# Land and Maritime associates gain insight into agency functions and how their work impacts mission

/ Published Nov. 5, 2018
COLUMBUS, Ohio, 
                Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Acquisition Executive Mark Brown welcomes new associates and provides an overview of the Agency during the second integration of the DLA Land and Maritime Academy in the Defense Supply Center Columbus Training Center Nov. 1.  The purpose of the academy is to increase DLA Land and Maritime employees understanding of the organization’s mission and how it’s accomplished.                            DLA Land and Maritime Academy                            Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Acquisition Executive Mark Brown welcomes new associates and provides an overview of the Agency during the second integration of the DLA Land and Maritime Academy in the Defense Supply Center Columbus Training Center Nov. 1.  The purpose of the academy is to increase DLA Land and Maritime employees understanding of the organization’s mission and how it’s accomplished.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Dana ThornburyVIRIN: 181101-D-JE733-001The Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Academy hosted its second integration of educational sessions for associates with less than five years at the agency in the Defense Supply Center Columbus Training Center Oct. 30 and Nov. 1.

“We just released the Denison Survey results and [DLA Land and Maritime] improved in every area,” DLA Land and Maritime People and Culture Director Robert Boggs said. “Although we noticed a trend, the biggest feedback we received was ‘I don’t understand what’s going on outside of my functional area.’ This is why we’re doing the academy.”

The purpose of the academy is to increase DLA Land and Maritime employees understanding of the organization’s mission and how it’s accomplished. 

The academy kicked-off with a high-level overview of the Defense Logistics Agency, narrowing focus down to Land and Maritime operations.

“Our military runs on logistics and that’s our business,” DLA Land and Maritime Acquisition Executive Mark Brown said.

DLA Land and Maritime overseas supply chains with more than 2,500 employees in 37 locations around the world and manages more than 2 million unique inventory parts to support several thousand multiservice weapons systems and the Warfighters who rely on them. 

Presenters from across the agency spoke about their directorates during each session. The presentations provided insight on the mission, leadership, strategic focus, customers, current and future projects and plans, metrics and points of contact. 

Land and Maritime has nine directorates and seven detachments. The detachments are separated into shipyards and depot-level reparable locations.

Directorates include Land Customer Operations, Land Supplier Operations, Maritime Customer Operations, Maritime Supplier Operations and Strategic Acquisition Programs. These directorates make up the bulk of logistics support from DLA operations in Columbus.

Additional directorates include People and Culture, Business Process Support, Procurement Process Support, and Engineering and Technical Support and Product Test Center. These directorates provide support functions for logistics operations and the DLA Land and Maritime culture.

Shipyard locations include Puget Sound, Washington; Norfolk, Virginia; Portsmouth, Maine and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The shipyards all work together to ensure quality logistics, material support services, repair, maintenance and modernization of fleet units. 

The depot level repairable detachments are Warren, Michigan; Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and Aberdeen, Maryland. These detachments provide comprehensive acquisition business solutions and full life-cycle contracting expertise for depot level reparable items assigned to their location. 

Additional courses included instruction on installation support activities, human resources, equal employment opportunities, union representation, small business, internal review, financial operations, Office of Counsel, information operations, public affairs and executive programs.

Brown’s conclusion reminded associates that reputations are built early on in a career and encouraged them to get involved and build relationships with coworkers. He told them to work hard, be aggressive in their careers and to not be afraid to push the envelope if it means doing what is best for the Warfighter. 

At the end of the day, associates knew not only about their job, but how it fits into the overall mission of the organization.