# Team members named October EOM for ensuring warfighter parts procured, delivered when needed 

/ Published Jan. 24, 2022
Richmond, Va., 
Defense Logistics Agency Aviation employees, Felicia Barwell, a weapon system program manager and Samuel Gallegos, a materials expeditor, have more in common than just working for the same agency. Both were named DLA Aviation October Employees of the Month for their dedication in providing our warfighters with what they need.

Gallegos, who works in the Commodities Branch of the Storage and Distribution Division for DLA Aviation at Ogden on Hill Air Force Base, Utah, earned the award in general schedule (GS) 1-9 category 1, for being instrumental in the success of the Hydraulic/Pneudraulic Shop Service Center’s production efforts, which support the Ogden Air Logistics Complex’s depot maintenance operations.

The SSC processed material requisitions for over 4.2 thousand delivery orders during the month of October.

According to Trenton Stoutenburg, Gallegos’ nominator and branch chief at the time of his nomination, Gallegos’ stellar performance and can-do attitude resulted in a 100% on time delivery rate for 934 [material] picks and 116 priority door-to-floor orders.

“Samuel’s consistent and timely efforts were instrumental in attaining an SSC average pick time of 25 minutes, smashing the established delivery response time of 1.5 hours,” said Stoutenburg. “His astute attention to detail and accountability ensured 194 reparable depot maintenance parts, worth $432,351.93, were correctly identified, processed and released without fail.”

His desire to maintain workplace continuity and elevate individual accountability has been displayed through creation of an individual production tracking spreadsheet that effectively accounts for his own personal time and is being used by many of his peers.

“I am truly honored to receive this award,” said Gallegos, who has been with DLA for just over a year. “I can sincerely say that I love it here. Hard work, willingness to learn, and going the extra mile gets recognized within this organization more so than any other role I’ve held in the past.”

Gallegos said they have an incredible team, and he is thankful for every person that he has had the opportunity to work with this past year, especially those who have mentored him.

Gallegos works at the tail end of the procurement process, making sure parts are delivered to mechanics; while, Barwell works on the front end, making sure items are coded properly before the contract is awarded.

Barwell, who works in the Nuclear Enterprise Support Office of the Customer Operations Directorate for DLA Aviation in Richmond, Virginia, was named the activity’s October EOM in the GS 10-13 category 2. She was recognized for her outstanding weapon system support, analytical skills, program management and teaming approach in support of the B-2 Spirit.

The B-2, a multi-role bomber, is listed on the Secretary of Defense DX-rated list, which assigns the highest national priority and prioritizes its contracts over all non-DX rated contracts. As such, the DX rating is critical to the overall support of the weapon system.

In June 2020, DLA Headquarters was concerned the DX rating policy was applied too liberally and removed the rating for all open, B-2 customer-direct contracts. In late summer 2021, DLA Aviation became aware of a policy waiver; Barwell immediately executed the required waiver forms to automatically reapply the DX rating to all customer-direct B-2 contracts.

According to Melissa Miles, chief of the Nuclear Enterprise Support Office in DLA Aviation’s Customer Operations Directorate and Barwell’s nominator, Barwell ensured all staffing documents and required coordination was completed in just two days and worked with the DLA Aviation Research Review and Analysis Division to develop a data pull of all open contracts issued without the DX rating after the policy change.  In just a couple of days, she analyzed over 14,834 open contract lines, balancing supportability, warfighter needs, and the supply chain workload management to identify only those contracts truly needing to be modified with the DX rating.

“Felicia’s keen analytical skills enabled her to minimize the population to just 24 contract lines,” said Miles. “Once the 24 contract lines were coordinated with the appropriate supply chain teammates, contract modifications were completed in less than 24 hours.”

“The nomination and receiving of the award were much to my surprise,” said Barwell. “I am thankful for the individual recognition, but I attribute it to the collaborative team effort in support of the warfighter.”