# Enlisted call focuses on recruiting, readiness

/ Published Oct. 24, 2023
FORT BELVOIR, Va.,, 
Recruiting and readiness were the standout topics at a Joint Reserve Force enlisted call held in the McNamara Headquarters Complex auditorium Oct. 20.

The keynote speaker was Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Alvin R. Dyer, senior enlisted leader for the Defense Logistics Agency.

With 28 years of military service, Dyer said this is his first assignment with DLA. He thanked the JRF enlisted corps for volunteering to serve.

“Thank you for serving during a time that our nation needs us the most,” he said. “We’ve got to be ready as warfighters, both mentally, physically and spiritually.”

Dyer said his focus at DLA is to modernize logistics systems to better support the warfighter.

“Logistics wins wars,” he said. “Every war game we play, assumptions are made about the beans, bullets and fuel requirements. Often, these assumptions cause logistical challenges.”

He challenged the JRF enlisted corps to help the services overcome recruiting obstacles.

“Don’t be afraid to stand up and challenge the status quo,” he advised. “We’ve got to push the recruiting status quo beyond the recruiters. People have options now and opt not to serve, and it is on all of us to be that voice communicating the reason why we all serve our nation to younger generations.”

During the question-and-answer portion of the enlisted call, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Anna Clarke, joint reserve personnel superintendent, asked Dyer how he envisions the JRF supporting and supplementing DLA’s active-duty force.

“He advised us to be mission-ready,” Clarke said. “Updating and synching outdated software systems will help the JRF be aligned to provide support to the joint warfighter.”

For Clarke, the enlisted call was inspiring because of Dyer’s ability to connect with the enlisted audience.

“Command Chief Dyer was down to earth and approachable,” she said. “The topics he spoke about were relevant, like challenging younger generations about their perception of choosing to serve in the military.”

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Dyer enlisted in the Air Force in 1995 as a heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration specialist, and before arriving at DLA, he was command chief master sergeant for the Seventh Air Force at Osan Air Base, South Korea.

In his concluding remarks, Dyer said his Memphis hometown is the barbecue capital of the world and recommended a strategy to find the best barbeque there.

“Just look for smoke from the backyards in Memphis,” he said. “That’s where you’ll find the best barbeque.”

                Members of the Defense Logistics Agency Joint Reserve Force pose for a group photo with Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Alvin R. Dyer, DLA senior enlisted leader, Oct. 20 at the McNamara Headquarters Complex at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Photo by Chris Lynch                            Enlisted call focuses on recruiting, readiness                            Members of the Defense Logistics Agency Joint Reserve Force pose for a group photo with Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant Alvin R. Dyer, DLA senior enlisted leader, Oct. 20 at the McNamara Headquarters Complex at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Photo by Chris Lynch            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Chris Lynch DLA PhotographerVIRIN: 231020-D-HE260-1020