# DLA Distribution Pearl Harbor earns Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky award for Distribution Center Excellence

/ Published Nov. 16, 2020
NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa., 
Defense Logistics Agency Distribution has awarded DLA Distribution Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with the Maj. Gen. Kenneth L. Privratsky award for Distribution Center Excellence 2019.

A few of the notable actions/programs within the distribution center that directly support the mission and aided DDPH in earning the award include:

•    Achieved a 0.9 high-priority material request order performance compared to the automated packing lists of more than 1.01 days, a feat not achieved at this site since fiscal year 2014. A testament to the overall improvement at DLA Distribution Pearl Harbor.•    Completed fiscal year 2019 wall-to-wall inventory with a 94% inventory accuracy.•    Directly supported the warfighter with material requirements in the range of over 3,200 bearer walkthroughs, over 1,800 casualty report requisitions, more than 40,00 Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard requests, as well as over 100,000 receipt, stow, and issue transactions this past year.•    Depot Inventory Support Team assisted the wholesale wall-to-wall initiative through research, material handling equipment and training support. The team’s research workload tripled because of audit sustainment initiatives.•    Achieved a near perfect score and high praise for a model program from Naval Supply Weapon Systems Support program managers during the tri-annual Level 1 Sub safe inspection.•    DDPH wholesale operations department has met or exceeded 151 of the 156 DLA Distribution key performance indicators and maintained solid green performance metrics eight of the 12 months for 2019. •    The nearly 69,000 physical checks performed by the inventory support team, including over 27,000 wall-to-wall inventory actions yielded over 190 causatives processed worth nearly $2 million. The value of erroneous adjustments reversed off causative research was over $375,000 which does not account for items over 60 days that could no longer be reversed or off setting adjustments. Research actions reduced warehouse refusals and incoming discrepancy report rates.•    Provided strategic and operational level support to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command warfighter with a high visual rigid hull inflatable boat shipment to support Micronesian humanitarian relief efforts. This included a shipment that required last minute, overnight work and coordination between multiple joint service stakeholders. •    Initiated a 100% wall-to-wall inventory of more than 44,000 line items of naval shipyard material, comprised of direct material inventory, future use material and mission support material with only three employees who counted over 3,000 line items in two months.•    Selected as the only overseas continental U.S. distribution center to prototype U.S. Transportation Command Transportation Management System. The system’s intent is to link the entire network of transportation nodes within the Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise within one single platform.•    Focused on customer engagement and outreach and continued commitment to regular working groups between Fleet Logistics Center Pearl Harbor, Naval Submarine Support Command, DLA Troop Support and Middle Pacific Surface Support Command. These efforts enhanced communication and directly supported all homeported and transiting units in Pearl Harbor. These engagements improved processes, communication, and significantly enhanced support to all U.S. Navy vessels, to include large Pacific Pathways events, Carrier Strike Group/Amphibious Readiness Group support evolutions, the 2020 Rim of the Pacific Exercise, as well as homeported units. Specific outreach initiatives include contributions to the Fleet Logistic Center Pearl Harbor monthly newsletter, creation of a Distribution Pearl Harbor Transportation Services handout and quick reference guide, classified packing/shipping reference guide, unit supply department tours and customer-focused training and handouts for new customers on military purchase request/internal order number creation in order to utilize our reimbursable services.

Additionally, this award recognizes the following DDPH’s initiatives or programs that impacted resource effectiveness/efficiency and mission support through innovation or process improvements:

•    Coordination with the Ozone Depleting Substances program manager, DLA security experts, and operations which helped redefine ODS storage requirements, eliminating the requirement for an ODS restricted area.•    Hired additional eight new personnel for the fiscal year 100% wall-to-wall inventory, and cross-trained IAT employees into stock readiness, retail Inventory, mapping and MPC Operations. Certified all new employees in the proper and safe operation of all material handling equipment throughout the depot, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the inventory team.•    Spearheaded holistic improvements, coordinated resource movement, and forged new relationships with the local naval facility environmental compliance branch that allowed for an increased monthly output of hazardous material disposals by 18%. Processed over 115 pallets and 85,000 pounds of Environmental Protection Agency regulated hazardous material disposals. Increased disposal visibility and processing at both DDPH and Distribution headquarters operations/acquisition levels, as well as enhanced the safety of material and personnel by establishing plannograffed, covered, compliant, outdoor storage locations for staged HAZMAT disposals.•    Executed 95 requests for personnel actions that resulted in the staffing of 62 critical vacancies throughout all areas of the command. Developed a fully integrated personnel-tracking tool that includes employee training and licensing data, employee safety/security/physical requirements, as well as historical employee award and promotion data necessary for the recognition of our best employees. Use of this tool to track hiring actions decreased employee on-boarding wait time by approximately 25%.•    Marshalled all ongoing improvement efforts into a focused plan to support the 100% annual inventory requirement. Anchored in four main areas (communication/compliance/storage optimization/process improvements) undertook and completed 25 separate formal initiatives and projects that have and will continue to pay dividends to increase inventory accuracy and promote audit sustainment. Some of these efforts include an internal Wholesale Operations SharePoint, standard operation procedure quick reference cards, rewarehousing initiatives for controlled items, personnel description reviews, divisional reorganizations, streamlined employee onboarding, upgraded aging communication systems used by supervisors and an award repository to improve recognition of personnel.

DDHH took on several initiatives to improve working environments, quality of life and build community spirit. With the increase in personnel for the 100% wall-to-wall inventory requirements for wholesale and retail missions, DDPH initiated projects to improve space utilization and increase workstations to accommodate additional employees and held DLA Distribution Pearl Harbor’s 20th Anniversary celebration as well as its first off-site holiday party. The entire command came together for multiple fundraising and event initiatives – raising over $4,000 for the events.

DLA Distribution Pearl Harbor’s culture of inclusiveness and excellence yielded results. DDPH employees and supervisors continue to receive a steady stream of praise from over 272 local commands supported, as well as Navy program managers, Naval Supply System Command Weapon Systems Support item mangers and joint command leadership across all branches of the Defense Department and federal agencies. Their commitment to the warfighter and the mission has been recognized at the highest levels of DLA with employees earning a multitude of awards and accolades in 2019.