Commentary: DLA Disposition Services Rotation Program broadens knowledge and skills
 By Samantha Ware
  I am Samantha Ware. I am a Disposal Services Representative with DLA Disposition Services at Columbus, Ohio. I have been with DLA for three years. I joined DLA after 20 years as a Supply Sergeant in the United States Army, Two years as a Supply Specialist with the 1st Armored Division, G4 and two years as a Supply Technician with the 980K All Army Excess Team. As part of the Enterprise Rotation Program Samantha Ware, disposal services representative with DLA Disposition Services at Columbus, Ohio engaged in conversations with other DLA Disposition Services employees. Here, Blake Singleton, DEMIL operations supervisor at DLA Disposition Services at Anniston, Alabama, explains to her some of the potential hazards his team faces when DEMILing property that need additional written instructions for generators to follow prior to turning the items in to DLA Disposition services. Ware said it was conversations like this one that makes her recommend the ERP for all Property Disposal Specialist.




A woman in a tan shirt listens to a man with a beard and green shirt as he talks. he is using one hand to indicate a container of scrap metal.
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            As part of the Enterprise Rotation Program Samantha Ware, disposal services representative with DLA Disposition Services at Columbus, Ohio engaged in conversations with other DLA Disposition Services employees. Here, Blake Singleton, DEMIL operations supervisor at DLA Disposition Services at Anniston, Alabama, explains to her some of the potential hazards his team faces when DEMILing property that need additional written instructions for generators to follow prior to turning the items in to DLA Disposition services. Ware said it was conversations like this one that makes her recommend the ERP for all Property Disposal Specialist.

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                    Photo By: Centralized DEMIL Division Anniston
                    
                    VIRIN: 230723-D-DO441-0007 I joined the DLA Disposition Services Rotation Program with the aim of broadening my skill set and enhancing my ability to serve our customers effectively within my current role as a Disposal Services Representative. As a DSR, my interactions were largely confined to my assigned region, limiting my exposure to the diverse approaches of fellow DSRs elsewhere. During my time in the Rotation Program in June, I had the privilege of collaborating with the dedicated team at DSD South East of DLA Disposition Services. This program offered me a valuable glimpse into the practices of other DSRs, providing insights that could be integrated into my own workflow to enhance customer interactions and streamline the turn-in process. For instance, Anniston Area Manager Patrick Leverett graciously shared a comprehensive National Stock Number/Local Stock Number listing for weapons simulators and parts, a resource that will undoubtedly prove invaluable in my future endeavors. Additionally, as a DSR, I seldom witnessed the culmination of the process that commences when our customers submit property requiring demilitarization. The Rotation Program afforded me the opportunity to observe the downstream journey of such property at the DEMIL field site in Odenville, Alabama. My visit to the Odenville DEMIL site proved to be an enlightening and transformative experience. It underscored the critical importance of diligence during the turn-in process, reinforcing the gravity of our responsibilities to our customers. The unsung heroes at the Odenville site deserve immense recognition for their exemplary DEMIL services on behalf of DLA. They operate within tight spatial constraints, maintaining an outstanding safety record despite the daily use of heavy equipment. My observations at the Odenville DEMIL site have instilled a heightened sense of vigilance in me, compelling me to ensure that both my customers and fellow DSRs meticulously inspect property for requisite certifications, such as drain and purge statements or inert certification statements. In my view, every Property Disposal Specialist, particularly DSRs, would derive tremendous benefit from participating in the DLA Disposition Services Rotation Program. It opened my eyes to facets of our processes that were previously obscured. Reflecting on my journey, I can confidently assert that the DLA Disposition Services Rotation Program was an extraordinary and enriching experience. I eagerly anticipate the prospect of participating again should other regions offer their sites for this exceptional program.