Love and logistics: DLA Energy couples
 
  By Connie Braesch
  Be mine... and my coworker? Some couples may say working together is a recipe for disaster, but four Defense Logistics Agency Energy couples say it’s a recipe for marriage. While dozens of couples can be found across DLA, these DLA Energy employees shared their story of how working for the same agency is a perfect match. **A graphic with a photo of the couple then and now
        Love and logistics: DLA Energy couples
            Some couples may say working together is a recipe for disaster, but four Defense Logistics Agency Energy couples say it’s a recipe for marriage. Mike and Sarah Maclean have worked together at DLA Energy for nine years. Mike is part of the International Agreements team, Sarah is part of the Quality Technical team. These couples mention an improved work-life understanding, shared interests and professional collaboration as benefits to working together, but they all face challenges common to dual-career families. Photo graphic by DLA Energy.

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                    VIRIN: 240214-D-D0441-9002** **Mike and Sarah Maclean** Mike and Sarah met in 2011 when he was an Air Force master sergeant working for the Air Force Petroleum Office. He was on a rotation with DLA Energy as part of a fuel educational advancement program, and Sarah was working for the DLA Energy Quality Technical team. They worked on a couple of the same projects and then stayed in touch for the next few years after Mike moved on in his training program. “Once I got back from a tour in Korea in 2013, I proposed, and the rest is history,” Mike said. In 2015, shortly after he retired from the Air Force, Mike joined DLA Energy working for the International Agreements team. They make time to meet in the hallway for a quick break to see how their days are going. Mike said work conversations often continue during dinner. “We talk through work problems together, and it gives us a greater respect for what each other does and an appreciation for the career fields we are in,” he added. Mike said their career experiences complement each other’s work. “Since I’m a retired Air Force fuels guy, Sarah can pick my brain on fuel operations in the field or in an austere environment and take that info to apply it to a quality issue she may be working,” Mike said. “Likewise, I may be researching fuel issues for an agreement location with a foreign military partner, and I can pick her brain on specific foreign or NATO quality specifications.” Working for the same agency also means they typically have the same days off for the holidays, making it easier to plan long weekends trips. **A graphic with a photo of the couple then and now
        Love and logistics: DLA Energy couples
            Some couples may say working together is a recipe for disaster, but four Defense Logistics Agency Energy couples say it’s a recipe for marriage. Josh and Sarah Catlin have worked together at DLA Energy for 20 years. Josh is the director of Bulk Petroleum Products, and Sarah is the Procurement Functional Support Division chief. These couples mention an improved work-life understanding, shared interests and professional collaboration as benefits to working together, but they all face challenges common to dual-career families. Photo graphic by DLA Energy. Photo on the right by Sam Bartenhagen.

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                    VIRIN: 240214-D-D0441-9004** **Josh and Sarah Catlin** Josh and Sarah’s DLA Energy love story began around 2004 when Sarah was a contractor and Josh was an intern. They were in their mid-20s and just starting their careers. “We got to know each other killing time together on Fridays after work while we let traffic die down some before heading home,” Sarah said. Josh lived about 50 miles north in Columbia, Maryland, then, and Sarah lived about 40 miles south in Fredericksburg, Virginia. “Both are very long commutes in D.C. traffic, especially on Fridays,” Sarah said. “We’d go to Barnes and Noble which eventually turned into dinner. The rest, as they say, is history.” Over the years, their careers continued to grow. Josh is now the director of Bulk Petroleum Products, and Sarah is the Procurement Functional Support Division chief. While they don’t work on the same team, they can relate to one another’s jobs. Besides sharing an understanding of the leadership, coworkers, mission priorities and strategic goals, they also speak the same lingo. “It makes having conversations about work a lot easier,” Sarah said. “It also helps when questions come up; I know I can reach out to him for a quick answer.” **A graphic with a photo of the couple then and now
        Love and logistics: DLA Energy couples
            Some couples may say working together is a recipe for disaster, but four Defense Logistics Agency Energy couples say it’s a recipe for marriage. Sam and Sasha Paris have worked together at DLA for eight years. Sam is DLA Energy’s facilities manager, and Sasha works for the military support team helping the DLA service members manage service obligations and requirements. These couples mention an improved work-life understanding, shared interests and professional collaboration as benefits to working together, but they all face challenges common to dual-career families. Photo graphic by DLA Energy.

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                    VIRIN: 240214-D-D0441-9001** **Sam and Sasha Paris** Sam and Sasha met in April 1996 when he was in the Army stationed at Fort Clayton, Panama, while visiting mutual friends. “We developed a strong connection over the next year and married in August 1997,” Sam said. Sasha started working at DLA Energy in 2011. She currently works for the military support team helping the DLA service members manage service obligations and requirements. After retiring from the Army, Sam started working for DLA as a police officer in 2016. In October 2023, Sam became DLA Energy’s facilities manager and the pair’s working relationship grew stronger. “One of the things I appreciate about working together is that I get to spend more time with him compared to the past eight years when he was working night shift,” Sasha said. “Also, I like seeing him very excited about his new role. I feel his purpose is to help others.” They said working for the same agency is a blessing, and they value the extra time spent together. “Although we work for different sections, our paths cross on a daily basis,” Sam said. They said they appreciate being able to stop by one another’s desk to say hi and, when they can, drive to work together. “I agree it’s beneficial to commute together,” Sasha added. “My favorite is I get to ride and not deal with the crazy traffic!” **A graphic with a photo of the couple then and now
        Love and logistics: DLA Energy couples
            Some couples may say working together is a recipe for disaster, but four Defense Logistics Agency Energy couples say it’s a recipe for marriage. Eduardo Davila and Carmen Tallada have worked together for DLA Energy for 16 years. Davila is a contract specialist for Bulk Petroleum Products, and Tallada is the inventory management process lead for Business Process Support. These couples mention an improved work-life understanding, shared interests and professional collaboration as benefits to working together, but they all face challenges common to dual-career families. Photo graphic by DLA Energy.

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                    VIRIN: 240214-D-D0441-9003** **Eduardo Davila and Carmen Tallada** Davila and Tallada have worked at DLA Energy for over 16 years. Their story began in 1987 when they met in Puerto Rico in their 20s. They married in 1991 and moved their family of four to Virginia in 2007 when Davila got an internship with DLA Energy. Tallada joined the agency about a year later after working part-time as a contractor. Today, Davila is a contract specialist for Bulk Petroleum Products, and Tallada is the inventory management process lead for Business Process Support. When they moved to Virginia, they said they worked together to adjust to the new routine. Davila listed new jobs with drastic career changes, long commutes, an unfamiliar neighborhood and new schools for their two sons as major adjustments for the entire family. As a Spanish-speaking family, getting used to speaking English everyday was also a challenge. “The boys got used to everything fast – faster than Carmen,” he said laughing. Besides commuting to the office together whenever they can, they also arranged their schedules have the same compressed day off. “We also help each other with things related to work, such as when there are computer system issues,” Davila said. “We often discuss things that affect us like new DLA Energy policies, world news related to our industry, and even when to retire.” While these couples mention an improved work-life understanding, shared interests and professional collaboration as benefits to working together, they all face challenges common to dual-career families. Many of them said they have to be creative with their work schedules at times to get kids to and from school, sports and other events. The Macleans said work travel is one of their biggest hurdles. “We both travel at different times. We love our jobs, so we work together to support our family and one another,” Mike said.