# Respected and highly impressive performers earn DLA Aviation’s employee of the month honors for January

/ Published March 22, 2022
RICHMOND, Va., 
Reggie Sanders, a sustainment specialist within the Planning Division at Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Jacksonville, Florida, and June Leeper, , a contracting specialist within the Emergency Contract Support Division at DLA Aviation at San Diego, California, were selected as DLA Aviation’s Employees of the Month for January. Leeper won in the general schedule 10-13 category. Sanders took the award in the GS 1-9 category.

During the month of January, Leeper took on the tall task of tackling the reconciliation of post-award military interdepartmental purchase requests. Her hard work and dedication resulted in a MIPR being able to be completely closed, the first time that’s happened since fiscal 2013.

Michelle Turner-Walden nominated Leeper. She’s the procurement supervisor for fleet readiness centers for DLA Aviation’s Customer Operations Directorate’s Customer Emergency Contract Support Division’s Procurement Branch in Richmond.

Turner-Walden said Leeper created an excel spreadsheet accounting system that documented all accounting actions related to MIPR awards. This new system was implemented at DLA Aviation at Jacksonville, Florida, and DLA Aviation at Cherry Point, North Carolina. Leeper was able to identify $1,773,862 in funding that can be re-obligated back to MIPR contracts for fiscal years 2013-2016.

Leeper’s impeccable work ethic wasn’t just on display during January. For the last two years, Turner- Walden said Leeper dedicated between six to eight hours per week reconciling MIPR purchase orders. Her approach allowed her to detect missing documents and discrepancies in final billing. She overcame obstacles with Americans with Disabilities Act violations, direction on how to proceed with unreconcilable MIPR PO's, final billing, coordination with the Defense Finance Accounting Service to fix invoice errors and the lack of communication between enterprise business, concept of operations, DFAS, and fleet readiness center finance systems.

“Leeper’s extraordinary efforts will allow DLA Aviation to become audit compliant while identifying ,taxpayers' funds that can be redistributed to support DLA Aviation's current mission and objectives” said Turner-Walden.

“I will always do my best and it’s nice to know my hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. Recognition definitely improves my mood and productivity,” Leeper said.

Sanders conducts material supportability analysis and continuous oversight of material stocking levels required for Navy and Air Force aircraft engines and accessories for Fleet Readiness Center Southeast.

DLA Aviation at Jacksonville Supervisory Inventory Management Specialist Damon Heemstra wrote in his nomination that Sanders is regarded as a subject matter expert. His willingness to train any person in need is evident through the weekly training and coaching sessions he conducts with less experienced sustainment specialists, setting impressive performance standards and is highly respected by subordinates and peers alike.

Heemstra said Sanders, working directly with the FRCSE integrated product team, managed 3,770 national item identification numbers, ensuring the January aircraft engine material requirements were aligned with production schedules, resulting in 95.8% material availability.

Additionally, Sanders spent numerous hours every week preserving the accuracy of forecasts, replacement factors and quantity per assembly. As a result, back orders decreased by 18% in January. The pivotal player on the forensic cell team, Sanders conducted 186 data cleanup actions, resolving incorrect planner codes and improving NIIN pipeline health for the accurate generation of purchase requests and orders.

“Sanders is an unselfish team player. His professional interaction with the customer in support of DLA retail operations exemplifies the ideals of serving with the mindset of ‘warfighter always,’ Heemstra said.

“It’s a great feeling knowing that we make a difference in the organization and the people that depend on our efforts every day,” said Sanders. “I think anyone, when they’re efforts are appreciated, will make a conscious effort to go that extra mile even more.”