ENERGY

Spring 2016

SOURCE

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Defense Logistics Agency Energy
2 www.energy.dla.mil 3

Front cover by: Tanekwa Bournes

Back cover by: Jonathan Stack and 

 Christopher Goulait

Commander

Air Force Brig. Gen. Mark McLeod

Deputy Commander

George Atwood

Chief of Staff

Navy Cmdr. Jason Bridges

Public Affairs Officer

Irene Smith

Editor

Jonathan Stack

Writing Staff

Tanekwa Bournes

Christopher Goulait

Elizabeth Stoeckmann

Layout/Design

Jonathan Stack

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

Energy Source l SPRING 2016

Energy Source is an official publication distributed by and for the Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy and energy-oriented clientele. Contents of this publication are not 

necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government, Department 

of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency or Defense Logistics Agency Energy. 

Energy Source is prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA Energy sources.

from the commander

Energy Source

At the bottom of every slide we make in DLA are five 

strategic goals. The first, as we all know, is ‘Warfighter 

First.’ By design, goal number two is People and Culture, 

because nothing a warfighter achieves is possible without 

the efforts each of us puts forward every day. We don’t 

always say it, and we don’t show it quite as often as 

we should, but we are a ‘People First, Mission Always’ 

command that succeeds only when our people succeed. 

Every two years, we undertake a huge effort to focus on 

people and culture. The Denison Survey, this year in 

March and April, is our opportunity to address issues 

related to our organizational health and wellness. I 

encourage you, if you haven’t already, to share your 

thoughts with us. This is our most direct tool for 

identifying issues in this critical area.

Our 2014 survey saw broad declines from 2012; not 

surprising given the pressures we underwent during this 

time (convergence, sequestration, Enterprise Business 

System). Your feedback told us to look at how we were 

focusing on customers, communicating across the 

organization, empowering teams and developing our 

workforce. We took that directly to heart, creating a 

Culture Action Plan which led to the development of two 

key efforts which you can read about in this issue – our 

Rotation and Mentorship programs. 

Brig. Gen. Mark McLeod, USAF

Defense Logistics Agency Energy

The Energy Rotation 

Program was established 

in response to your 

requests for more 

workforce development 

opportunities. It now 

gives all permanent, 

full-time civilian 

employees opportunities 

to participate in 

temporary developmental 

assignments. The 

program, which has 

grown by more than 200 

percent since inception, 

provides functional, crossfunctional leadership and 

skills development that 

expose participants to a 

broader perspective of 

DLA Energy. 

Similarly, the Mentor program was developed to expand 

leadership development. The program consists of seven 

groups of ten employees mentored by directors, deputy 

directors and senior leaders. We also have a group of 

‘protégés’ who gather in a monthly brown-bag discussion 

forum. We have literally taken this from ‘0 to over 100’ 

(employees) as a direct result of your ideas. 

I can’t wait to see your great ideas to improve again this 

year. 

FEATURES

10

14

Departments

18

 4 Fueling Energy’s Success

 6 Features

24 Energy

26 We Are DLA

 6 Continuing Education

 10 Rotating Position

14 Aquisition Exellence

18 QAR Prep

Employees might have a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree 

or even a doctorate, but that doesn’t mean their potential to 

learn or grow as a DLA Energy employee is done.

The workforce spoke and DLA Energy leaders delivered by 

providing more rotational programs to support workforce 

development. 

The Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act provides a foundation for building the acquisition, technology 

and logistics workforce.

Quality assurance representatives train throughout the year. 

In order for QARs to assist during crucial times, they must be 

qualified and up-to-date on training. 

22 Mentor Success

DLA Energy leaders have developed a small group mentoring 

program in response to more than 70 employees indicating 

there was interest in a mentorship program.
Francine Hughes-Charter, 

the DLA Energy commander’s executive secretary, 

answers the telephone 

in the command suite. 

Receiving telephone calls 

from high-ranking military 

and civilian officials is just 

one of her many responsibilities. Photo by Tanekwa 

Bournes

4 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 5

Energy’s Success

Fueling

A meet and greet with Francine Hughes-Charter What is your job title? 

Executive Secretary to the Commander

How long have you worked at DLA Energy and 

how long have you worked for the federal government? 

I worked for DLA for four years and have worked for DLA 

Energy 28 years. 

Please describe your job.

I serve as the personal and confidential assistant to the 

DLA Energy commander. I ensure that the practice and 

procedures used by subordinate business units and offices 

are consistent with those of the commander’s office. On 

my own initiative, I advise and recommend changes in administrative procedures and office policies to ensure their 

applicability to the changing needs or changes in administrative regulations. I respond to inquiries and administrative problems brought to the commander by members of 

the staff and field commanders, other federal agencies and 

congressional staff. I notify appropriate staff officials of 

the need for information or recommendations and follow 

up to ensure timely response by members of the staff. I 

coordinate as necessary with other organizational elements, assign work, outlining any special requirements 

and procedures and assure completion of assignments 

in a timely manner. I provide administrative training as 

needed. I receive visitors and telephone calls from highranking military and civilian officials of the federal government, non-DoD agencies, staff members and field commanders. That is just a small portion of my overall job and 

responsibilties. 

What made you come to work for DLA Energy? 

I knew I wanted to be a secretary in the federal government since junior highschool and DLA happened to be 

close to where I lived at the time. I loved it so much, I 

never left.

What are some rewards from your job and working at DLA Energy? 

Some of the extraordinary people I have met and relationships I have built during my career.

How have you evolved since being part of the 

DLA Energy team? 

I started with DLA/DLA Energy as a GS-1 in 1983 making 

$4.17 an hour using a typewriter to prepare all correspondence to include forms. Computers were not even in existence during this time. The technology world has changed 

tremendously since I started with DLA many years ago. I 

don't believe GS-1 positions even exist anymore.

What's a project or duty you are especially proud 

of? 

Upon the arrival of our current commander, I was tasked 

to come up with an electronic correspondence system that 

would route documents from the business units, regions, 

and staff offices to the command suite for coordination, 

approval or signature by the commander, deputy commander and chief of staff. This system is currently up and 

running and we at DLA Energy have gone paperless. In 

addition, the commander receives all read ahead material 

for meetings and briefings electronical . 

What's a skill you've developed that you think is 

essential to your success? 

How to adapt to different personalities and management 

styles in such a constantly changing environment. This is 

very essential in a position like mine in order to succeed 

and remain in the same position for so many years. Everyone is not built to take on this type of responsibility. It can 

be a bit overwhelming at times but I truly love what I do.

How do you define success? 

Success to me is when you can look back over 32 years and 

have no regrets about the path you took in your career.

Tell us something that might surprise us about 

you. 

When I started my career with the government as a 

clerk typist many years ago, my thought was to someday 

become the secretary to the commander/director for DLA 

Energy. I am currently in the position, and the first African 

American female to have held the position.

Anything you'd like to add? 

My observation...when bringing in new employees, often 

times the procedures for having the tools needed is a process. Please remember that these individuals require the 

tools, resources, and training to be successful in their jobs. 

Often times they are expected to hit the ground running 

without any direction, guidance and/or grooming for the 

job. 
6 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 7

Continued

ducatio

By Jonathan Stack

You might have a bachelor’s degree, 

master’s degree or even a doctorate, 

but that doesn’t mean your potential to learn or grow as a Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy employee is done.

“[Employees] that might be thinking about 

the senior executive service or any role in 

senior leadership it’s important to keep 

thinking ahead and learning new things,” 

said George Atwood, DLA Energy deputy 

commander. “Think of the future.”

Even when an employee becomes a SES, 

they have to keep learning and diversifying. 

“No matter what grade you are, and you 

might be comfortable where you in your 

career, but don’t let that stop you from 

keeping to strive to learn, train, broaden 

your perspective and broaden your network,” Atwood said. 

Atwood said he wants to reinforce the 

importance of ongoing training. 

“I would encourage employees to get with 

their supervisors to discuss different possibilities of training and further education 

that could help them in their careers,” he 

said. “No matter what level you are, there 

are always different opportunities for further education.”

Even as a SES, Atwood is finding ways to 

continue learning and growing as a federal 

employee and leader. 

In 2015, he attended the Advanced Professional Executive Program, an executive 

orientation program to provide newly appointed SES members with practical and 

theoretical understandings of the Office of 

the Secretary of Defense, combatant commands, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the 

military services.

The two-week program consists of a week 

in Washington, D.C., where participants 

meet with the senior leaders of the Defense Department, and a week visiting the 

COCOMs in the U.S., Atwood said.

“We received briefings from U.S. European 

Command, U.S. Pacific Command, the 

chiefs of staff of the Army and Air Force 

and the Joint Chiefs of Staff,” he said. “We 

also had the secretary of defense speak to 

us about some big topics on the department’s agenda.”

The briefings gave the participants a good, 

broad perspective of different things going 

on in the department from a strategic level, Atwood added. It helped to prime them 

for what they need to think about within 

their respective roles as senior leaders. 

Atwood said another good thing about this 

course was it brings SESs from across the 

department together. 

“So a part of the big piece is the network 

aspect of everything,” he added. “We are 

meeting people that maybe day-to-day 

we don’t really know or work with, but we 

learn from them and some of the experiences they’re going through. In reality, 

most of the people I met I really had some 

things in common with and made some 

lasting contacts.”

Atwood said it is important to develop 

a network people to help work through 

problems, solve things or just come up 

with ideas on how to handle certain situations. 

“To me, that is one of the main things I 

took away from the course – those relationships and contacts,” he said. “I think 

it broadens our knowledge and helps 

strengthen some of the decisions we are 

going to make or have to think about.” 
8 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 9

There were multiple things to take away from 

the program, and Atwood said one was everyone 

understanding their relevant military issuances, what 

authorities does their commands/agencies have and to be 

aware of them. 

“That is important on how we operate to ensure we’re all 

working within our lanes,” he said.

Another thing Atwood took away from the program 

was a comment about how tactical events have 

strategic impacts. 

“That talks about the importance of not losing 

sight of the day-to-day things going on because 

they do lead to things down the road that can 

cause either positive or negative outcomes and 

how we work through them,” he said. 

Building networks and partnerships is something 

else Atwood said he stressed about the training 

opportunities. 

“No matter what grade or position you have 

that’s important for us to think about,” he 

added.

It was a great opportunity to see and hear how DLA fits 

into the overall DoD perspective, Atwood said. Everything 

being done here at DLA and within DLA Energy is 

definitely in line with what senior leaders talked about 

during the two weeks he visited and heard from them at 

the Pentagon and at the COCOMs.

“I think overall when went to the different sites and got 

to talk to the warfighters, the thing you take away when 

you walk around and see things is how do you make 

things easier for them to their jobs, and what things can 

we do here to help,” Atwood said. “When you’re here in 

the building you don’t realize the true impact we have in 

making easier for our [servicemembers] to perform their 

mission.”

Atwood said talking to the warfighter made him think 

about the impact just the simple things, from a fuel 

perspective, has on them. On a ship they know the fuel 

is on specification, it is available when they need it and 

they have multiple options when at sea to get fuel – that 

is what employees should take away when they go out and 

see things. 

“I think we all need to think about that when we 

come to work each day and know they know 

about DLA and the positive things we 

do for them, and how we are always 

striving to find ways to be more 

efficient so that money can go back 

to DoD and help with readiness 

... that’s the thing I took away 

and one of the best parts of the 

program,” Atwood said. 
10 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 11

Rotating

ositions

The workforce spoke clearly in response to 

the 2014 culture climate survey that Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy should have more rotational programs to support workforce development 

and senior leadership listened.

Wheels were in motion for a new career development 

program when the DLA Energy Rotation Program 

policy was established in March.

“We’ve taken a big first step towards addressing the 

program objectives established in the policy,” said 

DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Mark 

McLeod. “One thing I heard clearly from the workforce when I arrived last year was the need for more 

employee development opportunities. We responded 

... and we have had some very clear victories.” 

Gladys White is one of three DLA Energy employees 

to kick start the Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s 

Rotation Program. 

In July, White set aside her administrative role in 

Direct Delivery Fuels to learn how to be a project 

management analyst in the Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization division.

“White did a phenomenal job for us during her 

rotation with the SRM division,” said DLA Energy 

SRM Army Branch Chief Jim Tyrrell. “We assigned 

her to one of our most dynamic programs, Recurring Maintenance and Minor Repair, and challenged 

her to help us streamline the process for receiving, 

processing and returning external customer requirements. During her tenure, we decreased the average 

processing time from an average of 15 days to under 

five.”

White’s supervisor said she was a large part of the 

SRM division’s success and the team’s experience 

with this program has been so positive that they have 

enthusiastically volunteered to welcome another 

rotation beginning in the second quarter of 2016.

PBy Elizabeth Stoeckmann

“At the core of this rotation program, it’s 

really about finding a place where people 

thrive, because if they are thriving, the 

organization is thriving and that becomes 

the strength of the organization.”

(Seated) DLA Energy Project Management Analyst Gladys White of Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization learns about her 

new role from her rotational supervisor DLA Energy Program Analyst and Master Planning Branch Chief Debra Simpson. White 

is the first DLA Energy employee to participate in the new program. Photos by Elizabeth Stoeckmann

Since the conception of the program in March, it’s 

become part of the organizational culture of workforce 

development to empower employees in a variety of competencies to promote long-term investment.

“The DLA Energy Rotation Program allows employees to 

see what other career opportunities are available in Energy while offering managers a first-hand look at potential 

employees,” said DLA Energy Manpower and Workforce 

Analysis Career Management Specialist Stan Jasiczek.

“So far the feedback from the employees who are in the 

program is very positive,” he said.

DLA Energy Administrative Specialist Barbara Burger, 

who started her rotation in November, is more than 

pleased with her new rotation role with the Command 

Administration Support.

“The rotation program has helped me widen my scope of 

DLA Energy’s roles and responsibilities,” Burger said. “I 

have a clear understanding of the skills to enhance my 

working knowledge and abilities.”

She said the program definitely allows her to develop 

and stay motivated to learn more each day.

Leadership has been very supportive in her 

new role and she’s grateful for the opportunity for career progression and 

learning, she said.

Just as every program is 

unique, it also offers 

its own set of challenges.

From finding the right job growth opportunities that meet 

employee desires, to balancing the needs of the organization with vacant billets, to ensuring employee 

qualifications are met for their career path and 

training requirements can all be challenges 

of the program, McLeod said.

“The good news is we are proving 

these challenges are not insurmountable,” he said.

“This is why 

Charnika Hayes’ 

– Charnika Hayes
12 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 13

rotation position with the DLA Equal Employment 

Office is another huge win for Energy,” McLeod said. 

“Not only has she found a key position in another 

part of the business, she wants to be there, it’s 

consistent with her education background and she is 

looking to continue her career in this field,” he said.

When you marry these requirements together with 

desires and opportunities that’s exactly what the 

program goals are designed to achieve, he added.

“At the core of this rotation program, it’s really 

about finding a place where people thrive, because 

if they are thriving, the organization is thriving and 

that becomes the strength of the organization,” said 

former Defense Logistics Agency Energy Command 

Administration Support Specialist Charnika Hayes.

It doesn’t stop there though. Even bigger milestones 

are achievable for DLA Energy employees through 

the DLA Enterprise Rotation Program. 

Teresa Arthur, Marcus Evans and Patricia Smith, 

all DLA Energy employees, were selected to spend 

12 months delving into a new professional endeavor 

with a personal mentor and targeted training.

“It’s a milestone in their careers which recognizes 

their future potential for higher grades and 

responsibilities ... we’re very proud of their 

accomplishments,” McLeod said.

From an organizational perspective, the expanded 

participation in the program this year was a conscioius effort to provide more rotational and career 

development efforts for DLA Energy employees, he 

said.

“I am looking forward to participating in the DLA 

rotation assignment in order to enhance my procurement skills and continue supporting the warfighter,” 

said DLA Energy Aerospace Energy Supplier Operations Division Contract Specialist Marcus Evans, 

who will join DLA Troop Support in Philadelphia as 

a procurement analyst in January. 

According to the program policy, the board’s returnon-investment expectation is for individuals, in 

collaboration with the supervisor, to proactively seek 

opportunities to leverage the knowledge and skills 

learned in the workplace upon assignment completion.

Program coordinators said the program is designed 

as development that not only increases the participant’s technical knowledge and skills, but also 

broadens insight into the agency’s mission and functions, develops enterprise perspectives that improve 

the knowledge and capability of the DLA workforce, 

and developd skills that meet agency needs. Rotational assignments are considered long-term training and participants remain employees of the parent 

organization. 

“There is still work to do to broaden the Energy rotation program to include developmental positions in 

other areas like contracting and acquisition and to 

increase cross flow between directorates, but we are 

making strides,” McLeod said. 

“We’re up to 12 positions across Energy now, so ask 

me again in six months and we’ll see how much more 

progress we’ve made,” he added. 

DLA Equal Employment Opportunity Technician Charnika Hayes, center, discusses with her mentors DLA EEO Staff Director 

Janice Samuel, left, and DLA EEO Deputy Director Bridget Lanier, right, her new roles and responsibilities during the 

six-month rotation with DLA EEO. 
14 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 15

When building the acquisition, technology and logistics workforce 

needed to support the military’s fuel 

and energy related needs, a strong 

foundation is needed. 

For the Defense Logistics Agency 

Energy, at the core of that foundation is the Defense Acquisition 

Workforce Improvement Act.

Certification through the DAWIA 

in several DLA Energy career fields 

is a professional recognition of the 

education, training and experience 

employees need to perform their 

acquisition roles.

The acquisition community becomes stronger and builds its capacity to support the current and future 

By Christopher Goulait

Acquisition

Excellence

needs of the armed forces through 

certification, said Ditu Kasuyi, acting division chief of the Acquisition 

Workforce Development & Intern 

Center.

“The more educated an acquisition 

professional is, the better positioned 

DLA Energy is to meet its acquisition goals, such as boosting competition, controlling cost and incentivizing contractors to provide their 

best support to the warfighter,” 

Kasuyi said.

Three levels of certification in 14 

separate acquisition career fields 

across the Department of Defense 

are available. Energy’s workforce 

can earn certifications at all three 

levels in four of those fields: contracting; production, quality and 

manufacturing; life cycle logistics; 

and industrial/contract property 

management.

Certifications for PQM and ICPM 

are mainly for people in the Defense 

Fuel Support Point Management directorate and DLA Energy’s regional 

offices, Kasuyi explained. Life cycle 

logistics certifications are usually 

in the Business Process Support 

and Customer Operations directorates. Contracting certifications are 

typically pursued by Procurement 

Process Support and Supplier Operations directorate employees.

Requirements may differ depending 

on what career field an employee 

pursues, but there are connections 

across the acquisition fields.

“All four of the acquisition career 

fields are similar in that they have 

three levels of certifications, require 

progressive experience in the career 
16 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 17

field and have a combination of online and residential 

class requirements,” Kasuyi said. “The big difference between the career field certifications are the type of assignments in each job series, the number of classes required 

and the education requirements.”

For example, ICPM or contracting certifications require a 

Baccalaureate degree or at least 24 semester hours in specific subjects, while PQM and life cycle logistics certifications do not require any formal education, he said.

The other aspect of DAWIA certification, the certification level, ranges from Level I to Level III in each career 

field. The level of certification an employee needs to reach 

depends on their duties. While there is some variation in 

level requirements between the career fields, for the most 

part they follow a standard pattern.

“Level I certifications are the basic-level training standards designed to establish fundamental qualifications 

and expertise for someone new to a job series, functional 

area or career field. Development at the basic level lays 

the foundation for career progression and is designed to 

prepare qualified, motivated personnel for positions of 

increasing responsibility,” Kasuyi said.

“Level II certification is the intermediate-level training standards designed to strengthen the qualifications 

and expertise of someone that already has foundational 

knowledge of their functional area and prepare them for 

future leadership opportunities,” he continued. “Level 

III certification is the senior-level training for acquisition 

personnel whose duties require a high level of knowledge, 

ability and skills to perform the acquisition duties.”

Dozens of Energy employees make their way through the 

DAWIA certification ranks every quarter and put their 

training to the test in their day-to-day work. Juebiline 

Mbandi, a contract specialist with Bulk Petroleum Products, is one such person who reached Level III certification in contracting.

Complying with rigorous standards for experience, education, ethics, training and knowledge, as well as traveling 

for classes or taking them in her free time to balance her 

regular duties is part of what Mbandi took on to become 

certified. But the cost was worth it, she said.

“There is no question in my mind that my DAWIA certification is invaluable,” Mbandi said. “It demonstrates 

knowledge essential to the practice of contract management within DoD and beyond. It only takes a few online 

job searches to realize how critical employers in the public 

and private sectors value this certification.”

She said there are no shortages of opportunities to apply 

what she learned through DAWIA certification.

“Taking DAWIA classes has enabled me to apply best 

practices when performing contracting work. When faced 

with a contracting problem, I often refer back to material 

and knowledge gained from some of the classes,” Mbandi 

said. “Furthermore, I have found that my customers and 

offerors trust my work, counsel and decision making. The 

latter is a direct reflection of the fact that certification 

symbolizes dedication to professionalism and innovation, 

and an ability to provide efficient contracting techniques 

so that DLA and its offerors achieve optimal outcomes.”

While the roots of the DAWIA can be traced back to a 

1985 Department of Defense study and the National 

Defense Authorization Act in 1991 requiring certification, 

DAWIA is more relevant than ever with the focus on the 

Better Buying Power Program, as Kasuyi explained.

“Better Buying Power is the implementation of best 

practices to strengthen the DoD’s buying power, improve 

industry productivity and provide an affordable, valueadded military capability to the warfighter,” Kasuyi said. 

“To achieve this, acquisition leaders are working to establish higher standards for key leadership positions; have 

stronger professional qualification requirements for all 

acquisition specialties; increase recognition of excellence 

DLA Energy Deputy 

Commander George Atwood, 

left, poses for a photograph 

with a group of employees 

that completed their Defense 

Acquisition Workforce 

Improvement Act Level III 

certification in contracting 

during a ceremony at the 

McNamara Headquarters 

Complex, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 

Jan. 20. Photo by Tanekwa 

Bournes

in acquisition management; and continue to increase the 

cost consciousness of the acquisition workforce.”

For employees looking to do their part for Better Buying 

Power and beyond through DAWIA certifications, a new 

tool may make the process easier.

The career development and workforce management tool 

called the Defense Acquisition Talent Management System 

rolled out Oct. 4, 2015, encompassing modules for DAWIA 

certification, continuous learning and career management, 

Kasuyi said.

“Combined, these modules aid the acquisition workforce 

in their mission for professional development,” he said. 

“DATMS is an easy-to-use online application that provides 

employees, supervisors and agency admin users with a 

standardized view for tracking DAWIA certifications, continuous learning points, and [Defense Acquisition Corps] 

memberships, in addition to the newly created competency module known as career development.”

The new system will help with the agency’s goal of making sure that every Energy acquisition professional has the 

appropriate education, training and work experience from 

their DAWIA certification process to perform their duties 

with excellence, responsibility, integrity and accountability, Kasuyi said.

“Energy is doing a great job in meeting this goal, but we 

aren’t satisfied with just doing a great job,” he said. “We 

are working hard every day to find new ways to support 

the acquisition workforce.”

“Taking DAWIA classes has enabled me to apply 

best practices when performing contracting work. 

When faced with a contracting problem, I often 

refer back to material and knowledge gained from 

some of the classes.”

– Juebiline Mbandi
18 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source 

l SPRING 2016 19

QAR

Prep

Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s 

quality assurance representatives 

train throughout the year to pro-

vide customers with the best product no 

matter where they are or the situation.

Over the past decade, QARs have assisted 

with natural disasters at home and abroad 

ranging from Hurricane Sandy to relief efforts in Haiti after the 2012 earthquake.

In order for QARs to assist in these crucial 

times, they must be qualified and up-todate on training. 

“For an individual to become a QAR, they 

have to complete several courses,” said Lee 

Oppenheim, deputy director for Quality 

Technical Support Office. “Training in-

cludes completing the Defense Acquisition 

Workforce Improvement Act certification 

up to level II and Petroleum Commodity 

training.”

DAWIA certification takes approximately 

two years to attain level two and the petro-

leum classes are four weeks, if the courses 

are taken consecutively. 

After the training, QARs are still not ready 

to take on the task of ensuring the quality 

of fuel from procurement to delivery alone 

and are paired with journeymen who have 

been on the job at least three years. 

By Tanekwa Bournes

“DAWIA training, gives them a broad overview of 

the total quality process while the petroleum class 

is more job-specific,” Oppenheim said. 

Located throughout the world, there are ap-

proximately 110 QARs from diverse backgrounds, 

Oppenheim said. The majority of the QARs have a 

military background in the fuels field while others 

come from industry or were lab technicians.

“No matter the skill level, all potential QARs take 

the same courses. Courses include Petroleum 

Quality Assurance and Quality Assurance of 

Into-plane Servicing Contracts Course, taught by 

DLA Energy personnel,” said Jim Fair, an Energy 

quality program manager. “The other mandatory 

course is Specification Testing of Propellants.” 

Students can also take Specification Testing of 

Aviator’s Breathing Oxygen. Specification Test-

ing of Propellants and Aviator’s Breathing Oxygen 

courses are taught by the Air Force Petroleum 

Agency at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 

and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.” 

“Specification Testing of Propellants and Avia-

tor’s Breathing Oxygen courses are general and 

give QARs basic knowledge of performing qual-

ity assurance on aviator’s breathing oxygen and 

propellants contracts,” said Jim Young, Energy’s 

quality program manager for Aerospace Energy 

and course coordinator. 

The Specification Testing of Propellants course is 

a three-day course instructing students on Aero-

space Energy propellant products and additional 

lessons include application of approved test meth-

ods, interpreting test results, and general guidance 

on product handling and safety said Young. 

Sometimes referred to as the cryogenics course, 

Specification Testing of Aviator’s Breathing Oxy-

gen course is a two-day course teaching students 

A DLA Energy quality assurance reprentative boards a vessel to 

conduct tanker operations. QARs train throughout the year to 

provide customers with the best product. Courtesy photo
20 www.energy.dla.mil 21

techniques for sampling, the equipment and test 

methods for analyzing bulk liquid and gaseous aviator’s 

breathing oxygen. In addition, they learn how to interpret test results, contractual testing requirements and 

safety hazards associated with breathing oxygen.

“Depending upon an individual’s duties, both courses 

are required for certification in the field,” Young said. 

“They’re also required for a QAR to work on a contract 

containing these commodities unsupervised.”

“The Quality Assurance of Into-plane Servicing Contracts course is an intense four-day course that teaches 

students about the various commercial continental U.S. 

and outside the continental U.S. standards that they 

will have to refer to in the field when conducting their 

audits,” said Ann Koury, course instructor and Energy 

quality assurance specialist. “They are not expected to 

remember all the standards word for word by the end 

of the course but will know where to find the information they are looking for and all must pass with 80 

percent or better to move on.”

To prepare students for what they may see in the field, 

they go on a field trip to a DLA Energy Fixed Based Operator where they see a storage facility, an aircraft servicing refueling vehicle, and the receiving truck rack.

“At the site, students witness a QAR performing daily 

quality checks required by ATA 103: Standard for Jet 

Fuel Quality Control at Airports [publication,] which is 

one of the standards they learned in class, review the 

paperwork that is filled out during the checks; and if 

possible, see a truck receipt operation and the truck receipt paperwork,” Koury said. “We teach them that not 

all QARs will check for the same things because there’s 

no exact checklist but it gives them ideas of what they 

should look for at a site.”

During the Petroleum Quality Assurance course, 

students learn about DLA’s Quality Assurance and 

Surveillance programs and how they are applied to the 

purchase programs for bulk petroleum products and storage contracts 

within the logistics system, Fair said, 

who is also the course coordinator. 

They will be able to conduct preaward and post award surveys and 

conduct petroleum quality surveillance of DLA-owned products. The 

course is given twice a year either at 

Fort Lee, Virginia or Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

“The added benefit to holding the 

courses at those military installations is that it provides students with 

hands-on training in flight-line and 

pipeline operations,” Fair added.

Due to the limited amount of jobs 

available, having these classes under 

their belt doesn’t mean they will automatically be a QAR. Fair said he is 

glad to say that most of the individuals he has taught are doing great things in the field. 

Not only do DLA Energy personnel train QARs how to 

properly do their job in the field, they also developed 

a class for non-QARs at the headquarters as well as 

reserve units to learn about the field. 

“The need for the class arose because reservists weren’t 

sure how to work with QARs in the field in order to assist them in completing their mission,” Fair said. 

The Petroleum Quality Course-General is a week-long 

lecture-based class given three to four times a year at 

DLA. This course can be given where the units being 

deployed are located at their request. 

“The great thing about all these courses is that they 

continue to evolve as standards and processes change 

and although the courses do not make the students’ 

experts, they help them become more informed about 

their jobs,” Koury said. “Becoming an expert will come as 

they work with more experienced QARs in the field.”

Once QARs have completed their initial training, they still 

take courses to keep abreast in their field.

“Every two years, QARs are required to do 80 hours of additional training,” Oppenheim said. “Each region has time 

set aside for training and is responsible for completing 

hazardous material training as well.”

Additional training unique to the QAR field is the Confined Space Entry Program. During the training, QARs 

learn how to make decisions that can save their lives while 

performing their jobs in confined spaces such as upright 

cylindrical storage tanks, barge tanks and ship tanks. 

“The training which is in accordance with DLA policy is 

given biennially and ensures DLA Energy complies with 

Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regulation 29 CFR 1915.7,” said William Davenport, course coordinator and quality manager for DLA Energy Middle East. 

Each region is responsible for completing this training, he 

added. 

QARs learn how to examine the hazards, proper use of 

protective equipment, ability to calibrate and use testing 

equipment such as oxygen sensors and combustible gas 

indicators, and to accurately interpret test results. 

At the end of the day, the training helps QARs understand 

their various tasks and how to work with the customer 

to help them understand that “good fuel” is on the way, 

Oppenheim said.

At the end of the day, the training helps QARs 

understand their various tasks and how to 

work with the customer to help them understand that “good fuel” is on the way.

– Lee Oppenheim

Energy Source l SPRING 2016

A DLA Energy 

QAR conducts 

an internal 

inspection 

to determine 

suitability to 

load. In order 

for QARs to 

assist during 

crucial times, 

they must be 

qualified and 

up-to-date 

on training. 

Courtesy photo
as long as they want, because it all 

about building relationships for 

either a lifetime or a mere short 

three questions.”

Although the program is still in its 

infancy phase, feedback from senior 

leaders is very positive, Bridges said.

Employees like Irrainna BlackmonCorbin, DLA Energy Equal Opportunity disability program coordinator, 

said it’s very rewarding both with 

the interaction with peers and potential mentors.

“As a group we are “round-robining” 

with various leaders in Energy and 

talking with them regarding their 

experience and amongst ourselves 

in the group,” Blackmon-Corbin 

said. “My understanding is that after 

we’ve completed the cycle, we’ll request who we would like to mentor 

us from those leaders in the mentoring cycle.”

She said she hopes to learn what her 

leadership potential could be in the 

organization and learn more about 

how to grow in the federal government.

Bridges said this program is similar to the rotation program where 

employees get an opportunity to 

understand other areas of the organization and engage with senior 

leaders.

“There are many paths to success ... 

don’t always listen to just one path,” 

he said.

Bridges said they will continue 

developing and improving the small 

group mentoring program. In addition, employees should look forward 

to a formal mentoring program, 

said Adrian Hines with DLA Energy 

Manpower and Workforce Analysis. 

The program is in development, and 

more information will be released as 

it becomes available. 

22 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 23

Success

What is a mentor? Someone 

who teaches or gives help 

and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. How 

do you find a mentor? The chief of 

staff has an idea.

Defense Logistics Agency Energy 

Chief of Staff Navy Capt. Jason Bridges intends to expose as many different leadership styles possible to the 

workforce and let them decide who 

they want as their mentor, instead of 

being assigned.

“Let it be like a job interview so you 

can see about developing a personal 

relationship with someone,” Bridges 

said.

“Getting different viewpoints, management styles, organizational vision 

and goals, leadership perspectives ... 

all that stuff is important ... and if it’s 

me that would be really interesting,” 

he said.

The small group mentoring program 

idea started in September after an 

email response from more than 

70 employees indicated there was 

interest in a mentorship program.

Bridges said it was important to him 

to create a program that was not overburdened with rules.

“Basically, there aren’t any rules other 

than what the senior leader and employee make up,” he said.

Bridges explained the program consists of seven groups of ten employees 

representing varied career fields from 

headquarters and the regional offices; 

additionally the senior person of that 

group is the leader.

“Who are the mentors? The directors, deputy directors 

and senior leaders of the 

business units,” he said.

The senior leader of the 

group coordinates with the mentor 

once a month to set up a time to meet 

with the group via phone, video teleconference or online chat ... basically 

however they want to do it, Bridges 

said. 

“Engaging with the senior leaders 

lets employees see who they want as 

a permanent mentor through their 

career in Energy,” he said. “Then the 

relationship builds from there ... for 

By Elizabeth Stoeckmann

MENTOR

ORGANIZATION

TRAINING INSPIRE

SOCIAL KNOWLEDGE IMPROVE

WORK

RELATIONSHIP

LEARN

MOTIVATE

BUSINESS

SUCCESS

Mentor
24 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 25

Acquisiti

Professionals

Video Series Available

By Irene Smith

Nine videos profiling Defense Logistics 

Agency acquisition professionals have 

been posted to the agency’s YouTube site.

The acquisition videos were created in response 

to findings of the 2014 DLA Denison Culture 

Survey that demonstrated an apparent lack of 

communication of the full impact of acquisition 

initiatives on the DLA Acquisition workforce and 

customers. 

DLA Energy Procurement Process Support Director Bruce Blank led the Strategic Communication Working Group comprised of primary-level 

field activity and DLA headquarters personnel.

 “This concern came from an analysis and discussion of 2014 DLA culture survey results at a 

Quarterly Acquisition Career Program Board,” 

Blank said. “Specifically, concerns were raised 

about low survey results in areas linking key 

initiatives to positive impacts on DLA business, 

our customers, and the acquisition 

workforce.”

The Strategic Communication Working Group’s objective was to improve 

the strategic communications to the 

DLA Acquisition workforce by connecting the positive impact of all 

acquisition personnel types on the 

DLA Strategic Initiatives including 

Big Ideas, Better Business Process 

and Professional Development.

One initiative to do that in a creative, 

compelling way was the idea of creating the “I am an Acquisition Professional” video spots.

“The videos reinforce the messaging 

of DLA’s commitment to a professional workforce – hire, develop and 

retain a high-performing, valued, 

resilient workforce that delivers 

sustained mission excellence,” Blank 

said. “The objectives are to increase 

positive feelings and satisfaction about 

what it means to be a DLA acquisition 

specialist and increase recognition of 

the importance of education in the DLA 

acquisition community.”

DLA Energy acting Division Chief for the 

Acquisition Workforce Development & 

Intern Center Ditu Kasuyi came up with the 

idea of creating videos to highlight different 

acquisition professionals throughout DLA and 

its PLFAs. He worked closely with DLA Video 

Producer Jim Miller to develop and expand the 

acquisition video concept and focus on the different acquisition careers.

“One of the primary missions of the team was to connect the work of acquisition professionals and to educate the acquisition community about the 14 different 

acquisition fields,” Kasuyi said. “We were looking for a 

compelling, visual way to tell the story and we came up 

with the idea of creating “I am an Acquisition Professional” video spots.”

“We hope to expand the thinking of what it means to 

be an acquisition professional in DLA,” Kasuyi said. 

“We want people to stop thinking in silos and start 

collaborating. It is the collaborative thinking that 

will unlock new ideas and new ways to support the 

warfighter.”

The working group went back to 

their respective field offices and 

identified a wide range of individuals – those new in their career, midcareer and senior acquisition members 

to profile. They looked at people with 

different levels of certifications and multiple specialties to show the cross section, 

diversity of people including gender, age 

and ethnic backgrounds. 

The first acquisition video profiles DLA Human 

Resources Director Brad Bunn, DLA Logistics 

Operations Deputy Director Mike Scott and DLA 

Acquisition Deputy Director Roxanne Banks 

sharing their personal insights in becoming successful acquisition professionals in the video titled 

“Big A is Critical to Mission Support.”

“The role of the acquisition professional is extremely 

important to the Department of Defense and unique to 

DLA,” Bunn said. “These videos bring our core values to life. People respond better to stories and they 

respond better to stories from people they can identify 

with and can say ‘I can do that or I am doing that.’” 

Key messages contained in the videos are the importance of training and certification needed to succeed in 

the acquisition career fields.

“As director of Human Resources, my job is to hire, 

develop and retain high performing, skilled and resilient professionals,” Bunn said. “We’re committed 

to enabling all levels of our acquisition workforce to 

hone their skills and experience, and maximize their 

potential. Through education, training and the right 

professional and leadership development, you can be 

successful in your current job and prepare for advancement to senior level positions.”

The videos reinforce the messaging of DLA’s commitment to a professional workforce – hire, develop and 

retain a high-performing, valued, resilient workforce 

that delivers sustained mission excellence, Blank said. 

“The objectives are to increase positive feelings and 

satisfaction about what it means to be a DLA acquisition specialist and increase recognition of the importance of education in the DLA acquisition community,” 

he said.

The acquisition professionals videos can be viewed 

at DLA’s YouTube page under the DLA Acquisition 

playlist located at https://www.youtube.com/user/

DODLogisticsAgency/playlists.
26 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 27

The audience quiets as the concert is about to begin. 

The conductor makes his entrance, turns to the 

musicians of the orchestra and, with a gesture, starts 

the music.

The string section sweeps in with a stirring melody. The 

musicians then hand off the melody from one section to 

another, relying on their training and skill to make seamless transitions. The performers constantly and deliberately listen across the orchestra in order to perform their parts 

with finely tuned precision and expression. 

The conductor, who oversees the entire process, is deeply 

respectful of the specialized knowledge and experience 

each musician brings to the performance. He also knows 

that, while everyone performs their specialty, they all focus 

with intensity on the same goal: to deliver to the customer 

– the audience – an exceptional performance.

The process of music making holds certain similarities 

to the Defense Logistics Agency’s end-to-end business 

processes. DLA wants its employees to “read from the same 

sheet of music,” listen and collaborate with one another 

and continuously fine tune their procedures so they can 

deliver exceptional service to DLA’s main customer – the 

warfighter.

There are obvious differences, too – the most challenging 

being that DLA’s processes take place in 48 states and 28 

countries around the world and generate more than $38 

billion in sales and revenue.

With the signing of the agency’s audit readiness assertion 

letter Sept. 30, 2015, DLA Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Andy 

Busch indicated DLA is ready for an audit in 2016. This 

was a huge step that involved years of hard work by DLA 

employees to establish standard operating procedures and 

tighten internal controls. While the audit readiness effort 

is by no means complete, planners are looking forward to 

the next phase in the agency’s progression: fine tuning its 

end-to-end processes.

“Through audit readiness, we’re to the point where we 

understand our processes, that they are well controlled, 

that we’re being good stewards of taxpayer resources,” said 

Simone Reba, deputy director of DLA Finance. “And by 

having our processes documented, now we can make them 

better.”

DLA engages in many business processes, but at the core 

are procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, plan-to-stock and 

acquire-to retire. Each process touches specific functional 

areas, such as finance, procurement, planning, product 

technical and quality testing, order fulfillment and real 

property. Procure-to-pay, for example, starts with a purchase requirement and ends with the vendor paid and the 

The Atlanta Symphony

In Tune with 

Process 

Management

By Chris Erbe, DLA Public Affairs

Photo by Jeff Roffman
28 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 29

contract closed out. Along the way, the process touches 

the planning, procurement, order fulfillment, technical/

quality and finance functional areas. 

In a traditional business model, employees in functional 

areas do their work without knowing much about what 

comes before or after their involvement in the process. 

The result is a stovepipe, or silo effect, where employees 

aren’t aware of how their actions affect other functional 

areas. End-to-end process management seeks to break 

down stovepipes by requiring communication and collaboration between functional areas. 

“In an integrated, holistic end-to-end agency, we look at 

how processes relate to each other,” said Kristin Kremer, 

Enterprise Process Management Branch chief in DLA Strategic Plans and Policy. “Are they talking to each other? How 

do they influence each other? Instead of stovepipes, we look 

at functions horizontally across an entire process instead of 

as individual elements.” 

Reba uses the procurement process as an example. “If 

procurement buys more of an item, they get a better 

price. But then we have to consider the cost of storing it 

and whether we have the space to store it – so that’s how 

end-to-end comes into play. What’s good for procurement may not be so good for distribution. What’s good 

for one functional area has to be good all the way down 

the line,” she said.

The handoffs, when one functional area passes work to 

the next area, are a source of concern in a traditional 

business process, said Stephen McClanahan, an analyst 

in DLA Strategic Plans and Policy. Traditionally, those 

in-between places outside the functional silos hold the 

potential for inefficiencies and errors. 

“In traditional stovepipe processes, no one addresses 

the handoff issue,” McClanahan said. “It’s easy for 

employees to say, ‘We did what we’re supposed to do – 

it’s not my problem!’ Enterprise process management 

gets people in these functions thinking about how they 

can improve the handoffs. We call this ‘thinking end-toend.’ ”

Angela Evans, chief of the Enterprise Process Integration Division in DLA Strategic Plans and Policy adds that 

handoffs are about ensuring documentation is accurate 

and that each step is clear to everyone.

“When I get a transaction, product or email that I can’t 

take action on, it creates a rework loop, which is a waste 

of time and money,” she said. “In general, one day saved 

from process delays amounts to an increase in purchase 

power that could be used to support the warfighter.”

Planners know that successful implementation of endto-end process management will depend on continuous 

process improvement. Those improvements will depend 

on the input of employees at every level, not just that of 

senior managers. Focusing on end-to-end processes will 

increase workers’ understanding of how their activity 

contributes to the success of the overall goals, which will, 

hopefully, fuel their desire to improve the process.

To that end, DLA developed the Process Excellence 

Pipeline, a web-based process management tool that allows DLA employees to submit and track process-related 

improvement ideas. The purpose of the site is to assist 

those closest to the actual work activity to drive innovation within the agency.

“DLA is looking for the forklift driver to say, ‘I think this 

process can be done better,’ and then to make a proposal 

for a process change,” Evans said. “DLA is carving paths 

for them through the Process Excellence Pipeline and 

through their chain of command to make improvements. 

We have these avenues today, but they are not as wellknown as they will be.” 

DLA has established governance over the end-to-end 

processes in the form of the Supply Chain Integration 

Council, which will execute enterprise process management strategies and serve as the nerve center for process 

transformation. The council will be concerned with 

relationships and interconnectedness between functional areas. It is important to note that the Supply Chain 

Integration Council will not take the place of traditional 

managers of functional areas. 

“Traditional managers will always be essential because of 

their deep knowledge of their functional areas,” Kremer 

said. “It’s not possible for end-to-end process managers 

to be experts in all of those functions.”

Traditional managers will not have responsibilities taken 

away; instead, they will be asked to be more collaborative, Evans said.

DLA will also use metrics to help free itself from the 

stovepipe effect. While still valuing the traditional 

measurements for individual functional areas, DLA will 

establish overall metrics to measure the success and efficiency of an entire end-to-end process. 

Like musicians in an orchestra, DLA employees can expect more communication, collaboration and coordination in their future daily work lives. DLA employees at all 

levels will be exposed to process education and training 

through social media messaging, town halls, internal 

website pages and online courses, Kremer said.

“Process excellence is about the entire agency working 

together toward perfecting the customer experience,” she 

said. “It’s about making sure the warfighter gets the right 

thing at the right place at the right time at the right cost.” 

Who:

Forward deployed Navy Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron 15, known as the HELMINERON 15 Detachment, whose mission includes patrolling 

waters to locate and destroy sea-based mines and mapping safe sea lanes of travel. This unit is home-based at Oceana Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia.

What:

Filter element (fluid) needed for scheduled maintenance of a MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter.

Where: When:

Forward deployed to Muharraq, Bahrain. Priority 02 (mission essential – required immediately).

Type of order:

DLA Direct, which means the customer ordered an item that DLA stocks in its inventory. 

PURSUIT OF THE PERFECT ORDER

Kevin Scheetz and Chris Erbe

Capture Customer Order:

The customer submitted the order through the Navy Enterprise Resource Planning System, 

which routed the request to DLA Transaction Services, DLA’s entry point, Dec. 9 at 6:41 a.m. 

(all times are Eastern Standard Time). Within seven minutes, DLA Transaction Services had 

entered the order into EBS for processing. EBS then took the order through 233 validations and 

edits without a hitch and created a sales order by 7:37 a.m. 

Manage Customer Order:

This phase encompassed the steps between capturing the customer order and fulfilling 

the order, including checking asset availability, reserving and releasing items, resolving open 

orders, managing any changes to the order (not required here), and updating the customer on 

the status of the order. Because there were no modifications or errors found with this order, 

DLA moved it to the Fulfill Order process.

Perform Distribution:

The Distribution Center received the Material Release Order and processed it for 

shipment. Once the item was shipped, a final shipment confirmation was provided back to 

DLA at 12:13 a.m. and a shipping status was sent to the customer. The customer received the 

shipment at 6:07 p.m. Dec. 10 and responded with a Material Receipt Acknowledgement to 

close out the sales order. Total time from when the customer submitted the order to when 

they received the shipment: 35 hours and 26 minutes.

Manage Accounts Receivable:

DLA generated the invoice upon receipt of the shipment confirmation and transmitted 

the final billing transaction Dec. 12.

Functional Area Touchpoints:

The Order Fulfillment and Finance functional areas were directly involved in completing 

this order. Although they are outside the Order-to-Cash process, the Planning, Technical and 

Quality and Procurement functional areas were responsible for procurement, quality testing and 

positioning of the correct item where it was needed at the time it was required.

Manage Customer Profile:

Before the order was submitted, the 

customer established a customer master record 

through DLA Transaction Services using the DoD 

Activity Address Database, including addresses, 

points of contact, payment information and 

optimal delivery points. DLA imported the 

information into its Enterprise Business System, 

which supports DLA’s supply chain and financial 

activities. For this order, DLA had the correct 

billing address (home base Norfolk); delivery 

location (forward base Bahrain); and the optimal 

distribution center (DLA Distribution Bahrain).

Fulfill Order:

Because it was DLA Direct, the order 

was entered into the Available to Promise 

software logic, which matched the order 

with assets from the best location. The ATP 

process is a comprehensive and flexible 

solution designed to provide optimal support 

based on Time Definite Delivery standards, 

transportation costs, distribution center 

capabilities and customer requirements. 

It also executes other steps to adhere to 

Military Standard Requisitioning and Issue 

Procedures practices. Once sourced to a 

depot, the system generated a Material 

Release Order to have the order filled. In this 

case, the ATP logic identified the product 

available at the customer’s optimal delivering 

plant, DLA Distribution Bahrain. EBS 

generated the Material Release Order by 8:29 

a.m., 1 hour and 48 minutes after the order 

was submitted.

Even as DLA readies for an audit in 2016, its business of supporting the warfighter continues. DLA processes 100,000 requisitions and awards over 

10,000 contract lines every day and, with every order, DLA employees strive for perfection—the right product to the right location at the right time and at 

the right cost.

To demonstrate just one of DLA’s processes, we followed an actual order from end-to-end through an entire order-to-cash business cycle.
Office is the Agency’s lead on all EEO, 

affirmative employment and diversity 

matters and ensures agency-wide 

compliance with federal statutes, 

regulations and executive orders. 

“Resiliency is not something someone does to you or gives to you,” said 

Renee Roman, Ph.D., DLA’s chief 

of staff. “It is something each of us 

does for themselves, to help weather 

the storms that may come at work 

or at home. We want our employees to know we recognize this is an 

important component of life. We are 

committed to providing the resources, 

programs and processes that support 

their personal efforts to become more 

resilient.” 

DLA will have four focus areas to help 

employees understand what resources 

are available to them: mental, physical, social and (if desired) spiritual. 

“Dealing with stress and adversity in 

healthy and productive ways is really 

the cornerstone of what we mean by 

‘resiliency,’ Brad Bunn, DLA Human Resources director, said. “Lt. 

Gen. Busch has committed to helping the DLA workforce strengthen 

its resiliency in the face of personal 

and professional stressors — not only 

because it’s the right thing to do for 

our people, but also because a more 

resilient workforce is more engaged, 

productive, and high performing.”

DLA will soon provide an online overview of what resiliency means to our 

workforce, as well as supervisor/manager training and coaching tools. 

Editor’s note: Chris Born, DLA 

Public Affairs, contributed to 

this article.

The boss is asking again about 

the requirements you owe him. 

Grandma hasn’t been feeling well for the last three weeks, and 

she’s refusing to go to the doctor. It 

looks like the pending winter storms 

are no longer pending but will most 

likely close the office tomorrow, which 

doesn’t help you get those requirements done.

How do you as a DLA employee deal 

with such problems? Will they overwhelm you, or can you work through 

them? Will you do just enough to deal 

with the immediate effects of each 

challenge, or will you find a way to 

deal with the stress each one brings? 

And how do you even begin to do all 

that?

A great place to start is to know about 

the variety of services available to you. 

Some may be in the community that 

you live in – but as a DLA employee, 

you should know that there are resources available to you at your workplace that can help you handle life’s 

challenges. Using these resources can 

improve your resiliency. 

Resiliency — the ability to deal with 

pressure, ambiguous or emerging 

conditions and competing tasks while 

remaining optimistic, or at least 

productive and good-humored – is a 

DLA value. 

To some degree, people instinctively 

deal with the stress and confusion of 

life. But some people handle adversity better than others. Is that an 

innate ability? An instinct? Or is it an 

acquired skill? The answer is probably somewhere in between, but we 

know that individuals have different 

levels of resiliency. 

The uniformed services have been 

trying to make soldiers, sailors, 

airmen and Marines more resilient 

for a few years. And in 2016, Defense Logistics Agency will focus on 

encouraging our workforce to become more resilient. Throughout this 

year, you will hear how supervisors, 

managers and directors can coach 

and lead their teams to be a resilient 

workforce.

Fortifying workforce resiliency is 

part of Goal 2 of the DLA Strategic 

Plan 2015-2022: People and Culture. 

DLA leadership recognizes that the 

agency’s success depends on the 

readiness of the workforce to meet 

evolving mission requirements. For 

DLA to achieve its mission of supporting the warfighter, both the 

overall workforce and each individual 

in it must be resilient.

“We must be ready to adapt to our 

changing environments, but we each 

respond to changes differently. As a 

workforce, we can leverage our differences and deliver more innovative 

and effective outcomes,” said DLA 

Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Andy 

30 www.energy.dla.mil Energy Source l SPRING 2016 31

By Joseph Yoswa, DLA PAO

Learn It • Practice It • Share It

Resiliency

DLA defines resiliency as how an 

individual deals effectively with pressure, ambiguous and emerging conditions, and multiple tasks; remains 

optimistic and persistent, even under 

adversity or uncertainty. Recovers 

quickly from setbacks. Anticipates 

changes and learns from mistakes.

DLA’s resiliency model areas are:

Mental – The ability to effectively 

cope with mental stressors and challenges. Pay attention to your needs 

and feelings.

Physical – The ability to adopt 

and sustain healthy behaviors with 

wellness and fitness programs and 

healthy eating opportunities.

Social – The ability to network and 

connect with others to further job 

skills and development.

Spiritual – The ability to adhere to 

beliefs, principles, or values needed 

to persevere and prevail in accomplishing missions. 

Resilien

Busch. 

DLA employees at all levels can adapt 

to change not only by taking advantage of employee resources, but also 

by openly talking about strategies for 

being resilient, Busch said. 

“Supervisors and their teams should 

continually find opportunities to talk 

about resiliency,” he added. “I also 

encourage managers and employees 

to bring resiliency into their everyday 

discussions, so that we have an ongoing dialogue about how to deal with 

challenges we face.”

There are several agency programs 

that fall under the resiliency umbrella, managed by organizations such as 

Human Resources; Morale, Welfare 

and Recreation; Equal Employment 

Opportunity; and the Chaplain’s Office.

“Resiliency is a process, not an 

initiative,” said Phil Dawson of the 

Resiliency Program Management 

Office. “This is a living, growing and 

expanding program. Resiliency is not 

a new idea, but DLA wants to ensure 

everyone knows what it means to 

them and where they can turn if they 

need resources to help improve.”

He noted that programs to help employees with life-work challenges have 

been around for years. “Our mission is 

to help employees recognize there are 

programs that will help them be more 

resilient and that we can help develop 

coaching materials and sometimes even 

new programs,” Dawson said.

Many DLA employees are already 

participating in these programs. 

The DLA Fitness Program allows 

workforce members three hours per 

week to engage in physical fitness activities, use the agency fitness centers 

and participate in fitness events.

DLA’s Employee Assistance Program 

provides confidential assistance to 

help employees deal with personal 

issues that might impair their job 

performance, health or well-being.

DLA Life Connections helps DLA 

military and civilian employees manage important events in their lives 

while meeting the demands of work 

and home. The program is available 

at no cost, and assistance is available 

24/7.

The Relocation Assistance Program 

helps authorized DoD civilian employees relocate between duty stations.

The Chaplain’s Office provides religious logistical support and confidential pastoral services to DLA employees. 

The Equal Employment Opportunity