# DLA director and senior enlisted leader address DLA Joint Reserve Force

/ Published June 8, 2021
FORT BELVOIR, Va., 
Defense Logistics Agency Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic and Senior Enlisted Leader Army Command Sgt. Maj. Tomeka O’Neal spoke to DLA reservists at the Joint Reserve Force Annual Leadership Review June 4. The event, held each year as a weekend-long training and career development exercise for reservist leaders, was conducted for about 19 in-person attendees and 42 who attended virtually.“This team is near and dear to my heart,” Skubic said. “I’ve served forward side-by-side with our Joint Reserve Force and I’ve seen how you contribute. I want to thank you for all you are doing for our agency’s mission, the warfighter and all of our customers around the globe.”                Two retiring members of the Defense Logistics Agency Joint Reserve Force received a challenge coin virtually from DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic at the JRF Annual Leadership Review June 4, 2021. Army Sgt. Maj. Kevin A. Timmons, is retiring after more than 40 years of service and Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Carisa Blanc, is retiring after 25 years of active and reserve service. From left to right: DLA JRF Director Navy Rear Adm. Grafton Chase, Blanc, Timmons, DLA Senior Enlisted Leader Army Command Sgt. Maj. Tomeka O’Neal, and JRF Senior Enlisted Leader Navy Command Master Chief James Butler. Photo by Navy Capt. Jim Shelton.                            DLA Director and Senior Enlisted Leader address DLA Joint Reserve Force                            Two retiring members of the Defense Logistics Agency Joint Reserve Force received a challenge coin virtually from DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic at the JRF Annual Leadership Review June 4, 2021. Army Sgt. Maj. Kevin A. Timmons, is retiring after more than 40 years of service and Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Carisa Blanc, is retiring after 25 years of active and reserve service. From left to right: DLA JRF Director Navy Rear Adm. Grafton Chase, Blanc, Timmons, DLA Senior Enlisted Leader Army Command Sgt. Maj. Tomeka O’Neal, and JRF Senior Enlisted Leader Navy Command Master Chief James Butler. Photo by Navy Capt. Jim Shelton.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Navy Capt. Jim SheltonVIRIN: 210604-D-D0441-1001Skubic thanked Navy Rear Adm. Grafton Chase and the full-time JRF staff at DLA Headquarters, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, for organizing the event as well as for keeping the reserve team ready for mobilizations, exercises and mission support during the year.Skubic commended the team for recent achievements including the processing and monitoring of 3.5 million doses of annual flu vaccines shipped to U.S. government facilities; providing 7-day-a-week support monitoring vaccine temperatures; supporting shipment of thousands of vaccine doses to Defense Department employees overseas and to the deployed U.S. Navy Fleet; and responding to a no-notice request from DLA Troop Support’s Clothing and Textiles division to support the inspection of Navy safety footwear for recently discovered manufacturer defects.“You have also provided personnel to the DLA Rapid Deployment Team, the DLA COVID Task Force, and to the Agency Synchronization Operations Center,” Skubic said. “Thank you for all that work that is getting done, often with not insignificant sacrifice to you, your families and your employers.”During her presentation to the group, Skubic presented coins virtually to two enlisted Reservists: Army Sgt. Maj. Kevin A. Timmons, retiring after more than 40 years of service, and Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Carisa Blanc, retiring after 25 years of active and reserve service.The DLA director concluded her remarks with an introduction of the agency’s new strategic plan released April 6. Skubic focused on the importance of JRF support to warfighter readiness in competitive and contested logistics environments.Following the director, O’Neal led a discussion on the topic of personal readiness and military fitness standards.The JRF has deployed a total of 135 reservists domestically and overseas during fiscal year 2021 as of May 27, on track for a significant increase of mobilizations over last year. JRF members fill 34% of all DLA mobilization requirements. The DLA JRF has now completed more than 1,900 deployments globally since 9/11.