# DLA, USACE partnership blossoms over a decade

/ Published Jan. 18, 2023
FORT BELVOIR, Va., 
After Hurricane Sandy hit New York City in October 2012, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers needed to remove water from the city’s electrical substations so power could be restored. The Defense Logistics Agency quickly prepositioned equipment to support USACE in the restoration of power for millions of people.

The event started a partnership between the two agencies that continues to grow, said Rhonda Mustafaa, DLA’s liaison officer to USACE.

“There was a comfort in knowing that DLA would be there in the most critical of times for USACE in terms of contingency and emergency response,” said Mustafaa, who served as the chief of plans and operations at USACE for 10 years before coming to DLA in February 2019. “That has always been a staple in terms of this partnership, being able to anticipate contingency support requirements and to execute in an expeditious manner.”

Mustafaa works with representatives from DLA’s major subordinate commands to organize logistics support to USACE. While she serves as the initial point of contact for the agency, she includes supply chain experts and other DLA subject matter experts when responding to USACE requests.

“I cannot do what I do if I don’t have solid relationships throughout both agencies,” she said.

USACE provides public engineering services to the nation during crisis or disaster. During the pandemic, for example, White House officials tasked USACE with converting hotels, dorms, arenas and other facilities into alternate-care facilities for the surge of patients.

Mustafaa said USACE needs to be ready to act quickly in time-sensitive or dangerous situations but, like most agencies, it can’t act alone.

“To that end, USACE is highly dependent on the Defense Logistics Agency to help with getting the right equipment and the right material to those critical infrastructure locations in an expeditious manner,” she said. 

After Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in September 2017, USACE led the reconstruction mission. DLA enabled USACE’s efforts by providing materials to rebuild the power grid. A representative from DLA Troop Support’s construction and equipment supply chain also went to Puerto Rico to streamline communications between DLA and USACE and strategize how to move material to the island from various supply points.

Since Mustafaa became DLA’s liaison officer to USACE, the account has grown by 70%. Her knowledge of customer requirements and ability to communicate with both agencies using their own internal language is invaluable, she said.

It’s also important that communication and trust are established before disaster strikes, she added.

“Leaders need information and, more importantly, they need vetted information to make those informed decisions,” Mustafaa said. “We cannot speak without having validated that information that we're providing to the senior leaders because that is how trust is fortified.”

In 2022, DLA provided USACE $197 million in supply and logistics support, 12% more than in 2021. Construction and equipment supplies from DLA Troop Support accounted for 55% of that support. Another 40% came from DLA Energy, and the remaining 5% came from DLA Land and Maritime and other DLA supply chains, she said.

DLA and USACE senior leaders including DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic and USACE Commanding General Army Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon will review the past year and outline goals and objectives for the coming year during their annual partnership meeting Jan. 20.

“Things happen at these meetings when you have decision makers in the same room from both agencies,” Mustafaa said. “Strategies are discussed, opportunities are presented, recommendations are accepted, and actions are taken.”

The first partnership meeting in September 2017 led to the creation of a $1 billion acquisition strategy that remains a foundation of the DLA-USACE relationship.