# DLA Aviation awards May and June EOM recipients

/ Published Aug. 23, 2016
RICHMOND, Virginia, 
Defense Logistics Agency Aviation employees received Employee of the Month Awards on Aug. 18 in a ceremony hosted by DLA Aviation’s Deputy Commander Charlie Lilli at DLA Aviation headquarters in Richmond, Virginia.

The May EOM is Keith McEachern, inter-continental ballistic missiles weapon system support manager for DLA Aviation’s Customer Operations Directorate in Richmond, Virginia, and the June EOM is Shante’l Wyche, an acquisition specialist in DLA Aviation’s Supplier Operations Commodities Directorate.

Air Force Customer Facing Division’s Deputy Chief David Graves nominated McEachern for the award. In the write-up Graves said McEachern demonstrated superior performance and leadership while forming a multi-organizational team and executing a three-day ICBM Program Depot Maintenance Supportability Summit.

"A true leader, he formulated an aggressive agenda and led the DLA contingent, performing pre-work with DLA supply chain point of contacts, materiel planners, and updated situational awareness of over 848 national stock numbers,” said Graves. “The critical result was determining 5 of 41 bills of materiel that presented a significant risk to the schedule for the planned PDM initiative. This critical view of supportability will facilitate informed decision making by the DLA director, and the Air Force Systems Command and the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center commanders during the July 2016 ICBM PDM Senior Leader's Review.”

In a previous interview, McEachern said he enjoys serving the warfighter and collaborating with them to resolve supply issues and ensure their requests are expedited. He said his motto is to never quit, never give up and to always complete the assignment to the best of his ability no matter what it takes. McEachern said he was honored to receive this award and to have his efforts recognized. 

The June Employee of the Month Wyche was nominated by Supplier Operations Commodities Directorate’s Armenthia Massey, supervisor, Supplier Support Division 1, for being the lead buyer on the Aviation Emergency Retail Team in June 2016. In the nomination packet Massy said, “She continually steps forward to take on more responsibility and is the team’s lead trainer for new employees, training them on the emergency buy processes while still exceeding her goal of 40 purchase requests by an astounding 150 percent.”

Wyche was also recognized for her excellent negotiation skills in reducing an acquisition for the T-64 Engine by $22,900 which contributes to DLA’s strategic goal of better buying power. 

Wyche also contacted vendors to obtain quotes, on required critical spring and connecting links for the AV-8B Harrier aircraft, and achieved lower prices and quicker delivery for the parts. The costs savings was over $53,000. 

“Most recently she expedited a request for a critical item for the V-22 Osprey and immediately obtained a quote and overnight delivery which returned the aircraft to the warfighter sooner,” said Massey.

Lilli recognized and presented certificates in a video presentation to off-site nominees and to the nominees located in Richmond. He then presented the May EOM recipient, McEachern, with an award packet which includes a certificate, a $700 check anda one-month reserved parking space. 

Wyche, the June recipient, could not be present for the ceremony. Supplier Operations Commodities Directorate’s Supplier Support Division 1 Emergency Contracting Support Branch supervisor, Earl Burnett, accepted the award on her behalf.