# July EOM recipients embody the spirit of professionalism

/ Published Oct. 19, 2022
Richmond, Va., 
Stephen Palomarez and Ana Bossman are Defense Logistics Agency Aviation’s Employees of the Month for July.

Employee of the Month is awarded to DLA Aviation non-supervisory civilian employees. Two recipients are selected based on individual general schedule pay levels – one from GS 1-9 (Category 1) and one from GS 10-13 (Category 2). Recipients receive a coin, a certificate of achievement from the DLA Aviation deputy commander and a cash award.

Palomarez is a material handler with DLA Aviation at Ogden, Utah. He received the GS 1-9 Category 1 award.

Tara Sugimoto, Hydraulic/Pneudraulics Shop Service Center inventory manager for DLA Aviation at Ogden, and Palomarez’s nominator, said, “ Palomarez demonstrates dependability, leadership, and unmatched work ethic maintaining operations in the Hydraulic/Pneudraulics Shop Service Center, which contains over 4,000 assets valued over $19.1 million. His experience and positive attitude have earned him the title of senior handler, allowing him to serve as a key role model and trainer.”

“I would like to thank everyone who chose me as the Employee of the Month for July,” said Palomarez. “I truly appreciate the award and enjoy coming to work every day to help aid and support the warfighter,” he said.

“A consummate professional, Palomarez conducted a two-hour training for the new DLA Aviation at Ogden commander in SSC operations,” said Sugimoto.

Ana Bossman received the GS 10-13 Category 2 award for providing excellent logistics support.

As a logistics management specialist within the Customer Operations Directorate’s Maintenance Operations Center Cell, Naval Customer Facing Division at DLA Aviation at Richmond, Virginia, Bossman synchronizes daily actions on high-priority requisitions and briefs aircraft-on-ground, planned maintenance interval and long-term down cell leads for both Naval Forces Atlantic and Pacific.

Bossman’s nominator, Navy Capt. Ronald Hoak, chief, Naval Customer Facing Division within Customer Operations Directorate, said, “Notably, following a multi-mission aircraft [MH-60] Class A Mishap [Fatality or permanent total disability that resulted from a reportable injury; or, a total cost of damages for DoD or non-DoD property of $2.5 million,] Bossman provided exceptional crisis leadership, engaging DLA and external stakeholders while the Maintenance Operations Center problem-solved force replacement for over 600 aircraft. Leveraging her system expertise and communication skills, her rapid actions avoided a fleet grounding condition as she secured over 2,200 mission-critical damper hoses.”

“Thank you for recognizing the work I do,” said Bossman. “It is an honor to be part of this team. I am very appreciative of the acknowledgement I received.”

Bossman's uncompromising standards also resulting in the expediting of over 300 non-mission capable and partial mission capable Supply requisitions in July alone, significantly contributing to the MH-60R/S meeting fully mission capable goals for the first time ever. She worked with the Program Office, Naval Supply Systems Command, Navy, Army, and Air Force weapons system program managers to manage and control the release of a vital part that was causing significant NMCS back-orders across the Navy, Army and Air Force H-60 aircraft fleet. As she focused on ensuring fair share quantities across all services, she cleared over 100 back orders, and her efforts directly improved intermediate-level repair capabilities for the higher assembly. 

Congratulations to these outstanding individuals for their dedication to improving processes and providing outstanding customer service.