# DLA Energy deputy commander reorients with Distribution colleagues

/ Published Feb. 25, 2020
NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa., 
Navy Rear Adm. Kevin M. Jones, commanding officer, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution and his leadership team met with DLA Energy deputy commander, Eric Smith, senior executive service, Feb. 20 to provide an overview of operations at DLA Distribution.

                Defense Logistics Agency Energy Deputy Commander W. Eric Smith, senior executive service, center, is led on a tour of the high-rise storage and active item system at DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania’s Eastern Distribution Center, the largest warehouse within the Department of Defense Feb. 20. (Photo by Ed Shank, DLA Distribution)                            DLA Energy deputy commander reorients with Distribution colleagues                            Defense Logistics Agency Energy Deputy Commander W. Eric Smith, senior executive service, center, is led on a tour of the high-rise storage and active item system at DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania’s Eastern Distribution Center, the largest warehouse within the Department of Defense Feb. 20. (Photo by Ed Shank, DLA Distribution)            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Ed ShankVIRIN: 200220-D-CK397-7596

Joe Faris, DLA Distribution business development director, kicked off the discussion by welcoming back Smith, a former executive officer with DLA and previous Department of Energy deputy director for the Office of Minority Programs and Business Operations. Smith also worked closely with the DLA Distribution leadership team when he became a member of the senior executive service and was selected to join the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Smith thanked the team for their assistance while he led the post-Katrina mandated transformation of domestic disaster logistics.

“As you know, we are very metric focused,” said Faris, as he introduced the operations presentation and touted the fiscal year 30 campaign plan that lays out long-term plans for modernization and automation to a new workforce management system.

“It’s all about people, places and things,” said Jones. He indicated that as DLA Distribution modernizes and moves into new systems, they will also look at employee skill sets to complement the new systems.

                Navy Rear Adm. Kevin M. Jones, commanding officer, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution and his leadership team provide an overview of operations Feb. 20 to DLA Energy Deputy Commander, W. Eric Smith, senior executive service, left. (Photo by Dawn Bonsell, DLA Distribution)                            DLA Energy deputy commander reorients with Distribution colleagues                            Navy Rear Adm. Kevin M. Jones, commanding officer, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution and his leadership team provide an overview of operations Feb. 20 to DLA Energy Deputy Commander, W. Eric Smith, senior executive service, left. (Photo by Dawn Bonsell, DLA Distribution)            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Dawn BonsellVIRIN: 200220-D-KL823-9124

Following the presentation, Smith pointed out the existing synergies between the various DLA major subordinate commands, indicating that DLA Energy pre-positions fuels in the same locations DLA Distribution pre-positions material. “I’m still learning,” said Smith. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s fast and furious every day.”

Following the brief, Smith was led on a tour of DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania’s Eastern Distribution Center, the largest warehouse within the Department of Defense. On the tour, Smith told the warehouse employees that he retired from the Army while working for DLA and assured the employees that, “This is the place to be. You’ve got it good.”