# Where in the World: Sicily

/ Published March 7, 2022

On the Italian island of Sicily - the largest in the beautiful Mediterranean Sea – you will find Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services personnel serving warfighters at the agency’s Sigonella property disposal site.

The small facility primarily supports sailors at Naval Air Station Sigonella, in the eastern province of Catania. The Naval Air Station is home to about 5,000 uniformed troops, DOD civilians, family members and local national employees. The U.S. Navy, which operates on the western side of the sprawling airport complex, is a tenant at the larger air station, which is administratively and militarily controlled by Italy.

The base, established in 1959, is perfectly positioned to support U.S. Navy 6th Fleet operations, and is one of the most convenient stopping points for U.S. military aircraft traveling between the continental U.S. and destinations in Southwest Asia and the Indian Ocean. The base command is “landlord” to more than 40 U.S. units.

The Defense Logistics Agency opened Defense Depot Sigonella in 2004 to serve as the primary supply point for the entire Mediterranean. DLA Energy also provides fuel there, and, of course, reverse logistics services.

According to site leadership, the Sigonella team supports “usable, scrap, and DEMIL property turn in; Reutilization, Transfer, and Donation for agencies within Department of Defense and special programs; disposal of hazardous property; and education to customers regarding turn in, RTD, and environmental.”

In addition to local sailors, DLA personnel routinely support Air Force, Marine Corps, NATO, and combatant command task force units operating in the Med and process an average of about 3,100 DTIDs annually. The site was part of a short-lived “D2” test that combined the manpower of DLA Distribution with DLA Disposition Services but reverted in 2019.

As far as unusual or interesting turn in items, staff reported receiving a German troop carrier called a “Unimog.” And on the humanitarian support side, the site reported sending 600 transformers to the regional HAP office in fiscal 2021 for donation to needy partner nations.

Personnel there can enjoy hiking or skiing on the nearby active volcanic crater Mt. Etna. There’s ample beachcombing, scuba diving and sunbathing on Sicily’s world-class beaches. Italian and even more ancient cultures can be sampled through outdoor performances of plays and operas set in the ruins of the island's awesome Greek-era amphitheaters. The climate is temperate, with highs and lows for nearly all the year remaining between 50 and 80 degrees.

Local noteworthy organizations that lean on DLA for reverse logistics expertise include the Armed Forces Network; Commander, Task Force 67; the Naval hospital; a Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station; Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Detachment Sigonella; and the island’s Air Mobility Command terminal.

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DLA Disposition Services is celebrating its 50th Anniversary by reflecting on its mission, culture, and workforce. This series is highlighting individual field sites throughout the agency, across the globe. Visit the historical page to learn more about the MSC and its history.