FROM THE

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel, SC, USN

Commander, Defense Logistics Agency Energy

2 www.energy.dla.mil

Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 
July 2011

Energy Source l July 2011 3

pg 20

pg 24

pg 47

pg 45

Team shifts from automatic to manual 4

A DLA Energy team in Japan shows workforce development prepared them to

 succeed after a natural diaster disrupted the supply chain. 

Program helps employees be all they can be 6 

DLA Energy Middle East developmental positions help employees advance.

Knowledge Quest 8

Training office offers opportunities in austere climate. 

 

DLA Energy shows its diversity 11

A graphic portrayal of four diversity measures provides insight into workforce.

Employees shape future through Culture Survey 14

How DLA Energy and its individual units used employee feedback to take action. 

Hiring programs support workplace diversity 18

Five programs recruit uniquely-qualified individuals.

Intern programs: pathway to rewarding careers 20

DAWIA certifications soaring 22

Coveted LSS belts shape future of DLA Energy 24

Mentorship shares knowledge across divides 26

New employees praise semi-annual Indoctrination Trip 28 

J-20 courses provide glimpse or entry into QAR role 30

Three versions of the J-20 course target different levels of knowledge needs.

Volunteers of America 34

Volunteers, like Chuck Pope, really make a difference in the Middle East region.

Training makes fuel labs safer 36

Program brings Harvard lessons to DLA Energy mission 38

Partnership develops fuels degree program 39

DLA Energy reservists train jointly 40

42

46

47

DLA Energy aids in Japan relief and fuels Alaska Red Flag

DLA Energy supports Endeavor’s final mission

Thunderbirds fly with DLA Energy-procured biofuel

The face of the Defense Logistics Agency Energy.

Visit www.energy.dla.mil to see Energy Source Online Exclusives, additional stories

and photos only available in the e-version of Energy Source. 

News from around the Defense Logistics Agency.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

4 www.energy.dla.mil

By the DLA Energy Pacific’s Japan office

A Defense Logistics Agency Energy team in Japan recently demonstrated how workforce development can 

empower a team to go from “automatic” to “manual” 

to achieve mission success during a natural disaster 

like the one that befell Japan in March.

The events of March 11 rocked Japan and reverberated around the world. Officially, it was named 

the Great East Japan Earthquake or the Great Tohoku Earthquake, for the Tohoku region it impacted. 

At 9.0 on the Richter scale, it was the greatest earthquake to hit Japan and one of the five most powerful 

earthquakes registered since recordkeeping began 

in 1900. Approximately 30 minutes after the earthquake hit, a series of tsunamis hit the coastline of 

Northeastern Japan. Records show waves as high as 

125 feet washed over the coastal cities, destroying everything as far inland as six miles, in some cases. To 

make matters worse, the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear 

power plant was inundated with seawater, creating 

a series of events that led to core meltdowns in three 

of the six reactors and eventually leading to an accident rated at the maximum “7” on the International 

Nuclear Event Scale. 

The United States government moved quickly 

to support the Japanese people, using all Department of Defense, Department of State, and non-governmental organization capabilities available. This 

humanitarian assistance and disaster relief effort was 

named Operation Tomodachi. Tomodachi means 

“friendship” in Japanese and speaks to the deep ties 

between the United States and Japan. DLA Energy 

threw its full support behind these efforts.

During Operation Tomodachi, two of DLA Energy 

Pacific’s “automatic” programs went “manual.” That 

is to say, the regional command’s Japan office team 

had to revert to performing operations on-the-fly 

when programmed processes, sources and contracts 

went off line.

Deliveries of ground fuels and cryogenics stopped 

due to either infrastructure damage or government 

restrictions on inventory, transportation assets and 

movement. Normally, DLA Energy Pacific’s Japan office facilitates interaction and communication between 

customer ordering officers, vendors and contracting 

officers in the U.S. During this operation, the Japan 

office personnel became the defacto-ordering officers, 

tracking daily inventories and shipments for both cryogenic products and ground fuel. 

The Japan office team also provided cryogenic and 

ground fuel market information, linked vendors with 

the contracting officers in the U.S., and provided interpretation services to speed communication and smooth 

the contractual processes to get customer support in 

place quickly.

“All of these extra services were available because 

of our workforce development programs and our folks’ 

mental flexibility and positive attitudes,” declared the 

office’s commander, Air Force Lt. Col. Carmen Goyette.

The effect on product availability was dramatic, she 

explained. “Essentially, any ground product contracted 

for within the nation of Japan became immediately unavailable. Our bulk aviation and ship fuel at our regular 

defense fuel support points remained available, but in 

this situation, we weren’t fighting an enemy, we were 

trying to survive nature’s forces.

“We had warfare-type damage without the warfare... or warfare consumption. On the other hand, we 

had massive requirements for ground fuel. U.S. forces 

needed the ground fuel for heating plants and vehicles, 

and to support local disaster relief efforts,” she continued. Unfortunately, DLA Energy’s Posts, Camps, 

and Stations vendors across the main island of Honshu suffered significant damage or were impacted by 

the Japanese government’s immediate restrictions on 

movement, trucking asset availability or inventory allocation. As a result, the PC&S program also went from 

“automatic” to “manual.” 

This necessitated James Shillingford and Karen 

Team goes from “automatic” 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 5

Hammack, DLA Energy’s 

Direct Delivery contracting 

team, to launch a 24/7 support operation at their offices 

on Fort Belvoir, Va. DLA 

Energy’s Japan team, in coordination with DLA Energy 

Pacific and the Direct Delivery business unit, had to hand 

massage every ground fuel 

delivery across Honshu.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Caleb 

Whitaker, the Japan team’s 

petroleum distribution supervisor; Christina Dennis, the 

budget analyst; and Hiroyuki 

Taniguchi, the supply requirements and distribution 

clerk, all work with PC&S 

contract challenges, both supplier and customer-driven, 

during normal operations. 

Usually, most of their work is 

peripheral to Direct Delivery’s 

contracting efforts. However, 

all three keep in touch with 

local vendors, keep a level of awareness of the various 

contracts and keep a close eye on the specific customer 

sites and their tanks and requirements. They coordinate their findings with both the contracting officers 

at DLA Energy Pacific and DLA Energy and with local 

contracting officers on Yokota. 

Just as when learning to drive, those who learn 

on a manual stick shift have a lot more flexibility than 

those who learn on an automatic. This team’s capabilities, developed during their day-to-day business operations, allowed them to shift into overdrive to meet 

the sudden acceleration in PC&S operations, Goyette 

explained.

Richard Knapp and Richard Dennis, the Japan 

office’s quality assurance representatives, also shifted 

into overdrive as they worked alternate resupply 

options to overcome the massive market upheavals. 

Using planning skills developed during many exercises, they worked through various courses of action 

to provide a fully-analyzed way ahead to the Japan 

office commander. 

Earlier in their Japan tour, they had developed 

a list of alternate cryogenic providers for possible 

market exploitation. This list provided an outstanding starting point as they researched various vendor 

capabilities and accomplished preliminary outreach 

sessions to provide options to the contracting officers 

to “manual” during crisis

A quality assurance representative from the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Pacific’s Japan 

office demonstrates one of the reasons the team needed to find new sources for ground fuels 

and cryogenics after the March earthquake and tsunami. The QAR holds his hand up to the 

flood damage level of an out-of-commission fuel delivery truck. Photo by Richard Knapp.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

6 www.energy.dla.mil

for possible offers. DLA Energy’s Aerospace Energy 

business unit used this list, and the translation abilities of Yayoi Martin, the Japan office’s administrative assistant, to winnow through vendors for support options. The QARs also used their knowledge of 

past vendors not currently supporting a DLA Energy 

contract and were able to offer options for alternate 

suppliers to the contracting officers in Direct Delivery. 

“These options were only available due to the QAR 

workforce development and training in contracts and 

their own drive to pursue excellence,” the commander 

said. 

The Japan office’s workforce also overcame the 

impacts of nuclear radiation on operations. Whitaker 

dealt with fuel trucks contaminated with radiation by 

coordinating a contract for decontamination capability as well as a “radiation free” certification capability; 

this was definitely a first in his career, he said. The 

positive relationships he had already developed with 

the local contracting officers on Yokota certainly came 

in handy in this situation. The office also fielded a 

question from the warfighter about the effects of radiation on fuel. They staffed this question through the 

QAR community and received the answer from Pam 

Serino, the director of DLA Energy’s Quality Technical Support Office. 

“The bottom line is that fuel itself cannot become 

radiated as it has to do with the molecular structure 

and the stability of the nucleus, made up of protons 

and neutrons. Petroleum is just a hydrocarbon chain 

of hydrogen, carbon and oxygen, all stable molecules. 

However, if there are contaminants in the fuel such 

as water and/or dirt, those substances can carry some 

low-level radiation, if they were exposed at high levels,” Serino told them.

Operation Tomodachi also provided its own type 

of workforce development. The Japan office team 

ramped up their normal operations, shifted operational control from automatic to manual, and handled 

situations outside their norm. 

“This operation provided a great yardstick to 

measure personnel capabilities, and our workforce 

definitely met the mark,” Goyette asserted. 

By Holly DeYoung

DLA Energy Middle East 

Be all you can be—that was the slogan for the Army in 

the ’80s and ’90s. But, for civilian employees at the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Middle East, it’s quickly 

becoming a way of life. 

In an effort to encourage highly-qualified employees 

to relocate from half way around the world, DLA Energy 

Middle East implemented a new staffing strategy with 

“developmental” positions. These positions typically 

start out at the General Schedule-9 or GS-11 level with 

built-in progression to the GS-12 level. 

A prime example would be a management analyst 

hired in at the GS-9 level for a progressive slot designated GS-9/11/12. This employee, who works hard and 

stays motivated, has the opportunity to earn a promotion to the GS-11 and then GS-12 level, based on time 

in grade and other factors, without having to wait for 

Program helps 

employees be all 

they can be

Read Energy Source Online Exclusives at www.energy.dla.mil to see 

Quality Assurance Representative Richard Knapp’s photos and first hand 

account of his quality team’s response immediately after the disaster.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 7

another employee to vacate a 

current billet. 

“The real beauty of a developmental position is that you get 

a qualified candidate capable of 

doing much of the requirements 

of the position at the entry level. 

Then, as you train them and 

they become more proficient, 

they are rewarded with advancement to the next hiring 

grade,” said Ron Black, deputy director of DLA Energy 

Middle East. “This is an incentive to stay at the command and also to achieve. We are formalizing this process through Learning Management System and their 

individual development plans,” he continued.

“We have found that our developmental position 

employees are energetic and proactive,” Black noted.

Developmental positioning has enabled DLA 

Energy Middle East employees to plan a career path, 

including educational opportunities that might not 

otherwise exist. From the start, employees collaborate 

with supervisors and senior leadership to plan short 

and long term goals to accommodate the increased responsibilities that will come with promotion to a higher 

pay grade. These practices help to create a vision and 

plan for the future while simultaneously saving DLA 

Energy money now, Black explained. 

Training dollars are used to address current requirements and also to accommodate future career 

growth by using a focused approach to each individual 

employee’s developmental needs. Additionally, when 

employees have advancement opportunities and can 

achieve career goals by staying in one position, there 

is no need to relocate in order to receive a promotion. 

This minimizes rotations and the associated relocation 

costs, explained Peter Parker, supervisory management 

analyst of Staff Support for the command. 

“Developmental positions are beneficial to employees because the positions provide room to grow, specifically offering targeted training opportunities, handson experience and the potential for promotion,” Parker 

continued. “It is advantageous for DLA Energy Middle 

East to hire personnel in a developmental capacity as 

these positions promote retention in a region that has 

historically had high turnover rates.”

Several employees in the Middle East office have 

already realized the benefits of their developmental 

positions. For Brenda Brown, contract administrative specialist, there are many benefits to working at 

DLA Energy Middle East, including the developmental 

program. 

“When I applied for the position in Bahrain, one 

very enticing reason was because it was a progressive 

promotion position which would allow me to not only 

gain a wide range of experience, but also would open 

up a broader variety of career options for me,” she 

explained. “In the previous Department of Defense 

position I held, you were locked into a specific grade 

and would have to wait several years in order to see 

a promotional position become available—which can 

cause some employees to become complacent. With the 

progressive positions here in Bahrain, you understand 

that by overachieving in your current position, your 

efforts may be rewarded in the future. This helps to 

eliminate that complacency.” 

With the current upheaval in many countries 

throughout the Middle East area of responsibility, 

including Bahrain, where DLA Energy Middle East 

headquarters is located, the command is starting to see 

the additional impact of adjusting hiring practices. In 

preparation for future opportunities, employees are 

now starting to do more cross-training, which also assists in planning for possible contingencies. 

“Our solution is to offer positions that have advancement potential with a fairly rigid training requirement to go with them,” Black explained. “The results 

are starting to show as we have sustainability and a 

succession plan; all due to a few minor changes in hiring practices and adherence to process discipline.”

At DLA Energy Middle East, opportunities exist for 

employees who are willing to take advantage of them. 

Here, it’s not just a job – it’s an adventure.

DeYoung is the change management, protocol and 

public affairs specialist for DLA Energy Middle East—

a developmental position. 

Brenda Brown, a contract administrative specialist in the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy Middle East office, is 

one of several employees benefitting 

from the developmental positions 

established there. Photo by Holly 

DeYoung.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

8 www.energy.dla.mil

By Susan Declercq Brown

DLA Energy Public Affairs

At a time when the President, Congress and Defense 

Department are addressing austere budget cuts, 

including training funds, many Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy employees may be surprised to hear 

there is still a plethora of training available to them, 

DLA Energy officials said. The organization continues to offer traditional opportunities as well as a new 

training opportunity.

How can employees access training when travel 

and training budgets are tight? Skillsoft is the answer, said Pam Jaeger, DLA Energy’s training officer.

Skillsoft

Skillsoft is an e-learning system with more than 

3,000 courses available through a catalog search. 

Both the organization and individual employees find 

advantages to accessing Skillsoft training, Jaeger 

explained. Since DLA paid a flat fee for the training system, there is no charge to DLA Energy units 

when their employees take the training. Additionally, 

because it’s online, there are no travel costs and employees spend less time away from the office.

“For employees, it’s a great opportunity for those 

interested in improving their skills and expanding 

their knowledge. They can access a huge catalog of 

choices and pursue more training than might otherwise be available to them due to travel or budget 

constraints,” Jaeger explained.

“One of the smartest things DLA headquarters 

has done is make Skillsoft available to its employees,” 

Jaeger said.

To train through Skillsoft, an employee merely 

searches the catalog, identifies a desired course and 

submits a request to the supervisor for course approval.

Course offerings range from Quality Assurance 

and Quality Control to Pre-Retirement Planning 

for FERS [Federal Employee Retirement System], 

Preparing for the Behavioral Interview to Principles of 

Financial Management. DLA Energy employees can access the full catalog through the DLA Learning Management System. 

DLA Energy recently received kudos as one of the 

top Skillsoft users in DLA, according to Jaeger, who 

said she’d like to see employees make even better use of 

it.

Skillsoft training is so financially advantageous to 

DLA that, if a subject is available in the e-learning system, employees are required to complete the Skillsoft 

course before applying for any other training on the 

subject, Jaeger said.

“So, Skillsoft is the first step toward any training,” 

Jaeger stressed.

In-House

To access additional training, employees must 

provide justification as to how the training will benefit 

the employee and the agency. The process is familiar to 

most DLA Energy employees: meet with the supervisor 

to identify a requirement, create an Individual Development Plan and submit a request for training to the 

training office. The office executes the request, registers 

the employee or helps the supervisor find an appropriate vendor for on-site or off-site training if the training 

is not available through Skillsoft or in-house training. The training team also helps to ensure completed 

training is documented in employee records, Jaeger 

explained.

She said an enterprise working group is looking at 

the process for internal training request processing. 

Currently, there is an open season for IDPs. It’s a time 

for supervisors and employees to discuss training needs 

and desires and submit the IDP. “Then the organization looks at budgeting as well as combining training 

or training requests,” Jaeger said. “And, of course we 

ensure cost effectiveness by ensuring Skillsoft, other 

Knowledge quest

 Training office offers opportunities in austere climate
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 9

online training or in-house training has been used before facilitating outside training requests.” 

Jaeger highlighted several in-house training options, including a class on how to create an effective 

training plan. 

Behavioral Based Interviewing is another internal 

training focus. The instructor-led training involves an 

online prerequisite component and an on-site, oneday class. The course ensures supervisors are properly 

trained to interview perspective employees, Jaeger 

explained, and is a DLA requirement. She said two DLA 

Energy employees are trained to facilitate the course. 

The first offering was in February and a fourth was 

taught in April. All supervisors are encouraged to take 

the BBI course as a refresher if it has been more than 

one year since they attended last, Jaeger said.

Another key in-house training opportunity is the 

Tier II program. Led by DLA Training Center instructors, the course is designed for new supervisors. It 

covers Leadership Education and Development, BBI, 

applied human resources management and several 

leadership courses. New supervisors must complete 

two days of classroom instruction as well as 15 online 

modules to complete the program, Jaeger said.

Energy specific

Several energy-specific or DLA Energy-specific 

in-house courses are developed and taught by conBob Jarvis, standing, an instructor with Petroleum Management 

Consultants, listens to a student’s question during the April Defense Logistics Agency Energy Overview Course at Fort Belvoir, 

Va. Photo by Christopher Goulait.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

10 www.energy.dla.mil

tractor Petroleum Management Consultants subject 

matter experts.

“Our instructors have a combined 250 years of 

experience in all facets of DoD energy supply chain 

management,” said PMC president Mike Hooth. “And, 

we are constantly updating course materials to ensure 

students have the latest information.”

PMC instructors teach foundation courses like the 

DLA Energy Overview Course and the Energy Indoctrination Field Trip; specific courses for particular 

business units or commodity supply chains, such as 

Bulk Petroleum, Direct Delivery Fuels, DFSP Management, Natural Gas and Electricity; and specialized 

courses such as Small Business, Contract Policy, and 

Budget and Financial Management. PMC also provides 

Safety and Hazardous Materials training at specific 

defense fuel support points funded by DLA Energy. 

PMC offers Computer Based Training courses and can 

design and customize courses as needed, Hooth said.

PMC’s courses are primarily for DLA Energy employees. Some courses, such as the Overview Course 

and Computer Based Training, are also beneficial to 

DLA Energy customers, Hooth said.

Through DLA Energy’s DFSP Management, contractor Coggins International offers base-level training courses on fuel inventory and accounting. The 

Joint Business Systems Modernization-Energy Course 

teaches Fuels Manager Defense accounting, and the 

one-week Terminal Managers and Responsible Officers Course prepares new ROs to function in their new 

jobs, said Jerry Mohler of the DFSP Support Division. 

The RO course and an FMD Express Course are taught 

at field locations by request.

Mohler said each instructor has more than 14 years 

of experience with the programs.

Several DLA Energy subject matter experts provide training in quality control to representatives of 

the military services who require such knowledge in 

their permanent or temporary duty assignments. See 

a separate article on the J-20 Course in this issue for 

more information.

Military and competitive opportunities

The DLA Energy Military Personnel representative works with DLA’s Human Resources office to 

identify needs and fill quotas for all military training 

and professional education courses, Jaeger said. And, 

the training office coordinates with DLA to assemble 

nomination packages for a host of external training 

opportunities, such as the Harvard Executive Leadership Course, Leadership for a Democratic Society, 

the Marine Corps Logistics Education Program, the 

LOGTECH iMS Degree Program and others, Jaeger 

explained. The team also works with employees to 

process requests for tuition assistance for a variety of 

educational pursuits.

The DLA Energy training office is “the one-stopshop for training” said Jaeger, who encourages employees to contact the office with any training-related 

questions. “Contact me or your training coordinator – 

Sheila Johnson, Debbie Miller or Jaimie Ellis -Thompson; it’s our job to take care of you,” she urged. 

From the DLA Learning Management System, 

select Advanced Catalog Search from the Catalog Tab 

drop-down menu. 

Ensure all the search criteria boxes are set to Contains, and then type SKILLSOFT into the Source field. 

Click on a course name to view the course description. Click on Add to To-Do List if you want to take the 

course. 

Once a course is added to your To-Do List, it still 

requires one level of supervisory approval. Click on the 

Request Approval option that appears when you hover 

over the course name on the To-Do List. You can click 

on the (Show All) link next to the Supervisor information to see who the approval request will go to. Add a 

comment to the comment box to explain why you want 

to take the course and then click Submit. 

Your learning plan will show a status of Pending 

Approval. When the request has been approved, your 

Go To Content button will activate. Click to begin the 

course.

Accessing the Skillsoft catalog

and requesting a course
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 11

By Christopher Goulait

DLA Energy Public Affairs

Diversity of the workforce is a great asset for an 

organization seeking a unique variety of experience 

and viewpoints to handle any challenges it may face, 

and the Defense Logistics Agency Energy is no exception. Even when it’s not visible, diversity plays an 

important role in fostering an environment of quality 

warfighter support.

Recent figures from DLA’s Equal Employment 

Opportunity Operations Division reflect just some of 

the ways in which DLA Energy’s employees can draw 

upon differences in their own lives to contribute 

diverse perspectives to the mission. DLA collects data 

on age, ethnicity, disability status, veteran status, 

education, grade and job series. 

Figures show that the typical DLA Energy employee is most likely to be between the ages of 45 and 

49 years old, with the average age settling out to 45.7. 

More than half the workforce falls in the range of 45 

to 59 years old, while a quarter of the workforce is 

between 21 and 34 years old.

Employees also identify as a broad range of ethnicities. The majority of DLA Energy workers identify 

as Caucasian. But, the organization also has representation through employees identifying as African 

American, Hispanic, Asian, more than one ethnicity, 

Native American or Alaskan Native, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, in that order.

While most DLA Energy employees do not identify themselves as having a disability, there are a 

number of workers who represent a wide variety of 

different disability classifications.

The highest level of education achieved by employees also reflects a great diversity in the schooling 

the workforce possesses. More than half of employees have earned a high school diploma or Bachelor’s 

degree. Figures also reflect that workers outside of 

those areas represent a wide array of educational 

experience, all the way to several employees with 

doctorate degrees.

The data shows how DLA Energy’s workforce is 

different, but it’s important to note that these differences combine to shape the diversity and adaptability that allow DLA Energy to effectively support the 

warfighter.

On the following two pages, charts elaborate on 

the areas of age, disability, education and ethnicity. 

They serve as an introduction to the collection of factors strengthening the DLA Energy workforce.

DLA Energy shows its diversity
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

12 www.energy.dla.mil

Diversity

in 

DLA 

Energy
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 13

Graphics by

Christopher 

Goulait
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

14 www.energy.dla.mil

By Susan Declercq Brown

DLA Energy Public Affairs

Most Defense Logistics Agency Energy employees are 

familiar with the DLA Culture Survey. For them, the 

survey is an extensive series of questions and a pie 

chart of results briefed during a DLA Energy Town 

Hall meeting several months later. But what happens 

with the results once they reach the pie chart phase? 

Leadership and the workforce engage in strategizing and developing actionable plans to enhance the 

work culture, according to DLA Energy Deputy Commander Patrick Dulin, who said action plans were approved earlier this month.

“Employee responses to the survey and written 

comments were critical to developing action plans 

that will produce 

benefits for the workforce and the mission,” Dulin stressed. 

“And, members of the 

workforce at every 

level had significant 

input throughout the 

process of developing 

action plans at the DLA 

Energy-wide level and 

at the unit level,” he 

added. 

Why a culture survey?

The Denison Organizational Culture Survey, used by DLA since 

2002, is the result of 

more than 25 years of 

research examining the 

relationship between 

organizational culture 

Employees shape DLA Energy

future through Culture Survey

A comparison of Defense Logistics Agency 

Energy Culture Survey 

results shows improvement in every area in 

2010.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 15

and performance. The survey, which allows DLA to 

benchmark against leading public and private sector 

organizations, measures organizational culture in four 

general areas—adaptability, consistency, mission and 

involvement. Employees respond to a series of questions relating to all four areas and have an opportunity 

to provide written comments as well.

“There’s a lot of activity across DLA Energy to 

determine which areas to focus on and what steps our 

team can take to enhance the organization’s culture in 

those areas,” explained Dulin. “Employee responses 

are very important to us and help shape the future of 

DLA Energy through things like revised processes and 

improved communication, training and opportunities.”

DLA Energy’s approach

Mike Atkinson knows first-hand how the results 

are used to shape the future of DLA Energy. As one 

of DLA Energy’s two Culture Champions, Atkinson 

oversees the program. He is also an analyst in Internal Operations, part of DLA Energy’s Command 

Administration Support directorate.

There are two aspects to DLA Energy’s response 

to the most recent survey, explained Atkinson. The 

organization as a whole has developed an overall 

action plan to address issues that reach across all 

aspects of the organization. In addition, each region, 

business unit and office developed its own action 

plan to address issues highlighted by its own employees. Each action plan identifies two to three focus areas, generally those in which the organization or unit 

received the lowest scores, and several action ideas 

designed to enhance performance in those areas.

The goal is to reinforce high performance and 

Defense Logistics Agency Energy Culture Survey Champions 

Mike Atkinson, left, and Bertha Lopez consult with Bryan Adkins, 

president of Denison. Adkins was at Fort Belvoir, Va., in June to 

meet with representatives from DLA Energy units to hone unit 

culture action plans. Photo by Terry Shawn.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

16 www.energy.dla.mil

enhance performance in lower-scoring areas, Atkinson said.

As Denison discovered, some themes or indices 

can actually affect culture and progress across more 

than one of the four focal areas. In the most recent 

survey, the bulk of written comments, which are read 

only by the DLA Energy senior leaders, focused on 

communication and leadership, Atkinson explained. 

As a result, the overall plan incorporates actions specifically aimed at enhancing those areas as a means 

to strengthening its three areas of focus.

“That’s a pretty clear indication that comments 

were taken seriously by the senior leaders, and that 

the information shared by employees who took the 

time to write comments helped shape our plans,” 

Dulin said.

“We’re already a High-performing Organization,” 

Atkinson said, referring to the term Denison uses to 

define organizations that have scored well-enough to 

fill the first three rings in the Denison chart, a fourconcentric ring circle. “The 2010 survey showed improvement in all areas since the 2009 survey. And a 

marked improvement in the area of Creating Change 

took us over the top.” 

DLA Energy has filled half of the outer-most 

ring as well, and DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Alan 

Thompson expressed pride in DLA Energy’s progress.

The overall action plan

“But we’re not stagnating,” Dulin said. “We’ve 

chosen three areas to work at enhancing through 

our overall action plan,” said Dulin: —in the Mission 

quadrant – strategic direction and integration; in 

the Adaptability quadrant – creating change; and in 

the Consistency quadrant – coordination and integration. [See the box opposite for details about DLA 

Energy-wide action items to address these areas.]

Atkinson said Energy Convergence is one of the 

most significant transformational initiatives DLA 

Energy is advancing, and one all three focus areas address.

Unit action plans

The individual units have also drawn up action 

plans. In June, each unit was scheduled to meet for 

two hours with a representative from Denison who 

would help them refine the plans before final presentation to the DLA Energy commander this month. 

“But, don’t be fooled into thinking nothing’s 

going on but planning,” cautioned Atkinson. “Many 

plans are already being implemented,” he said. “And 

just sitting to talk about it, even if you haven’t chosen the area as a focal point or firmed up your action 

items, sensitizes people to the issues. Managers go 

back to their organizations and implement changes 

right away. Change can be reflected just by having 

leaders learn what others are doing to improve communication or transparency of goals and decision 

making,” Atkinson explained. “Change is well underway, even as the action plans are awaiting honing 

and approval.”

To get the units started, DLA Energy’s Culture 

Survey Champions suggested the planners consider 

a list of actions Denison said can successfully bring 

about improvement in the two or three areas of the 

survey the organization scored lowest in, said Bertha 

Lopez, chief of Internal Operations, in DLA Energy’s 

Command Administration Support directorate, and 

DLA Energy’s other Culture Champion.

Atkinson said the unit action plans are quite specific and extensive.

An example

The Pacific region, for instance, chose to address Creating Change and Team Orientation. Some 

specific action items include: working to address 

a perception of resistance by aggressively promoting change activities as they occur and early in the 

process; facilitating change discussions, following up 

to keep process owners and team members engaged 

in Lean Six Sigma progress and outcomes; reinvigorating the suggestion program; reviewing individual 

development plans to ensure clear link to goals and 

accountability for team performance; establishing 

focus groups to break down barriers and create appropriate team building opportunities; learning from 

other DLA Energy and DLA organizations and mimic 

success.

Lopez said employees interested in learning more 

about what their organization is doing to enhance the 

work culture can contact her or Atkinson. 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 17

How the DLA Energy Action Plan

aims to enhance organizational culture

The leadership identified three areas to focus

enhancement efforts and action items for each.

Strategic Direction and Intent 

The leadership decided to focus on communicating a clear, long-term plan with 

well-defined milestones. This would help 

target the organization’s transformational 

efforts on the initiatives necessary for 

DLA Energy to meet its evolving role in 

the Defense Department’s energy supply 

chains. Action items to accomplish this 

goal include reinforcing DLA’s mission, 

vision, values and strategic plan; defining DLA Energy’s evolving role through 

the commander’s business plan; aligning 

initiatives with the three focus areas highlighted in the DLA Director’s Guidance; 

and executing the recently developed 

DLA Energy communications plan.

Creating change 

“As DLA Energy’s role in the DoD energy 

supply chains evolves, we need to capitalize on existing organizational governance 

structures to efficiently affect change,” 

the senior leaders said. Actions to address 

that goal include using existing organizations such as the DLA Executive Board 

and the DLA Energy Executive Steering 

Group to enhance cooperation as DLA 

Energy platforms and processes transform. Implementing quick wins that highlight the positive aspects of the transformational change is another action item. 

Consistency, Coordination and Integration

“DLA Energy needs to improve crossfunctional interaction between business 

units in areas requiring coordination to 

ensure common business goals are met 

in a consistent and integrated manner,” 

the leadership noted. To accomplish this 

goal, DLA Energy established several 

action items focusing on enhanced communication: share information using 

existing forums such as periodic emails 

from the commander, town hall meetings, 

official notices, and wide distribution of 

staff meeting notes to keep employees 

informed about the coordinated efforts of 

leadership to support of initiatives in the 

business plan. Leaders hope to create a 

common understanding of key business 

issues by using multiple communication 

channels to share information and making goal setting and progress transparent 

to employees at every level. 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

18 www.energy.dla.mil

By Christopher Goulait

DLA Energy Public Affairs

Hiring the quality employees the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy relies on to carry out its mission 

sometimes depends on specialized hiring programs 

to find the right person for the job. Five such programs recruit support for the organization by employing uniquely-qualified individuals who may not 

otherwise have had the opportunity to work within 

DLA Energy.

They include the Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students and Recent Graduates, 

the Student Training and Employment Program, the 

Student Career Employment Program, the Intern 

Program and the Wounded Warriors Program.

“The programs allow DLA to reach various demographic sectors, such as students and veterans. 

Additionally, some of these programs provide opportunities for internships or short-term employment,” 

according to Jim Adase, a career management specialist for DLA Energy Manpower and Workforce Analysis. 

He noted that reaching out to a variety of demographic 

sectors brings diversity to the workforce, as well as 

providing the opportunity for those who take part in 

short-term employment to pursue long-term employment with DLA Energy. 

The WRP provides students and recent graduates with disabilities the opportunity to gain hands-on 

experience in the workforce. WRP students are often 

hired to complete special projects postponed due to 

time or lack of resources, assistance with permanent 

projects or to lend a hand when an office may be shortstaffed due to summer leave.

DLA has employed more than 600 WRP students 

Hiring programs support

diversity in workforce
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 19

since 1995, many of whom have been hired throughout 

the organization, according to Eric Spanbaurer, manager of the WRP for DLA. He explained that if there are 

any barriers to fully performing the duties caused by 

disability, the Equal Employment Opportunity office 

can assist with technology or adjustments needed to 

excel at the job. 

Two other student programs, the STEP and the 

SCEP, also bring unique opportunities to DLA Energy.

“The STEP provides valuable work experience 

for students,” Adase said. “This gives us the chance 

to introduce potential employees to DLA Energy and 

show them first-hand the careers we can offer.” Like 

the WRP, the STEP allows the organization to bring in 

students seasonally to assist with projects and gain an 

understanding of DLA Energy in a field that may not 

necessarily be related to their area of study.

SCEP students’ work and school experience directly relate to one another as they contribute to DLA 

Energy and continue seeking a related degree. This 

program provides students the possibility to convert 

non-competitively to term, career or career-conditional 

appointments after meeting set academic and work experience requirements. This allows recent graduates to 

seamlessly transition into the workforce after gaining 

the skills and experience needed to excel in the workplace. Additionally, the SCEP provides a clear path of 

advancement potential for participants.

“In practical terms, for instance, our influx of 

young talent is nurtured by our experienced employees 

while these employees learn modern skill sets from the 

younger generation, Adase explained. “Moreover, we 

are addressing the aging of the federal workforce by 

training the new generation of DLA Energy employees.”

The last two programs bring to DLA Energy individuals with valuable experience.

“The Intern Program can allow us to tap into expeJohn Slone, seated, right, works with his Defense Logistics Agency Finance – Energy team after being hired from the Workforce 

Development Program for Disabled College Students and Recent 

Graduates. Also pictured outside the McNamara Headquarters 

Complex, Fort Belvoir, Va., March 30 are Sloane’s team members. 

Seated beside Sloane are Jeffrey Howard and Toni Williams. 

Standing from the left are Peter Gordon and supervisor Craig 

Zeisloft. Photo by Christopher Goulait.

rienced professionals. We are able to use their proven 

skill sets and apply them to the positions we need to 

fill,” Adase said. Participants in the program train for 

two years on the job through cross-training, rotational assignments and formal training to advance to 

the journeyman level. Interested federal workers can 

apply on USAJOBS through the Merit Promotion Announcements, and those who are not currently with 

the federal government can apply directly through 

the Pathways Recent Graduate internship program.

Adase also highlights the importance of the 

Wounded Warriors program. It not only brings experienced applicants to DLA Energy, recruiting the 

nation’s wounded warriors gives the organization a 

chance to provide hope and some semblance of normality for a number of our service men and women. 

“We go to the military installations around here, 

and we give assistance, where we give the soldier an 

edge on their way out the door as they’re converting 

from military to civilian life. We do a mock interview 

for each individual, and we give them pointers on 

what they need to do when they do apply for a federal 

job,” explained Larry Morris, also a career management specialist for DLA Energy Manpower and 

Workforce Analysis.

“These programs have remained consistent,” 

Adase said. “However, the outreach for them has 

increased. For example, both federal and state agencies now sponsor career fairs for veterans. Similarly, 

women’s professional groups and state governments 

have sponsored recruiting events for women.”

“Value added to DLA comes through the diversity 

of its workforce,” Adase continued. “The programs 

provide different avenues to reach that diversity 

through events such as targeted career fairs.”

“We are able to identify some outstanding candidates for the positions we’re filling, and we’re able 

to inform them of the opportunities for them in our 

employment fields, and how to go about applying for 

them,” Morris added.

“A particular group of people alone does not 

bring benefits to DLA. The benefits arise when all 

groups are adequately represented in the DLA workforce,” according to Adase.

More information about DLA and DLA Energy’s 

hiring programs can be found at http://www.hr.dla.

mil/prospective. 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

20 www.energy.dla.mil

Christopher Goulait, a participant 

in the Pathways Intern Program, 

takes a photograph to accompany 

an article for Energy Source. He is 

a public affairs specialist. Photo by 

Terry Shawn. 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 21

By Terry Shawn

DLA Energy Public Affairs

One of the most effective tools available to the Defense Logistics Agency Energy to improve mission 

performance through workforce development is the 

intern program. The organization’s internship programs have recently undergone changes as a result 

of a December executive order. DLA Energy employs 

two of the three authorized internship programs 

available under the order, signed by President Barack 

Obama. 

“To compete effectively for students and recent 

graduates, the federal government must improve its 

recruiting efforts; offer clear paths to federal internships for students from high school through postgraduate school; offer clear paths to civil service 

careers for recent graduates; and provide meaningful 

training, mentoring and career-development opportunities,” Obama said .

DLA Energy uses the Pathways Recent Graduate 

internship program, formerly known as Federal Career Intern Program or FCIP, and the Student Career 

Experience Program or SCEP.

Two DLA Energy organizations oversee all interns. DLA Energy’s Acquisition Workforce Development and Intern Center oversees all acquisition 

interns. And, Manpower and Workforce Analysis 

oversees the rest.

As of May, there were a total of 56 interns working in acquisition career fields including contracting 

(1102 series), supply (2000 series) and quality assurance (1900 series) at DLA Energy in the Pathways 

Recent Graduate Program. Another 23 individuals 

participate in the Pathways Intern Program in acquisition career fields including contracting and supply, 

said Kate Straub-Jones, procurement analyst with 

DLA Energy’s Acquisition Workforce Development 

and Intern Center. 

“We monitor the interns in the non-acquisition 

series such as chemists (1300 series), economists 

(100 series), and financial management (500 series), 

to cite a few examples,” said Eric Jensen, program 

manager with DLA Energy Manpower and Workforce. “Manpower and Workforce Analysis currently 

monitors the work of 23 Pathway Interns between 

our office and that of DLA Finance Energy.”

The highest concentration of interns is in the 

contracting series. Business units within DLA Energy 

that deal with contracting supplies and or services—Installation Energy, Bulk Petroleum, Energy 

Enterprise, Aerospace Energy and Direct Delivery 

Fuels—represent the majority of the interns currently 

working in the organization, Straub-Jones said.

Stephen Glass, a contracting specialist in the 

pathways to rewarding careers

Intern programs: 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

22 www.energy.dla.mil

By Susan Declercq Brown

DLA Energy Public Affairs

Defense Logistics Agency Energy employees worldwide are seeking acquisition professional certification 

in record numbers this year, according to certification 

program records managers. 

The Department of Defense established a professional certification program for the acquisition workforce following the Defense Acquisition Workforce 

Improvement Act of 1990 and subsequent amendments. The program established education and training 

standards, requirements and courses for the civilian 

and military workforce.

 Civilian positions and military billets in the acquisition system have acquisition duties that fall into 14 

career fields. In DLA Energy, certification seekers generally fall into the Contracting or Production, Quality 

and Manufacturing career fields. For each career field, 

certification is available at three levels: Level I Basic or 

Entry (General Schedule grades 5-8), Level II Intermediate or Journeyman (GS 9-12) and Level III Advanced 

or Senior (GS 13 and above). 

“All of our quality assurance representatives are required to be certified at Level II and most have achieved 

it; the rest are working toward it,” said quality specialist Jim Fair, who manages DLA Energy’s program for 

PQ&M certification. Fair, who works in the Quality 

Technical Support office, reviews certification packages 

for completion, obtains certificates for those who complete the process, and maintains a copy of all PQ&M 

certification packages submitted by DLA Energy’s 

regional quality managers.

“Our program has just exploded,” said Contracting 

certification records manager Kate Straub-Jones, referring to the number of certificates awarded each year 

since 2006.

In that year, just 12 DLA Energy contracting specialists earned a certification. By 2009, 70 employees 

earned a new certification. Last year, 109 were certified 

at some level. “And in the first three months of 2011, 

29 employees have already earned a new certification,” 

she said. “That kind of growth in just a few years is 

astounding.”

natural gas division of DLA Energy’s Instal

lation Energy, completed the two-year DLA 

- DAWIA soaring

corporate intern program in February. Before applying for the program, he was an Air 

Reserve technician maintaining jet engines 

on the B-52H Stratofortress bomber. His 

responsibilities included training reservists in 

aircraft engine maintenance during their drill 

weekends or annual Air Force Reserve tours. 

He recalls the advice he heard, but did not act 

on when he first began his career as an ART.

“The older guys would tell me, ‘You can’t 

do this kind of stuff forever,’” he said.

“Twelve years into it and realizing that I 

wasn’t getting any younger, I caught myself 

telling the younger guys the same things the 

guys before me told me. Go figure,” he recalled.

After an Air Force master sergeant transferred into Glass’ squadron spoke about his 

civilian job, Glass and a coworker decided to 

apply for the intern program.

Glass said his program went by quickly 

and was well worth the time.

“There is so much to do in the contracting 

career field. There is such a broad spectrum 

and so many opportunities available, not to 

mention I don’t have to be outside in the elements all day,” he said. “I am still reminded of 

the good old days because I work on KC-135s 

now as a reservist.” 

During a welcoming event, DLA Energy 

Deputy Commander Patrick Dulin reminded 

a group of interns earlier this year of their 

importance to the DLA Energy mission.

“I cannot over-emphasize the importance 

of DLA Energy to the warfighter in its role 

as part of America’s largest combat support 

agency, the Defense Logistics Agency,” Dulin 

said.

“As part of the DLA Energy team, you are 

absolutely vital to current and future men 

and women in uniform... and to the country,” 

Dulin told the gathering. 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 23

Straub-Jones said there 

may be many reasons for the 

surge in certification. Over the 

years, communication about the 

programs has improved, and 

new employees seem to exhibit a spirit of competition 

to see who can achieve certification first, she said. “In 

addition, we’ve hired a lot of interns in the past few 

years, and while DAWIA certification is not part of their 

internship requirements, all required training is. That 

leads to submitting certificate requests,” she explained.

“Most importantly, I think employees recognize the 

value of the knowledge gained through the process and 

the certification itself,” Straub-Jones added.

Fair said the quality assurance workforce consistently pursues professional enrichment.

“Our personnel not only have mandatory training 

every year, but they seek out a lot of additional training 

– including new levels of certification and training with 

industry. I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t do that,” 

he said.

Fair said new QARs are required to obtain Level II 

certification within the first 24 months of employment, 

and most achieve it much sooner than that.

“Our quality managers stay on top of it to ensure all 

our personnel are trained and certified, he said. “In our 

business, especially when many of our QARs fly solo, 

we can’t have anyone second guessing our people. So, 

we take the lead and ensure our people are trained and 

certified.”

“Our commodities can affect safety or the environment, as well as mission success, so we have to stay on 

top of it. The warfighters rely on our QARs to be proficient in their PQ&M role,” Fair said, explaining how the 

certifications benefit DLA Energy and the warfighter.

Straub-Jones echoed the importance of the certification to the organization. “When employees are certified, DLA Energy supervisors can be assured the individual has the core training involved.” And, certification 

also “levels the playing field,” she said, explaining that 

because employees all have the requisite knowledge and 

vocabulary, “a lot less time needs to be spent on explaining things or bringing co-workers up to speed.”

Employees benefit as well, Straub-Jones said, because they are highly marketable and competitive for 

advancement. “Everyone knows they know their stuff,” 

she explained.

Straub-Jones said DLA Energy has volunteered 

to serve as DLA’s test bed for two DAWIA-related 

projects. The first will reconcile position certification 

requirements with the incumbent’s certification level. 

The second will evaluate how certification levels are recorded in the Defense Civilian Personnel Data Systems, 

she said.

“DLA Energy is always looking for ways to enhance 

the DAWIA certification programs for our workforce,” 

Straub-Jones said. 

Five of the Defense Logistics Agency 

Energy’s newest employees to earn 

Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act Level II certification 

for contracting receive accolades 

from DLA Energy Deputy Commander 

Patrick Dulin, center. DLA Energy 

Acquisition Policy and Oversight Office Director Gabby Earhardt, far left, 

also praised the employees during 

a ceremony at Fort Belvoir, Va., April 

28. Starting second from the left, 

recipients include Stephen Glass, Installation Energy; Sabrina Holland and 

Tonya Sterling, Direct Delivery Fuels; 

and Wilma McDonald and Wing Wong, 

Bulk Petroleum. Photo by Christopher 

Goulait.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

24 www.energy.dla.mil

By Terry Shawn

DLA Energy Public Affairs

Though not as gaudy as the championship, rhinestone-studded belt awarded to the last man standing after a heavyweight title bout, a Lean Six Sigma 

Green and Black Belt certification at the Defense Logistics Agency Energy is a still a highly-coveted prize. 

The certification is valuable both to the hard-working 

individuals who dedicated themselves to the training 

and certification process, and to DLA Energy leaders 

who value the expertise that will help to shape the 

organization to enhance warfighter support.

These individuals are trained and certified as 

experts in leading continuous process improvement 

events under the organization’s LSS program, explained Caitlin O’Leary, chief of the CPI Program 

Office.

“Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our 

business processes that support our mission is the 

goal of CPI,” said O’Leary. 

Lean Six Sigma is a systematic, structured approach to improving business efficiency and effectiveness, which combines benefits from two distinct, 

yet complementary, methodologies. Lean improves 

the process by removing waste or non-value-added 

steps, streamlining operations. Six Sigma, which is 

more data-driven, reduces and eliminates variation 

in a process with the intent to eliminate defects. 

To become a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, candidates attend a five-day course to learn basic LSS 

and continuous process improvement concepts and 

tools. The class equips students with the skills and 

techniques necessary to effectively lead small-scale 

process improvement initiatives within their functional area, O’Leary explained. But it is not the end of 

the training.

“As part of the certification process, candidates 

must also complete a Green Belt project, maintain 

project documentation in the ‘CPI Administrative Project and Event Repository’ known as the 

CAPER database, complete an overview of what 

transpired during each phase of the project, 

and provide a project summary,” explained 

Irene Lelansky, DLA Energy Lean Six 

Sigma analyst. 

“The individual then prepares 

the certification package in accordance with DLA policy and 

submits it for review,” Lelansky 

said. 

Currently, only five of 

the 103 employees who 

completed Green Belt 

training have earned 

certification.

The process for 

becoming an LSS 

Black Belt is a bit 

more involved 

and spans a 

five-month 

period. 

Throughout this 

intense 

and 

challenging 

curriculum, 

candidates 

are exposed to 

more advanced 

Coveted ‘belts’

shape future of DLA Energy
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 25

statistical and analytical process improvement 

tools, O’Leary explained. The goal is to 

develop CPI leaders who have the experience and advanced skills to lead large-scale and 

often cross-organizational process improvement 

projects. These individuals not only lead process improvement efforts, they also mentor and coach Green 

Belts. 

Currently DLA Energy has three Black Belts.

Black Belt candidates must successfully complete 200 hours of classroom training, pass the final 

exam, and facilitate two Black Belt-level projects that 

demonstrate a solid understanding of the DMAIC 

methodology. DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, 

Analyze, Improve and Control, five steps in the LSS 

process, Lelansky explained. Once the core requirements are met, the certification package can be prepared and submitted for approval. 

“We will be relying on the knowledge and expertise of our Green Belts and Black Belts to pave 

the way toward more effective and efficient energy 

solutions,” O’Leary said. “The commitment of these 

change agents will be critical to the successful impleIrene Lelansky, Defense Logistics Agency Energy Lean Six Sigma 

analyst, leads a discussion concerning the process of ordering 

supplies during an April Lean Six Sigma event at Fort Belvoir, Va. 

The continuous process improvement event was held to shorten, 

streamline and improve the efficiency of ordering supplies for all 

of DLA Energy. Photo by Terry Shawn.

mentation of Lean Six 

Sigma at DLA Energy.” 

“Our workforce is 

our most important asset. 

By continuing to train and 

certify these individuals, we create a constant flow of practitioners 

who can implement continuous process improvement, a Defense Department 

priority,” explained DLA Energy Deputy Commander 

Patrick Dulin.

“Through LSS, we enhance our ability to efficiently 

and effectively support the warfighter,” Dulin said. 

Graphic by Susan 

 Declercq Brown
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

26 www.energy.dla.mil

By Christopher Goulait

DLA Energy Public Affairs

Wisdom must be earned with experience, but 

what some employees lack in experience they make 

up for in ambition and eagerness to learn. These 

workers are taking control of their future by signing 

up to be part of a partnership through the Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy Mentor/Protégé program.

“The program is designed to create a supportive 

environment to transfer knowledge from one individual to another and enhance the culture of continuous 

learning and growth where people can live and work 

to their full potential. Mentors will experience the 

personal satisfaction of ‘giving back’ to the organization and passing along their legacy,” Trista Holmberg 

said. She is the mentoring program coordinator with 

DLA Energy’s Manpower and Workforce Analysis 

office.

Holmberg explained that, simply put, mentoring 

is about helping people grow and develop by transferring knowledge from one individual to another. 

She continued, saying mentors assist their protégés 

by empowering them to trust their abilities, make the 

best choices and take charge of their own careers.

“Mentor/protégé partnerships provide the support needed to inspire protégé confidence in the 

workplace,” Holmberg said. “Building up core skills 

and cross-organizational communication in an open 

environment through mentor/protégé teams is a 

great way to develop well-rounded employees.”

“A solid understanding of the organizational culture and access to hard-earned wisdom are just the 

surface benefits of the program. Mentors and protégés can find themselves in lasting partnerships based 

on mutual respect and shared knowledge,” Holmberg 

said.

At the McNamara Headquarters Complex, Fort 

Belvoir, Va.

One team in particular feels that even though 

they’ve only been working together for a relatively 

short time, they have set the foundation for a potentially long-lasting partnership. Mentor Tammie 

Morris, procurement analyst in the Acquisition 

Policy and Oversight office, and protégé Clare Sanchez, 

contract specialist for the Installation Energy business 

unit, began their mentor/protégé relationship in the 

fall of 2010 when the program officially began the pairing process.

“We were on the top of each others’ lists, so we’re 

really lucky to have been able to be matched together,” 

Sanchez said. She explained the pairing process as a 

sort of “speed dating” combined with reviews of online 

biographies to narrow down ideal mentor/protégé 

pairs. “While we were able to select our top five choices, DLA Energy’s Manpower and Workforce Analysis 

office and the Mentoring Connection approved the 

Mentorship spreads knowledge 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 27

final pairing.”

Morris described the pair’s regular biweekly meetings as a part of the interaction. At those meetings, both 

bring an agenda of goals and discuss ideas and avenues 

to best meet those goals. However, the support goes 

beyond that. The pair has an open door policy to discuss anything that may come up between meetings in a 

casual environment.

“We’re there for each other,” Morris said. “By being 

a mentor in the Mentor/Protégé program, I feel as if I’m 

giving back to the organization. I enjoy helping others 

learn, grow and excel both personally and professionally. My goal is to help them learn as much as they can 

about the organization and the mission—like how 

to navigate the organization, how to move up in the 

career field they’ve chosen, and help them acquire 

avenues and networking opportunities.”

“She has been really helpful with expanding my 

network within the organization, or helping me map 

out different ways to find information. It’s actually been really helpful because I’m training to be 

a contract specialist, and she’s trained in policy, so 

she has a lot of feedback for things that I may not 

have known or picked up on immediately,” Sanchez 

explained. 

“Also, the partnership has been amazing for 

things as simple as getting my building badge renewed, with her being able to set me up with the 

contacts I need to work through any holdups in the 

process,” Sanchez continued. “Small things like 

that add to the overall ease and transition as a new 

government employee and have been a real benefit 

to me.”

Learning through the program isn’t limited to 

the protégé, according to Morris, describing the 

process as a two-way street. In helping her protégé, 

Morris also has the benefit of seeing the organization 

through fresh eyes. The perspective of someone in 

another part of the organization and with a different 

take on office culture is an eye-opener.

“What I’ve learned the most from this mentoring 

experience is understanding of the barriers experienced at lower levels of the organization; specifically, seeing the struggles of our younger workforce 

and their issues coming into the government for the 

first time, and the potential issues within their own 

office setting,” Morris explained. “I see obstacles and 

barriers, things that they don’t know about, or that 

they might not have experience with, which makes it 

 across small and large divides

Mentor Tammie Morris, right, Acquisition Policy and Oversight, and protégé Clare Sanchez, Installation Energy, meet 

after an introduction to an aspect of the Defense Logistics 

Agency Sanchez wanted to learn more about. Morris arranged 

this April 18 meeting in the McNamara Headquarters Complex, Fort Belvoir, Va., as a part of her mentoring role in the 

DLA Energy Mentor/Protégé program.

Continued on page 33.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

28 www.energy.dla.mil

Photos and article by Christina E. Wood

Bulk Petroleum Business Unit

Thirty-five new Defense Logistics Agency Energy employees participated in the semi-annual Indoctrination Trip in April. The field 

trip, designed and led for DLA Energy by representatives from Petroleum Management Consultants, brings new employees face-toface with operational fuel facilities and processes to improve their 

understanding of how the organization and each employee fits into 

the energy supply chain.

Participants visited several Virginia energy sites, including 

Fort Lee’s Petroleum and Water Department of the Quartermaster 

School, flight lines at Langley Air Force Base, Naval Amphibious 

Base Little Creek, Defense Fuel Support Points Craney Island and 

Yorktown, and the U.S. Navy’s roll-on/roll-off ship USNS Watkins. 

The Petroleum and Water Department is part of a very extensive school where service members and civilians from all military 

services come to train. Marshall Jones, director of the PWD explained the basic mission—to provide each student with the skills 

necessary to be mission-ready. Instructors emphasize the mobility 

of modern warfighters and the need to keep the force constantly 

supplied with fuel. The group toured the facility and got a firsthand look at the Quartermaster School, including two laboratories 

used to train students to test and monitor fuel quality. In addition, 

a tabletop demonstration illustrated pipeline movements. 

“I found the scaled down petroleum pipeline demonstration 

given at Fort Lee to be the most informative,” said new employee, 

Donette Lowe. “It helped illustrate how DLA Energy’s major commodity makes its way from refineries to the end user.” 

The group also examined a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical 

Truck, used to test and monitor fuel quality on the battlefield. 

At Langley Air Force Base, the group toured facilities and observed the tank trucks used to transport jet aviation fuel. Airmen 

demonstrated how the trucks operate and how fuels are loaded 

and unloaded. This gave participants insight into the logistics involved with the bulk petroleum process. A walking tour concluded 

with the nearby storage tanks that hold Langley’s fuel supply . 

The next day started at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek’s 

natural gas heating plant. Everyone toured the facility, and after 

a briefing on plant operations, they looked into a steam chamber 

New employees

praise field trip

 Above: Loading arms on the Defense Fuel 

Support Point Craney Island, Va., pier are used to 

transfer fuel from vessels to pipelines.

 Opposite top: Storage tanks at the DFSP Craney 

Island, Va., terminal.

 Opposite right: New employees, from the left, 

Shandra Herrod, Carrie Boeding, Callie Lake, Christina Wood and Amanda Musick participate in the 

April indoctrination trip. The three-day field trip 

is a semi-annual part of DLA Energy’s workforce 

development programs. 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 29

to see the steam created by the plant. This plant is 

supplied with natural gas procured by DLA Energy. 

It heats water to steam that is used to power docked 

ships and provide heat for on-base housing. 

At DFSP Craney Island, Terminal Manager Bill 

Campbell spoke on Craney Island’s role in the bulk 

petroleum supply chain and how its facility receives, 

stores and issues on-specification petroleum products. 

Campbell said Craney Island moves the most volume 

of any Defense Department terminal in the continental U.S. They receive and issue marine jet fuel, JP5, 

and bunker fuel, F76, and participate in a Fuel Oil 

Reclaimed program. The group also walked down to 

the loading docks, where fuel is unloaded from tankers 

and barges. 

Representatives from service contractor LB&B 

demonstrated how they use loading arms at the pier 

to discharge fuel from ships into pipelines that transport fuel into the storage 

tanks. Other area bulk 

terminals include DFSPs 

Sewells Point and Yorktown.

After Craney Island, 

the tour continued to 

a pier adjacent to Naval Station Norfolk in 

order to tour Military 

Sealift Command USNA 

Watkins. The first mate 

escorted the group to the 

cargo area, deck, galley, 

sleeping quarters and the 

bridge, while explaining 

everyday operations. He 

said the ship is used to 

transport military equipment to and from battlefields. 

New employee Callie Lake 

said the ship tour provided 

insights into vessels that 

consume the fuel procured by 

DLA Energy and also expanded “our knowledge of some 

of the other logistics involved 

in supplying our military the 

equipment it needs in the 

field.” 

The last stop on the trip was DFSP Yorktown, home to 

the last underground storage tanks in the United States. 

DFSP Yorktown handles JP8 jet aviation fuel supplied 

by pipeline from the Colonial Pipeline. After visiting the 

tanks, the group went to a U.S. Coast Guard pier where 

fuel from DFSP Yorktown is loaded into barges and tankers. Loading arms are used to attach to the vessels in order to fill them with fuel, a briefer explained. Once that is 

complete, the ships are sent down the coastline to supply 

fuel to other DFSPs. 

The trip helped new employees make a better connection to the importance of their work, said attendee Abril 

Tavares. “The DLA Energy indoctrination trip was like being able to put a face with a name,” she explained. “I see 

the names through my computer screen every day, and 

the face of the energy business is the DFSP’s, pipelines 

and service members out in the field.” 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

30 www.energy.dla.mil

Jim Fair, a Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy quality assurance representative, teaches a 

J-20 course in May. 

J-20:
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 31

Air Force Master Sgt. Michael J. MacLean

DLA Energy Quality and Technical Support

It is 1 a.m. on a frigid winter night. The quality assurance representative steps out of a refinery’s pump 

control room into the wind that is screaming across the 

harbor. In front of him sits a massive tanker moored 

alongside the dock, keeping time with the swelling tide. 

Fuel samples have to be taken; tanks must be gauged, or 

measured; and shipping documents need to be certified. The QAR dons a hard hat and begins the trek up 

the dock to the gangway, knowing there are 36 hours 

of work ahead. Such is the life of a Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy QAR.

A DLA Energy-taught course prepares QARs for this 

demanding job.

DLA Energy employs 107 QARs worldwide. QARs 

are charged with ensuring all products and services 

purchased by DLA Energy meet specified requirements. 

They witness production and handling procedures, and 

they verify the contractor’s performance is in accordance 

with contract terms and conditions. The QAR stands 

ready around the clock to carry out quality assurance 

and surveillance of government-purchased product 

wherever and whenever it will be loaded or delivered. 

The QAR is vital to the Department of Defense’s energy acquisition and delivery. A demanding and rewarding job, it offers a sense of accomplishment, camaraderie and pride rarely evident in other career fields.

DLA Energy QARs typically have a wealth of knowledge across the entire petroleum field. So, when an 

expert is needed to troubleshoot a problem—be it a quality, quantity or operational problem—the QAR is usually the first person sent in. This level of knowledge and 

know-how does not come from happenstance. It comes 

from years of technical training and experience. 

DLA QAR training

The journey to becoming a qualified DLA Energy 

QAR begins with DLA Energy’s J-20 Petroleum Quality 

Assurance Course. The fundamental course for entrylevel QARs provides a building block for future education in the petroleum quality assurance career field.

The DLA Energy Quality Operations Division of the 

Quality Technical Support Office conducts approximately 14 J-20 courses a year for about 200 students 

from stateside and overseas bases. The course is 

primarily taught at Fort Lee, Va., in coordination with 

the Army’s Quartermaster School, Petroleum and 

Water Division. 

J-20 places students in a QAR environment for 

two weeks, providing classroom instruction and 

hands-on field training. Students learn about the 

acquisition process as it pertains to QARs. They learn 

how to read contracts, what regulations apply, what 

military and federal fuel specifications apply, and 

numerous other quality assurance procedures crucial 

to acceptance of all DLA Energy-procured products 

and services. 

Once they have completed a specific block of 

instruction, students have the opportunity to practice 

what they have learned. Making use of Fort Lee’s fuel 

tank farm, students gauge tanks for fuel levels, obtain 

samples from the fuel tanks, and fill/receive fuel with 

rail tank cars, tank trucks, and other delivery conveyances. 

The J-20 course is not just for QARs entering the 

petroleum career field.

Condensed course offers glimpse

DLA Energy teaches a condensed, one-week J-20 

class for newly assigned contracting personnel and 

other interested employees. The class is held at Fort 

Belvoir, Va., in the building housing DLA headquarters and DLA Energy headquarters. A maximum of 10 

students attend. 

The condensed J-20 affords employees without a 

petroleum background some insight into the petroleum industry. It provides an overview of the functions of QARs in the field and an understanding of 

how contract inspection requirements are assigned 

and performed. It is simply an overview, not intended 

to be operationally detailed. It gives contracting personnel and new employees a thumbnail sketch of a 

QAR’s role in the acquisition process. This condensed 

Become QAR or catch a glimpse
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

32 www.energy.dla.mil

class illustrates how QARs conduct the inspection 

function delegated by the contracting officer and how 

QARs can be used to make informed decisions regarding contract quality concerns.

Refreshing deploying troops

DLA Energy offers another version of the J-20 

course for deploying reserve units. The course provides 

refresher training for reservists deploying in the fuels 

career field. This training is tailored for fuel operations 

and provides knowledge required to conduct quality 

surveillance while performing military operations in a 

tactical environment. The course is condensed to one 

week and is much more operationally-focused than 

the version provided to contracting personnel and new 

employees. Topics covered include proper methods 

for quantity and quality determination, receiving and 

handling procedures and minimum day-to-day quality 

surveillance measures. 

Deploying students also learn how to detect potential fraud, such as fuel theft in the deployed area of responsibility. The fraud training is essential as it’s often 

the students’ initial exposure to guidance that better 

equips them to monitor the integrity of fuel shipments 

entering their area of responsibility. Students learn to 

detect different methods that people can use to hide, 

steal or fraudulently document fuel deliveries. 

There are typically eight to ten students per class, 

and the course is conducted upon request at the reserve unit’s home station. DoD travel expenses are 

minimized by taking the class to the students rather 

than having all the students travel to training.

Hitting the road

In another cost saving measure, DLA Energy will 

soon be taking the J-20 course on the road to Europe 

and the Pacific. With a large contingent of DLA Energy 

QARs stationed throughout the overseas regions, it 

makes sense from an economical standpoint to bring 

the course to the regions rather than sending the QARs 

to the course. 

The plan is to conduct a class in Europe this year, 

with the Pacific receiving a class sometime in 2012. 

DLA Energy’s Quality Operations Division has been 

coordinating the logistical details of the upcoming class 

with representatives at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, 

and the DLA Energy fuels laboratory in Kaiserslautern, 

Germany. 

“The vision is to create the same level of instruction in the Europe and Pacific training sessions that 

students would have received at Fort Lee,” said Dan 

Jennings, deputy director of the Quality Technical Support Office. “The excitement over bringing the course to 

Europe can be measured by how quickly the class filled 

up. Within two weeks of being announced, the course 

was filled to maximum capacity with 21 students,” he 

added.

Instructor experience fuels success

All three courses offered by DLA Energy take great 

coordination and planning. This is accomplished by 

four quality assurance professionals who perform the 

training mission as an additional duty to their regular jobs. Jim Fair is the J-20 course coordinator and 

primary instructor. Wayne Holland, Scott Artrip, and 

Mike Young are also instructors. All are certified QARs 

with nearly 100 years of experience in the petroleum 

field between them. They apply that wealth of technical 

expertise, field experience and operational knowledge 

to educate new QARs. 

Their breadth of experience adds a real world 

atmosphere to the hands-on training students receive. 

Whether loading an ocean going vessel from fuel shore 

tanks or receiving fuel from a rail car, students learn 

the proper operational and quality surveillance procedures and how to react to a situation when the inevitable quality or operational problem surfaces. These 

instructors form the backbone of the J-20 course, and 

the four of them ensure fully trained, qualified and 

competent QARs represent DLA Energy professionally 

in the field. 

“The DLA Energy Quality Operations Division 

provides a unique and invaluable service through 

J-20 Petroleum Quality Assurance Courses,” said Pam 

Serino, director of the Quality Technical Support Office. 

“The course produces qualified QARs, ready to apply 

the skills and knowledge learned to real-world application in the field. And, it builds a strong foundation for 

petroleum quality assurance and support to the Department of Defense.”

Summing up the importance of the J20 course, Fair 

said, “The training we give to the new QARs is our future in the quality arena, and that future must continue 

to provide DoD warfighters the products and services 

they need to defend this great nation.” 
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 33

harder to be successful in their own offices.”

Around the world

Some partnerships can successfully transfer 

knowledge despite potentially difficult distances. 

Mentor Ronald Black, DLA Energy Middle East 

deputy director, and protégé Shandra Herrod, 

contract specialist in DLA Energy’s Bulk Petroleum business unit, have several time zones 

between them most of the time. However, they 

still enjoy regular mentoring sessions, even with 

additional logistics to overcome.

“Since we are geographically challenged, 

we meet via telecom with Shandra setting up 

the meetings. It works well,” Black said. “We 

exchange emails at will and have a free-flow of 

information as needed.”

“Since Ron is located in the Middle East 

and I am at the headquarters complex, we meet 

bi-weekly, or as needed, via conference call. Ron 

is open and always makes time to meet or email 

me,” Herrod explained. “The calls range from 30 

to 90 minutes and are always engaging. There is 

never a silent or dull moment.”

“Shandra and I typically discuss our careers 

and what our aspirations are, as well as what she 

is currently working on. We also explore what 

professional development opportunities we have 

between us, for example, what each of us has to 

offer in the way of experience to share with the 

other to enhance our understanding or broaden 

our interests,” explained Black. Herrod echoed 

these sentiments, describing meaningful meetings where career-enhancing topics like development and tasks can go hand-in-hand with 

personal growth subjects such as literature and 

current events.

“The program has provided me the opportunity to make connections outside of my division. 

I have a better understanding about DLA Energy’s overall mission and the people who work 

hard to accomplish it,” Herrod said. “With Ron 

located in the Middle East, I have learned how 

my contracting team’s work is put into action.”

“Ron is extremely knowledgeable, which 

makes me feel comfortable discussing just about 

any topic,” Herrod said. “The mentoring tasks 

that Ron assigns are exciting and purposeful.”

As with any mentor and protégé pairing, 

the learning isn’t limited to the protégé. Black 

described a key benefit for him as improving his 

communication and collaboration skills. He also 

noted the importance of the new skills learned 

through using the webinars and software the 

mentoring program uses to encourage dynamic 

interaction.

“There is not a day that goes by that I don’t 

learn something new. I truly understand that the 

older I get the more I learn and the less I know 

because I realize how much there is to know. 

Shandra reveals something new to me each 

time we meet,” Black said. He also spoke of the 

importance of relating to the next generation 

of warfighter support. “Shandra represents it. 

She personifies it for me, and that calms me and 

reassures me that we have a succession plan that 

is viable.”

Black and Herrod celebrated their partnership face to face in a recent meeting.

“The most memorable experience so far 

was meeting Ron in person after talking on the 

phone for months. It was like meeting a celebrity,” Herrod explained.

“The phone discussions have been great, and 

I truly enjoy them,” said Black, “but to see Shandra and talk to her in person is truly a pleasure. 

“She had such energy as she tried to fit in all that 

she wanted to say to me and show me in the brief 

moments we had.” 

... Mentorship

spans divides ...

Continued from page 27 .
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

34 www.energy.dla.mil

Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s Chuck Pope is a 

military man from a military family, so when the DLA 

Energy Middle East region was projecting a critical 

shortfall in manning in fiscal 2009, Pope heeded the call 

to duty. 

Pope, a retired Air Force reservist now serving 

as chief of the Retail Support Branch of DLA Energy 

Finance, joined the ranks of civilian volunteers DLA 

Energy Middle East relies on for timely expertise. 

“All of our volunteers have had a huge impact,” 

said Army Col. Tom Kelly, commander of DLA Energy 

Middle East, describing the importance of volunteers 

to supporting the warfighter in the region. “And, Chuck 

Pope is one civilian volunteer who really made a huge 

contribution,” he 

continued. 

Pope said the experience was invaluable, allowing him to 

bring critical perspective and knowledge 

back to his stateside 

role in supporting the 

warfighter’s energy 

needs.

In late 2008, 

leadership in the 

DLA Energy Middle 

East office projected 

a manning shortfall for the critical 

Bagram Air Base, 

Afghanistan, liaison 

billet. The position 

is normally filled by 

a major deployed for 

six-months. However, 

the officer projected 

to rotate into the 

position would not 

be deploying after all. 

The DLA Energy Middle East commander 

arranged for the 

incumbent to extend 

for three months and 

then began searching 

for a volunteer with the required experience and expertise to deploy for the final three months of the six-month 

tour.

“My belief in duty to country is one of the main 

reasons I volunteered to go to Afghanistan,” Pope explained. He said his father retired from the Army after 

serving tours in Korea and Vietnam, along with several 

uncles. Today, Pope has a nephew deployed to Afghanistan, and his newly-commissioned West Point graduate 

son will soon deploy as well. At the time he volunteered, 

Pope’s son was a cadet.

“Ensuring support to the warfighter was personal for 

me. I also knew I’d be better able to provide that support 

from stateside once I returned home if I had a better unVolunteers of 

America

By Susan Declercq Brown

DLA Energy Public Affairs
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 35

derstanding of the challenges and environment unique 

to the war zone,” he explained.

At home, Pope worked in the DLA Energy Finance 

office in San Antonio. There they processed fuel invoices 

and handled retail sales issues, dealing routinely with 

foreign governments and commercial suppliers and 

transporters. “I dealt with Supreme Fuels, a major contractor in Afghanistan fuel support, on a daily basis,” he 

said. “I wanted to understand the challenges in supporting our warfighters in Afghanistan better, so this was a 

great opportunity to do that.”

As the DLA Energy liaison officer at Bagram, Pope 

was responsible for all fuel coming into Afghanistan, 

working with contractors in place, diverting shipments 

if necessary and providing daily reports to DLA Energy 

and the Army’s 101st Airborne at Bagram. He was also 

responsible for troubleshooting quality issues and intransit delays and losses.

Pope said others are often surprised to hear that volunteering for service in this theater of operations can be 

competitive. Though he works in finance now, Pope has 

more than 20 years experience in fuels. From 1983 to 

1995, he worked at the base level, operating fuel trucks 

on the flight line, ensuring fuel quality and quantities, 

and serving as the training manager for the fuels flight. 

Pope also had experience in fuel operations, pipeline 

systems, aviation and ground fuels and missile propellants. From 1995 to 1999, he worked with the Air Force’s 

Directorate of Aerospace Fuels. He travelled extensively 

to deal with fuel replacement-in-kind agreements with 

foreign militaries, as well as stock fund managing of 

all Air Force fuels. He spent two and a half years in the 

Pentagon working in foreign military sales. Paired with 

his experience dealing with NATO contractors and a 

little experience with Bagram, his Air Force fuels experience made him the most-qualified volunteer. Pope was 

on his way to Afghanistan... almost.

For the first week, he was deployed to Fort Benning, Ga., for deployment preparation: a series of shots, 

weapon familiarity, uniform and body armor issue, 

completing wills, medical directives, powers of attorney 

and other documents, and attending training on theater 

threats and rules. 

Then Pope, accompanied by three large duffel bags 

of personal equipment, made the three-day journey to 

Bagram by way of military flights through Europe and 

other Middle East AOR airbases.

“Tracking fuel receipts in country was the most 

challenging aspect of the job,” he said. “We had to track 

what deliveries had been made, how many trucks were 

waiting outside the gates or at the borders. And communication was the biggest problem. Drivers didn’t speak 

English, trucks were often delayed due to weather, customs, border closings or holidays. We had to plan ahead 

to ensure sufficient quantities if a delivery was delayed.”

Pope added he would recommend the experience to 

others. “It was pretty safe, the work was important and 

rewarding, and the opportunities to learn were unmatched,” he said. 

“It was really valuable to experience the different 

operating procedures and understand the criticality of 

things in the war zone. Stateside, if you don’t receive 

a truck or two on time, it has little impact; but those 

deliveries are critical in a war zone,” Pope explained. 

“There’s an impact all the way down to the end user—

the soldier or airman with the weapon out there in the 

field. “

Those are important lessons to take home, he said.

Supervisor David Lawson, chief of the DLA Energy 

Finance Retail Management office in San Antonio, 

agreed. “The knowledge and experience that Chuck 

gained has been valuable to our organization. We have 

a much better understanding and appreciation for what 

goes on in the field, and that has allowed us to put better processes in place,” he said. “In addition, Chuck was 

able to share his knowledge from a financial perspective 

with the folks on the ground. Our number one goal is to 

get the fuel to the warfighter, but we have to be able to 

properly account for it. So, any time we have the opportunity to share and exchange our knowledge, we all 

win.” 

Other volunteers to the AOR

Michael Heidbreder and Jeff Cannon are 

deployed now with Army Majs. Nathele 

Anderson and Joe Hamilton, and Keith Harvey. Andres Avila recently returned from 

providing critical support to DLA Energy 

Middle East, along with other volunteers: 

Army Lt. Col. Martha Kelly, Air Force Capt. 

Tim Knudson, Army Lt. Col. Lisa Harbach, 

Navy Cmdr. Ted Kozlow, Army Capt. Gerald 

Martinez, Air Force Capt. Rick VanSchoor, 

Air Force Maj. Phillip Noltemeyer, Navy Lt. 

Cmdr. Rob Mazzarella, Air Force Capt. Lewis 

Benton, Air Force Maj. Antonio Salazar, and 

Army Master Sgt. Pete Martinez.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

36 www.energy.dla.mil

Richard B. Knapp

DLA Energy Pacific’s Japan office

Workforce development in the petroleum world 

directly involves safety, as applied to various work 

environments. Workers in the 

field regularly attend Hazardous Waste Operations 

and Hazardous Materials Regulations training. Tanker inspectors 

require Confined Space 

training before 

they can enter 

compartments. And, 

laboratory 

technicians 

or others who 

often work in 

the lab environment also 

require specialized training. 

Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy quality assurance representatives and lab technicians attended lab safety training 

sponsored by the U.S. Navy’s Fleet and Industrial Supply Center at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, in February. 

QARs frequently work in petroleum laboratories. 

Performing quality assurance at a commercial refinery or terminal demands QARs witness sampling and 

laboratory analysis to confirm the offered product meets 

specification requirements. QARs also ensure required 

sampling and testing is performed during quality surveillance of government-owned product. A QAR can 

even perform the lab testing firsthand. 

Lab technicians work in DLA Energy labs around the 

world. Labs in Alaska, Germany and Korea are staffed 

with civilian personnel, military service members, local 

nationals or contractors who test samples for quality. 

Defense fuel support points like the ones at Charleston, 

S.C., and Kunsan, Republic of Korea, have satellite laboratories operated by DLA Energy staff who test waterborne shipments of jet fuel prior to receipt. Laboratories 

supporting DFSPs are funded by DLA and operated by 

Training makes fuel labs safer
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 37

the services, as the U.S. Navy does 

in Japan with a U.S. and Japanese 

workforce.

So, Laboratory Safety Standard/Chemical Hygiene Training, 

a federally mandated course, helps 

protect many DLA Energy employees and facilities. It is required 

for QARs and recommended for 

quality managers and DLA Energy 

region commanders. 

The FISC’s Quality Manager 

Tim Martin, arranged for the Laboratory Safety Institute’s James 

A. Kaufman to present the course. 

Kaufman, who established the 

non-profit international institute 

for safety in science education, has 

been providing similar training 

since 1978.

The main audience for the training was the FISC 

Yokosuka laboratory workforce from dispersed terminals at Hakozaki, Hachinohe and Sasebo. Martin 

also offered the opportunity to attendees from base 

environmental laboratories, medical lab technicians, 

and DLA Energy QARs Richard Dennis and Richard 

Knapp. Two separate two-day sessions allowed 22 lab 

personnel to train with no interruptions to DFSP 

operations. An interpreter ensured native 

Japanese speakers had equal access to the 

training 

The course drove home several important points. 

Hazards in a fuel laboratory environment are not always obvious and recognizable. Labs tend to collect harmful 

substances and conditions in a small area. 

Vapors are a danger, as they are both toxic 

to the human body and fire and explosion 

hazards. Chemicals on hand must be carefully separated to prevent reactions which 

could cause fire hazards or produce poisonous gases. And, employee fatigue resulting 

from unusual work schedules and long 

hours is also a concern.

Health hazards may not give warnings 

through sight or smell. Harmful substances 

can be inhaled or absorbed through the 

skin from petroleum products, the additives they 

contain, or even from the chemicals used during lab 

analysis. Long-term exposure can produce unexpected 

and chronic problems for a person. 

DLA Energy believes it’s essential that workers in 

the lab environment understand the inherent risks and 

challenges, and their mitigation with personal protective equipment, ventilation, scheduling and other 

safety measures. The training armed attendees with 

this knowledge.

Classroom instruction addressed legal aspects 

and regulations and included hands-on opportunities. 

Kaufman provided a generous amount of references, 

equipment and real world examples to highlight safety. 

And he presented the FISC with a rubber “Lab Rat,” to 

use on-the-spot to recognize technicians who are working safely. 

Attendees returned to the workplace with a combination of reinforced safety guidance, awareness of 

hazards, and knowledge of the real world experiences 

shared during the class. 

Knapp is a quality assurance specialist and attended the training. 

Quality Manager Tim Martin, left, of the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center 

Yokosuka, Japan, stands with instructor James Kaufman during a break 

in a lab safety course at the FISC sponsored by Defense Logistics Agency 

Energy in February. Photo by Richard B. Knapp.

Left: James Kaufman presents examples of laboratory safety 

concerns to students during a Defense Logistics Agency Energysponsored lab safety course at Fleet and Industrial Supply Center 

Yokosuka, Japan, in February. Photo by Richard B. Knapp.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

38 www.energy.dla.mil

Defense Logistics Agency Energy Americas’ Bonar 

Luzey feels he is better equipped to manage employees 

and engage customers after participating in an intensive program that helps senior executives hone leadership skills.

The Senior Executive Fellows program at Harvard 

University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government 

in Cambridge, Mass., was a “game changer” for the 

deputy director of DLA Energy Americas East office. 

“Attendees focus on how to manage tensions between long-term policy goals and short-term political 

pressures,” he said. “[They also learn to create] an organizational environment that’s responsive to change 

while remaining true to their own agency’s purpose 

and tradition,” he said.

Luzey was selected by the DLA Executive Resources 

Board for the program. He said the experience was fun, 

despite the time constraints of a four-week program.

“It really forced you to manage your time.... You 

had to prepare for four to five cases [a day],” he said. 

“Harvard University uses this case-type management 

format, ... so you get an opportunity to look at different people in real-life scenarios and how they went 

about handling the problem.”

Scenarios featured people making decisions at 

high levels, from the president of the United States to 

other government and civic leaders. Students prepared for team discussions by reading case studies, 

which could be as long as 40 pages, Luzey said.

Luzey said 80 students were broken into teams 

of 10. Each morning they would meet to discuss the 

cases. 

The senior executive fellows studied cases that 

included strategies such as: judgment and decision 

making, political analysis and mapping, performance 

management, policy development, negotiations, effective implementation, transactional and transformational leadership, and building trust, Luzey said. 

 Students were required to participate in various 

team activities that integrated what they had learned.

Luzey said it was a great opportunity to hear different opinions from classmates with varying vantage 

points—people from throughout the U.S. government 

and from foreign governments. 

The program is valuable because it aligns with 

DLA’s 2011 Director’s Guidance strategic focus area of 

Workforce Development, he said.

“Programs like this ... [allow DLA to] pick the people that have future potential, that have growth, that 

add value. And everyone in some way ... adds value to 

our organization,” Luzey said. “It just opened my mind, 

looking at different perspectives, looking at the political aspects, at why certain things are the way they are 

and how they align with the agency’s goals.”

How will the program benefit Luzey at home?

Program brings Harvard

lessons to DLA Energy mission

By Dianne Ryder

DLA Strategic Communications

Defense Logistics Agency Energy Americas East Deputy Commander Bonar Luzey at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 39

By Cody Raysinger

FISC Puget Sound

Properly trained and certified fuel 

workers are essential to national security. And, a new partnership between 

Defense Fuel Support Point Puget 

Sound, Wash., and Olympic College 

is developing a new generation of fuel 

workers to keep America’s armed forces mission-ready.

Without fuel, all sea, air and ground missions 

would cease, with dire ramifications. A professional 

workforce ensures fuel is supplied to the military in 

a safe, efficient and environmentally conscientious 

manner. So, with an estimated one-third of the federal 

workforce reaching retirement eligibility in the next 

few years, it is crucial to hire new competent fuel operators. DFSP Puget Sound is already taking the steps 

to stay ahead of the game. 

The Fleet and Industrial Supply Center-operated 

DFSP Puget Sound has implemented the Fuels Occupational Degree Program to establish a highly-skilled 

workforce to serve the Navy fuels community well into 

the future. This intensive, two-year degree opportunity, 

designed in close coordination with Olympic College 

and modeled after an existing program at the Puget 

Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance 

Facility, will provide replacements for veteran fuel 

operators as they near retirement. 

“We are leading the way out here at Manchester,” 

said DFSP Puget Deputy Director Robert Cairns. “This 

is the first degree program in the nation specifically 

designed for the fuel distribution industry.”

After many months of careful design and collaboration, as well as a lengthy accreditation process, the 

Fuels Occupational Degree Program received its first 

students in January 2009. 

Students enrolled in the program must complete 

a total of 90 credits from Olympic College, in Bremerton, Wash. In an effort to expand the student’s general 

knowledge and encourage critical thinking, 60 of those 

credits must come from rigorous academic courses 

including physics, chemistry, mathematics, English, 

history and leadership. Books, tuition and all other associated educational expenses are covered by the Navy. 

The remaining 30 credits are reserved for vocation

“In DLA Energy, it’s dealing with my customer 

base, the military services, and other federal government agencies that I support,” he said. “If I don’t have 

a relationship or if I don’t understand why certain 

people are making decisions, it’s harder for me to ... 

advance my portion of the mission – to support the 

warfighters.”

But the most important element of the program 

was learning from and interacting with other professionals, Luzey said. 

Employees interested in the program can visit 

the DLA Executive Development Program website at: 

http://www.hr.dla.mil/resources/workforce/executive.html. 

Partnership 

develops

fuels degree 

program

 David Moerler, a student trainee in the Fuels Occupational Degree 

program, checks the status of the automated fuel handling equipment in the control center at Defense Fuel Support Point Puget 

Sound, Wash. The control center is manned around-the-clock by operators and environmental personnel. Photo by Pat “Tiny” Del Grosso.

Continued on page 41.
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

40 www.energy.dla.mil

By Susan Declercq Brown

DLA Energy Public Affairs 

Nine military reservists from the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy joined more than 170 other DLA 

reservists in the fifth annual Joint Reserve Training 

Readiness Exercise at Fort Eustis, Va., April 4-10. 

The objective of the exercise was to enhance total 

force readiness while simultaneously completing 

service-required training and promoting teamwork.

 “Our goal is to take every service and put them in 

a pseudo-deployment environment; increase the operations tempo, increase their training, basically put 

them in an environment that is alien to them,” said 

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Onofrio Margioni, Joint Reserve Force 

deputy director of training and readiness and JRTRX 

director. 

More than 110 JRF reservists are deployed for 

combat logistic support at any given time. Prior to deployment sailors, soldiers, airmen and Marines attend 

stateside, theatre-specific training in order to prepare 

for the downrange demands and environment. 

“I was impressed DLA was able to cram so many 

Level 1 common skill events into such a short period 

of time,” said Army Capt. Jay Greeley, a petroleum operations officer who helps run the DLA Energy Operations Center on drill weekends.

The exercise provides theater-specific individual 

requirements training, including Humvee egress, engagement skills, a leadership reaction course, weapon 

familiarization and firing range for M-4 and M-9 

qualification, IED identification and reaction, distribution service instruction and joint physical training.

Reservists fired more than 12,000 rounds of ammunition. Each participant had the opportunity to 

qualify with the appropriate weapon for his or her 

rank. Weapons qualification was the most useful aspect of the training for Army Lt. Col. Kenneth Fuchs, 

a petroleum liaison officer assigned to DLA Energy 

Americas.

“DLA Distribution’s briefing on the deployable depot was the most worthwhile event for me,” explained 

Greeley. “The civilians that briefed provided excellent 

situational awareness of DLA’s overall mission.”

The Leadership Reaction Course challenges teams 

physically and mentally as they attempt to complete 

obstacles, such as maneuvering a wounded Soldier 

across a barrier. Much like the reaction course, the 

Humvee Egress Assistance Trainer recreates the physical sensation of a rollover to train personnel how to respond safely and quickly when exiting a compromised 

vehicle. The five service members must work as a team 

to safely egress the flipped vehicle.

The rollover training was certainly the most memorable part of the exercise, said Fuchs. 

The participants were divided into joint teams to 

further demonstrate the nature of many deployed environments, especially those DLA members find themselves in. 

“Of all the experience and training you gained, 

the most important thing I hope you’ve learned and 

keep with you when you deploy is we take care of each 

other,” Navy Reserve Rear Adm. Ray English, director, 

DLA Joint Reserve Force said. “If we take care of each 

other, everything else will turn out right.”

“This is more opportunity to hone your skills, and 

give you that confidence, so that when you are that 

DLA representative in theatre, you can do your best to 

provide that mission success; that difference helping 

the warfighter be successful,” said Celia Adolphi, JRF 

deputy director. “You have the confidence in your combat skills to make your functional mission easier.”

Army reservists Col. Cheryl Gilligan and Capt. Barron Johnson; Navy reservists Lt. Cmdr. Brian Bradley, 

Lt. j.g. Trimeka Thomas, Chief Warrant Officer Dorothy Moore, and Petty Officer 1st Class Jeffery Sayers; 

and Air Force Lt. Col. Jay McSweeney, all assigned to 

DLA Energy, also completed the training.

An article by Air Force Capt. Bryan Lewis of the 

DLA Joint Reserve Force served as the basis of this 

article. 

DLA Energy reservists train
Commander

Navy Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel

Deputy Commander

Patrick Dulin

Executive Director

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Navy Capt. Charles Race

Public Affairs Officer

David Sims

Editor

Susan Declercq Brown

Energy Source is an official publication 

distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and fuel-oriented clientele. 

Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. 

government, Department of Defense, 

Defense Logisitics Agency or Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy. Energy Source is 

prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA 

Energy sources.

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

 People are the 

strength behind 

any organization, 

and this is 

 certainly true for 

the Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Quality warfighter support is a goal shared by DLA Energy as a whole 

as well as individual employees. 

The link between the employment and growth of 

our workers and the excellence we strive for as a part 

of America’s combat support agency is highlighted in 

our workforce development efforts. Focus on workforce development in this edition of the Energy Source 

places the spotlight on a number of our actions that 

hone our workforce to meet the challenges we face. 

Talent management, diversity and related benefits, 

and performance and results-driven culture initiatives 

help us foster a diverse and adaptable team.

Talent management focuses on our strategic recruitment, training and development of subject matter 

experts. To accomplish this, we’re working through the 

Mentor/Protégé Program to provide next-generation 

DLA Energy leaders the resources they need to support the organization. Additionally, we are coordinating with DLA headquarters to deploy the Workforce 

Readiness Index to gain a better understanding of the 

state of our workforce.

Diversity fosters adaptability and flexibility. We 

desire balanced representation of the diverse cultures 

that make up DLA Energy, as well as recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented groups 

in our workforce. Recruiting and monitoring our 

progress in these areas provides the perspective only a 

multi-faceted workforce can bring to our mission.

Striving for a performance and results-driven 

culture helps us to prioritize opportunities to improve 

DLA Energy’s organizational culture and the impact it 

has on the workforce’s ability to work at its full potential. The 2010 Denison Culture Survey results are imperative to knowing what our strengths are. But more 

importantly, employee input is guiding our efforts to 

hone our culture.

I, and all DLA Energy senior leaders, highly value 

this survey and the keen insight it provides us into our 

cultural climate. It is through our significant skills in 

adaptability that we can continue to become a higher 

performing agency in the eyes of the survey. This same 

adaptability allows us to take in stride the challenges 

we encounter along the way, learning and growing 

from the experience.

Supporting our customers and the warfighter is 

paramount to what we do. And a high-quality, highperforming workforce is essential to our success. Our 

workforce development programs continue to produce 

a team more than ready for the challenge. 

Energy Source l July 2011 41

al classes directly applicable to the Navy fueling community. Such courses include: Pipeline Hydraulics, 

Tankerman Training, Basic Corrosion, Crane Rigging 

and Safety, Commercial Truck Driving, Hazardous 

Waste Operations and Emergency Response, Petroleum Fundamentals, Tank Inspection, Valves and 

Actuators and Oil Spill Response. 

“These trades-oriented classes greatly improve 

skill-sets of each individual student, enhancing our 

overall fueling capabilities,” Cairns remarked. “They 

are truly invaluable to the training process.”

Students participating in the program work 

either part-time or full-time at DFSP Puget Sound in 

addition to receiving annual, sick and holiday leave. 

Salaries initially start at the Wage Grade-2 level and 

progress to WG-6 upon completion. 

“Education in this program doesn’t just happen 

in the classroom,” said DFSP Puget Fuel Department 

Director Lt. Cmdr. Jake Hoftiezer. “Students learn by 

actually doing the job alongside veteran fuel workers.” 

On any given day in the program, the student 

could be deploying an oil spill boom; assisting journeyman fuel operators to issue, store, transfer, and receive 

petroleum products; conducting fuel barge operations; 

performing preventative and corrective maintenance 

facility-wide; operating fuel trucks; and assisting in the 

Oily Waste Treatment Plant. 

“Above all else, we impart to the student how critical environmental protection is,” stated Cairns. “We 

take great measures in teaching the fundamentals of 

environmental awareness and responsibility.” 

Upon completion of the classroom portion and 

proven performance in the field, students receive an 

associate’s degree from Olympic College as well as an 

offer of permanent employment, with a competitive 

salary and generous benefits, Cairns explained. 

“It really is the chance of a lifetime,” observed student James Hess. 

DFSP Puget Sound celebrated its first two graduates in June 2010. 

“These gentlemen represent and embody the future 

of the fuels business,” said Hoftiezer. The program will 

enable the defense fuel community to fuel the fight for 

many years to come, he added. 

Looking to the horizon, there are currently eight 

more future graduates in this program’s pipeline as 

well as many high-caliber applications that have been 

pouring in by the hundreds. 

Interested individuals 

can call 360-476-5737 for 

more information. 

Chant Ormberg, a student 

trainee in the Fuels Occupational Degree program, checks 

the digital display of a flow 

meter installed on a hydraulic 

marine loading arm on the 

Fenick Pier at Defense Fuel 

Support Point Puget Sound, 

Wash. The meter is used to 

determine the quantity and 

flow rate of fuel being received 

or issued to a vessel; it also 

displays temperature of the 

product. Photo by Pat “Tiny” 

Del Grosso.

Continued from page 39.

Fuels degree program
42 www.energy.dla.mil

By Paul Bello

Fort Belvoir Public Affairs

Members of the Defense Logistics Agency Energy team 

have worked around the clock to provide fuel and energy 

support to Japan since an earthquake and deadly tsunami 

hit the island nation March 11.

All signs point to steady and successful progress, Air 

Force Col. Steven Kephart, director of Operations for DLA 

Energy, said in May. A number of contingency plans were 

activated as a result of the catastrophe that wiped out 

northern Japan’s capability to store and deliver ground 

fuel products, Kephart said.

The U.S. Air Forces’s Misawa Air Base operates as a 

defense fuel support point in northern Japan. It opened its 

Army and Air Force Exchange Services gas station to allow 

Japanese forces to use the facility, as well as to offset local 

gas stations that lost power and couldn’t dispense fuel. 

DLA Energy bought about 14,000 gallons of Mogas, or 

motor gasoline, to support the on-base assets and AAFES 

gas station, Kephart said. The DLA Energy Pacific office 

DLA Energy aids in Japan relief

contracted with trucks to have diesel and Mogas transported to Misawa from the Kanto Plains area of central Japan.

“We delivered jet fuel, gasoline and diesel fuel, which 

can be used in generators and to heat buildings. F-16 

units were deployed from Misawa, so there wasn’t a big 

draw for jet fuel, though, we were certainly prepared for 

that,” Kephart said. “We knew what our mission was when 

this process started—that’s to move fuel to wherever it 

was needed most. Overall, I’m proud to say we delivered 

170,000 gallons of fuel to those locations devastated by 

this disaster.”

Due to the situation’s magnitude, an undertaking 

like this is no small feat, continued Kephart. DLA Energy 

worked in tandem with the Pacific Command; Pacific Air 

Forces; the Air Force Petroleum Agency; and the Naval 

Supply Systems Command. DLA Energy Aerospace Energy worked closely with DLA Energy Pacific to find a new 

contractor t0 supply Misawa with cryogenic supplies, after 

the tsunami destroyed its primary contractor’s capabilities. Both liquid nitrogen and liquid oxygen were needed, 

he said.

“We’ve received leadership and help from offices 

around the globe. Any issue that’s come up, we’ve addressed,” Kephart said. “I’m extremely pleased with our 

response and how we’ve pulled together as one team.”

Most significant to Kephart is how all branches of the 

military responded. As part of Operation Tomodachi, the 

USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, 

arrived off the coast of Japan to support helicopter refueling efforts. Individual service members representing the 

Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines also deployed to Japan 

for their help with numerous refueling and relief projects.

“In retrospect, our response during the Haiti earthquake last year prepared us for what we encountered in 

Japan. I believe history exists so you don’t make the same 

mistakes,” Kephart said. 

“Things are much better in Japan than they were a 

month or two ago,” he added. “Ports are getting cleared, 

commercial airports are back on line and 60 percent of a 

major petroleum pipeline has been restored. This hasn’t 

been a one-person or one-unit job. Many dedicated people 

worked together on this and great things have come from 

it.” 

A forward area refueling point team prepares for the 

offloading of 36,000 lbs of Defense Logistics Agency Energyprocured fuel at Yamagata airport, Japan, in March, in support of eatrhquake and tsunami relief efforts. DOD photo.
Energy Source l July 2011 43

By Gordon Cousins

DLA Energy Pacific’s Alaska office

Defense Logistics Agency 

Energy Pacific’s Alaska office 

successfully supported the Red 

Flag-Alaska exercise at Eielson Air Force Base and Joint 

Base Elmendorf-Richardson in 

Alaska April 14-29. 

The first of three scheduled exercises, this Pacific Air 

Forces-directed field training 

allowed U.S. and coalition 

forces to fly under simulated 

air combat conditions. Red 

Flag exercises include joint 

offensive counter-air, interdiction, close-air support and 

large force employment training in a simulated combat environment in Alaska’s 67,000 

square-mile Joint Pacific 

Alaska Range Complex. 

In preparation for the 

two-week exercise, the Alaska office’s representatives 

partnered with Eielson AFB 

and Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson fuels personnel to 

identify Red Flag fuel requirements. Once those requirements were identified, the 

inventory management team 

coordinated with the designated fuel contractor, Petro-Star, 

to procure more than 3 million gallons of JP8 jet fuel. 

Later, deployed F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, 

C-130 Hercules and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft 

consumed the fuel to power their training sorties. 

After the orders were placed, the quality team 

analyzed fuel on six pipeline transfers originating at 

Petro-Star’s refinery in North Pole, Alaska. They also 

analyzed fuel from one barge shipment from PetroStar’s Valdez, Alaska, terminal to ensure that all fuel 

met government specifications.

DLA Energy fuels Alaska Red Flag 

An F-16 approaches a KC-135 Stratotanker for in-flight-refueling during 

a Red Flag-Alaska exercise April 26. Red Flag allows U.S. and allied forces 

to train under simulated air-combat situations on a specialized training 

range. Defense Logistics Agency Energy fuels this and other training 

missions around the world. Photo by Airman 1st Class Laura Goodgame.

“The exceptional teamwork between our office, 

Petro-Star, Eielson AFB and JBER personnel was key 

to the success of this Red Flag,” said Air Force Lt. Col. 

John Martin, DLA Energy Pacific’s Alaska office commander. 

During the exercise, aircraft flew 920 sorties, 

explained Martin. An estimated 500-700 people participated in the exercise. Two more Red Flag exercises 

are scheduled for this fiscal year: July 7-22 and Aug. 

11-26. 
44 www.energy.dla.mil

By Terry Shawn

DLA Energy Public Affairs

In the early morning darkness June 1, the NASA space shuttle 

Endeavour touched down at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., 

after completing its final mission in space. The shuttle was 

launched May 16 with approximately 2,500 gallons of diniDLA Energy supports

Endeavour’s final mission

trogen tetroxide and monomethylhydrazine procured by 

Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s Aerospace Energy business unit.

The products are used to propel and maneuver the 

shuttle while in the zero gravity of space. They are loaded 

into spherical pods in the space shuttle, and the combination of the two creates propulsion. DLA Energy Aerospace 

procures, transports and stores liquid dinitrogen tetroxide 

and monomethylhydrazine for the Department of Defense, 

NASA and commercial space launch programs. Shipments 

are made under the direction of the DLA Aerospace Energy’s 

Transportation Office.

During its 16-day mission, Endeavour traveled to the 

International Space Station to deliver the Alpha Magnetic 

Spectrometer-2 and critical supplies, including two communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional 

parts for the Dextre robot.

The crew of Americans and a European Space Agency 

astronaut were onboard as the shuttle returned to earth, 

ending its 19-year NASA career. The Endeavour is the 

youngest of the shuttles with 123 million miles and 25 

flights. Since its first flight May 7, 1992, the shuttle spent 

299 days in space and orbited the Earth 4,671 times.

“We are very proud of Endeavour’s legacy, and this 

penultimate flight of the space shuttle program once again 

demonstrated the amazing skill and dedication of our astronauts and the entire workplace,” said NASA Administrator 

Charles Bolden.

“As we begin the transition from the shuttle program 

to the commercial transportation of our crews and cargo, 

our ability to tackle big changes remains steadfast and will 

ensure that NASA reaches even more destinations farther in 

the solar system, said Bolden.” r in the solar system.”

The last flight of the Atlantis is scheduled for July 8 and 

will end NASA’s 30-year space shuttle program. 

Space shuttle Endeavour races into space from Kennedy Space 

Center, Fla., May 16 with Defense Logistics Agecny Energy-procured energy products. The flight to support the International 

Space Station was this shuttle’s final mission. NASA photo.
Energy Source l July 2011 45

By Terry Shawn

DLA Energy Public Affairs

With the support of Defense Logistics Agency Energy, 

the Air Force’s renowned aerial demonstration squadron, the Thunderbirds, performed their precision 

maneuvers May 20-21 at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., 

powered by alternative jet fuel.

The F-16s performed their trademark aeronautic 

acrobatics as part of the Joint Services Open House 

May 20-21, fueled by DLA Energy-procured camelinaderived hydrotreated renewable jet fuel. The camelinaderived fuel was provided by Sustainable Oils, LLC, 

one of DLA Energy’s current suppliers of alternative 

fuel. Their product was blended with petroleum-derived fuel to obtain the 50/50 blend. 

“This is going to be another marker for aviation 

history as these precision teams come out here and do 

the wonderful things that they do on JP8 and biofuels, 

and we’re not going to see any difference when we’re 

sitting in the stands,” said Terry Yonkers, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment 

and Logistics.

Along with the F-16s, the Air Force has previously 

tested and certified biofuel as a 50 percent blend with 

regular jet fuel in the A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-15 

Eagle, C-17 Globemaster III and the F-22 Raptor, 

Yonkers explained.

DLA Energy also procured biofuel for other services’ testing and certification efforts. The U.S. Navy 

has conducted test flights using a 50/50 camelinablend for the flight of their F/A 18 Super Hornet, 

renamed the Green Hornet in May 2010. Using a 

50/50 blend of algae-derived F76 and traditional F76 

fuel procured by DLA Energy, the Navy also conducted a full power demonstration of an experimental 

Riverine Command Boat in October 2010.

“DLA Energy is proud to support our service 

partners’ efforts to realize departmental objectives 

on energy security and environmental stewardship,” 

said Frank Pane, director of DLA Energy’s Energy 

Plans and Programs directorate. 

“The DLA Energy team can leverage our considerable energy supply chain experience to ensure even 

cutting-edge fuel requirements can be seamlessly 

supported,” said Pane. 

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration squadron fly in formation 

during an air show in Virginia May 13. A week later, the aircraft flew with 

DLA Energy supports Thunderbirds 

renewable jet fuel procured by Defense Logistics Agency Energy during an 

airshow in Maryland. Photo by Airman 1st Class Kayla Newman.
46 www.energy.dla.mil

By Sara Moore

DLA Strategic Communications

In keeping with the Workforce Development focus area in 

the 2011 Director’s Guidance, the Defense Logistics Agency 

has launched a new initiative to help employees plan their 

careers and achieve their maximum potential.

DLA Training, part of DLA Human Resources, collaborated with representatives from across the agency to develop 

an enterprise approach called career mapping to assist employees in navigating their potential careers. Career mapping 

is a structured approach to career management designed 

to provide career roadmaps, from entry through executive 

levels. These roadmaps are designed to enhance personal 

and professional growth in support of the agency’s effort to 

develop a highly effective and competent workforce, DLA 

Human Resources Director Brad Bunn said. 

“DLA recognizes that a diverse workforce is vital to 

success and the importance of developing and leveraging 

the abilities and skills of its talented workforce,” said Pam 

Latker, chief of career management at DLA Training. “Career 

mapping validates the agency’s commitment to its employees’ professional development and provides the employees 

with an opportunity to partner in their development.” 

As a result of the career mapping effort, DLA developed 

two new tools for employees: the DLA Career Guide and the 

DLA Career Pyramid. 

The DLA Career Guide is a foundational guide that 

describes career paths, competencies, and training and development activities to build and strengthen individual and 

organizational capabilities, Latker said.

The DLA Career Pyramid is a general career map that 

identifies career fields and includes links to the specific career field pyramids, she said. The pyramid contains development levels and four focus areas: job functions, technical 

competencies, leadership competencies, and education and 

training. 

These universal tools are posted on the DLA Human 

Resources website at: http://www.hr.dla.mil/resources. 

The long-term goal is to develop a user-friendly, interactive 

career mapping development website, Latker said.

DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Alan Thompson made 

career mapping a priority in his 2011 Director’s Guidance, 

specifically the Workforce Development focus area.

According to the Director’s Guidance, an initiative of 

this focus area is to “ensure civilian and military workforce 

capabilities match present and future mission requirements 

through DLA’s Talent Management Initiative.”

Career mapping is linked to many other workforce 

development efforts, including validating competencies, reinvigorating the leadership program and formalizing rotational 

assignments, and will integrate information from these efforts, Latker said.

While the Career Guide and Career Pyramid are generalized and pertain to all DLA employees, DLA Training is now 

focusing on developing detailed career maps and pyramids 

for each career field, beginning with the agency’s missioncritical occupations, Latker said. 

DLA’s mission-critical occupations include three categories: direct-support MCOs, which directly impact the 

agency’s ability to deliver effective and efficient worldwide 

logistics support to customers; functional-support MCOs, 

which support and provide essential capabilities and functions to establish, sustain, operate and maintain DLA’s 

worldwide business operations; and general-support MCOs, 

which provide enterprise support to DLA infrastructure, 

safety and readiness.

To complement the career guide and pyramid, DLA Human Resources will collaborate with functional community 

managers to develop career field-specific products for each 

MCO. These products are the Career Field Guide; Career 

Field Pyramid that will address career field-specific competencies, job functions, education and training requirements 

and opportunities at each development level; the Detailed 

Map of Development Levels that consolidates the information identified on all four sides of the Career Field Pyramid 

for each development level; and Knowledge and Experience 

Checklists, a tool to review associated competencies and 

experiences relevant for each development level.

DLA Training partnered with DLA Acquisition to complete the first detailed products for the contracting career 

field. DLA Acquisition is planning to share its products, 

documents and results with the DLA Contracting community, Latker said.

The DLA career mapping concept and initial products 

were well received; feedback was positive and beneficial,” she 

said. 

Bunn said he hopes to have career mapping documents 

completed for several of DLA’s mission-critical occupations.

“Although the Director’s Guidance expected action is to 

develop career road maps for at least two MCOs, I’m confident we can surpass this goal based on our progress and 

support from the functional communities,” Bunn said. 

As of late April, the detailed products for the Human 

Resources career field had been drafted and were being reviewed, said Latker. 

DLA career mapping initiative begun
 

Energy experience: I started my career at the U.S. Air Force Academy, began work in logistics plans and programs in 1994 and earned a master’s degree in 

logistics management from the Air Force Institute of Technology. When the Air Force created the Logistics Readiness career field in 2002, I was chosen to lead a fuels management 

flight at Osan Air Base, Korea. This gave me invaluable experience. For two years, I interacted directly with the airmen who put fuel in the planes. They checked me out on R-11 fuel 

truck operations, certified me for hot pit refueling and taught me how to stick tanks. Next, I 

worked alongside officers from fellow services, as well as a DLA Energy liaison officer, in the 

U.S. European Command Joint Petroleum Office to provide Class III products throughout 

Europe, Africa and to Iraq through Turkey. Most recently, I commanded a logistics readiness squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., supporting KC-135s and a myriad of transient 

aircraft, and providing base support to two unified commands. 

Challenges and rewards of the job: We struggle with constrained resources every 

day, whether that is manpower shortages or inventory shortfalls from our suppliers. As a 

commander, it’s imperative we balance all these requirements and limiting factors. Some 

days, it’s harder than others to make all the pieces fit together. But at the end of the day, 

when we know we’re contributing to warfighter mission success, we know all the hard 

work pays off.

A memorable mission: In February 2011, we experienced the “perfect storm” with a 

refinery in Texas that supplies fuel to Defense Fuel Support Point Davis-Monthan Air Force 

Base, Ariz. The refinery had shut down for preventative maintenance in January. When 

they resumed service, record-breaking low temperatures and interruptions to its electrical 

supply interrupted operations and damaged the refinery. It took a major team effort with 

Americas West distribution experts and representatives of the Air Force Petroleum Agency, 

headquarters DLA Energy, the Air Force’s Air Education and Training Command, Air Combat 

Command, and Arizona’s Davis-Monthan AFB, Luke Air Force Base and Tucson Air National 

Guard to get inventory levels back to acceptable levels. We exhausted all our coordination 

efforts to get tank trucks from California and New Mexico in order to ensure fuel kept flowing and planes kept flying. It was a success only because of the perseverance of all players 

involved. 

Unique background: My father was a colonel in the South Vietnamese Air Force when 

Saigon fell in 1975. The U.S. Air Force helped evacuate my family to Eglin Air Force Base, 

Fla. Ever since then, I have had a truly blessed life. We were never rich, but we were never

in need. I had incredible teachers and have had amazing opportunities in my life. Because of this, I wanted to give back to my country; and, that is what led to my Air Force 

service. I am passionate about giving back to this great nation of ours. I can think of 

no better way to do that than to support our warfighters every day.

Name: Lt. Col. Tam Gaffney

Job: Commander of Defense Logistics Agency Energy 

Americas West. I’m responsible for providing timely, onspecification fuels to support customers in 11 states west 

of the Rocky Mountains. A team of 35 dedicated professionals ensures mission success by executing distribution, inventory and quality assurance functions.