Big impact from small department sets DLA Disposition Service up for success
 
  By Jeff Landenberger
  “We had a good year,” reflected Christopher Judd, Resource Management director. “Resource Management is small and a little bit behind the scenes, but it is important for employees in Disposition Services to know that we support them, that we help them do their day-to-day mission,” Judd said. “That is what we are here for we are integral in every part of Disposition Services.” During the annual Leadership Summit in October 2022, most of the current participants in the Pathways to Career Excellence Program were in Battle Creek, Michigan. PaCE is a two-year training program designed to train entry-level personnel for subsequent advancement to the journey-level in professional, administrative, and technological career fields. This is accomplished through on-the-job assignments, cross-training, rotational assignments, and formal training. Front row: Mckenzie Brinkerhoff, Cory Harter and, Thomas Martorana. Second row: Elizabeth Norvey, Esteban Gancer, Mahlon May and, Nathan Gambrel. Third row: Sabrina Young, Brandon Awkerman and, Ryan Riedel. Back row: Jenny Norvey, Workforce Development branch chief, Michael Vaughn, Jeremiah Burns, and, Andrea Morris, Disposition Services PaCE program manager. Not pictured are Danielle Woods, James Isola, Meranda Grafmyer and, Krista Nawrocki Disposition Services PaCE program manager.




Group photo of men and women dressed in business cloths, they are standing on steps in front of the HDI Federal Center.
        Pacers
            During the annual Leadership Summit in October 2022, most of the current participants in the Pathways to Career Excellence Program were in Battle Creek, Michigan. PaCE is a two-year training program designed to train entry-level personnel for subsequent advancement to the journey-level in professional, administrative, and technological career fields. This is accomplished through on-the-job assignments, cross-training, rotational assignments, and formal training. Front row: Mckenzie Brinkerhoff, Cory Harter and, Thomas Martorana. Second row: Elizabeth Norvey, Esteban Gancer, Mahlon May and, Nathan Gambrel. Third row: Sabrina Young, Brandon Awkerman and, Ryan Riedel. Back row: Jenny Norvey, Workforce Development branch chief, Michael Vaughn, Jeremiah Burns, and, Andrea Morris, Disposition Services PaCE program manager. Not pictured are Danielle Woods, James Isola, Meranda Grafmyer and, Krista Nawrocki Disposition Services PaCE program manager.

            SHARE IMAGE:

                Download Image
                    Image Details
                    
                    Photo By: Jeff Landenberger
                    
                    VIRIN: 221024-D-YU183-133 RM provides support with human resources, finance, training - including planning the Contingency Operations Readiness Exercise, just to name a few. “We did a great job this year rolling out the Foundational Training, which we had a pilot course in,” Workforce Development Branch Chief Jenny Norvey said. Norvey explained that this course supports the Defense Logistics Agency Director Navy Vice Adm. Michelle Skubic’s People and Culture initiative, stating that for the pilot course had a mix of new and seasoned employees to review the course. After the in-person pilot, the team received valuable feedback which was used to improve the class and implemented in the virtual pilot that was held earlier this month. Norvey said a fantastic team of experts contribute to this project. Individuals from program offices, subject matter experts, and people in the field were consulted to make this as comprehensive and well-rounded as possible. We will be rolling that out for recurrent courses in January,” Norvey said. “It’s targeted for employees that have been onboard for 30-to-90-day timeframe, so it’s really an introduction of what we do in Disposition services and why we do it.” Resource Management played a role in the planning and execution of DLA’s COREX that took place in Battle Creek, Michigan, this past year. The exercise featured different parts of the agency working together across multiple sites – simulating an expeditionary environment. This was a change in how the exercise was done in years past. Navy Petty Officer Second Class Demica Robinson uses a cutting torch during the Defense Logistics Agency’s two-week annual Contingency Operations Readiness Exercise taking place in Battle Creek, Michigan, and hosted by #DLADispositionservices. This year’s COREX is the largest to date and brings together multiple major subordinate commands of DLA, the nation’s combat logistics support agency.




A person in protective equipment uses a cutting torch on metal. the torch is creating lots of orange sparks that are falling toward the deck and away from the person cutting.
        Cutting
            Navy Petty Officer Second Class Demica Robinson uses a cutting torch during the Defense Logistics Agency’s two-week annual Contingency Operations Readiness Exercise taking place in Battle Creek, Michigan, and hosted by #DLADispositionservices. This year’s COREX is the largest to date and brings together multiple major subordinate commands of DLA, the nation’s combat logistics support agency.

            SHARE IMAGE:

                Download Image
                    Image Details
                    
                    Photo By: Jeff Landenberger
                    
                    VIRIN: 220719-D-YU183-168 “This is the biggest DLA expeditionary exercise in the history of DLA,” said DLA Disposition Services Director Mike Cannon as he further discussed the level of collaboration across the agency. “I don’t think there were any [exercises] as well orchestrated as this one. You guys were a well-oiled machine from the planning to the execution and to the clean-up,” Cannon said. Norvey’s team is also responsible for the DLA Pathways to Career Excellence, commonly referred to as the PaCE program. She said it was a fantastic year for the program graduating six individuals, two stayed in Battle Creek, the other graduates went to Richmond, Virginia, Warner Robins, Georgia, Camp Pendleton, California., and Pearl Harbor. Of the two groups of PaCEers still in the program one entered their second year and departed to what will be their first duty assignment. The newest class just started and consists of five people. Norvey said that in the spring of 2023 they will announce the opening of the application process for the next class and onboard them with the agency in the Fall. The announcement will be in All News for current workforce and on USAJOBS.gov for everyone. Under the helpful information section on the  DLA’s MSC’s PaCER programs website can be found here there is a link to "Find Current Vacancies."