# Alaska Tank Truck Facility strengthens readiness

/ Published Feb. 22, 2018
ANCHORAGE, Ala., 
A state of the art tank truck facility will improve capacity and readiness at the contractor owned and contractor operated Anchorage, Alaska fuel defense support point at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. 

DLA Energy Alaska Commander Air Force Lt. Col. Rick Mueller presided at the Jan. 16 ribbon cutting ceremony with industry partner Crowley Fuels LLC senior vice president and general manager Rocky Smith, the 673th Logistics Readiness Group Commander Air Force Col. Kirk Peterson and 673th Logistics Readiness Squadron Commander Air Force Maj. Heather Mueller. 

"The project is a two-fold venture with Crowley Fuels, LLC, one of DLA Energy industry partners, said Mueller. "This project is a win/win for DLA and the warfighter."

DLA Energy at Alaska provides integrated energy support to more than 100 DOD and federal activities including the delivery and storage of millions of gallons of fuel and operates the only full-service DOD fuels laboratory in Alaska. 

The tank truck facility has access to both marine vessel berths and railcar services and is capable of loading over 1 million gallons of fuel per day.

"This truck rack and the one currently under construction at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson provides two modes of receipt and increases Energy Alaska’s capability for the entire area of operation," Mueller said. "They are both examples of the secretary of defense’s line of efforts in readiness and strengthening alliances. It is also an example of DLA’s strategic goal of fostering strong partnerships."

Testing fuel and inspecting fuel operations, DLA Energy Alaska Quality Assurance Robert Tate is responsible for inspecting fuel points throughout most of Central and Western Alaska with two other QARs.

Tate said the new facility will allow simultaneous fuel loading via commercial tanker trucks. More than 100 trucks can be fueled daily to meet resupply needs. 

"It takes about nine minutes per truck, each lane pumping 1200 gallons per minutes (two compartments at once)," Tate said. "Total time at the pump is approximately 20 minutes including the QAR’s inspection." 

The facility has a fire-foam suppression system, loading design for passenger-side, bottom loading for all positions and all piping is above ground. 

The contractors broke ground on July 17, 2017 and the facility was completed by December and did not affect existing daily operations during the project, said Tate. 

"Being a QAR in the extreme cold can be challenging," Tate said. "Sometimes it is minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit and we are inspecting trucks and pipelines."

Greg Miller, Crowley terminal manager spoke prior to the opening explaining the new truck rack’s capabilities including how the additional support to the warfighter on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. 

Miller said the DLA Energy and Crowley partnership has made DFSP Anchorage successful and the newly opened TTLF’s added capability, in addition to those already included such as the tanker/barge loading and offloading through the Port of Anchorage, railcar loading for shipments to Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska and pipeline shipments to the Air Force on JBER are strong examples of what strong partnerships can do for the warfighter.