Smart Energy

Solutions

SOURCE

ENERGY

Defense Logistics Agency Energy Summer 2017
2 www.dla.mil/Energy

Commander

Air Force Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin

Deputy Commander

Guy C. Beougher

Chief of Staff

Army Col. Doug Henry

Public Affairs Officer

Irene Smith

Editor

Ronald Inman

Writing Staff

Tanekwa Bournes

Elizabeth Stoeckmann

Layout/Design

Ronald Inman

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 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

 Please welcome DLA Energy’s new deputy commander 

Guy Beougher! Guy brings a wealth of Army and DLA 

J3 operational experience to the team. In this issue, Guy 

shares his insights and thoughts in an in-depth interview. 

You may be surprised by the hidden creative side of our 

deputy commander!

 In this issue of the Summer Energy Source, we focus on 

“Smart Energy Solutions,” a theme highlighting significant 

DLA energy contract projects and many more strategic 

and cost-saving ways we are doing business.

 DLA Energy supports the Department of Defense’s 

installation energy strategy to reduce energy costs and 

improve the energy resilience of our fixed installations 

through its competitive natural gas and electricity 

purchase programs, its execution of energy savings 

performance contracts and its negotiation and award of 

large-scale, on- and off-site renewable energy generation 

contracts for the military services. The completion of 

three large energy contracts at Fort Hood, Tinker Air 

Force Base and Fort Polk helps to lower energy and 

water costs, reduce the DOD’s reliance on fossil fuels and 

improve the energy resilience of our military installations. 

These efforts reduce energy use, save money and enable 

the DOD to reallocate resources to warfighter mission 

readiness. Engaging industry and other partners in the 

delivery of effective and affordable solutions is a “Smart 

Energy Solution.”

Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin, USAF

Defense Logistics Agency Energy

 

 In this issue, the 

reader will take a 

journey through 

the life of a barrel 

of jet fuel. This is a 

complex evolution 

beginning from a 

Houston, Texas, 

refinery to the tanks 

of an F-16 Fighting 

Falcon or a KC135R Stratotanker. 

Along the way, 

the crude oil goes 

through many 

physical changes 

and additives are 

added to the refined 

fuel to complete 

the transformation to jet fuel. DLA Energy personnel are 

involved in every step of the journey, ensuring the warfighter 

has the quality fuel they need to meet their mission. 

 People and Culture continue to be a major focus of our 

2016-2018 Lines of Effort Crosswalk. Find out what it is 

like to be a GS-14 and GS-13 director in “A Conversation 

with ... ,” featuring DLA Energy Small Business Director 

Greg Thevenin and Internal Review Director Maria Spicer.

 Inside this issue you will find other interesting DLA 

Energy activities. Reach out to our editorial staff online 

and give them feedback on the articles or even some story 

ideas at EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil.

Energy Source

Front Cover: U.S. Air Force photo

Back Cover: Angela Shannon 
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 3

A Conversation with ...

 23 ...... Maria Spicer

 30 ...... Greg Thevenin

16

26

4 Meet Energy’s Deputy Commander

 An in-depth interview with DLA Energy’s new Deputy Commander, 

 Guy Beougher.

6 Worldwide Energy Conference

 A record number of attendees from the energy industry gather for the 

 2017 DLA Energy Worldwide Energy Conference.

8 Smart Energy Evolves at WWEC

 Collaboration during and after the WWEC is fostering change and

 improvement at DLA Energy and with its industry partners.

10 Smart Energy Solutions

 DLA Energy’s contributions to major Department of Defense renewable 

 energy projects are saving the DOD money and energy.

14 Investing in Federal Women’s Futures

 DLA Energy women expand their leadership horizons at the 

 Federally Employed Women National Training Program conference.

16 Confined Space Training

 Defense Fuel Support Point San Pedro teams up with the Los Angeles 

 Fire Department to provide a unique training opportunity.

18 Clean Break

 Defense Fuel Support Point San Pedro closes an aged fuel facility and

 protects its local environment.

24 Fueling Innovation

 Collaboration with the University of Arkansas is helping predict 

efficient pipeline flow and reduce fuel delivery d

26 Refinery to Flight

 Trace the journey of a barrel of jet fuel from where it’s made, to the 

warfighter. It’s more than just loading and unloading barrels of

6

FEATURES
4 www.dla.mil/Energy

M e e t D L A E n e r g y ’ s 

new Deputy Commander

Interview by DLA Energy Public Affairs

Guy C. Beougher

DLA Energy Deputy Commander, 

Guy C. Beougher. DLA Energy photo

ES: Please tell us about yourself and your career.

I served 30 years as a quartermaster in the Army 

retired as a colonel in 2010. I had fuel units in every level

of command from platoon leader to brigade commander. 

My first experience with Defense Logistics Agency was

in 2000 as a battalion commander in Kosovo as I was

drawing fuel from the French in Pristina. Stephen Grace 

was helpful in securing a fuel injector for fuel system icing 

inhibitor (FSII), otherwise we would have been dumping

FSII into 5k tankers with a bucket. Before I left that

mission, DLA was instrumental in sending rail tankers to 

Camp Bondsteel rather than my unit sending tankers to 

Pristina, which was about 12 hours away.

I have served outside the continental U.S. for 14 of 

last 37 years of my professional career. That includes 

Korea, Canada, and 10 years in Germany. I have deployed

to Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and most recently Afghanistan,

as a GS-15 from DLA. I have been in the Senior Executive

Service for five and a half years, and this new role will be

my fourth SES position. 

Out of the last seven years as a civilian, I spent

months at U.S. Army Forces Command. I started my

federal career as a senior research fellow for the Center for 

Joint Strategic Logistics at National Defense University, 

working for retired Army Lt. Gen. Claude Christenson 

who immediately sent me back to Iraq to help the

Ministry of Defence create a five-year budget plan. About

90 days into that role, I was hired as the DLA Business

and Opportunities division chief (J35). From October

2010 through August 2011, I gained perspective by being

something other than an SES in Logistics Operations (J3).

There, I learned about the DLA governance processes,

from the Alignment Group to the Executive Board. 

In August 2011, I deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, a

civilian deputy to the Deputy Commanding General for 

Support, U.S. Army Forces Afghanistan. At the same time, 

I applied to be the deputy logistics (G4) at USFORSCOM.

Unfortunately, that tour was cut short, and in January 

2012, I went to

USFORSCOM 

at Fort Bragg, 

North Carolina 

and became the 

deputy G4, a Tier

II SES billet, for 18

months. Following 

that assignment, I

returned to DLA as 

an SES. 

ES: How have 

your past 

experiences 

prepared you for 

the leadership 

role as the DLA 

Energy deputy 

commander?

 The biggest impact on preparation would be my 

operational experience in the DLA Operations/Logistics 

J31/J34 directorates. DLA sustains the warfighter’s

operational readiness around the clock and around 

the world. The processes in providing, acquiring and 

distributing food and fuel drive every military and 

humanitarian assistance operation, exercise and plan. The 

challenge is providing those supplies and services in a new 

location in the middle of a crisis. I think my operational

perspective, relationships with combatant commands and 

familiarity with the elements of planning, examining facts 

and assumptions and developing courses of action help in 

the role of a deputy commander.

While in the J31,I created the 24/7 Joint Logist

Operations Center. The need for a 24/7 Joint Operations

Center was validated when we had our first civilian casualty,

Stephen Byus, who was killed in action in Kabul, Afghanistan.

I learned very early the sun never sets on DLA and t

the operational tempo in Pacific Command, European

Command and Central Command are at opposite ends of 

the clock. The fuel-related support to Nepal following the 

earthquake and the humanitarian assistance of critical 

non-food items provided for Syria and Iraqi refugees in

2015 validated the need for a 24/7 operations center.

These events occurred outside our normal working hours. 
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 5

ES: What does leadership mean to you? Does 

leadership change when you move jobs or when 

you become a civilian, especially as a member of 

the Senior Executive Service?

I have changed jobs 28 times in my 37-year career, se

of which being a civilian. I think the tenets of leadership

always remain the same. What motivates a young private 

is different from what motivates a GS-13-14-15 civilian.

Therefore, being a leader in the military is different than

being a leader in the civilian career field.

DLA is interesting. In some places there is an influx

military, other places not so much. You have to find a

great balance and always understand that the workforce is 

looking up to you to lead. In every job I have encountered,

I took time to understand the culture, the language and

the values while applying the same leadership tenets. 

 There is a reason you have one mouth and two ears. Learn 

to listen, learn to understand and ask the right questions. 

Try to understand the second and third effects of what you

hear, and try to connect the dots with your experience.

The importance of failure

People learn more from failure. I have seen a lot of peo

fail, and I always want to figure out why they failed. In J31,

I usually told people to fail faster because you are going to

learn a lot more, especially when you try something new. 

Think outside the box, and if you are not successful at it, 

you will have learned something from the experience. 

Sometimes failures are our strongest lessons. I am 

advocating we fail at everything, but when we do fail, we 

shouldn’t hide from it. That is what the after action review 

process is about: identifying the things we can improve.

I‘ve seen some very unsuccessful leaders in my 37 yea

If you spend as much time examining why they failed, as

one would spend examining how someone was successful, 

I think you can learn a lot.

ES: What is your message to DLA Energy employees? 

I want employees to know I work for them. I have

obligation to represent them to the enterprise, the rest of 

the agency and to make sure DLA Energy and Air Force 

Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin are successful. I always want

feedback on how to better represent the Energy workforce.

ES: In your visit to the Commander's Action 

Group, someone asked what your pet peeves are 

and you replied, "Timeliness and dishonesty. If 

you don't know the answer, don't lie. Get back 

with me once you find it out.” Would you please 

expand on these topics?

I don’t look at this as peeves, it is more common respe

Timeliness is meeting management expectations and 

meeting suspenses on time. If you think you are going to

go over, or miss a suspense, tell someone; that is respectful 

of everyone associated with it, up and down the chain.

 The dishonesty piece is two components. Dishonesty 

is flat-out lying, or misleading with malice of intent. The

other one is that in my experience, people are afraid to 

say, “Sir, I don’t know and I will get back to you.” Most of

the time people will try to answer a question they don’t 

know the answer to, and then you have to listen and ask 

the question another way. 

I would rather have a person say, “I understand w

you are asking, however, I don’t have an answer right

now. I will get back to you.” Usually, people get it after I

have asked a question the third time. I am inquisitive, I

have a thousand questions, and there is a lot to learn at 

Energy. I will never be the resident expert, but among my

peer group, I have a lot of resident experts like Mike Scott,

George Atwood and Pat Dulin. 

ES: Can you tell us something that might surprise 

us about you?

I am a published cartoonist and my wife is a harpi

I published a cartoon book, “CGSC Life,” while I was a

student at the Command and General Staff Course at Fort

Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1993, where I sold 1,200 copies.

I started my doctorate in Public Policy and Administrat

with Virginia Tech as a GS-15 and worked on it here and

at Fort Bragg and Kabul. Since becoming an SES, I put the

program on hold since I don’t have time for both.

 “There is a reason you have one mouth 

and two ears. Learn to listen, learn to 

understand and ask the right questions. 

Try to understand the second and third 

effects of what you hear, and try to 

connect the dots with your experience.”

— Guy Beougher DLA Energy Deputy Commander 
6 www.dla.mil/Energy

2017 WORLDWIDE ENERGY CONFERENCE

 A record turnout of more than 2,300 attendees and 

256 exhibitors from the Department of Defense, federal

civilian agencies and industry’s energy supply chain 

participated in the Defense Logistics Agency Energy 

Worldwide Energy Conference held April 10-12 at the 

Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon 

Hill, Maryland.

 “The Worldwide Energy Conference could not have gone 

better!” said DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig.

Gen. Martin Chapin in an email to the DLA Director. “We 

far surpassed our previous attendance records. Everything 

- the trade show, the workshops and the plenary session - 

proved first class.”

A highlight of the conference was the first-ever

exchange agreement signed between Australia and DLA 

Energy. The newly-signed agreement expands the scope 

of reciprocal fuel support and enhances interoperability 

by enabling bulk fuel exchanges to optimize supply 

chain efficiencies. Financially, DLA Energy benefits from

authorizing settlement via replacement-in-kind and 

equal-value-exchange, vice solely monetarily. On average, 

Australia and the U.S. exchange 36 million gallons of fuel

valued at $85 million annually.

 Chapin and Air Commodore Stephen Winterton, director, 

General Fuels Services Branch, Joint Logistics Command, 

Australian Department of Defence, signed the agreement.

By Elizabeth Stoeckmann

 

“In today’s global energy market, it is even m

imperative that we gather energy industry professionals 

from around the world to discuss how the federal 

government, specifically the DOD, develops strategies to

meet future energy needs,” Chapin said.

The 2017 WWEC theme, “Refining Global Ene

Strategies,” focused on leveraging commercial capability

to gain supply chain efficiencies and enhancing supply

diversity, a focus that will help the DOD continue to get 

more for the taxpayer dollar.

 Former DLA Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Andy Busch 

joined Chapin for a trade show ribbon-cutting ceremony 

and highlighted the importance of DLA Energy supply 

chain management.

Former DLA Director Air Force Lt. Gen. Andy Busch, right, joins DLA 

Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin for DLA Energy's 

Worldwide Energy Conference trade show ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 

Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, Oxon Hill, Maryland, 

April 10. Photo by Ronald Inman

Chapin addresses a crowd of energy professionals who gathered at DLA 

Energy's Worldwide Energy Conference at the Gaylord National Resort 

and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland, April 10-12. Photo by 

Tanekwa Bournes

A success for the entire 

energy community
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 7

 “DLA and DLA Energy look forward to exchanging new 

innovative ideas as we work together to meet energy goals 

for the nation, the DOD and most importantly, for the 

warfighter and our customers,” Busch said.

 Conference participants also collaborated on energy 

challenges facing the DOD and federal agencies. 

Participants included representatives from petroleum 

refiners and brokers; fuel, energy services and

infrastructure providers; natural gas, electricity and 

missile propellants suppliers; renewable energy providers; 

and companies providing utility services to military bases.

 Energy security, operational energy and energy diplomacy 

were the themes in a plenary session with panelists Alan 

Eyre, director, Office of the Middle East and Asia Bureau of

Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State; Steven Iselin,

acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations

and Environment) and Oliver Fritz, acting Deputy Assistant

Winners of the 2017 Department of Defense Fuels Awards join for a 

group photo following the event to recognize and celebrate the best fuels 

management operations and fuel handling teams in the DOD. The ceremony 

was held during the 2017 Defense Logistics Agency Energy Worldwide 

Energy Conference. Photo by Tanekwa Bournes

Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy.

 “How the world is changing and how those changes 

impact us affect how we all do business tactically and

strategically every day,” Chapin said.

DLA Energy and the fuels community celebrated

years of excellence in fuels management operation and fuel 

handling in an awards ceremony during the conference.

 “The awards ceremony was a great way to honor those 

who represent the very best of us in the fuels community,”

said Capt. Charles Morton, deputy director of Air Force 

Fuels Operations Support. “It was exciting to see all the

services and DLA Energy come together, symbolizing that 

delivering capability to the warfighter is, at its core, a joint

effort ... very awe-inspiring!”

 DLA Energy is planning the next WWEC, which will be 

held May 20-23, 2019, at the Gaylord National Resort and 

Conference Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

Chapin and Air Commodore Stephen Winterton, director, General Fuels Services Branch, Joint Logistics Command, Australian Department of Defence, sign 

the new Fuel Exchange Agreement between Australia and the U.S. April 12 during the DLA Energy Worldwide Energy Conference. Photo by Ronald Inman

Naval Support Center representatives answer DLA Energy Worldwide 

Energy Conference attendees’ questions during the opening of the WWEC 

exhibit hall at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center in Oxon 

Hill, Maryland, April 10. Photo by Irene Smith
8 www.dla.mil/Energy

 Jim Mandziara, director of Defense 

Logistics Agency Energy’s Business 

Process Support Directorate, had 

three goals for attending the 2017 DLA 

Energy Worldwide Energy Conference.

“I wanted to see what commerc

industry applications were available 

for DLA solicitations, discover what 

advancements commercial industry 

made in their support to their 

energy supply chains and lastly, gain 

insight into the commercial industry 

participating in the J6 Enterprise

Technology Services contract,” he said.

DLA has two different solicitati

needing solutions on critical data 

information,IT systems, technology

and infrastructure supporting DLA 

Energy. To explore industry capability 

to respond to these solicitations, 

Mandziara visited vendor exhibit booths 

and discussed vendor capabilities, 

which may be offered in response

to solicitation for solutions and 

improvements to Energy information 

systems.

 “By engaging in this open forum 

and sharing our needs with private 

industry, I met and exceeded

my goals,” Mandziara said. “The

WWEC clearly demonstrated that 

commercial industry is capable of 

responding to DLA solicitations with 

technically acceptable applications.”

 The WWEC’s primary objective 

is to provide a forum for energy 

industry leaders in the private and 

public sectors to engage in dialogue 

about issues critical to both industry 

and consumers. According to postconference surveys and testimonies, 

the 2017 WWEC was a success.

 “Our attendance was better than 

expected,” said WWEC conference

organizer Bruce Blank, director of 

the Procurement Process Support 

Directorate. “We had a good mix of 

Energy and external speakers. The 

trade show was sold out and we had 

good coverage of all aspects of DLA 

Energy’s business.”

 A highlight of the WWEC was 

the exchange of ideas and the 

impromptu meetings held outside of 

the scheduled sessions. Conference 

objectives were so successful that 

attendees recommended adding an 

extra day and offering more “white

space” for networking and idea

sharing, Blank added.

 Martha Gray is the DLA Energy 

Utility Services director. Her division 

supports military 

service partners by 

offering specialized

contracting and 

technical expertise 

for utility services 

concerns. She and her 

staff made valuable

business contacts 

during the conference.

 “A real and positive 

outcome for us was 

the Natural Gas 

Industry session,

where we talked 

with current and 

potential natural gas 

distribution system 

providers about our 

request for proposals 

and processes,”

Gray said. “We 

learned about the challenges that 

prevent them from offering on our

solicitations. It was eye-opening for

us, our military service partners and 

our utility service providers.”

 Opportunities to network and 

exchange information on an array 

of energy topics resonated with 

conference attendees.

 “Service program managers and 

representatives from the Office of

the Secretary of Defense commented 

that they found this to be one of the 

best utility process offerings at a

conference in a long time,” Gray said.

“Since the conference, we have seen 

a marked increase in the number of 

offerors interested in our solicitations

Smart Energy Solutions evolve from 2017 

DLA Energy Worldwide Energy Conference

seeking to privatize service-owned 

natural gas systems.”

 More than 100 workshops were 

offered, covering topics across DLA

Energy’s worldwide business including 

petroleum supply and distribution, 

supply chain services, aerospace energy, 

installation energy and alternative 

fuels. Many DLA Energy business units 

invited suppliers and industry experts 

to the workshops to learn about new 

business and solicitation processes.

 Doug Smith, DLA Energy 

Aerospace Energy Supplier Division 

director, said he found the WWEC to 

be an ideal opportunity to meet faceto-face with industry representatives 

in a centralized environment over a 

multiple-day timeframe.

 “During the WWEC, Aerospace 

Energy provided training and open 

discussions on various changes 

to ordering procedures, delivery 

processes and invoicing processes 

and procedures,” Smith said. “Having

multiple vendors in the same place 

at the same time produces a positive 

impact.”

 According to Smith, a successful 

networking opportunity occurred 

By Irene Smith

DLA Energy Commander’s Action Group team members and 

conference volunteers Barbara Hannah, left, and Lorraine Blanchard 

assist attendees during the 2017 DLA Energy Worldwide Energy 

Conference at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center 

in Oxon Hill, Maryland, April 10-12. Photo by Tanekwa Bournes
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 9

between him and a potential 

supplier of a kerosenebased rocket propellant. 

The vendor was attending 

the conference as a member 

of the petroleum industry 

but received information 

on the kerosene-based 

RP-1 rocket propellant. This 

led to a phone call to Smith 

and discussion of becoming 

a potential supplier of the 

rocket propellant. The vendor 

currently supplies DLA 

Energy with other products 

and has provided evidence 

to Aerospace Energy that it 

can meet the rocket fuel’s 

military specification.

 The WWEC is responsible 

for increasing competition on an 

emerging supply chain, Smith said. 

 “With this potential supplier, 

Aerospace Energy is expecting 

competition on the upcoming followon rocket propellant contract for the 

first time ever,” Smith said. “Because

of the WWEC, my organization is 

poised and ready to support the 

new rocket engine whether it is the 

Department of Defense’s decision to 

use liquid methane or RP-1/2 as fuel 

for the new space launch engine.”

 The many DLA Energy employees 

who volunteered to help plan and work 

the conference were key to its success.

“Getting volunteers was eas

Blank said. “In an effort to reduce

the budget, we asked the 

workforce to volunteer as 

registrants and we had 

a terrific turnout. It cut

costs for the contractor, 

which allowed money to be 

spent in other areas. Our 

employees were courteous, 

professional and are willing 

to volunteer again.”

 Many DLA Energy 

employees attended the 

WWEC for the first time

and they found it fun, as 

well as informative.

 “This was an amazing event 

that showcased what DLA 

Energy is all about,” said

Damon Moore, DLA Energy 

Aerospace Energy Supplier 

Operations deputy director.

 Other Energy employees shared 

similar impressions.

 “This was a great learning 

opportunity,” an employee expressed

in the survey. “The DLA Energy 

WWEC 2017 allowed participants 

the opportunity to build professional 

relationships among different staffs,

suppliers, service components, 

service control points and industry 

to ensure the joint petroleum 

community works towards common 

goals and objectives relevant to our 

organization’s missions.”

“I really enjoyed the conference 

learned a lot from the presentations 

and vendors,” another Energy

volunteer commented. 

“Meeting vendors and 

talking with them about their 

projects is useful market 

research so contracting 

personnel know a point of 

contact to add to distribution 

lists when synopsizing 

on (the Federal Business 

Opportunities) website.”

 Conference feedback from 

industry was also positive.

“I’m very pleased 

(Energy) made the decision

to begin hosting this 

conference again,” said

Tim Ramsay, Information

Security World Fuel 

Services vice president. 

“The learning and 

networking opportunities were more 

than I expected.”

 Chevron Dubai representative 

Masooma Sayyed wrote, “It was a

very worthwhile event to attend. 

The entire process, from the userfriendly online navigation tools 

and registration process, to the 

venue itself and the seamless way in 

which the numerous agenda items 

where handled with the hundreds of 

visitors, was noteworthy. I plan to

attend the next one for sure!”

 The event proved to be a great 

experience for attendees as evidenced 

by more than 90 percent of 

respondents to the post-conference 

survey indicating they would attend 

the 2019 conference.

 Blank and his team have 

already started planning 

for the 2019 DLA Energy 

WWEC.

“I am looking forw

to the next worldwide 

conference that will be 

held May 20-23, 2019, 

at the Gaylord National 

Resort and Conference 

Center in Oxon Hill, 

Maryland,” Blank said.

“The recommendations 

we received at (this year’s)

conference and through 

surveys will help us plan a 

bigger and better event.”

Army Petroleum Center employees (from left to right) Dave Corbin, John 

Cheesbrew, Karen Turchiano, Larry Houston and Army Chief Warrant 

Officer 3 Twana Chapman volunteered their time at the APC booth in the 

DLA Energy Worldwide Energy Conference exhibit hall at the Gaylord 

National Resort and Conference Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The WWEC 

tradeshow featured 125 booths with representation by companies and military 

organizations. Photo by Irene Smith

Air Force Petroleum Office representatives stand with the American 

Petroleum Institute Award during the DLA Energy Worldwide Energy 

Conference, held April 10-12 at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference 

Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The annual Air Force-level award recognizes 

the best fuels management flight in the Air Force. The API trophy was 

presented in a joint-service awards ceremony during the conference to the 

2016 winner, the 354th Logistics Readiness Squadron's Fuels Management 

Flight, Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska. Photo by Irene Smith
10 www.dla.mil/Energy

By Elizabeth Stoeckmann

 Editor’s note: In support of this issue of Energy 

Source’s “Smart Energy Solutions” theme, we’ll highlight 

three significant energy projects that DLA Energy 

has been a key part of this year: the largest Energy 

Savings Performance Contract in U.S. Air Force history 

(Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex), the construction 

of two new wastewater treatment plants (Fort Polk, 

Louisiana) and the first large-scale hybrid solar and 

wind renewable energy project (Fort Hood, Kentucky).

 DLA Energy awarded the Air Force’s largest energy 

savings performance contract for the Oklahoma City Air 

Logistics Complex, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, in 

March 2017. Contract work will modernize 60 buildings

and reduce energy usage at the complex by 35 percent

while supporting the Air Force’s new Energy Flight Plan, 

a long-term vision to enhance mission assurance through 

energy assurance. 

The $243 million facility modernization project will s

at least $20 million annually in energy and operational 

costs over the 25-year life of the contract. This includes

energy conservation measures such as boiler and chiller 

optimization, lighting retrofits, building and development

upgrades, infrared heating, water and sewer conservation.

“When you have a 35 percent savings over 10 mill

square feet, that is a real, tangible difference,” said DLA

Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin. 

“The money that is saved in the Department of Defense 

now goes to do something else we need to do. We can 

spend it on readiness or whatever else it is we feel the 

need to do at the time.”

 The project addresses the manufacturing processes with 

conservation measures in the paint booths, thermal spray 

booths, plating shops, industrial waste water treatment 

plant, chemical cleaning shops and compressed air retrofits.

“This project covers it all,” said DLA Energy Contract

Officer Cynthia Obermeyer. “It achieves energy

conservation, cost savings and improves mission reliability 

through installation of new equipment and infrastructure.”

PROJECTED EFFICIENCY

After completion of a 42-month construction eff

included as part of the 25-year performance period, total

annual energy savings are projected to be 665 billion British

thermal units per year, equivalent to the average annual 

DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin (second from right) joins Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex senior officials to cut the 

ceremonial ribbon signifying the Air Force’s largest energy savings performance contract at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The ESPC is projected to 

save $626 million in energy and operational costs over 21 years. Photo by Kelly White

Maximizing power, minimizing cost

Smart Energy Solutions
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 11

energy consumption of more than 8,300 homes. In addition

to a projected 35 percent reduction in Tinker OC-ALC energy

usage, this project provides water efficiencies, with OC-ALC

water usage projected to reduce by nine percent. 

 The ESPC was executed within 20 months as a result of 

proactive planning and execution efforts with stakeholders.

“When I read that this happened within about a 20-mo

period of time ... for those who may not be used to 

government contracting cycles, you may think ‘Wow, that

seems like a long time,’” Chapin said. “However, I’ve been

around enough government contracts to know that’s actually 

a very short period of time ... and for something of this size 

to come together in a 20-month period of time, is absolutely 

phenomenal and it’s a testament to the teamwork.”

 “This could not have been accomplished without 

the collaborative effort of the Tinker OC-ALC, the Air

Force Civil Engineering Center, DLA Energy and the 

contractor,” Obermeyer said. “The contractor was very

supporting and collaborative. The contractor brought in 

their best (personnel), who were very cooperative. We all

agreed up front that we would make this happen and we 

all worked around the clock until we did!”

PROJECTED GOAL AND BEYOND

The Air Force exceeded its commitment toward the

billion Presidential Performance Contracting Challenge 

goal with the Tinker OC-ALC ESPC project. Under 

the challenge, each federal agency was charged with 

optimizing its energy footprint through the use of third 

party performance contracts.

 “Contracting support obtained from the installation 

contracting offices has many different types of contracting

venues and they do a great job executing the operation 

and maintenance dollars for the installation, but energy 

is a beast all unto itself. Our expertise and services are 

provided to the DOD with a committed workforce focused 

on the energy industry,” Obermeyer said.

 DLA Energy is currently working on eight Air Force 

ESPC projects for award this calendar year. Nine more 

are due to be awarded next year and new requirements 

are in the pipeline coming from the Air Force Civil 

Engineering Center.

 

Workers at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, install critical 40/45 upgrades to E-3 AWACS aircraft during programmed depot maintenance at the 

Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex. Defense Logistics Agency Energy recently awarded an energy savings performance contract to implement energy 

conservation measures at the OC-ALC. U.S. Air Force photo
12 www.dla.mil/Energy

 A ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of 

two new and improved wastewater treatment plants built 

to meet the growing needs of Army Garrison Fort Polk, 

Louisiana, was held on the installation May 24.

 Defense Logistics Agency Energy Utility Services provided 

specialized contracting and technical expertise for the two 

newly-constructed wastewater treatment plants.

“Utilities privatization (UP) enables milit

installations to obtain safe, reliable, technologically 

current and environmentally sound utility systems at a 

relatively lower cost than they would under continued 

government ownership,” said DLA Energy Utility

Services Director Martha Gray. “In the privatization

process, military installations shift from the role of owner 

operators to that of smart utility service customers.”

 Wastewater treatment plants remove contaminants 

from wastewater, primarily household sewage. Physical, 

chemical and biological processes are used to remove 

these contaminants and produce environmentally safer, 

treated wastewater, also known as treated effluent. A

byproduct of sewage treatment is usually a semi-solid 

waste that has to undergo further treatment before being 

suitable for disposal. The contaminated water from the 

plants is converted to safe water that meets public health 

standards through the treatment process. 

 “The two wastewater treatment plants were authorized 

under the existing 50-year utility services contract for a

total cost of $87,418,921.82,” said DLA Energy Utilities

By Irene Smith Service Contracting Officer Farheena Khan. “The work

began in 2013 and included demolishing the existing 

dilapidated plants, built in the 1940s, and constructing two

new efficient WWTPs equipped with modern technology.”

 Khan was instrumental in awarding the contract. 

DLA Energy Contracting Officer Kenneth Richardson

and Contract Specialist Jonathan Willsher 

worked with Khan to provide contract 

administrative details from start to finish.

 DLA Energy Utility Services supports the 

military services’ UP programs to build energy 

security and resiliency by improving utility 

systems at military installations across the U.S.

“It was an honor for my team

ceremoniously acknowledge all the hard 

work that went into this massive project and 

the beginning of two brand-new WWTPs 

provided to Fort Polk for more than 50 yea

to come,” Khan said.

 Khan worked with the system owner, 

American Water Operations and 

Maintenance, whose team created the design 

for the new wastewater plants and performed 

the work that included demolishing the 

outdated plants and constructing the two 

new wastewater treatment plants.

 “This project will improve Fort Polk’s 

mission assurance and have a positive 

environmental impact for the next 50 years,”

Khan said. “It will fulfill all current wastewater treatment

requirements on post and it has the potential to increase 

the overall treatment capacity to accommodate future 

projected growth.”

The new WWTPs will function 24 hours a day, se

days a week. The new North Fort Plant is capable of 

treating 1.8 million gallons of wastewater per day and the

South Fort Plant is capable of treating 4.6 million gallons

of wastewater per day. Additionally, the local environment 

and the waters receiving flow from these new plants

will reap the benefits of improved treatment and higher

quality effluent, Khan explained.

 Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk 

Commanding General Army Brig. Gen. Gary Brito said the 

new wastewater treatments plants have long-term benefits

for Fort Polk.

 “Every soldier and family member wants to know they 

have clean water,” Brito said. “The intellectual investment

of making this decision a couple years ago is going to last 

many years, providing quality of life to our soldiers and 

families.”

 

The Fort Polk garrison commander and Louisiana congressional representatives attend a 

ribbon-cutting ceremony for two newly constructed wastewater treatment plants at Fort Polk, 

Louisiana, May 24. Photo by DLA Energy Utilities Service Contracting Officer Farheena Khan

Utility Services contracts wastewater 

treatment plants at Fort Polk
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 13

By Elizabeth Stoeckmann

Defense Logistics Agency Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin (third from left) and stakeholders participate in a ribbon-cutting 

ceremony with other senior officials for the large-scale renewable energy solar project at Fort Hood, Texas, June 2. Photo by DLA Energy Installation 

Energy Director Pam Griffith

DLA Energy brings large-scale solar, 

wind renewable project to Fort Hood

 Defense Logistics Agency Energy Commander Air Force 

Brig. Gen. Martin Chapin attended a ribbon-cutting 

ceremony with other senior officials for the first largescale renewable energy solar and wind project at Fort 

Hood, Texas, June 2.

The construction of more than 60,000 solar pan

and 21 wind turbines will provide Fort Hood with 65

megawatts of alternating current, with the on-site 

solar system providing 15 megawatts of energy and the

remaining energy coming from a 50 megawatt off-site

wind facility.

 “DLA Energy is a proud team partner with the Army in 

this large-scale renewable energy project, providing clean 

and reliable energy from solar, wind and conventional 

resources to ensure Fort Hood’s energy demands are 

satisfied for decades to come,” Chapin said.

The firm-fixed price contract for renewable energy

lower than the projected prices for conventional energy 

and will provide Fort Hood with greater budgetary 

stability for electricity over the 28-year delivery period.

“If you’re pro-defense you should like this project,

you’re pro-renewable energy you should like this project 

and if you like jobs you should like this project,” said

Richard Kidd, deputy assistant Secretary of the Army for 

Strategic Integration.

 Because of the micro-grid capable system, future 

enhancements will enable securing and sustaining 

critical missions. If the wind facility goes offline, the post

will continue to receive power from the solar array and 

conventional energy from the grid to ensure all power 

requirements are satisfied.

 “When we encounter a rare opportunity like we have 

here to find a resilient, effective and efficient solution,

that’s a win-win, and those are opportunities we want to 

make sure we exploit all the time,” Chapin said.

 The 130-acre solar farm at Fort Hood was made possible 

through a contract awarded by DLA Energy in January 

2016, to support the Army’s strategic objective for

resilient and assured access to energy supplies for critical 

installation operations.

 Since DLA Energy executed the contract award for 

Fort Hood, contract specialists will continue to monitor 

performance and provide contract administrative support 

to the Army and Fort Hood for the next 28 years.

“This project provides reliable energy from a largescale on-site renewable resource and supports both the 

Army and Department of Defense strategy for greater 

energy security at fixed installations,” said DLA Energy

Installation Energy Director Pam Griffith.

DLA Energy procures over $400 million annually

electricity and renewable energy in support of DOD 

installations. This is DLA Energy’s first contract including

provisioning and purchasing electricity from newly 

constructed on- and off-site generation assets using two

different renewable energy technologies.

 Since solar and wind are intermittent resources, the 

contract also includes the purchase of electricity from 

conventional resources to supplement the renewable 

energy and ensure Fort Hood’s full electricity demand is 

satisfied, Griffith said.

“This is the largest Army warfighting platform, so 

fact that this creates an opportunity to make sure this 

installation always has energy is absolutely the single 

most important thing in my mind,” Chapin said.

 The Fort Hood solar project is the result of a 

collaborative partnership between the Army Office of

Energy Initiatives, Fort Hood, DLA Energy, APEX Clean

Energy and the Army Corps of Engineers. “If we’re not

making sure the energy is getting down to the warfighter,

then we’ve completely missed the boat,” Chapin said.
14 www.dla.mil/Energy

 Twenty Defense Logistics Agency women attended 

Federally Employed Women’s National Training Program 

in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 17-21.

FEW is a private, non-profit organization work

to end sex and gender discrimination and support the 

advancement of women in the federal service. This was 

DLA Energy’s first time participating in the program.

 Darrell Bogan is the DLA Energy Equal Opportunity 

and Diversity director. He explained the importance of 

diversity workshops.

“When I arrived at DLA Energy, there was no knowledge

any affinity groups, such as Blacks in Government, Federal

Employees with Disabilities, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and 

Transgender Employees, FEW and others,” Bogan said.

“Acting DLA Energy Deputy Commander Gabby Earhardt and 

DLA Energy Chief of Staff Army Col. Doug Henry supported

and encouraged me to send a group of Energy employees.”

Affinity groups fall under the National Coalition 

Equity in Public Service that was established in 1994 and

includes seven national organizations, Bogan explained. 

Their organizations help promote the participation and 

advancement of minority and women managers and 

employees in the federal government.

Training is FEW’s main objective. For 48 years, 

has been training federal workers for personal and 

professional career growth. This year’s theme is “Investing

In Our Future.” The four-day conference offer

more than 100 courses, workshops and networking 

opportunities with subject matter experts in a number of 

career fields. A newcomers’ reception took place the day

before training commenced to introduce new conference 

attendees to the FEW board of directors. Brandi 

Carpenter, a contract specialist in DLA Energy Direct 

Delivery Fuels, found the classes interesting.

“I took the Thrift Savings Plan overview for early to midcareer employees,” she said. “The instructor gave a gr

DLA and DLA Energy women had the opportunity to invest in their professional future by attending the Federally Employed Women’s National Training 

Program July 17-21 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The National Training Program is FEW’s premiere training event and offers a multitude of training topics 

ranging from skill building and career development to leadership training and management techniques. Left to right: Top row: Angel Buckner, Rozanna 

Cherry, Beverly Johnson, Tammie Morris, Juebiline Mbandi, Diana Knight, LaToya Clayton-Bullock, Denise Maloney, Kathryn Moore, Toka Trau-Massey 

and Brandi Carpenter. Bottom row: Irene Smith, Angela Jones, Pam Griffith, Shepeta Allen, Lorena Montenegro and Glynis Guest. Courtesy photo

Investing in federal women’s futures

By Irene Smith
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 15

explanation on how to diversify 

your TSP depending on the 

stage of your career. She also 

talked about Roth individual 

retirement accounts, which I

knew very little about.”

 Carpenter said she plans on 

researching to see if she should 

start a Roth IRA at this point

in her career and reviewing her 

TSP account so she can further 

diversify her contributions.

 FEW maps every training 

session to the guidelines 

of the Office of Personnel

Management’s Senior 

Executive Service’s executive 

core qualifications and the

fundamental core competencies.

 LaToya Clayton-Bullock, a 

senior procurement analyst 

within the DLA Energy 

Procurement Process Support 

Directorate, took a class 

on writing executive core 

qualifications for an SES position.

“I took the class because I w

to become an SES and better 

myself as a leader and mentor,” Clayton-Bullock said.

“I learned how to craft my resume and write executive

core competencies, (of) which I had no knowledge or

background.”

Clayton-Bullock is a member of FEW. She joined in 2

while employed at the Justice Department and reached 

out to the regional director of the Washington, D.C., 

metro region to start a FEW chapter at DLA Energy.

“I believe the Department of Defense to be the pion

for setting standards and becoming trailblazers for 

various initiatives,” she said. “In order to continue th

movement, DLA Energy is taking the lead to continue this 

trailblazing momentum and increase the awareness of the 

ideologies that FEW was founded on. We are working on 

gathering the requirements to start a new chapter for DLA 

Energy and will hold a meeting in the near future.”

 Bogan was pleased to provide funding for nine DLA 

Energy employees to attend the training.

 “When people attend conferences it arms them with the 

tools to promote work-life balance.” Bogan said. “I am

really pushing for conference attendance since it helps 

with retention and recruitments.”

 Energy participants universally agreed that the conference 

was educational and beneficial to their career development

and investment in DLA Energy’s future. Several came back 

energized to start their own FEW chapter.

“I thought the 2017 Federally Employed Wo

National Training Program was an informative event 

that provided us with useful knowledge for personal and 

career development,” said DLA Energy Business Process

Analyst Toka Trau-Massey. “The experience is key in 

investing in DLA Energy’s future by enabling growth 

among its employees. By obtaining the training, DLA 

Energy personnel can be more effective in supporting DLA

Energy’s missions and improving customer service.”

 FEW’s National Training Program is open to all 

employees from military, private and public sector 

organizations wanting to climb the ladder to the next 

step in their career. With more than 100 chapters spread 

across the U.S., the organization offers more than 140

workshops attended by more than 2,000 women and men 

each year.

 “For me, the conference’s highlight was to see women 

uplifting, networking (with) and supporting each other,”

Clayton-Bullock said. “I was even more surprised and

impressed to see that in each of the classes I attended,

men were present and were active members. I am still in

awe that I was able to witness such an event.”

 For more information about joining the DLA Energy 

FEW chapter, please contact Clayton-Bullock at LaToya.

Clayton-Bullock@dla.mil or Trau-Massey at 703- 617-

1634.

DLA Energy Supervisory Procurement Analyst Angela Jones, left, and Juebiline Mbandi, a supervisory 

contracting officer/branch chief with DLA Energy Bulk Petroleum Supply Chain Services, compare notes in 

the Senior Executive Service GS-13 and above class at the Federally Employed Women’s National Training 

Program July 17-21 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo by Irene Smith
CONDUCTING

CONFINED

SPACE

TRAINING

16 www.dla.mil/Energy

By Elizabeth Stoeckmann

A Los Angeles Fire Department crew member 

descends into Defense Fuel Support Point San Pedro’s 

Tank 15 during confined space and rescue training. 

Photo courtesy of contractor
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 17

First responder teams practiced confined space res

training at the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Defense 

Fuel Support Point San Pedro, California, April 12-14.

 The Los Angeles Fire Department’s Urban Search and 

Rescue team (Task Force 85), DLA Energy DFSP San

Pedro’s site manager and the contractor performed mock 

rescue entry drills into Valve Pit 106 and Tank 15. The

hands-on urban search and rescue training provided 

38 response personnel with the opportunity to learn and

practice techniques to perform rescues in a confined space.

 “Performing these drills allows responders to know, 

based on site maps, what type of structure they will be 

dealing with and additionally, what equipment will be 

required in the event of an incident,” said Doug Childers,

construction manager for the contractor closing the DFSP 

San Pedro underground storage tanks.

A confined space has limited or restricted means of en

or exit, according to the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration. Confined space includes, but is not

limited to: tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, 

vaults, pits, manholes, tunnels, equipment housings, 

ductwork and pipelines.

“Gaining access to real confined spaces to train in

difficult,” said Capt. Tim Werle, LAFD Station 85.

 The LAFD uses a custom-made technical rescue vehicle to 

enable access to confined spaces. The self-sufficient vehicle

has the ability to power equipment and lighting; provide air 

and hydraulic supply for lifting, cutting and breaking tools and 

equipment; and carry items such as fiber optic search devices

for state-of-the-art searching.

 “The ability to have a controlled environment for training 

helps us to work on theories we have about better rescue 

operations,” Werle said. “The tanks at the fuel depot presented

us (with) challenges we were able to work through.”

Three shifts from LAFD Fire Station 85 conducted 

one day CSRT scenarios. These included: 

Day 1: Location – Valve Pit 106. Call received of person

down in the bottom of a valve pit, technical rescue. 

Injured person (IP) condition and status unknown.

Individual entry of rescue personnel to locate IP and

perform extraction. Entry confined to only one rescue

individual entry to assess IP status.

Day 2/3: Location – Tank 15. Call received of person down

in the bottom of fuel tank, technical rescue. IP condition

and status unknown. Team entry of rescue personnel to 

locate IP, assess status and perform extraction.

“The teaming of TF 85, the local

contractor and DLA Energy 

allowed for a familiarization 

of personnel and open 

communication between the 

entities,” Childers said.

 The drill lessons learned by 

rescue teams set the foundation for 

future missions including tethering 

versus non-tethering entries, as 

well as search patterns and rapid 

extraction of rescue personnel. 

“These techniques allow the entry 

teams to perform their duties with 

greater efficiency knowing the

layout of the structures involved,”

Childers said.

 Todd Williams, DLA Energy 

Installation Support for Energy

facility manager and on-site 

project manager at DFSP San 

Pedro, explained that sufficient

radio equipment is vital for 

communication between first

responders and the command and 

control cadre during the rescue.

 “This will most likely be the 

first and last time for this type of rescue training since

we are permanently closing DFSP San Pedro and all 

underground storage tanks and valve pits are being filled

with foamcrete, negating any need for confined spaces,”

Williams said.

 “DLA and the Navy had unique facilities that were in 

the process of being closed and the local fire department

was looking for an opportunity to conduct confined space

training on such facilities,” said DLA Installation Support

for Energy Installation Manager John Cummings.

 “The training was successful and a good news story for 

all parties involved,” he said.

Los Angeles Fire Department personnel conduct rescue line training and a debrief at DFSP San Pedro’s 

Tank 15 during confined space and rescue training. Photo courtesy of contractor
Source: DLA Installation Support for Energy Restoration Branch

Clean Break

By Elizabeth Stoeckmann The facility consists of storage tanks, pipelines, pump 

houses, loading racks and other infrastructure. Its mission

was to receive, store and distribute fuel in support of the 

Navy, Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Air National 

Guard. It operated under the authority of the Navy until

1980, when operations were transferred to DLA Energy

Installation Support for Energy.

Officials decided the DOD could save operating 

maintenance costs by closing the facility, resulting in its 

temporary closure in 2014. In 2015, the DOD decided to

continue the closure of the 27 underground tanks to help 

mitigate any infrastructure and environmental harm. 

The USTs will be filled in with a concrete material and

returned to the Navy.

Initial closing began in February 2016 for 20 concr

500,000-barrel underground storage tanks built in 1941 and

1942; six steel 500,000 barrel underground storage tanks

built in the 1950s; and one steel 250,000-barrel underground

storage tank built in the 1950s. The project also includes the

closure of valve pits, pump houses and pipelines.

 “We have a very aggressive schedule as a cost avoidance 

Infographic created by Elizabeth Stoeckmann

 Defense Logistics Agency Energy is one step closer to 

shutting down 27 World War II underground storage

tanks at the Navy-owned Defense Fuel Support Point in 

San Pedro, California.

 The DFSP at San Pedro is closing after 37 years to 

reduce government-owned and government-operated 

infrastructure and costs for the Department of Defense.

 “We’re doing the right thing since commercial 

partners store bulk fuel and there’s no need to maintain 

a government-owned facility,” said John Cummings,

chief of energy engineering for DLA Energy Installation

Support for Energy. “Also, a previous DLA director [Navy 

Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek] made a commitment to the 

Navy for a smooth transition, and the last director [Air 

Force Lt. Gen. Andy Busch] agreed.”

 Over 70 years ago, DFSP San Pedro was established 

after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, because of its 

proximity to the Port of Los Angeles and to oil refineries.

18 www.dla.mil/Energy

Smart Energy Solutions
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 19

in keeping the site open any longer than we have to,”

Cummings said.

 The contract was awarded ahead of schedule, within 

four months of the request for proposal.

 Contractors started preparing to close tanks and 

pipelines in November 2016.

“In January 2017, they started with Tank 51, an aboveground tank that sits by itself,” Cummings sa

It takes about 10 days to pump a tank with “foamcret

a concrete containing a foaming agent in place of 

traditional aggregates, making the material lighter and 

stronger than traditional concrete, he explained. Tank 17 

was the last tank to be filled with foamcrete on July 20,

marking the milestone closure of 27 underground tanks.

 Todd Williams is the on-site project manager at DFSP 

San Pedro. “We have had an unusually rainy season here 

in southern California, and we have faced challenges 

of landslides and shutdowns due to the rainy season,”

Williams said.

 The schedule has slipped due to rain and water supply 

issues and although the project has a three-year term, the 

contractor is working toward an aggressive six-month 

completion schedule, he said.

 Williams said there are a number of engineering 

challenges. Making the regulators happy with the tank 

closure is a top concern, he said. This includes the State 

Water Resource Board and the Certified Unified Program

Agencies, which fall under the administration of the Los 

Angeles Fire Department. These entities regulate the 

underground storage tanks to preserve, enhance and 

restore the quality of California’s water resources and 

drinking water for the protection of the environment and 

public health.

Other difficulties include water supply due to the a

main infrastructure. Mixing the foamcrete requires a lot of 

water, which DLA must be able to supply. Shift work also 

presents its own set of challenges because the terminal 

operations contract workers are on a 24/7 operational

rotation, he said.

 Cummings added that another issue is protecting the 

endangered species —specifically, the Palos Verdes blue

butterfly and the California gnatcatcher.

“It’s really important not to affect their natural habi

and breeding season, so we can’t just run across with 

bulldozers; we have to be very sensitive,” he said.

“Everything is coordinated with environmental groups 

at Seal Beach and our DLA Energy environmental 

remediation team, so contractors know where they can 

and cannot go.”

 DLA conducted an assessment of the potential 

Closure contractors remove the 14-inch JP-5 cross connect valves at DFSP San Pedro. Photo by Carl Lind 
20 www.dla.mil/Energy

environmental impacts of the temporary closure in 2015.

It determined that the temporary closure of DFSP San

Pedro and use of other fuel facilities would not have a 

significant impact on the environment.

 From Williams’ perspective, the closure helps meet the 

Environmental Protection Agency’s 2025 goal that all

USTs be double-lined; those at DFSP San Pedro were not.

 “This project reduces the liability for DLA Energy 

and the DOD as a whole,” he said. He explained that

by providing fuel support through contractors, DLA 

can still support customers without the expense and 

environmental risk posed by the San Pedro site.

“Strategic engagement is key,” Cummings said. “We

been able to establish partnering relationships between 

Installation Support Energy and Navy Weapons Station

Seal Beach, Naval Facility Southwest, Navy Region 

Southwest and Naval Facilities Engineering Command so 

we can make this project successful,” he said.

 Although DLA Disposition Services is normally not involved 

in the disposition of real estate or storage tanks, it continues to 

be a key player in the cleanup of DFSP San Pedro.

 “We have prepared a memorandum of understanding 

between DFSP San Pedro and DLA Disposition Services 

Camp Pendleton for the receipt in place of property 

that is deemed as scrap,” said Barry Thompson, a DLA

Disposition Services property disposal specialist. “On our 

initial visit, we inspected the property and verified which

items will be considered scrap and which items will be 

considered usable.”

 The usable property is delivered to DLA Disposition 

Services for the possibility of reutilization, transfer, or 

donation, a program that offers usable assets to other

DOD, federal and state agencies. DLA Energy provides 

turn-in documents that indicate scrap items while they remain 

at the DLA Energy location to avoid transportation costs.

 There is no cost to either entity of DLA for the removal 

of the scrap, Thompson said. In fact, DLA receives a

percentage of what the scrap is sold for.

DLA Energy Installation Support for Energy provi

the overall management of the $15 million closure effort.

Completion will result in environmental compliance and 

successful transfer to the Navy, Cummings added.

Turning Up the Heat on Contaminants

Following the closure, DLA Energy Installation Supp

for Energy project managers will oversee the testing 

of two aggressive technologies, to clean the soil and 

groundwater at two tanks at DFSP San Pedro: using 

electrical resistance heating and steam injection.

 ERH is an aggressive remediation technology 

developed for the Department of Energy in the early 

1990s. It delivers an underground current to an array of

metal rods. The heat converts groundwater into steam 

so contaminants can be removed more easily. This 

technology will be used at the site’s Tank 3, buried in finegrained soils and clays, which prevent the current from 

traveling outside the area.

 This technique can simultaneously treat the petroleum in 

saturated and unsaturated soil, as well as groundwater. ERH 

is often used to clean sites where other technologies have had 

limited success, and to remediate quickly and completely.

 The second technology uses steam injection coupled 

with a multiphase extraction of soil vapor and 

groundwater. By introducing heat below ground around 

the contamination plume, the fuel contamination 

is displaced and broken up, so it can be more easily 

extracted. Steam injection is a very effective removal

technique well suited for large sites, like Tank 20, 

with petroleum releases in sandy soils and moderate 

permeability because the heat is well controlled by the 

lateral distribution of steam in the treatment area.

 Selecting the most appropriate heating technology is 

influenced by the specific site’s subsurface permeability, as

well as the properties and distribution of the contaminants.

 This pilot study will determine how to best implement 

Closure contractor personnel remove an 18-inch double block and bleed 

valve south line stop valve from DFSP San Pedro’s Valve Pit 91. Photo by 

Carl Lind

“There are two reasons we’re doing this: 

to promote the cleanup of the site and to 

facilitate return of the property back to 

the Navy.” 

— Carol Heeney

DLA Energy Installation Support 

project manager
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 21

proven technologies at other tanks in the fuel facility to 

meet the aggressive schedule at DFSP San Pedro.

 “There are two reasons we’re doing this: to promote the 

cleanup of the site and to facilitate return of the property 

back to the Navy,” said Carol Heeney, DLA Energy

Installation Support project manager.

Both technologies are cost-effective and efficient, 

the test will provide the site-specific data necessary to

implement them, Heeney explained. 

Cleaner, Faster, Cheaper

 Laura Fleming, environmental division chief of 

Installation Support for Energy, explained that the new

technologies will take less than two years to remediate 

the World War II-era site with an overall cost savings of

up to $20 million, compared with standard commercial 

technologies that would take up to 40 years.

“It’s not intrusive, and there should be minimal or

disturbance to the habitat. But we will need to evaluate 

this before we initiate the pilot test,” Fleming said.

“Basically, probes are put in the ground and they are 

injected with either steam or electricity that ‘cooks’

the soil. The fuel vapors are collected using a vacuum 

technology to avoid emissions into the air.”

 “DLA is completing a large and very complicated 

remediation at a heavily regulated site,” Heeney said. “A

the while, great care is taken to prevent and minimize 

impacts to the sensitive ecological habitat at DFSP 

San Pedro.” She noted that because DLA chose to test

two tanks in areas with differing geology and physical

composition, “The testing will tell us how to apply these 

two technologies for other tanks in the area.”

 Once the contract award is complete, the pilot testing 

is expected to take less than 10 months, which includes 

equipment installation and the remedial operation.

 “We are excited to get the pilot test started so we 

can meet leadership’s goals and reduce liability to the 

government,” Heeney said.

 Following successful pilot testing, DLA Energy 

Installation Energy plans to roll out similar cleanup

technologies at other tanks in fiscal years 2018 and 2019

based on funding availability.

 “We continue to see success in transitioning San 

Pedro,” said DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig.

Gen. Martin Chapin. “We are on schedule for all closure 

and turnover activities.”

Closure contractors remove a 14-inch double block and bleed valve from the Valve Pit 2 fill line for Tank 45 at DFSP San Pedro. Photo by Carl Lind 
22 www.dla.mil/Energy

MISSION COMPLETE :

DFSP San Pedro closes last tank

Tank 17, the last tank to be filled with foamcrete 

solidify, marks the milestone closure of 27 underground 

tanks at the U.S. Navy-owned Defense Fuel Support Point 

in San Pedro, California, July 20. 

The closure finished one week ahead of schedule with 

fuel tanks complete and civil work procedures ongoing. 

The next phase will focus on environmental restoration 

to remove all contaminants from the property before 

returning it back to the Navy.

 “The project was very demanding and required out-of-thebox thinking to get it moving,” said DLA Energy Installation

Support for Energy Facility Manager Todd Williams.

 The DLA-funded Naval Facilities Engineering Command 

project consisted of filling 12 miles of pipelines ranging

from six to 18 inches in diameter and 26, 2.1-million

gallon tanks and one 500,000-gallon tank with foamcrete.

“When the project first kicked off we had several del

due to the lack of water supply for the foamcrete batch 

plants,” he said. “I had to come up with a plan to install 1,400

feet of temporary water pipeline to provide enough water for 

the batch plants to produce the required foamcrete.”

It’s a timely process; each tank has to set for a 

between pours for the foamcrete to completely harden, 

Williams explained.

 Due to the nature of the project there were problems and 

challenges; however, getting support from DLA Energy 

Contracting was the most important resource that allowed 

funding and contract vehicles so it could stay on schedule, 

he said.

“Having the support from DLA Energy Installa

Support for Energy Director DJ Junio, DLA Energy 

Engineering Division Chief John Cummings and DLA 

Energy Logistics Management Specialist Stephen Hill 

from the Facilities Management Branch allowed me to get 

this task done,” Williams added.

 Even more, the engagement with the local community 

and environmental agencies ensured all stakeholders 

agreed to the closure strategy, he said.

“This effort demonstrates how DLA Energy and 

joint partners adapt to mission needs while being good 

stewards of the environment,” Junio said.

Williams said the contractor did a magnificent job 

their teamwork was highly apparent.

“They all showed a ‘can-do’ attitude when working al

with the DFSP San Pedro personnel,” he said.

 Williams will support the DLA Audit of Real Property 

at other bases in California as well as completing other 

smaller projects to ready the turnover of DFSP San Pedro 

to the Navy in September 2019.

By Elizabeth Stoeckmann

DLA Energy Installation Support for Energy Facility Manager Todd Williams (second from right) and DLA Energy Engineering Division Chief John 

Cummings (right) pour foamcrete into Tank 17, the last tank to be closed at DFSP San Pedro, July 20. Photo by DLA Energy Americas West at San Pedro 

Quality Assurance Representative Dave Gladden
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 23

Editor’s note: Maria Spicer 

was selected as the Internal 

Review director in January 

2017. She is the only GS-13 

DLA Energy director, responsible for four employees and a 

$520,000 budget.

Describe your position and responsibilities:

As the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Internal Rev

Office director,I view my responsibilities through two lenses,

professional and personal. 

Professionally,I am the principal liaison for hotl

investigations, internal audits and external audits, responsible 

for ensuring transparency of processes and procedures for 

DLA Energy.I support DLA Energy by providing non-partisan,

value-added reviews and assessments that improve the 

stewardship of resources and promote the effectiveness and

efficiency of local programs and operations.

Personally,Itake responsibility for mentoring, encouragi

and representing a workforce demographic not commonly 

seen within federal service (a minority woman in a leadership 

position).I help change the narrative of how minority women

are viewed, and help others achieve a similar plateau of success.

How long have you worked at DLA Energy? 

Since 2011.I have always been committed to the idea

service to our nation.I was a member of the U.S. Air Force

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps while attending Fayetteville

State University from 1992-1996.

 

After four years in the program,I became a single mot

and had to adapt my concept of service very quickly. Thanks in 

part to my lifelong friend, who was also in the ROTC program, 

I expanded the baseline of what it means to serve—this best

friend would later become my husband of more than 25 years.

 As a military spouse, my number one priority was to ensure 

the stability of our children. Deployments and permanent 

change of station moves made it difficult to establish a career

Maria 

Spicer

Director, 

Internal Review

path and find purpose and/or identity. This is a

struggle far too many military spouses deal with on a 

recurring basis.

In 2005,I pursued an opportunity to work with 

Department of the Army while stationed at Supreme 

Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium as a 

GS-5 Administrator.In 2007,I was promoted to GS-7.I

followed my passion to advance my government career 

and sought opportunities as a GS-9 internal review 

evaluator with DLA Energy in 2011. 

In December 2016, my supervisor retired and 

director’s position was advertised.I applied for the

position, and almost dropped out of the interview 

because I allowed my fear and anxiety to cause me to

doubt my abilities. At about the same time, George Atwood, former 

DLA Energy deputy commander, put out a farewell email and wrote, 

“Never hesitate or be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and 

take on new challenges.” That email message and support from

my husband and friends encouraged me to go forward with the 

interview.

What is your biggest accomplishment to date?

 Volunteering to deploy to Kuwait as a member of DLA’s Central 

Command Support Team from April to November 2016 as a

Support Operations Officer, something I had no experience in.It

was important to me to support DLA and stretch my abilities. I was

blessed with this terrific opportunity to serve during my civilian

career, and I could not think of a better way of serving.I recommend

this to everyone!

What does being a leader mean to you? 

I am amazed to be considered a leader. Having overcome so m

obstacles and negative typecasting as a naturalized citizen (Filipino/

African-American), young single mother and a military spouse,I’m

humbled to be in this position. 

 Leadership is about investing in people, being a visionary for the 

organization and having the confidence to know that you were

destined to positively affect some of the most negative situations in

people’s professional and personal lives. 

How do you make a difference?

 Having trust and being transparent is a great place to start. 

I believe building trust into Internal Review’s values and

promoting trust within DLA Energy helps to create strong working 

relationships. To trust makes it easy to be transparent with others. 

Transparency is accomplished by communicating effectively with

employees and senior leaders in an open and beneficial way. I

believe transparency is a powerful element in building a positive 

relationship between Internal Review and our customers.

A Conversation with ...

DLA Energy Internal Review Director Maria Spicer. 

Photo by Ronald Inman
24 www.dla.mil/Energy

DLA Energy, University of Arkansas partnership 

creates fuel supply network simulation, software

 New, state-of-the-art 

supply network capability 

simulation and modeling 

software technology will 

help Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy conduct 

world-class assessment 

of global fuel supply 

networks capacity to 

meet warfighter surge

requirements and replace 

legacy manual spreadsheetdriven processes. 

 “Leveraging commercial 

best business simulation 

and modeling practices 

will enable timely and 

objective analysis to shape 

optimal resource decisions 

by managers and senior 

leaders,” said DLA Energy

Supply Chain Integration

Logistics Management Specialist David Ray.

 DLA Operations Research and Resource Analysis is 

funding the University of Arkansas’s Center for Excellence 

in Logistics and Distribution to develop a fuel supply 

network simulation and modeling software concept.

 “CELDi encompasses several universities that research 

and develop innovative tools for partnership organizations 

and allows students to participate in these projects to 

gain valuable experience resolving unique logistics and 

distribution challenges,” said Andre Hinson, DLA Energy

planner for the U.S. European and Africa commands.

 Hinson is one of several DLA Energy personnel 

providing guidance to the CELDi research project. The 

project lead is DORRA’s team with DLA Energy providing 

a supporting role.

“The 2016 European Logistics War Game showed t

the current tools were not giving the organization a full 

operating picture to meet the needs of the warfighter,”

Hinson said. “The CELDi research project uses a 

simulation model to analyze DLA’s fuel supply chain to 

better assess DLA Energy’s supply network capacity.”

In previous war games, DORRA used spreadshe

and charts to track capabilities. Labor intensive and less 

accurate, the tools did not include real-world equipment 

failure or supply shortages that might affect the mission.

The newly developed model will display how fuel fl

to stations in the continental U.S. and abroad.

“This will assist in determining possible ‘choke poin

by allowing us to just hit a button to simulate where fuel 

would max out or be delayed in distribution,” Hinson

said. “The system will work similar to one used by U.S. 

Transportation Command but our system will focus on 

the flow of Class III bulk fuel.”

 TRANSCOM uses the Joint Flow and Analysis System 

for Transportation that determines transportation 

requirements for equipment from origin to final

destination by using maps, animations and other 

information, Hinson added.

 The CELDi model focuses on fuel gaps and can be used 

for day-to-day planning, to identify capacity gaps and 

improve usage of the agency’s fuel reserves and capacity 

resources. 

 The team is currently developing a simulation 

demonstration for a section of the Colonial Pipeline, a 

5,000 mile pipeline stretching from Houston to New

Jersey, for its simulation model testing.

 The Colonial Pipeline is used because it relies on all 

modes of transportation – rail, trucks and air – to move 

fuel to its final destination, Ray added.

 “The pipeline is complex and relies on several moving 

parts to get fuel where it needs to go,” he said.

 Within the CELDi model, planners will input data 

to query or simulate moving fuel to end users, Hinson 

explained. We look at our supply chain networks and 

perform analysis for operations improvements and work 

with our partners for new opportunities to accomplish this 

By Tanekwa Bournes

University of Arkansas’ Center for Excellence in Logistics and Distribution Director Dr. Manuel Rossetti discusses 

the supply network simulation and modeling software project during the team's session at the 2017 DLA Energy 

Worldwide Energy Conference, April 11 at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photo by Tanekwa Bournes
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 25

goal, he added.

 “Since the Worldwide Energy Conference was held, 

several people in the energy world have come forward 

with forecasting systems that we can pull ideas from, but 

we still need a system that is user friendly and approved 

by the Communications directorate [J-6],” Hinson said.

 The team conducts weekly conferences calls and attends 

conferences to share insights and suggestions to enhance 

the system and learn what other universities are working 

on for other organizations.

In the first phase of the project, the team mapped 

the process, identified key data elements and sources and

developed the initial simulation.

 “The system will work with the Enterprise Business 

System in order to look at capacity, fill in gaps and

perform test runs,” Hinson said. “We will work with DLA

Operations [J-3] as well as TRANSCOM to embed this 

into its system. Ultimately, we want to have something 

that can be used as a stand-alone system.”

 “Within EBS, customers are able to input sales 

projections for the next 12 months based on forecasts 

projected by DLA Energy demand planners,” said Steve

Williams, Demand Planning lead project manager and 

one of the subject matter experts providing information 

during the developmental phase of the project.

 Once complete, the model will use information created 

in the bulk-petroleum contingency report (REPOL).

REPOL is a daily fuel report governed by the Joint 

Publication 4-03, Joint Bulk Petroleum and Water

Doctrine, which falls under the direction of the Chairman 

of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

 “REPOL provides us and the services with summary 

information on bulk petroleum inventories and 

infrastructure information to bases we support for 

planning purposes,” Hinson explained. “It also contains

historical fuel consumption data.”

 During the testing phase, SMEs from various DLA 

Energy divisions will use the system and evaluate how well it 

predicts changes and provide improvements to the system.

 “We know certain data points but we’re working with the 

DORRA team to ensure that the language we put in the 

application is correct,” said CELDi Director Dr. Manuel

Rossetti. “We are still working on the prototype models 

but once that part is complete, we will place it in a more 

stable system.”

In the end, DLA Energy hopes the system will be a

to help identify supply network choke points and inform 

resource decisions to ensure uninterrupted contingency 

support to the warfighter helping to avoid early surge

sustainment crisis, Ray added. “Bottom line, it falls on our 

ability to support the warfighter in the most effective and

efficient way possible,” he said.

 “We see this simulation model going beyond the 

Department of Defense. The commercial sector also 

has the need to understand capacity within their supply 

chains, especially when trying to plan against supply chain 

disruption and measure the resilience of their networks,”

Rossetti said. 

Rossetti discusses the supply network simulation and modeling software project with Defense Logistics Agency Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. 

Martin Chapin during the April 2017 DLA Energy Worldwide Energy Conference April 11 at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photo by 

Tanekwa Bournes
26 www.dla.mil/Energy

By Ronald Inman

REFINERY to FLIGHT

The journey of a barrel of jet fuel

Like blood moving through the body, jet fuel fl

through the Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s supply 

chains around the world to keep warfighters in flight.

Crude oil is converted to many products at a refine

This transformation of crude oil into many products leads 

to DLA Energy purchasing fuel from the refinery. These

products, like jet fuel, then begin the journey though the 

DLA Energy distribution supply chain. 

 DLA Energy Americas is one of the four DLA Energy 

regional offices responsible for ensuring a barrel of

oil that completes its transformation into jet fuel is 

tested, received, stored, transported, accounted for and 

distributed to the warfighter.

 Randy Cottrell is the DLA Energy Americas East 

at Houston supply operations manager. He and his 

34-member team, including 15 fuel supply planners,

ensure fuel moves in a timely manner to support five

combatant commands, seven major pipeline distribution 

systems and 300 military bases across three time zones.

Cottrell and his team track 5,000 fuel movements 

month and move 1.2 billion gallons of bulk petroleum 

products each year.

 “The transportation of fuel is not as easy as it might 

appear on the surface,” Cottrell said. “DLA Energy does

an excellent job of supporting the military services and 

federal agencies, making a complicated fuels distribution 

system seem easy when fuel appears at their front door, 

on time and meeting quality specifications.”

 DLA Energy transported more than 130 million barrels 

of fuel worldwide in 2016, according to the 2016 DLA

Energy Fact Book. Over 80 million of those were moved

within the continental United States. One barrel holds 42

gallons of fuel.

 At home and overseas, a transportation network spans 

thousands of miles and uses roads, rail, pipeline and 

waterways to bring the fuel to those who need it, when 

they need it.

 The Air Force is DLA Energy Americas East at Houston’s 

biggest fuel customer. In 2016, 830 million gallons of fuel

were distributed to Air Force bases in the DLA Energy 

Tech. Sgt. Thomas Conroy, 459th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, attaches a fuel line to a KC-135R Stratotanker prior to refueling on the Joint 

Base Andrews, Maryland, flight line July 20. The KC-135 is an aerial refueling aircraft capable of holding up to 200,000 pounds of fuel. U.S. Air Force 

photo by Tech. Sgt. Kat Justen
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 27

Americas area of responsibility.

 Joint Base Andrews, home to the Air 

Force District of Washington’s 11th 

Wing, is an important DLA Energy 

customer. The wing supports contingency 

operations and provides security on the 

world’s highest-visibility flight line for

presidential aircraft Air Force One and 

more than a dozen types of aircraft.

 Making sure JBA has the right fuel 

at the right time to fly its missions is a

supply planner’s job. 

 “The supply planner is basically a 

scheduler of fuel, getting fuel from the 

refinery to the customer,” Cottrell said.

 JBA, located in Prince George’s County, 

Maryland, is supplied by a DLA Energy 

contract for 24 million gallons of F-24 jet

fuel to support Air Force missions. F-24

is a commercial Jet A fuel containing 

specialty additives to keep it fit for use in

demanding conditions.

 Larry Lewis is a DLA Energy Americas East at Houston 

supply planner who works with JBA’s fuel services 

contractor. As JBA’s supply planner, Lewis monitors 

and analyzes the base’s daily fuel inventory through 

reports from DLA Energy and Fuels Manager Defense 

software. He ensures the base is above its control limit 

– the operational amount of fuel the base is required to 

maintain, which is established by DLA Energy’s Bulk 

Petroleum Inventory Management Plan.

 Each month he creates stock transfer orders to let 

vendors and suppliers know what quantity of fuel is 

needed at a particular location.

 “The most important aspect of my job is making sure 

my customers’ needs are met so they can complete their 

mission,” Lewis said. “We track consumption projections

to suppliers as far out as 90 days prior to the movement of 

the fuel.”

The transformation

 The journey of a barrel of jet fuel to JBA begins in the 

heart of the U.S. petroleum industry: Houston, Texas. 

F-24 begins as Jet A commercial jet fuel, which is refined

from crude oil. One of multiple suppliers is notified of the

amount of product required by the supply planner. 

 Phillip Chang, a chemist for DLA Energy’s Quality 

Technical Support Directorate, explained crude oil’s 

transformation to fuel.

 “Crude oil is a mixture of thousands of compounds in 

liquid state found naturally in the earth. The refinery buys

or draws from inventory the crude oil that’s best-suited to 

their refinery to produce the most products and profit,”

Chang said.

 “Next, the crude oil goes through many physical 

separations [distillation] and chemical changes to become 

refined final products like gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, fuel oil

and others,” he said. “The final product is tested at the lab

to make sure it meets the specifications for the intended

product such as [jet fuels] Jet A and JP-8 or diesel, and is

then stored in tanks until delivery.”

The journey begins

 The journey of a barrel of jet fuel to JBA starts months prior to 

delivery, Cottrell said. Ordering and transporting fuel requires 

coordination, and there can be consequences if it is not properly 

planned and executed in advance.

 “Pipelines are especially busy and often reach full volume 

allocations during peak periods,” Cottrell said. “Peak periods

occur when several pipeline customers want to ship fuel 

at the same time. This mostly happens in the winter when 

the pipelines are shipping heating fuel, but can also occur 

during peak summer months when airports have heavy fuel 

consumption due to increased air travelers going on vacation.”

 Most DLA Energy Americas-supplied fuel travels by pipeline. 

 “Regulation requires the regional supply planner to 

send the supplier the fuel order at least 15 days before the

fuel is to be transported,” Cottrell said. After the supplier

provides the product, the jet fuel is shipped either directly 

from the refinery into the Colonial Pipeline (a 5,000 mile

pipeline stretching from Houston to New Jersey) or from

the refinery into Defense Fuel Support Point Houston, a

commercially-owned and contractor-operated terminal, 

and then to the Colonial Pipeline.

“It takes a minimum of 20 days for fuel in the Colon

Pipeline to travel north to DFSP Baltimore,” Cottrell said.

 At DFSP Baltimore, an Energy quality assurance 

representative ensures three liquid additives are added to 

the fuel as it’s loaded onto the barge, transforming it into 

jet fuel with military additives – F-24.

The journey of Jet A fuel from the refinery in Houston to its destination at Joint Base Andrews, 

Maryland, includes transport by commercial pipeline and barge, as well as additization to transform 

it into F-24 - jet fuel with military additives. DLA Energy stock photo
28 www.dla.mil/Energy

Additizing it all up

 “The use of additives is required to meet the unique 

requirements and specifications of military aircraft,” said

Richard Knapp, DLA Energy Quality Technical Support 

Quality Operations division chief.

 “Fuel system icing inhibitor is required to prevent the 

water from forming ice crystals that could block fuel 

lines,” Knapp said.

 Another additive prevents the buildup of static 

electricity while the fuel is moved.

 “Static can lead to high-energy sparks in an explosive 

environment,” Knapp explained. “Static dissipater

additives reduce this hazard by increasing the electrical 

conductivity of the fuel, which promotes a rapid relaxation 

of any static charge.”

 Joining the static preventer is an additive to prevent 

corrosion and allow the fuel to keep parts lubricated.

 “The fuels have been through severe processing at the 

refinery,” Knapp said. “By introducing the corrosion

inhibitor, parts can keep a thin layer of fuel between them. 

The additive prevents corrosion of the metal parts caused 

by oxidation and lubricates surfaces to limit wear.”

“The QAR only accepts discharge of the fuel as F

when the additization is complete,” Cottrell said.

Keeping an eye on quality

 “Once the Jet A is in DFSP Baltimore’s storage tanks, 

the regional supply planner schedules a barge carrier 

contracted by DLA Energy to move the fuel,” Cottrell

said. “Regional QARs monitor barge loading and ensure 

product purity.”

 Next, the barge travels to DFSP Anacostia, Washington, 

D.C., and discharges the fuel into a pipeline that runs to 

tanks on JBA. Specialists monitor the fuel to make sure 

none has been lost or diverted. If they find excessive gains

or losses, the specialists start an investigation. They also 

ensure fuel transactions are processed promptly using 

Fuels Manager Defense software to ensure auditable 

accountability along the journey.

On mission 

 Finally, jet fuel is scheduled for delivery from DFSP 

Anacostia storage tanks to JBA, where contracted 

personnel load Air Force R-11 fuel trucks and deliver the 

fuel to base aircraft. 

“The delivery of F-24 to JBA is just one of DLA’s Energ

four major bulk-purchase programs for fuel,” Cottrell

noted. JBA falls under the Inland East Gulf Coast program,

and the other domestic program is Rocky Mountain West. 

Internationally, the WestPac program covers the Western

Pacific and Middle East, while the Atlantic/European/

Mediterranean program covers those areas. 

The journey from refinery to flight is just one segm

of DLA Energy’s larger process of providing fuel. Before 

contracts are even awarded, DLA Energy’s Supply 

Planning and Acquisition Bulk Fuel Contracting branch 

puts in significant time and effort.

 “Most DLA Energy customers have no idea what work 

is involved in ensuring a location has fuel to meet the 

warfighter mission. All they know is that the product is

ready when they open the valve,” Cottrell said.

459th Air Refueling Wing KC-135R Stratotankers taxi in formation during an alert exercise at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, in March 2017. U.S. Air 

Force photo by Senior Airman Philip Bryant
29

FROM CRUDE OIL...

STEP 1 The refinery buys or draws crude oil from 

inventory that’s best-suited to their refinery to produce 

the most products and profit, according to DLA Energy’s 

Quality/Technical Support Division. Raw crude oil starts out 

as a complex mixture of thousands of compounds that 

are mostly hydrocarbons (compounds with mainly carbon 

and hydrogen with traces of other compounds such as 

sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and metals).

It can take up to 48 days for a gallon of crude oil to be transformed through 

a three-step process before it reaches its final stage as F-24 military jet 

fuel and can be used to refuel an F-16 on the flight line.

STEP 3 Three liquid additives are added to the 

fuel to complete the Jet A fuel’s transformation to jet fuel 

with military additives – F-24. Their use is required due to 

the unique needs and specifications of military aircraft.

STEP 2 The crude oil goes through many physical 

separations (distillation) and chemical changes to 

become refined final products like gasoline, jet fuel, 

diesel, fuel oil and others. The final product is tested at 

the lab to make sure it meets the specifications for the 

intended product such as Jet A and JP-8 (jet fuels) or 

diesel, and then stored in tanks until delivery.

...TO JET FUEL

Sources: DLA Energy Americas East at Houston Supplier Operations; 

DLA Energy Quality/Technical Support Division Energy Source l SUMMER 2017

U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Mota

DLA Energy stock photo

U.S. Air Force photo by Alejandro Pena

Graphic courtesy of DLA Energy Quality/Technical Support Division

Infographic created by Ronald Inman
30 www.dla.mil/Energy

Greg 

Thevenin

Director, Office of

Small Business 

Programs

 

 

DLA Energy Office of Small Business Programs Director Greg Thevenin. 

Offical DLA Energy photo

Editor’s note: DLA Energy Office of 

Small Business Programs Director 

Greg Thevenin is one of two GS-14 

directors within DLA Energy. 

Describe your position and 

responsibilities:

I am in a unique position, I am 

of only two GS-14 directors within

DLA Energy (Darrell Bogan, the Equal 

Opportunity director, is the other).

There are numerous challenges 

because of my grade, but my role as 

the director of the OSBP is to lead 

the charge and institutionalize the use of fuel/energyproducing small businesses and integrate them into the 

DLA Energy’s competitive base of contractors. 

 Congress created the U.S. Small Business 

Administration (SBA) in 1953 to aid, counsel, assist

and protect the interests of small business concerns. 

To be a small business, you must adhere to industry 

size standards established by the SBA. There are five

socio-economic groups of small business established 

by the SBA: Veteran-owned small business, servicedisabled veteran-owned small business, small historically 

underutized business, small disadvantaged business and 

women-owned small business concerns. 

 Small businesses are an important part of the American 

economy. They employ 54.4 million people and more than

half of the private workforce. According to the SBA, small 

businesses are responsible for more than half of innovations 

developed during the 20th century, including the zipper, the 

helicopter, the personal computer and important advances 

in the medical world such as insulin, the artificial heart valve

and the pacemaker. Apple, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Coors 

and Mattel all started out as small businesses.

 DLA Energy’s OSPB is made up of six SB professionals, 

a combination of procurement and management 

analysts, who are the cogs in DLA Energy’s OSBP 

machine. I advocate for small businesses and promote

and recommend Small Business participation wherever 

possible. I support internal agency customers (providing

guidance to acquisition professionals as it relates to 

SB) and external small businesses (counseling to SB)

through outreach, document reviews, education, training, 

forecasting and counseling. Additionally, DLA Energy’s 

OBSP is responsible for oversight of DLA Energy’s 

subcontracting management program (the only DLA 

primary field level activity tasked with managing such

a program). In essence, I ensure the integrity of the

contracting process as it relates to small business.

How long have you worked at DLA Energy? 

I’ve worked at DLA Energy for eight years as a sm

business specialist, and as the director of DLA Energy’s OSBP 

for five years. This is my third job within the DLA enterprise.

A Conversation with ...
Energy Source l SUMMER 2017 31

 “I believe a leader is someone who empowers 

people. I recognize the importance of 

stakeholders as they are the reason behind 

my success, and the success of the program I 

manage.”

— Greg Thevenin

Director, Office of Small Business Programs 

Greg’s favorite quote on leadership:

“Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, 

but far enough ahead to motivate them.”

- John C. Maxwell (pastor, speaker and best-selling author on leadership)

What is your biggest accomplishment to date?

 Professionally, my biggest accomplishment has been 

changing the structure of the OSPB. Previously, the office

consisted of a GS-14 director, five GS-12 procurement

analysts and one GS-12 management analyst. This 

structure was not optimal. The structure impacted me 

personally as I was a GS-12 in OSBP. In 2007, I left Energy

for a promotion at the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency. In 2016, we were able to add a GS-13 lead analyst

position, which created a bridge to the Small Business 

director’s position. My professional goal is to upgrade the 

additional members of OBSP’s team to GS-13s. 

 Thanks to Energy’s acquisition professionals and senior 

leaders, DLA Energy has met or exceeded our assigned 

small business goal for the past four fiscal years, which is

unprecedented.

What does being a leader mean to you?

 My favorite quote is by John C Maxwell. “Leaders 

must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough 

ahead to motivate them.” I believe a leader is someone

who empowers people. I recognize the importance of

stakeholders as they are the reason behind my success, 

and the success of the program I manage. Stakeholders

are the acquisition professional at Energy. Members of 

my team, Energy leadership, as well as headquarters 

leaders. I have a good group of talented

individuals working with me. I say “with

me” because they don’t work for me,

we all work for DLA Energy. Another 

important asset is that I have the

support of Energy’s senior leaders.

How do you make a difference?

I make a difference by educat

DLA Energy stakeholders through 

specialized training. We offer a small

business course, and we offer a

refresher course on specific aspects of

the program. The Department of Defense accounts for the 

majority of small business procurement. Last year, DLA 

Energy awarded $1 billion in contracts to small business 

for the purchase of fuel and services. Small businesses 

are the backbone of America. According to the SBA, small 

businesses accounted for 64 percent of the new jobs

created between 1993 and 2011 (11.8 million new jobs).

What are some challenges you face as a director?

 As the director of the OBSP, my ultimate responsibility 

is to ensure DLA Energy is making a “good faith” effort

in complying with statutory and regulatory mandates to 

provide maximum opportunity for small businesses to 

partner as both prime and subcontractors in carrying out 

our mission. There was a time when this did not seem to 

be a priority, but over the last four years the attitude and 

command culture has improved. 

I’m a staunch advocate of recognizing accomplishment

DLA Energy has made a concerted effort in improving its

workforce diversity by recruiting more minorities to support 

the acquisition career field; this has led to a noticeable

growth in GS 11-12 employees. However, there is still room 

for growth in the upper echelon GS-15. One notable fact:

there have been only three African-Americans to hold the 

grade of GS-15 since 1964, and now there is only one.