# San Joaquin commander receives Defense Superior Service Medal

/ Published June 21, 2016
SAN JOAQUIN, California, 
Marine Corps Col. Keith D. Reventlow has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal for his achievements while serving as commander, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution San Joaquin, Calif.
Since taking over command in July 2013, Reventlow has maintained a focus on the DLA Director’s Strategic Goal areas, specifically aiming to hit “Goal 3: Decrease Operating Costs: Improve Process and Productivity.”  

He led his team in the relocation of almost 150,000 National Stock Numbers, occupying more than 4.1 million cubic feet of covered and open storage space, from the distribution center’s Sharpe site to its Tracy site by the end of fiscal year 2013.  The purpose of the move was to eliminate use of World War II-era general purpose warehouses at Sharpe, as they were costly to maintain and required significant investment of Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization funds to keep operational.  

The team began breaking down the move, setting three broad goals: re-warehouse all DLA and service materiel stored at Sharpe to Tracy; transfer materiel identified as Potential Reutilization and Disposal Stock to DLA Disposition Services; and maintain current levels of operational support to external customers throughout the consolidation project.

Specifically, the team aimed to save a minimum of $120 million over five years by consolidating operations at Tracy.  With support from DLA Disposition Services and DLA Distribution Process and Planning, the team reduced the size of the distribution center’s inventory by nearly 32 percent, from approximately 790,000 NSNs in January 2012 to a little over 541,000 NSNs at the beginning of October 2013.  Lastly, support to customers, as measured by inventory denials, increased slightly more than 18 percent during the consolidation period.

Despite the necessary disruption within the organization, the Strategic Distribution Platform maintained its support to U.S. Pacific Command, with its Consolidation and Containerization Point consistently ensuring the uninterrupted flow of requested materiel arrived on time and in requested quantities.  Despite a persistent two-year average increase in workload, Reventlow ensured San Joaquin’s CCP capabilities were leveraged to quickly and efficiently move materiel through Travis Air Force Base and the Port of Oakland, Calif., in support of strategic operations.

In the second half of 2014, Reventlow prepared the team for the organization’s Voluntary Protection Program recertification.  In preparation for the recertification, extensive Standard Operating Procedures and Job Hazard Analysis reviews were conducted and systems were put into place to address and correct any identified hazards.  When the Occupational Safety and Health Administration reviewed the site to determine its eligibility to continue in the program, the organization was approved for continued participation for another three years.

Since taking command, Reventlow has placed a high priority on safety.  Through the introduction of a campaign highlighting the importance of individual and team safety, he worked tirelessly to reduce the mishap rate.  His successful execution of the Mishap Reduction Program saw a continuing decline in OSHA recordable mishaps and total safety mishaps during all three years of his command.

Recognizing a need for a force protection and security-related training, Reventlow mandated that employees receive comprehensive active shooter training.  In August 2014, the distribution center conducted its first ever active shooter exercise.  The exercise included a lockdown and local first-responder participation from the surrounding area.  A second event was planned and executed in October 2015.
“Colonel Reventlow has made a lasting impact on DLA Distribution San Joaquin and his leadership skills and technical competence have served to enhance and further the command’s commitment to provide responsive distribution support to the warfighter, when and wherever required,” said Perry Knight, DLA Distribution chief integration officer.