the USS Comfort and the , 191 00:07:35,642 --> 00:07:37,753 the mercy , you know , for those kind 192 00:07:37,753 --> 00:07:39,864 of things , we had masks available in 193 00:07:39,864 --> 00:07:42,087 those initial days . Now , not probably 194 00:07:42,087 --> 00:07:44,253 as much as we would have liked to have 195 00:07:44,253 --> 00:07:46,087 had , you know , for a worldwide 196 00:07:46,087 --> 00:07:48,420 pandemic , but it was something , right ? 197 00:07:48,420 --> 00:07:50,531 And so you're always with risk , kind 198 00:07:50,531 --> 00:07:52,642 of evaluating and redefining how your 199 00:07:52,642 --> 00:07:55,779 strategy is as both your global economy 200 00:07:55,779 --> 00:07:57,940 or your manufacturing or your threats 201 00:07:57,940 --> 00:08:00,269 change . Always looking , so in , in 202 00:08:00,269 --> 00:08:02,213 learning and lessons . I think the 203 00:08:02,213 --> 00:08:04,436 other one that's most recent that maybe 204 00:08:04,436 --> 00:08:06,658 folks might relate to are the Hurricane 205 00:08:06,658 --> 00:08:09,149 Helene in 2024 , uh , with the flooding 206 00:08:09,149 --> 00:08:10,871 of North Carolina , your first 207 00:08:10,871 --> 00:08:13,093 responders . A lot of times you need to 208 00:08:13,093 --> 00:08:15,316 take meals ready to eat , you know , in 209 00:08:15,316 --> 00:08:17,038 that kind of emergency kind of 210 00:08:17,038 --> 00:08:19,205 preparedness sort of response . Well , 211 00:08:19,205 --> 00:08:21,316 there's a long lead time subcomponent 212 00:08:21,316 --> 00:08:23,260 that goes in there , which are the 213 00:08:23,260 --> 00:08:25,371 flameless ration heaters . And so War 214 00:08:25,371 --> 00:08:27,316 Stopper has an investment um there 215 00:08:27,316 --> 00:08:29,482 where we have a buffer . If you will . 216 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,119 So once emergencies happen and you need 217 00:08:32,119 --> 00:08:34,175 to quickly respond , they're able to 218 00:08:34,175 --> 00:08:36,230 just ship them out within 24 hours , 219 00:08:36,599 --> 00:08:38,821 make sure it goes into the MREs and out 220 00:08:38,821 --> 00:08:40,932 the door they go . And so that's part 221 00:08:40,932 --> 00:08:43,099 of the readiness strategy that we have 222 00:08:43,099 --> 00:08:45,266 to give time for industry to make more 223 00:08:45,266 --> 00:08:47,377 of those as we need them and as those 224 00:08:47,377 --> 00:08:49,377 kind of emergencies sustained . And 225 00:08:49,377 --> 00:08:48,880 then with the flooding this year that 226 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:50,936 you saw all throughout the Midwest , 227 00:08:51,250 --> 00:08:53,000 again , our resources and that 228 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,222 particular investment were used to help 229 00:08:55,222 --> 00:08:57,389 first responders there as well and our 230 00:08:57,389 --> 00:08:59,549 nation's citizens . So you talked a 231 00:08:59,549 --> 00:09:01,771 little bit about learning when you were 232 00:09:01,771 --> 00:09:04,710 talking about COVID-19 . What , and we 233 00:09:04,710 --> 00:09:07,590 all know the the the stresses that were 234 00:09:07,590 --> 00:09:09,646 put on supply chains worldwide , and 235 00:09:09,646 --> 00:09:11,868 they're still stressed at some points . 236 00:09:11,868 --> 00:09:13,669 What did you all learn from the 237 00:09:13,669 --> 00:09:15,836 response to COVID-19 that apply , that 238 00:09:15,836 --> 00:09:17,613 can apply to being prepared for 239 00:09:17,613 --> 00:09:20,989 tomorrow's Crisis . So I think the 240 00:09:20,989 --> 00:09:24,070 biggest lessons for us that we learned 241 00:09:24,070 --> 00:09:26,292 in the program that we really strive to 242 00:09:26,292 --> 00:09:29,020 address is , is time is a pacing threat . 243 00:09:29,270 --> 00:09:32,390 I think it's so common for people to 244 00:09:32,390 --> 00:09:34,557 think we have to buy a bunch of things 245 00:09:34,557 --> 00:09:36,557 to blow things up and we need these 246 00:09:36,557 --> 00:09:38,779 wonderful , amazing , you know , weapon 247 00:09:38,779 --> 00:09:40,779 systems , which we do , and it's so 248 00:09:40,779 --> 00:09:43,001 important . But I think that folks tend 249 00:09:43,001 --> 00:09:45,057 to forget time , because if you look 250 00:09:45,057 --> 00:09:47,279 back into history , even with World War 251 00:09:47,279 --> 00:09:49,669 II to ramp up . You know , at the 252 00:09:49,669 --> 00:09:51,891 beginning of it , we were probably as a 253 00:09:51,891 --> 00:09:53,891 nation spending $1.5 billion and it 254 00:09:53,891 --> 00:09:55,891 still took 5 years for us to get up 255 00:09:55,891 --> 00:09:57,789 into the billions to get to the 256 00:09:57,789 --> 00:09:59,956 manufacturing and kind of that wartime 257 00:09:59,956 --> 00:10:02,122 off tempo . And time is the consistent 258 00:10:02,122 --> 00:10:04,289 thing . It takes time to spend money , 259 00:10:04,289 --> 00:10:06,511 it takes time to make things . It takes 260 00:10:06,511 --> 00:10:08,233 time to get things to and from 261 00:10:08,429 --> 00:10:11,594 transportation locations . So in order 262 00:10:11,594 --> 00:10:14,195 to really be effective in our program 263 00:10:14,195 --> 00:10:16,362 and to support contested logistics and 264 00:10:16,362 --> 00:10:18,584 to make sure the military has what they 265 00:10:18,584 --> 00:10:20,528 need , we have to manage time as a 266 00:10:20,528 --> 00:10:22,755 commodity , and each of us serves our 267 00:10:22,755 --> 00:10:25,033 purpose in that . And and so Warsupper , 268 00:10:25,033 --> 00:10:27,635 we have a specific window of time that 269 00:10:27,635 --> 00:10:30,265 we operate in so that we can facilitate 270 00:10:30,265 --> 00:10:32,875 that success . Looking ahead , how do 271 00:10:32,875 --> 00:10:34,931 you see the program evolving to meet 272 00:10:34,931 --> 00:10:37,042 future challenges ? So it's funny you 273 00:10:37,042 --> 00:10:38,986 should ask that . We're doing that 274 00:10:38,986 --> 00:10:41,042 right now , Jake , day to day . Um , 275 00:10:41,042 --> 00:10:43,042 we're partnering all throughout DLA 276 00:10:43,042 --> 00:10:45,153 outside of DLA and other agencies and 277 00:10:45,153 --> 00:10:47,340 the services to come up with 278 00:10:47,340 --> 00:10:49,451 complementary strategies so that when 279 00:10:49,451 --> 00:10:51,451 we're looking to target and address 280 00:10:51,451 --> 00:10:53,820 risk and time , we're able to layer 281 00:10:54,099 --> 00:10:57,419 where we're placing our efforts and the 282 00:10:57,419 --> 00:10:59,586 solutions that we're coming up with so 283 00:10:59,586 --> 00:11:01,586 that we get the biggest b . For the 284 00:11:01,586 --> 00:11:04,590 buck , and we don't have , um , you 285 00:11:04,590 --> 00:11:08,150 know , being stuck into very specific 286 00:11:08,150 --> 00:11:10,261 prescriptive , you know , this is how 287 00:11:10,261 --> 00:11:12,919 much access I want to something to do X , 288 00:11:12,950 --> 00:11:15,320 Y , and Z mission . We're essentially 289 00:11:15,320 --> 00:11:17,150 making our investments and our 290 00:11:17,150 --> 00:11:20,150 strategies more flexible so that as 291 00:11:20,150 --> 00:11:22,840 warfare strategies change , um , which 292 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:24,840 you probably saw during the Ukraine 293 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,007 fight , right ? Where they made all of 294 00:11:27,007 --> 00:11:29,390 these , you know , unmanned , you know , 295 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,222 remote vehicles and aircraft and things 296 00:11:32,222 --> 00:11:34,167 like that , you know , it's always 297 00:11:34,167 --> 00:11:36,389 evolving and you have to be agile . And 298 00:11:36,389 --> 00:11:38,611 so in the past , we've done a very good 299 00:11:38,611 --> 00:11:40,778 job at , you know , being prescriptive 300 00:11:40,778 --> 00:11:43,000 and now we're spreading it out to allow 301 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:46,200 us to have um a faster acquisition 302 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:48,510 strategy with our team so that we can 303 00:11:48,510 --> 00:11:51,770 adjust . Each year as the threats 304 00:11:51,770 --> 00:11:54,369 change and evolve , I can change the 305 00:11:54,369 --> 00:11:56,890 makeup of what we have in our readiness 306 00:11:56,890 --> 00:11:59,760 contracts so that it's constantly able 307 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:02,929 to evolve and change and we're going 308 00:12:02,929 --> 00:12:05,450 further back into the supply chains and 309 00:12:05,450 --> 00:12:07,919 really looking for those purple colored , 310 00:12:08,109 --> 00:12:10,276 you know , things where you can really 311 00:12:10,276 --> 00:12:12,760 invest and have the most change 312 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:15,880 throughout touching . A myriad of 313 00:12:15,880 --> 00:12:18,047 different weapon systems and platforms 314 00:12:18,047 --> 00:12:20,269 and applications , and really coming up 315 00:12:20,269 --> 00:12:23,520 with unique strategies with industry so 316 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:27,000 that we're not going to get , you know , 317 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,440 a specific amount of material . We're 318 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,489 looking at long Lead time subcomponents 319 00:12:32,539 --> 00:12:34,780 and we're looking at raw materials and 320 00:12:34,780 --> 00:12:37,020 we're looking at a phased approach to 321 00:12:37,020 --> 00:12:39,380 the strategies that gives us the most 322 00:12:39,380 --> 00:12:42,049 movement , um , and , and doing that in 323 00:12:42,049 --> 00:12:44,580 concert with all of the other program 324 00:12:44,580 --> 00:12:46,747 offices , uh , collectively throughout 325 00:12:46,747 --> 00:12:49,640 DOD . Well , Sharon , thank you for 326 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:51,862 sharing all this great insight into the 327 00:12:51,862 --> 00:12:54,084 War Stopper program . It's clear it's a 328 00:12:54,084 --> 00:12:56,196 cornerstone of our strategy to ensure 329 00:12:56,196 --> 00:12:58,362 military readiness , but now it's time 330 00:12:58,362 --> 00:13:00,418 to finish up with a little bit about 331 00:13:00,418 --> 00:13:02,696 you . This is the lightning round . So , 332 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,049 first off , what's your superpower ? 333 00:13:05,239 --> 00:13:07,950 What are you really good at ? So 334 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:10,016 catastrophic thinking , Jake , which 335 00:13:10,016 --> 00:13:12,869 probably makes me uniquely qualified 336 00:13:13,119 --> 00:13:15,175 for the War Stopper program to think 337 00:13:15,175 --> 00:13:17,397 about all things that could possibly go 338 00:13:17,397 --> 00:13:20,119 wrong , um , and do it very quick . So . 339 00:13:21,289 --> 00:13:23,710 I mean , That's , that's one of the 340 00:13:23,710 --> 00:13:25,877 better answers I think we're gonna get 341 00:13:25,877 --> 00:13:28,239 in this podcast . Conversely , we , if 342 00:13:28,239 --> 00:13:30,239 we're gonna learn , we have to know 343 00:13:30,239 --> 00:13:32,406 where our weaknesses are . What's your 344 00:13:32,406 --> 00:13:34,572 kryptonite ? Oh boy . Well , I'll tell 345 00:13:34,572 --> 00:13:36,683 you , it's probably 3 things , Jake , 346 00:13:36,683 --> 00:13:39,017 which has nothing to do with work , but , 347 00:13:39,017 --> 00:13:41,128 uh , my love for travel , um , I also 348 00:13:41,128 --> 00:13:44,669 have an affinity for antiquing and dogs , 349 00:13:44,799 --> 00:13:47,239 actually , specifically Boston Terriers . 350 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:49,336 They're fabulous . Boston terriers . 351 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,440 Finally , it can be a book , it can be 352 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:55,960 a movie , it can be a podcast . What's 353 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:58,840 something good you've listened to read 354 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,951 lately that people can take something 355 00:14:00,951 --> 00:14:04,400 else away from ? So I have to think 356 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:07,599 back to uh the days growing up and my 357 00:14:07,599 --> 00:14:10,309 dad would bore me to death and make me 358 00:14:10,700 --> 00:14:13,500 Um , watch how it's made . I don't know 359 00:14:13,500 --> 00:14:15,500 if you remember that show , but you 360 00:14:15,500 --> 00:14:17,667 would go into the manufacturing plants 361 00:14:17,667 --> 00:14:19,778 and they would demonstrate . I mean , 362 00:14:19,778 --> 00:14:21,778 this is a day where like as kids we 363 00:14:21,778 --> 00:14:23,833 didn't have TVs in our bedrooms , so 364 00:14:23,833 --> 00:14:23,219 you had to watch what your parents are 365 00:14:23,219 --> 00:14:25,580 watching , um , and so I used to hate 366 00:14:25,580 --> 00:14:27,770 it , but you know , it's actually 367 00:14:27,770 --> 00:14:30,059 fantastic when you're thinking about . 368 00:14:30,359 --> 00:14:33,510 Um , what DLA does and what the 369 00:14:33,510 --> 00:14:35,710 suppliers are doing for the warfighter 370 00:14:35,710 --> 00:14:37,932 and how things come off and how quickly 371 00:14:37,932 --> 00:14:40,099 can they change and just being able to 372 00:14:40,099 --> 00:14:42,830 visually see these things really helps 373 00:14:42,830 --> 00:14:46,150 you to be able to identify what could 374 00:14:46,150 --> 00:14:48,372 we change here to make this go faster ? 375 00:14:48,372 --> 00:14:50,317 Could you get a different Output , 376 00:14:50,317 --> 00:14:52,539 could we automate this piece and get 20 377 00:14:52,539 --> 00:14:54,872 times , you know , more of a production ? 378 00:14:54,872 --> 00:14:56,817 And it's just a great way to think 379 00:14:56,817 --> 00:14:58,945 about logistics and kind of what DLA 380 00:14:58,945 --> 00:15:00,889 does and how we get parts into the 381 00:15:00,889 --> 00:15:03,112 hands of soldiers and on weapon systems 382 00:15:03,112 --> 00:15:05,505 and platforms , just so I , I thank my 383 00:15:05,505 --> 00:15:07,616 dad for boring me to death as a kid . 384 00:15:07,809 --> 00:15:10,609 That's fantastic . Sharon , thank you 385 00:15:10,609 --> 00:15:12,665 so much for your time today . I have 386 00:15:12,665 --> 00:15:14,831 learned a lot . Hopefully the audience 387 00:15:14,831 --> 00:15:17,053 is going to learn a lot both inside DLA 388 00:15:17,053 --> 00:15:16,890 and outside . Well , thank you for 389 00:15:16,890 --> 00:15:19,223 having me . This is a lot of fun , Jake . 390 00:15:19,223 --> 00:15:21,334 It was a lot of fun on this end too . 391 00:15:21,334 --> 00:15:23,390 For DLA dialogues , I'm Jake Boyer . 392 00:15:23,530 --> 00:15:25,308 Until next time , remember that 393 00:15:25,308 --> 00:15:27,197 learning is a superpower . Use it 394 00:15:27,197 --> 00:15:27,010 wisely .