# Troop Support earns acquisition, EEO awards at 50th DLA Employee Recognition awards

/ Published Dec. 18, 2017
PHILADELPHIA, 
The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support earned several awards at the 50th annual DLA Employee Recognition Awards ceremony Dec. 12 at the McNamara Headquarters Complex, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

“We continue this ceremony each year to show our appreciation for the phenomenal accomplishments of the DLA workforce, and also to draw inspiration from their examples,” DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Darrell Williams said in a story about the ceremony. 

DLA Troop Support earned three Equal Employment Opportunity awards, including two individual awards and one as an organization for EEO achievement. 

"We're very proud of Troop Support's efforts to foster an environment that values and supports equal opportunity, diversity and unifies the workforce to support the warfighter,” Ruben Filomeno, EEO director said of the awards. “To be recognized at the major subordinate command level, supervisor level and employee level, reflects the commitment that Troop Support has to creating a positive, inclusive and accepting workplace."

Nelson Alvarez, the DLA chief information officer’s representative to Troop Support, earned the Information Technology Person of the Year award. 

Below are the rest of Troop Support’s awardees and portions of their award narratives:

**Acquisition Excellence Awards**

**Acquisition Workforce Contracting and Purchase (Team): Medical Surgical Prime Vendor Generation V Team, Medical supply chain**

The Medical/Surgical Prime Vendor program provides access to a broad range of commercial medical and surgical products at government approved prices with full auditability and accountability. Products are ready and available to meet the needs of military medical treatment facilities within the United States and abroad, as well as to deployed units around the globe. The team saved the government a projected $168 million dollars in fiscal 2016. 

**Team members:**Steven Bollendorf, Maryann DiMeo, Nancy Martin, David Zarenkiewicz, Brian Mason and Tara Perrien

**Acquisition Workforce Small Business (Team): Special Operational Equipment Tailored Logistics Support Program, Construction and Equipment supply chain**

The****Special Operational Equipment team manages a multiple award procurement program to acquire a wide range of items for the warfighter, including tactical, safety and diving equipment. The program provides timely and cost effective support of commercial products. All delivery orders are competed among the six vendors in the tailored logistics support program, which includes three small business; two service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses and one veteran-owned small business/small disadvantaged business. 

More than $1.1 billion worth of materials were procured through the program in fiscal 2016. 

**Team members:** Meghan Michalski, Jamie Shuster, John Cuorato Jr., Teresa Conway, Courtney Baysmore, Timothy Buckman, Stefanie Mason, Brigid Scanlan, Richard Ballezzi, Michael Spearing, Jeffrey Dominessy, Sarah Digiorgio, Jamal Dorsey, Anastasia Moffatt, Kenny Le and Navy Lt. Xin (Alex) Xia.

**EEO awards**

**Achievement in EEO by a Supervisor or Manager: Roy Dillard, Clothing and Textiles supply chain deputy director**

Dillard has mentored more than 30 employees and supervisors, which has provided his protégés developmental opportunities, life-work balance skills, and imparted important skills and strategies that are essential to succeed as a senior leader at DLA Troop Support.

He also has supported world café training sessions, which have fostered conversation and knowledge sharing among employees. Through his efforts, he has helped create “a level play field which has postured all employees in C & T to be prepared to complete for higher level positions offered at DLA Troop Support.”

**Achievement in EEO by an Employee: Jose Ramos, pharmacist, Medical supply chain**

Ramos has “broken down barriers by applying his exceptional communication and people skills to expand DLA Troop Support’s ability to hire college students and candidates through the (Pathways to Career Excellence program,) from all organizations to include Hispanic serving institutions. His hard work has enabled DLA Troop Support to create a pipeline that will improve the participation rate of Hispanics at the G-12 levels and supervisory levels.”