# DLA Energy helps Fort Carson soldiers save $260,000 in potential fuel losses

/ Published Sept. 18, 2023
FORT BELVOIR, Va., 
Defense Logistics Agency Energy quality assurance representatives worked alongside soldiers to recirculate over 60,000 gallons of off-specification fuel and save nearly $260,000 in potential fuel losses at two tactical vehicle refueling stations on Fort Carson, Colorado.

“DLA’s support to the warfighter is job one. It’s our core strategic priority,” said DLA Energy Americas West Commander Navy Cmdr. Anas Maazouzi. “The joint effort by this team exercised critical logistics capabilities that are required to support austere locations in contested environments. We continue to capitalize on our scope, scale, skill and unique capabilities to be there for our military services and customers.”

                Defense Logistics Agency Energy quality assurance representative and soldiers worked to recirculate over 60,000 gallons of off-specification fuel and save nearly $260,000 in potential fuel losses at two tactical vehicle refueling stations on Fort Carson, Colorado. DLA Energy Americas West Commander Navy Cmdr. Anas Maazouzi (far right) and 407th Army Field Support Battalion Commander Army Lt. Col. Sarah Gilbert (far left) recognized the team effort during a joint awards ceremony on Sept. 14, 2023, at Fort Carson. Courtesy photo.                            DLA Energy helps Fort Carson soldiers save $260,000 in potential fuel losses                            Defense Logistics Agency Energy quality assurance representative and soldiers worked to recirculate over 60,000 gallons of off-specification fuel and save nearly $260,000 in potential fuel losses at two tactical vehicle refueling stations on Fort Carson, Colorado. DLA Energy Americas West Commander Navy Cmdr. Anas Maazouzi (far right) and 407th Army Field Support Battalion Commander Army Lt. Col. Sarah Gilbert (far left) recognized the team effort during a joint awards ceremony on Sept. 14, 2023, at Fort Carson. Courtesy photo.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: courtesy photoVIRIN: 230622-D-D0441-9005

The DLA Energy QARs and the soldiers were recognized in a joint awards ceremony on Sept. 14 at Fort Carson for their commitment to reducing waste and providing quality fuel support for the Army.

“The collective creativity and hard work on this project directly enabled Fort Carson readiness,” said 407th Army Field Support Battalion Commander Army Lt. Col. Sarah Gilbert. “This cost savings is another example of how strong relationships and a willingness to work together can benefit the entire enterprise.”

                Defense Logistics Agency Energy Quality Assurance Representative Jaron Tyner (center) works with soldiers to perform analysis on fuel system icing inhibitor, an additive mixed into aviation fuels to prevent the formation of ice in fuel lines, June 22, 2023. Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson worked with DLA Energy to creatively recirculate over 60,000 gallons of off-specification fuel and save nearly $260,000 in potential fuel losses at two tactical vehicle refueling stations on Fort Carson, Colorado.                            DLA Energy helps Fort Carson soldiers save $260,000 in potential fuel losses                            Defense Logistics Agency Energy Quality Assurance Representative Jaron Tyner (center) works with soldiers to perform analysis on fuel system icing inhibitor, an additive mixed into aviation fuels to prevent the formation of ice in fuel lines, June 22, 2023. Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson worked with DLA Energy to creatively recirculate over 60,000 gallons of off-specification fuel and save nearly $260,000 in potential fuel losses at two tactical vehicle refueling stations on Fort Carson, Colorado.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: courtesy photoVIRIN: 230622-D-D0441-9001

Jaron Tyner and Jaime Sanchez, DLA Energy QARs, provided soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson hands-on training to salvage the fuel at Pinon Canyon Maneuvering Site and Wilderness Road truck facility.

On May 18, Tyner found three tanks with off-specification fuel at Pinon Canyon during routine quality control testing. The fuel system icing inhibitor, an additive mixed into aviation fuels to prevent the formation of ice in fuel lines, did not meet quality testing standards due to high water concentration in the fuel.

To fix the problem, Sanchez worked with the soldiers, site contractor, DLA Energy contracting officers and the Phillips 66 fuel terminal to have commercial tank trucks “hand additize.” In this process, the team calculates the concentration of additive needed to meet requirements and manually adds the additive into the commercial tank trucks, Sanchez said. The trucks transport the special hand blend of fuel back to Pinon Canyon and pump it back into the tanks.

                Defense Logistics Agency Energy Quality Assurance Representative Jaime Sanchez and a contractor with the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson draw samples at Wilderness Road truck facility for analysis, June 22, 2023. Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson worked with Defense Logistics Agency Energy to creatively recirculate over 60,000 gallons of off-specification fuel and save nearly $260,000 in potential fuel losses at two tactical vehicle refueling stations on Fort Carson, Colorado.                            DLA Energy helps Fort Carson soldiers save $260,000 in potential fuel losses                            Defense Logistics Agency Energy Quality Assurance Representative Jaime Sanchez and a contractor with the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson draw samples at Wilderness Road truck facility for analysis, June 22, 2023. Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson worked with Defense Logistics Agency Energy to creatively recirculate over 60,000 gallons of off-specification fuel and save nearly $260,000 in potential fuel losses at two tactical vehicle refueling stations on Fort Carson, Colorado.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: courtesy photoVIRIN: 230622-D-D0441-9002

Sanchez worked with the soldiers to demonstrate field analysis and how to perform the calculations. They regularly drew samples from the truck to test the concentrations on the spot until the produce met specification.

“The operation may sound simple and straight-forward, but it really is a long, laborious process,” Sanchez said. “In the end, it provided invaluable experience on how to monitor, and ultimately fix, the problem.”

At Wilderness Road, the fuel also failed to meet icing inhibitor specification. From June 21-22, soldiers and DLA Energy QARs used mobile pumps to transfer the fuel into a large 20,000-gallon mobile fuel bladder system while injecting new additive. To get the job done, the 59th Quartermaster Company supplied pumps, hoses, bladder, valves, filter separator and a portable additive injection machine. The injection machine, similar in size of a small generator, allows the additive to be blended into the fuel as it transits through the machine. QARs and soldiers tested the blended fuel being transferring it back into the tanks for use.

                To recirculate off-specification fuel at Wilderness Road truck facility on Fort Carson, Colorado, soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson worked with Defense Logistics Agency Energy to set up a large 20,000-gallon mobile fuel bladder system, June 21-22, 2023. They used a portable additive injection machine to blend the fuel with the necessary fuel system icing inhibitor additive used to prevent the formation of ice in fuel lines.                            DLA Energy helps Fort Carson soldiers save $260,000 in potential fuel losses                            To recirculate off-specification fuel at Wilderness Road truck facility on Fort Carson, Colorado, soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade and the Army Field Support Battalion-Carson worked with Defense Logistics Agency Energy to set up a large 20,000-gallon mobile fuel bladder system, June 21-22, 2023. They used a portable additive injection machine to blend the fuel with the necessary fuel system icing inhibitor additive used to prevent the formation of ice in fuel lines.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: courtesy photoVIRIN: 230622-D-D0441-9003

“Wilderness Road is a large vehicle retail station positioned very close to the Butts Army Airfield and alongside a tactical vehicle trail,” Tyner said. “Its location allows vehicles on the southern area of Fort Carson to get the fuel they need without driving to the other side of the installation on narrow roads through traffic.”

Bringing the fuel back on specification was a huge success due to the teamwork, knowledge and hands-on training, Tyner said. While soldiers may learn about field-level fuel additization in classrooms, doing the job themselves prepares them for real-world situations, he added.

To learn more about DLA Energy’s quality control mission, read these stories in the DLA newsroom