# Troop Support commander hosts December Town Hall 

/ Published Dec. 9, 2022
PHILADELPHIA
Brig. Gen. Eric Shirley, Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support commander, hosted a town hall on December 7, in Philadelphia, to close out the first quarter of fiscal year 2023. 

Shirley recognized employees for their achievements over the last few months and mapped out the way ahead for the remainder of the fiscal year.  

“We’re looking towards an even brighter future as we continue to grow our relationships across the interagency, supporting what DoD needs, and supporting what is an increasing list of government partners needed to support daily missions,” said Brig. Gen. Eric Shirley. “The teammates here on your left and right are absolutely indispensable to what the warfighters do in support of our nation’s defense.”

Also speaking at the town hall was Cmdr. Erik Decker, DLA Troop Support Indo-Pacific commander, and Lt. Col. Fermin Gonzales, Jr., DLA Troop Support Europe and Africa commander. Both commanders presented the major efforts in their respective regions and emphasized the strong support supplied from the team in Philadelphia. 

“The National Defense Strategy articulates specifically for the Indo-Pacific theater that we are to build capabilities forward in austere locations working with the State Department,” said Decker. “There were many late-night phone calls and emails from the team here because we had such a large time difference and the support we received from Philadelphia really mattered.” 

Ensuring customers in his region knows that DLA Troop Support can meet their needs is a top priority for Gonzales.  

“We’re trying to get ahead of the needs of the supported commands and we’re constantly embedded with the customer in the various phases of their lifecycle,” he said. “I want to make sure that we do our best effort to make us the preferred logistics enabler of choice for the warfighter and we could not do what we do without your support.” 

For the remaining months of fiscal year 23, Shirley stated the top four priorities are to deliver materiel solutions; enhance programs, identify and mitigate strategic risk; and to strengthen support with partners and the industry. To strengthen  efforts in these categories, DLA Troop Support will be expanding efforts to engage with commanders in the field. 

“One of the key aspects of how we will be successful going forward is to really redouble our efforts on our command engagement program,” said Shirley. “We need to give commanders the opportunities to see what we do and have meaningful engagements with them on their time to help us inform the field about why we should be the partner of choice for materiel solutions.” 

Shirley also recognized various employees for their accomplishments this quarter.  

Congratulations to the following DLA award winners! 

Adam Tutolo, Construction and Equipment Lead Commodity Support Liaison, received the Warfighter Always Category Individual Award, for his solutions to drive readiness and warfighter always service and connecting Construction and Equipment’s support capabilities to emerging and dynamic Ukraine support needs. 

**Modernize Acquisition & Supply Chain Management Category Clothing and Textile Dress Clothing Contracting & Planning Team Award**

Ashley Liddle 

Athony D’Avella, Jr. 

Karen Bradley 

Randall McArthur, Jr. 

Sharon Piecyk 

David Cortes 

Cheryl Reynold