# Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna wins Presidential award 

/ Published July 1, 2022
NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa., 
The Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Dr. William A. LaPlante, presented the 2022 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence to Defense Logistics Agency’s Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna via video teleconference June 14.                 Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, William LaPlante, Ph.D., left on upper left screen, and to his right, Michael McAndrew, Deputy Assistant Secretary Defense, Construction and PTDO Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment, awarded the 2022 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence to the team at Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna, pictured on the right screen, during a video teleconference ceremony June 14, 2022.  The award recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations. It is presented annually to one installation from each branch of service and the Defense Logistics Agency. Award nominees were selected based on performance criteria such as mission support, quality of life, energy and environment, unit morale, safety and health, communications, security and public relations. Photo by Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public Affairs.                            Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna wins Presidential award                            Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, William LaPlante, Ph.D., left on upper left screen, and to his right, Michael McAndrew, Deputy Assistant Secretary Defense, Construction and PTDO Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment, awarded the 2022 Commander in Chief’s Annual Award for Installation Excellence to the team at Defense Distribution Center Susquehanna, pictured on the right screen, during a video teleconference ceremony June 14, 2022.  The award recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations. It is presented annually to one installation from each branch of service and the Defense Logistics Agency. Award nominees were selected based on performance criteria such as mission support, quality of life, energy and environment, unit morale, safety and health, communications, security and public relations. Photo by Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public Affairs.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: DLA Distribution Public AffairsVIRIN: 220614-D-WD427-9908

DDCS was recognized for outstanding support to the warfighter through several initiatives to include a complete transformation and modernization effort of its Eastern Distribution Center. This building processes over 25% of all DLA Distribution material. The five-year plan will integrate the latest supply chain technologies including automated guided vehicles, updated conveyance systems, and optimal storage areas enabling more product storage in the building as well as enhanced surge capability. These modernization efforts at DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, will move the installation 30 years ahead of where it currently stands and allows it to remain competitive. 

DDSP played a key role in the supply chain distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and personal protective equipment throughout the Defense Department enterprise from the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. DDSP Commander, Army Col. Trent Conner, attributes his team’s success on vaccine operations as one example of why they deserve the recognition.

“As Operation Warp Speed kicked off, DLA as a whole and DLA Distribution Susquehanna was called upon to provide the initial and continuous vaccine distribution to all DoD beneficiaries worldwide,” said Conner. 

“To date we have shipped over one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines of all different types – -80 degree Pfizer, -20 degree Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, and we have shipped all those doses to 35 countries without a single loss or temperature excursion and it has taken a team effort. We have had a flu vaccine distribution mission here for many years, however we had not handled -20 degree or -80 degree product, so we developed capabilities, we trained our workforce, we developed streamlined processes with our commercial partners for distribution transportation and it just goes off without a hitch, day in and day out. I’m very proud of the team and I think it’s just a good example of why our team won this award.”

DDSP’s ongoing focus on excellence has garnered numerous awards and accreditations to include the Brigadier General Barbara Doornink DLA Distribution Center of the Year Award (Large category) and the Medium Team (26-50 members) Performance of the Year Award for the COVID Team. The DLA Installation Management Susquehanna, Fire Department received the prestige accomplishment of accredited agency status for the third time with the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

This annual award recognizes the outstanding and innovative efforts of the people who operate and maintain U.S. military installations. The recipients of this highly competitive presidential award were selected for their exemplary support of DOD missions. One winner is selected from each of the four branches of the military: Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, along with one winner from among the Defense Distribution Centers.

Installations compete on how well they achieve the Department’s objectives in several areas of installation management, including mission support, energy conservation, quality of life and unit morale, environmental stewardship, real property management, safety, health and security, communications and public relations.

Excellent installations enable better mission performance and enhance the working and living conditions for military men and women, DOD civilians and their families. Each of the winning installations succeeded at being the best in achieving excellence in performing installation management within their military service and DLA. Winning installations will receive a commemorative trophy, flag, and a congratulatory letter from the president. 

For information about each winning installation’s accomplishments, visit http://www.acq.osd.mil/EIE.