# Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor visits DoD’s premier storage and distribution operations

/ Published Feb. 9, 2016
NEW CUMBERLAND, Pennsylvania, 

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov.Mike Stack made his inaugural visit to Defense Logistics Agency Distributionheadquarters in New Cumberland on Jan. 28 to learn more about the organization’smilitary supply mission and witness firsthand how it provides to the localeconomy throughout the commonwealth.  

Stack, a Captain in thePennsylvania Army National Guard, serves as the chairman of the Pennsylvania MilitaryCommunity Enhancement Commission, which advocates at the federal, state andlocal levels for the enhancement of military communities, organizations anddefense-related regions throughout the state.

Kicking off his visit,Stack met with DLA Distribution commander Army Brig. Gen. Richard Dix to discussthe future of the organization’s network of 24 distribution centers worldwidewhich store and distribute items such as repair parts, construction materiel,medical items, and clothing to America’s military forces around theglobe.  "We are DoD’s premier storage anddistribution provider.Mygoal is to harness additional work for our workforce by demonstrating ourability to be the most effective, efficient, and best value to our customers,"said Dix.

The visit continued witha briefing presented by Dix and his staff on DLA Distribution’s operations andcapabilities.Storing morethan 2.4 million items valued at approximately $104 billion, the organizationsupports customer requirements worldwide, to include Operation New Dawn andOperation Enduring Freedom, numerous humanitarian assistance missions, bothnational and international, and a multitude of military exercises to ensurewarfighter readiness.

After the briefing, Stackreceived a windshield tour of the Defense Distribution CenterSusquehanna installation, formerly known as New Cumberland Army Depot. Theinstallation is currently undergoing several military construction projects, toinclude the removal of several WWI- and WW II-era buildings and the erection ofa new, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified DLA Distributionheadquarters building, slated for completion this summer.

During the windshieldtour, he stopped to view DLA Distribution’s expeditionary capability, whichdeploys for contingency operations, humanitarian missions and other militaryexercises via movable structures and communications equipment operated by a teamtrained to perform storage and distribution in any environment. Impressed with its dedication and proficiency, Stackthanked the team for its recent deployment in support of Operation UnitedAssistance, the U.S. military mission to help combat the Ebola virus epidemic inWest Africa.

He then was given a walking tour ofone of DLADistribution’s largest distribution centers, DLA Distribution Susquehanna,located on base with the headquarters.  While touring DoD’s largestdistribution facility, occupying 1.7 million sq. ft. of processing and storagespace, he observed the pick and pack process and a demonstration of DLADistribution Susquehanna’s state-of-the-art automated conveyor and sortingequipment.

During the visit, Stackspoke of the importance of DLA Distribution’s mission and the installation’scontributions to the local economy, and how impressed he was with the overalloperation and workforce and contributions of members of the Commonwealth to theNation’s security each and every day.  

“DLA Distributionprovides significant military value to our Commonwealth and our Nation. We havesome great citizens doing some great work.  I’mlooking forward to building a stronger relationship with this command andstaying apprised of its support to the country’s critical militarymissions.”