#  Australian foreign liaison officers tour DLA Eastern Distribution Center

/ Published Feb. 28, 2024
NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa., 
A small contingent of Australian foreign liaison officers, led by Australian Air Force Lt. Col. Christiaan Meddens, wing commander and senior supply liaison officer with the U.S. Air Force Security Cooperation, toured the Defense Logistics Agency’s Eastern Distribution Center, in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Feb. 26.                 Australian Air Force Lt. Col. Christiaan Meddens, center, wing commander and senior supply liaison officer with the U.S. Air Force Security Cooperation, asks business process questions during a tour of the Defense Logistics Agency’s Eastern Distribution Center in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, February 26, 2024. Photo by Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public Affairs.                            Australian foreign liaison officers tour DLA Distribution Eastern Distribution Center                            Australian Air Force Lt. Col. Christiaan Meddens, center, wing commander and senior supply liaison officer with the U.S. Air Force Security Cooperation, asks business process questions during a tour of the Defense Logistics Agency’s Eastern Distribution Center in New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, February 26, 2024. Photo by Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public Affairs.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public AffairsVIRIN: 240228-D-WD427-7250

As part of a week-long visit to U.S. Army Security Assistance Command, the group met with DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, representatives to learn more about the DLA supply chain, material release, shipping processes and Foreign Military Sale consolidation procedures. 

Kenny Souders, secretary of the command staff, DDSP, led the group on an hour-long walking tour of the Defense Department’s largest distribution processing facility. The 1.7 million square foot center handles 25 percent of DLA Distribution’s worldwide receipt, storage, and issue mission. It serves as the eastern strategic distribution platform for the DOD and is the primary distribution point for all branches of the U.S. Armed Services, Foreign Military Services, and other Federal agencies in the eastern U.S.                  Kenny Souders, left, secretary of the command staff, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, shares information of current modernization efforts underway at Defense Logistics Agency’s Eastern Distribution Center with a contingent of Australian foreign liaison officers, led by Australian Air Force Lt. Col. Christiaan Meddens, right, wing commander and senior supply liaison officer with the U.S. Air Force Security Cooperation, during a tour February 26, 2024. Photo by Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public Affairs.                            Australian foreign liaison officers tour DLA Distribution Eastern Distribution Center                            Kenny Souders, left, secretary of the command staff, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, shares information of current modernization efforts underway at Defense Logistics Agency’s Eastern Distribution Center with a contingent of Australian foreign liaison officers, led by Australian Air Force Lt. Col. Christiaan Meddens, right, wing commander and senior supply liaison officer with the U.S. Air Force Security Cooperation, during a tour February 26, 2024. Photo by Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public Affairs.            SHARE IMAGE:Download ImageImage DetailsPhoto By: Diana Dawa, DLA Distribution Public AffairsVIRIN: 240228-D-WD427-7265

The center provides materiel management and distribution services for mission critical items including military and commercial repair parts, industrial hardware, medical supplies, tires, aerial delivery equipment, and multiple other commodities optimizing all resources with a focus on safety, quality, and continuous process improvement.

After a short safety brief, Souders led the group through the receiving and pack and pick area, pallet build area, and the high-rise area. The group also learned of the current modernization efforts underway, with work being conducted in the mezzanine, high-rise and large floor areas.

“It’s impressive – the scale of it,” said Meddens of the facility. “The primary reason of coming here is to see DLA’s business part of the process. It helps us to better understand the pieces of the puzzle and the process of the movements through the system when we put our demands in.”