# Sasebo director retires after 41 years of service

/ Published Dec. 28, 2017
SASEBO, Japan, Kenneth “Joe” Pirman, director of DLA Distribution Yokosuka at Sasebo, Japan, will retire on Dec. 31, after 41 combined years of military and federal service.
A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Pirman assumed the position of director of Sasebo in January 2015. 

Prior to his move to Sasebo, Pirman served as deputy commander and then commander of DLA Distribution Guam, Marianas. 

Pirman also served as the deputy commander of DLA Distribution Yokosuka, Japan, beginning in May 2006.  Previously, he had served in a variety of positions in operations, such as the transportation director and receiving director, a position he held after arriving at DLA Distribution Yokosuka, Japan, from DLA Distribution Corpus Christi, Texas, in June 2004.  His experience at the DLA Distribution Corpus Christi, Texas, organization included operations manager from May 2003 to May 2004 and transportation officer from May 2000 to May 2003.

During his time in DLA Distribution Corpus Christi, Texas, Pirman also performed as one of the team leads on the winning Most Efficient Organization team for the A-76 competition. 

Prior to working at DLA Distribution Corpus Christi, Texas, Pirman was a contractor at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, from June 1998 to May 2000, performing as the Cargo Movements Surface and Air Terminals, Passenger Terminal and Mobility supervisor.  Prior to being a contractor, Pirman spent 24 years (July 1974 to August 1998) as a traffic manager in the United States Air Force, retiring as Master Sergeant. Some of his tours included four years in Korea and Singapore, three years in Germany and the Philippines, and a tour in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf War.

While director at Sasebo, Pirman managed the largest Detachment site for DLA Distribution in Japan.  He provided support to DLA and the warfighter through his consistent, high quality performance.  He led a diverse workforce of U.S. and foreign national personnel of over 300 Japanese nationals, 40 U.S. civil servants and 30 U.S. Military personnel, managing 11 multi-commodity facilities throughout Japan, with more than 50,000 line items of DLA and Navy owned material valued at more than $350 million.  

Pirman’s extensive knowledge of supply, inventory, and physical distribution, as well as his management actions, planning, program execution, and decisions demonstrated superior leadership and proactively responded to a myriad of challenges supporting over 70 Navy Afloat units and over 100 DoD ashore commands/activities throughout the Pacific Region.  His actions, decisions and management directly affected the successful functioning and global mission support to our customers as well as DLA Distribution processing and inventory objectives. 

“Joe has unfailingly performed all duties in an outstanding and proactive manner, exhibiting an excellent attention to detail in the operation and execution of materiel and equipment, resource stewardship, and decisive leadership,” said DLA Distribution Yokosuka acting director, Roy Jewell.

Pirman is a 1974 high school graduate from Enloe High School, Raleigh, N.C.  He attended several technical and leadership schools, hazardous material certification courses, and aircraft load planning courses, along with AFIT’s LOG 399 course, and the DLA Distribution Leadership Academy. 

During his career, Pirman received numerous military awards, as well as two DLA Superior Civilian Service Awards, DLA Distribution Special Act awards, time-off and cash awards, and Quality Step Increases.