ENERGY SOURCE

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new structure together to achieve 

our common strategic goals, along 

with keeping us on the same page 

for where the organization is going in the next two to five years. As 

we navigate the challenges related 

to Energy Convergence, it is critical that Supplier Operations, Customer Operations, Business Process 

Support and Procurement Process 

Support move in the same direction to achieve our 

common goal. Managing change is one of the hardest 

things to do, but ultimately, it’s very rewarding when 

we reach the finish line and declare success.

Another area you’ve been hearing a lot about is “$10 

billion in 5,” or more recently, “$13.6 billion in 6.” In 

simple terms, DLA Energy has been tasked with finding more than $4 billion in savings to give back to the 

DoD. We developed a list of “Big Ideas” for reducing 

costs while improving efficiencies and continuing to 

meet warfighter requirements. Whether it’s rightsizing storage infrastructure, converting from military 

specification JP8 jet fuel to Jet A1, or becoming more 

commercial in our quality oversight, we’ve come up 

with innovative ways to save money and improve our 

support. I also work with auditability and help to make 

sure we’re prepared, especially in some of the areas 

we’re moving into in 2014 that you can read more 

about in this magazine.

As we begin a new year, I’m excited about the direction our organization is going. I believe some Big Ideas 

in the area of infrastructure have the opportunity to 

improve support and achieve real cost savings for the 

DoD. I’m looking forward to working with all of you, as 

well as our partners, to achieve significant savings and 

improve readiness.

After a year under my belt on DLA Energy’s senior leadership team as executive advisor, Air 

Force Brig. Gen. Giovanni Tuck wanted to share 

his column and allow me to provide a glance into what 

I do for the organization.

I see my role as exactly what my title says – executive 

advisor. I’m a home-grown DLA Energy person, so I 

do understand the energy business and some of the 

challenges we face in meeting warfighter requirements. 

This position is much more strategically focused than 

my previous job, so it was a big change moving from 

the execution arm of the organization to the strategic 

goals planning side. 

These are very exciting and challenging times. We are 

being asked to do even more with either the same or 

less resources. That’s the challenge, and one that I believe the folks at DLA Energy will rise to meet.

One area where I believe I add value is cross-communication among the various directorates and service 

partners, as well as across the Department of Defense. 

To that end, something I’ve focused on in the last 

year is bringing the major sections of DLA Energy’s 

2 www.energy.dla.mil

Front cover graphic by: Jonathan Stack

Back cover: Paul Crank

Commander

Air Force Brig. Gen. Giovanni Tuck

Deputy Commander

Mike Scott

Chief of Staff

Army Col. Peter Crean

Public Affairs Offi cer

Irene Smith

Editor

Jonathan Stack

Writing Staff

Terry Shawn

Susan Lowe

Christopher Goulait

Layout/Design

Jonathan Stack

Address correspondence to:

ATTN: DLA Energy-DCA

8725 John J. Kingman Rd.

Suite 4950

Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6222

Commercial: 703-767-4108

Address email to:

EnergySourceMagazine@dla.mil

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

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

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

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

Energy Source is prepared by desktop publishing applications. 

Photos not credited are courtesy of DLA Energy sources.

from the commander

Energy Source

lications.

.

Kathryn Fantasia

Defense Logistics Agency Energy

Executive Advisor

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Guest contributor
Energy Source l January 2014 3

A Look Back at 2013

We Are DLA

Energy

22 Be Smart Buyers

 4 Reducing Risk

10 R&D Pays Off

14Interview with the General

18 Open for Business

20 Audit Readiness

28 A Pipeline Runs Through It

33 Pipelines Support the Front

35 One Face

Reducing Environmental Risks

Be Smart Buyers

A Pipeline Runs Through It 

4

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28

Pipeline networks are key to Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s 

mission of providing energy solutions to the warfi ghter throughout 

their global areas of responsibility 

and in the U.S. 

It’ll take several methods of driving down costs to meet Defense 

Logistics Agency Director Navy 

Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek’s intent for DLA to “be smart buyers 

of the right stuff.”

Risk management applies to 

many aspects of Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy’s mission, from 

operations to security, but the 

organization also applies similar 

practices to maintaining environmental compliance.

Interview with the General 14

Defense Logistics Agency Energy 

Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. 

Giovanni Tuck sat down and discussed the organization in 2013 

and the way forward. 

CONTENTS ONTENTS
Reducing En educing Env

4 www.energy.dla.mil ww.energy.dla.mil
Energy Source l January 2014 5

nvironmental Risks ironmental Risks

By Christopher Goulait

Risk management applies to many aspects of 

Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s mission, from 

operations to security, but the organization also 

applies similar practices to maintaining environmental 

compliance.

DLA Installation Support for Energy’s Environmental division staff uses a variety of tools and processes to mitigate 

risks and help make sure that DLA Energy continues to 

conform to environmental standards.

“The environmental protection specialists that represent 

DLA Energy work diligently every day to ensure we are 

maintaining environmental compliance,” said Carmela 

Spasojevich, a DLA Installation Support for Energy environmental protection specialist. “Of course, our goal is to 

proactively deal with potential areas of concern and changing regulations, but when we do have an issue or noncompliance situation we work with the stakeholders to not only 

regain compliance, but to prevent reoccurrence.”

Environmental compliance supports the warfi ghter’s 

mission and protects the environment through proactive compliance with environmental regulations. A major 

secondary benefi t allows DLA Energy to avoid being issued 

notices of violation with possible fi nes or being shut down 

by local, state or federal regulators, Spasojevich said. Environmental compliance is critical to DLA Energy’s mission.

“We are an integral part of the DLA Energy team and our 

work is often behind the scenes,” she said. “Our primary 

goal is to support the warfi ghter, but we must also protect 

the environment since environmental noncompliance 

could halt our mission. Unfortunately, our work can be 

seen as a hurdle in processes or projects.” 

“We work very hard to minimize the impacts of the environmental requirements,” Spasojevich continued. “Our 

jobs exist solely to support DLA Energy in preventing environmental noncompliance.”

Marcia Kicos, another DLA Installation Support for 

An airman shuts off the fuel valve of a water-filled fuel 

truck during a major accident response exercise Aug. 30, 

2012, at Royal Air Force Station Mildenhall, England. 

DLA Energy’s corrective action plan process directs the 

agency to determine why a valve may have failed, and 

how to prevent reoccurrence. Photo by Senior Airman 

Ethan Morgan
6 www.energy.dla.mil

Energy environmental protection specialist, said the fi rst 

reason for compliance is because it is the law. Compliance 

is tied to enforcing laws such as Clean Water Act and the 

Clean Air Act, as well as Department of Defense regulations, but environmental work is more than enforcing laws 

and regulations.

“Most importantly, like other federal agencies, the DoD 

is responsible for managing public lands and it is DLA 

Energy’s responsibility to protect the environment for future generations,” Kicos said. “It has been proven through 

lessons learned since the 1960s and 1970s that considering the environment in decisions and paying attention 

to how we affect the environment before we take action 

saves money, keeps projects on schedule and protects the 

environment.”

Protecting the environment is the job of 16 environmental 

staff members who work on compliance and restoration 

issues to make sure DLA Energy’s day-to-day operations 

are performed in an environmentally compliant manner.

To help the agency be good environmental stewards, an 

Environmental, Safety and Occupational Health management system is used to ensure the proper internal controls 

are in place.

“One of the primary goals of the ESOH management 

system is to make environmental compliance the responsibility of all employees,” Kicos said. “DLA Energy’s ESOH 

Management System policy establishes proactive management practices that encourage environmental compliance, 

while avoiding risk, preventing pollution and promoting 

environmental stewardship throughout the organization.”

“Our ESOH management system requires us to identify 

the aspects, or areas of risk, of our mission that could 

impact the environment, and we must review the list annually,” Spasojevich said. “This is a very important process 

because you have to know what your potential risks are 

before you can manage them.”

“The aspects are evaluated for their potential impacts 

and then racked and stacked by severity of risk based on 

several criteria,” she continued. “Our aspects are then 

managed through objectives and targets with the areas of 

highest risk being addressed fi rst.”

Kicos emphasized that the ESOH management system is 

not a stand-alone program, but a management practice 

that helps organize processes so an organization can mitigate risk. 

“It is basically getting credit for what we already do 
Energy Source l January 2014 7

as normal business practice,” Kicos said.

She also described a management approach called the 

“plan, do, check, act” cycle that focuses on risk reduction 

and continuous improvement. 

In the planning step, aspects of fuel operations that might 

affect the environment are identifi ed. Targets and objectives are established to focus management on these signifi -

cant areas before any actions are taken.

“It begins with the identifi cation of activities that are of 

highest concern or are the riskiest,” Kicos explained. “In 

order to reduce the risk for a potential spill, DLA Energy 

has a response plan that resides with each employee 

responsible for spill response. We conduct annual training 

and we routinely maintain and inspect our facilities and 

equipment.”

Spasojevich said the framework follows through with planning, implementation and operation, checking progress, 

making adjustments to actions as needed and keeping 

management informed.

“The framework has proven to be very successful for DLA 

Energy,” Spasojevich said.

The ESOH management system framework is supported 

by three pillars, Spasojevich said. The environmental 

pillars of compliance, pollution prevention and continual 

improvement are complementary to one another and go 

hand-in-hand.

“Our ESOH management system plan ensures we incorporate all of the pillars when resolving our issues,” she said.

For example, a risk consistent across DLA Energy fuel 

operations and maintenance along with the means by 

which to mitigate that risk is described below. The aspect review and the objectives and targets updates are 

done annually, and the CAPs are updated quarterly.

Aspect: The release of hazardous material or hazardous waste.

Objective: To reduce the potential for spills.

Target: To effectively manage the facility and identify 

potential sources for release, as well as implement corrective actions to prevent releases.

Tasks: 1. Conduct annual spill response training. 

2. Annually update the Oil and Hazardous Substance 

Integrated Contingency Plan and actively coordinate 

with regulators and emergency response personnel.

3. Conduct routine inspections of storage tanks and 

pipeline infrastructure. 

4. Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the process to ensure it is both protective and preventative 

and modify processes where needed. For example, 

potentially shorten inspection intervals to ensure 

components are evaluated as often as needed to detect 

problems.

Risk Management in Action

(Far left) An airman inspects a gate 

valve which had earlier developed a 

small leak. The inspection is part of 

a security and leak check of the fuel 

pipeline from bulk storage to operating 

storage, Nov. 14, at an undisclosed air 

base in Southwest Asia. DLA Energy 

also conducts annual training and 

routinely maintains and inspects facilities and equipment to prevent spills. 

Photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael 

Boquette.

(Left) Air Force and DLA Energy employees supporting fuel operations at 

Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., deploy a 

boom as part of a spill response training. Photo by Tracy Taylor
The themes of compliance, pollution prevention and continual improvement help the team apply the ESOH management system to several processes around the agency. 

One such process is the corrective action plan, which 

focuses on discovering the root causes of a potential issue.

“In the past, the cause of a spill might have been attributed 

to a valve failure,” Spasojevich explained. “Our process 

makes us look deeper by determining why the valve failed 

and how to prevent reoccurrence. The CAP process can 

involve the entire Installation Support for Energy team, 

to include engineering and Sustainment, Restoration and 

Modernization personnel to resolve our issues and help 

prevent reoccurrence.”

Two other elements include the quarterly Steering Committee meeting and the annual management review, Spasojevich said. Key stakeholders gather for these meetings 

to remain informed about the issues and to be updated on 

the status of the various CAPs for each site. To ensure all 

stakeholders are included, steering committee membership is reevaluated at each meeting. 

In response to this reevaluation, the quality assurance 

representatives and contracting offi cer representatives for 

each of the four permitted sites were recently added to the 

membership, Spasojevich added. The participation of the 

QARs and CORs will provide valuable on-site perspectives 

for each location. 

Keeping key stakeholders and members of the workforce 

in general informed is vital to the success of environmental compliance, Kicos said.

“The management process can only be truly successful 

with buy-in from the lowest level employee to the top level 

managers,” Kicos said. “The ESOH management system 

8 www.energy.dla.mil
incorporates input from everyone.” 

Facility operations employees at the most basic level have 

input into what is signifi cant and how things should be 

performed to reduce risk and environmental liability, she 

continued. Processes are implemented and refi ned along 

the way. Top-level managers review the processes and 

tweak them to improve on effi ciencies. 

On an annual basis, programs are reviewed, areas of improvement are identifi ed along with funding requirements, 

and the process begins again, Kicos said.

When it comes time to implement the targets and objectives, more than the environmental staff members are 

involved in their success, Kicos said. Environmental 

compliance responsibilities extend to facility operations 

contractor staff, contracting offi cers, CORs, QARs, distribution facility management and engineers.

“To be successful, everyone should be actively involved, 

from the person turning the valves on the ground to the 

managers making decisions regarding inventory and funding,” she said.

Managing environmental risks using the ESOH management system construct is a powerful tool for maintaining 

environmental compliance, but the processes could be 

easily learned from or applied to other areas where nonenvironmental risk is commonly seen in an organization, 

Spasojevich said. Establishing and maintaining strong 

internal controls are essential elements in maintaining 

compliance and also in preventing noncompliance. 

“Our purpose is to ensure DLA Energy is truly an environmental steward while maintaining environmental compliance with minimal impact to mission accomplishment,” 

she said. “We have a vested interest in DLA Energy’s 

success.”

Energy Source nergy Source lJanuary 2014 January 2014 9
R&D 

By Irene Smith The future of tomorrow’s fuels 

is being funded and tested in 

the research and development 

programs of today. 

From toxicology testing of alternative fuels to additive replacement for 

aviation fuel used on the U-2 Dragon 

Lady, research efforts are ongoing 

to improve energy readiness for the 

warfi ghter.

Each year, the Defense Logistics 

Agency defi nes its current R&D 

requirements and seeks funding for 

them through the Department of 

Defense’s program planning, budgeting and execution process. Energy 

readiness is one of 15 research programs funded by the DLA Research 

& Development offi ce. Its goal is to 

pave the way for improvements in 

the petroleum supply chain and cost 

gains associated with integrating new 

and emerging energy solutions. 

 “We try and resolve quality issues in 

the petroleum supply chain,” DLA 

Energy Quality/Technical Support Director Pam Serino said. 

“We work jointly with the 

services and our operational 

customers, and we hold 

various data calls with 

the U.S. Army Tank 

Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, 

Naval Sea 

Systems Com10 www.energy.dla.mil
Energy Source l January 2014 11

D Pays Off Pays Off

mand, Air Force Research Laboratory and other research 

facilities who help us identify priorities for funding.”

Serino said she also goes to the DLA Energy directors asking for projects. 

The R&D projects generated under the Energy Readiness 

Program are focused on specifi c issues and are relatively 

short in duration, between one and two years, typically 

costing less than $500,000. The areas of research include – product improvement, infrastructure and process 

improvement, alternative energy development and quality 

improvements. 

In 2013, DLA Energy was funded $3.9 million for 19 assorted projects to be completed in a one to two year cycle 

in the DLA Energy readiness portfolio. 

“The projects are ongoing,” Serino said. “To fund a program, there has to be a benefi t to DLA and DoD. We’ve 

had an R&D program since 2003 with well-defi ned criteria 

based on operational needs.” 

Once inputs are received, Serino and her Quality/Technical Support team review and discuss the merits of the proposals and determine if there are benefi ts to DLA Energy. 

Once a decision is made, the research can be accomplished 

in two ways. If the proposal originated within DLA Energy, 

the Quality/Technical Support offi ce may do the research 

or offer it to a military service technical offi ce like the Air 

Force Research Laboratory to do the work. A commercial 

solicitation for a contract can also be issued. 

Serino said the second way is the military services submitted a research project for approval by DLA Energy, and in 

that case the service would perform the research and DLA 

Energy would assign a program manager to monitor the 

project. At the end of the project, a fi nal report would be 

generated. Deliverables, such as equipment or physical 

hardware resulting from the study, would be allocated to 

DLA Energy or for the service, like the Air Force, to maintain the asset.

DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek was impressed with DLA Energy’s research efforts and return on 

investment and issued new agency guidance in December 

to develop an R&D strategy that invests available funds on 

shorter term projects addressing the most strategicallyrelevant need areas. 

Operational needs, time to complete and return on investment will be key factors included in the validation criteria 

for proposed projects.

“Harnitchek would like to see us take on more R&D efforts 

because of our success,” Serino said.

“Energy R&D is very well structured and the director 

would like to see more involvement,” said DLA Energy 

Deputy Commander Michael Scott to directors and deputies in a December director’s staff meeting. 

Scott told DLA Energy leaders to think big. 

“Our intent is to open up R&D opportunities to the regions,” he added. “We are looking at fi xing problems that 

can cost us money in the long run.”

DLA Energy research funding is specifi cally directed to 

improve bulk petroleum products ranging from acquisition to actual use of the product including petroleum, oil, 

lubricants and other products. This includes a wide range 

of projects from initiatives to enhance the acquisition of 

fuel such as production of biofuels to usage of alternative 

green fuels.

One of the most successful Energy R&D projects was 

identifying cold weather additives for biodiesel, specifi -

cally B20, a blend of biodiesel substitutes derived from 

vegetable oil and animal fats that can be added to diesel 

fuel, said DLA Energy Strategic Energy Program Manager 

Lindsey Hicks. 

The military is required to comply with federal mandates 

requiring use of biodiesel in fuel-capable vehicles.
12 www.energy.dla.mil

An airman drives behind a U-2 Dragon Lady as it lands at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. DLA Energy is working to find new additives for the legacy aircraft as part of one of its research and development projects. Photos by Air Force 

Staff Sgt. Eric Harris

An airman checks the fuel level of a U-2 Dragon Lady at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. 

Due to the success DLA Energy is having on the he high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft R&D project, funding is being expanded in 2014.
Energy Source l January 2014 13

“We were able to identify about a dozen commercially 

available additives that would prevent biodiesel from 

congealing into a semi-gelatinous mass in cold weather,” 

Hicks said. “This was important since biodiesel is a diesel 

substitute used in automotive fuels and the military is 

required to comply with specifi c federal fuel mandates. It 

enhances the military services to use biodiesel to achieve 

credits in compliance each year for acquisition of alternative fuels. When we certify fuels, it must be appropriate for 

all the services, not just one branch.” 

A lot of what the team is doing is accelerating and facilitating cost saving issues, said DLA Energy Product Technology & Standardization Division Chief Dan Baniszewski. 

“For example, we have two to three programs aimed at 

streamlining the process so the fuel certifi cation process 

can move quicker. We address emerging issues and work 

technical issues with the fi eld. Our customers come to us 

and ask us to perform in-depth research,” he said.

Baniszewski added some projects are designed to head off 

problems in the future such as the long term compatibility 

with alternative fuels.

Research efforts are underway to study the environmental 

cost-benefi t analysis of alternative jet fuels. 

One project is looking at the creation of an aviationspecifi c framework to assess the environmental impacts 

of emissions that result from using alternative fuels. The 

study will look at environmental factors such as greenhouse gas emissions and the economic sustainability of 

alternative fuel operations that could be used by today’s 

fl eet of aircraft. 

This will help assess the environmental impact of alternative jet fuel on air quality, global climate change and 

freshwater and land usage, Baniszewski said.

One of the ways DLA Energy is working to better serve 

DoD customers is through the evaluation of fuel particle 

counters. 

In November, a study was completed to develop particle 

counting technologies to assist in fi eld-level quality monitoring and analysis of aviation turbine fuel. Using existing 

sensor technology, the study was able to provide baseline 

data on particle counting technology’s ability to provide 

real-time data analysis of the quality of an aviation turbine 

fuel. 

“There are test methods already out there that measure 

contamination, but we are looking to improve fuel fi ltration,” said Baniszewski, who selects and evaluates project 

proposals and provides guidance and direction to the 

chemist project managers. “When contaminants like water 

and dirt get in aircraft fuels, they need to be fi ltered out. 

By using existing sensor technology to monitor fuel quality 

within the fi xed and mobile infrastructure used to store 

and distribute aviation turbine fuel, we can identify locations within the distribution system that have potential 

to introduce signifi cant contaminants like water and dirt 

particles.”

 The benefi t is a cost savings of $791,000 to DoD customers and provides a portable capability to determine contamination levels throughout the supply chain. 

Finding new additives for legacy aircraft such as the U-2 

Dragon Lady is another R&D challenge DLA Energy is 

funding. The U-2 is an aging, high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft operated continuously by the Air Force, and 

has been in service since the Cold War. The U-2 is one of 

several aircraft types that have been operating for more 

than 50 years. 

DLA Energy and Air Force personnel are working together 

to test and evaluate the effectiveness of currently approved 

additives for JP8 jet fuel, which increases the stability of 

the fuel at a higher operational temperatures, as a suitable 

replacement for the JFA-5 additive in JP5. 

‘This is a huge issue for us,” Hicks said. “The Air Force’s 

decision to continue fl ying the U-2 meant we had to make 

sure we had the correct additives to keep the U-2 fl ying. 

Quality’s core business is to ensure fuel specifi cations 

and standards are in compliance with our customers. We 

are working on fi nding a suitable replace for the JFA-5 

additive used in the U-2 aircraft thermally stable jet fuel. 

The additive is no longer in production and the Air Force 

supply is dwindling. We only have enough supply to last us 

until 2017.” 

DLA Energy R&D funding is being expanded in 2014 as a 

result of successes like the U-2, Jet A and biodiesel.
AN INTERVIEW WITH NTERVIEW WITH

THE GENERAL HE GENERAL

By Jonathan Stack

ES: How was your fi rst year at Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy?

TUCK: The fi rst year was incredible. It’s kind of hard to 

talk about 2013 without dipping into 2012 because in 2012 

we had Hurricane Sandy and my fi rst six months in this 

command – so it’s understanding the regions, how we support the regions and the combatant commanders – making 

sure as we drew down out of Afghanistan, after coming out 

of Iraq except for a few sites and supporting the Horn of 

Africa, how would we in 2012 shift and look at the Pacifi c. 

The biggest thing we took on in the rebalance was do we 

have the fuel sized right for the Pacifi c. We believe through 

the global positioning and distribution plan we can cover 

all of the combatant commanders ... by partnering with 

industry so in time of war or humanitarian assistance we 

can actually go contact a company, contract through that 

company to get fuel that is on ships and at some point 

replace it. It seems to be working great from the vantage 

point of supporting multiple combatant commanders. 

The diffi culties this year for us were sequestration in 

March, our workforce going through furloughs this summer and the government shutdown in October. So, we 

have a lot of fi nancial responsibilities. One of the neatest 

things we did that shows the strength of this organization 

and our commitment to our suppliers and the partnership 

we have with our suppliers was to be able to get a 100 of 

them on a phone line with me and the leadership team to 

talk about how we were going delay payments with interest to keep our workforce going to support the warfi ghter. 

DLA Energy Commander Air Force Brig. Gen. Giovanni Tuck LA EnergyCommander AirForceBrig.Gen.Giovanni Tuck

14 www.energy.dla.mil
“You’d be amazed at You’d be amazed at how much I learn from ow much I learn from ... connecting with our .. connecting with our people.” eople.

”

Energy Source nergy Source lJanuary 2014 January 2014 15
16 www.energy.dla.mil

That happened almost immediately 

in October. We’ve gone through a lot 

as an organization. We’ve lost some 

people along the way. ... For the most 

part, this family of ours has risen to 

the challenge and performed as they 

always do making minor miracles 

happen every single day. 

ES: What would you like a 

customer or supplier to think 

when they hear the name DLA 

Energy?

TUCK: If they had a choice to do 

business with anybody else on the 

planet, no matter what, they would 

always choose us. That’s the customer 

focus I want with our customers and 

supplier base because of our business 

practices and the level of expertise we 

bring. It’s the skill set that our folks 

get through lots of training and years 

of experience that make us the choice 

of our suppliers. 

ES: What experiences over the 

past year have helped you to be 

a better commander?

TUCK: There’s nothing more defi ning as a commander then being in 

contact with your folks and being out 

on the road with your region commanders, understanding the pressures and the environment they live 

in to get a better sense on how we 

can provide support to them in a very 

effi cient and effective manner. That’s 

been gold. 

ES: What do you look forward 

to when you come to work?

TUCK: The interaction with the 

people. If someone asked if I’d rather 

telework or come in to work, coming 

to work would win every time, because I get to interact with folks and 

our team. I value being here with our 

folks. You’d be amazed how much I 

learn from walking around the building and connecting with our people 

– the issues they bring to me are real 

and they want someone to listen. I 

hope I can be a good listener and at 

the same time take the issues on and 

fi nd a way to help. For example, when 

you take a look at the business units 

and somebody wants to apply for a 

job and they don’t make the certifi cation round we don’t give them 

feedback. Now we are going to do 

training, bring the New Cumberland, 

Pa., people down, and train on how to 

write resumes, how to strategize for 

the best application that works for the 

individual and still be fair and honest 

when the person applies. 

ES: What is something you do 

as a commander that people 

might not be aware of?

TUCK: I think some people would 

probably not realize that I do take 

time for myself. Even though they 

see emails from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at 

Photos courtesy of DLA Energy Public Affairs
Energy Source l January 2014 17

night, I do take time for myself. I take 

time for my spiritual, emotional and 

personal growth, as well as my discipline in being the best commander I 

can be for DLA Energy. I think a lot of 

people might think that all commanders do is live and breathe the job they 

are in, but I can compartmentalize if I 

need to, take time off, put the cellphone down and then enjoy time with 

friends and family. 

ES: What direction do you see 

DLA Energy going in the future? 

TUCK: It’s huge. Think about the 

strategic moves we did this year – we 

have 23 people moving from DLA 

Energy from January to June over 

the next year. So in the short time, 

as people retire and we rotate our 

staff to the fi eld and our fi eld to the 

staff, I think you’ll fi nd we’re going to 

harness great synergy, we’re going to 

harness experience and we’re going to 

allow people to operate in an environment they might not be comfortable 

with. They are going to learn, and 

it’s going to expand their horizons 

in terms of being the complete DLA 

Energy member we need folks to be. 

I’m very proud of our future in that 

regard. 

As far as the product lines we are 

going to do, I believe you’ll see with 

petroleum and non-petroleum that we 

are going to try and go after more versus leaving stuff on the table. We’re 

going to try to get 100 percent of the 

natural gas industry. When it comes 

to electricity, we are going to go after 

more ways to do energy so we can 

continue to provide more of a savings 

to the Defense Department. 

I’m thrilled about how DLA Energy 

has come along since I’ve been here. 

I take credit for none of it – it’s Mike 

Scott, DLA Energy deputy commander, and Kathryn Fantasia, DLA Energy 

executive advisor, that roll up their 

sleeves every day to make the world a 

better place for the warfi ghter, and I 

really appreciate that. 

ES: Anything you’d like to add?

TUCK: I want to say thanks to our 

workforce. We put our folks through 

incredible pressures this year ... I 

want our staff to know I pay attention to it. It’s one of the few things in 

my job that keeps me up at night as 

I worry about our workforce. I want 

to make sure they are squared away. 

Thanks to our folks and always believing that there’s a greater cause and 

they make a difference each and every 

day. 
18 www.energy.dla.mil

Open

By Susan Lowe and Jonathan Stack

The Defense Logistics Agency Energy grew in 2013 by 

opening the doors of two organizational entities – the 

Strategic Programs and Initiatives directorate and Equal 

Employment Opportunity offi ce. 

After many discussions, DLA Energy Commander Air 

Force Brig. Gen. Tuck and DLA Energy Deputy Commander Mike Scott decided to authorize the stand-up of 

a new organization within DLA Energy, the DLA Energy 

Strategic Programs and Initiatives directorate, to manage 

long-term projects.

“The gap we were attempting to address with this new 

organization is the diffi culty DLA Energy has traditionally 

had in managing long term projects that cross multiple 

business units or directorates and require large commitments of time and resources,” said DLA Energy Strategic 

Programs and Initiatives Director Navy Capt. Ed Bogdanowicz. 

For example, the DLA director’s “Big Ideas” have required 

DLA Energy personnel to develop multiple initiatives 

in material and operational cost centers impacting all 

directorates, he said. Previous to the stand-up of the new 

directorate, the command had no organization to manage 

such a large and complex program, and now the gap has 

been fi lled, he added.

The directorate is comprised of personnel who already 

worked in DLA Energy and is made up of the Auditability offi ce, Management Initiatives offi ce and Executive 

Agent offi ce. The new entity is made up a small number 

of people, so will not be doing the majority of the work on 

many of the projects. 

“We will be responsible for the traditional project management functions, such as identifying resources, managing 

key schedule events, coordinating actions across organizations and de-confl icting competing requirements and 

priorities,” Bogdanowicz said. “We exist to support the 

command teams’ priorities and to assist the other directorates in their roles supporting those same priorities.” 

Bogdanowicz said he sincerely hopes the new directorate 

will be able to assist the command and the leadership team 

in setting priorities and accomplishing its most critical 

tasks on time and on budget.

“This is an exciting opportunity for me personally, since I 

have been involved since the inception of this idea and I 

have been able to watch as the idea matured into the team 

that stands ready for tasking today,” he added. 

The other organizational entity, the DLA Energy EEO offi ce, was established Sept. 23.

The offi ce partners with managers, supervisors and employees to develop solutions to empower the workforce in 

achieving their full potential and unify the workforce to 

achieve the mission.

In December 2012, DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Harnitchek issued fragmentary and operation orders directing 

DLA Energy to staff a new EEO offi ce, said Darcy Hall, director of DLA Energy’s Manpower and Workforce Analysis 

directorate. 

The DLA director mandated the realignment of personnel billets and resources to create a model EEO program 

throughout the agency, which includes increasing the 

capabilities of the headquarters’ DLA EEO directorate and 

standardizing the EEO offi ce structure in the primary-level 

fi eld activities, she said.

The offi ce is staffed with an EEO manager and EEO 

By Susan Lo e and Jonathan Stack

for Business or Business
Energy Source l January 2014 19

specialists who 

will serve all of 

DLA Energy’s employees. 

In a message to the workforce, Tuck 

explained how the offi ce will be set up.

“The EEO offi ce will be led by our new director, Jerry 

Francis ... and Irrainna Blackmon-Corbin in her new administrative role,” Tuck wrote. 

Francis reported for duty Oct. 7 and joins DLA Energy 

with more than 25 years of experience in federal EEO and 

diversity programs. He previously worked at the Defense 

Equal Opportunity Management Institute.

“I envision having a synergistic relationship with all division heads and employees with transparency, accountability and fairness with the intent of developing a work 

environment free of discrimination and harassment,” 

Francis said. 

Francis said he looks forward to working with managers 

and creating a work environment where all ideas are welcome and encouraged. 

“The team and I will be out and about conducting training and holding face-to-face meetings with our customers 

on a regular basis to ensure that EEO and diversity are 

engrained into the culture of DLA Energy,” he said. 

s

“I encourage everyone to use 

communication skills in listening, articulation, cultural awareness and understanding to have an 

all-inclusive workforce where everyone 

is valued. Further, I want DLA Energy to 

be a model employer of choice,” Francis 

added.

Peck came on board from Naval Sea Systems Command 

Sept. 23 and has been in the EEO fi eld for more than 10 

years.

“About the only thing I haven’t done in my career is help 

stand up a new offi ce, so I am thrilled to have this opportunity,” Peck said. 

The offi ce is a fully functioning, standalone EEO offi ce 

that will process EEO and alternative dispute resolution 

cases, as well as organize community outreach and special 

emphasis programs.
Defense Logistics Agency Energy is doing its part to 

be in compliance with the Department of Defensemandated auditability regulations.

The fi scal 2010 National Defense Authorization Act requires DoD to be audit ready by fi scal 2017.

The DoD is the only remaining federal agency that has not 

achieved auditability on its annual fi nancial statement, according to the fi nancial improvement and audit readiness 

guidance website.

Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta directed the 

department to accelerate key elements of the fi nancial 

improvement and audit readiness plan in a memo sent to 

DoD senior leaders Oct. 13, 2011. 

“As a key step, we must improve fi nancial information 

and move toward auditable fi nancial statements. Auditable statements are needed to facilitate decision-making, 

to comply with the law, and to reassure the public that we 

are good stewards of their funds,” Panetta wrote.

Auditability is a goal that every commander, every manager, and every functional specialist must 

understand and embrace to improve effi ciency and 

accountability at the DoD, he further wrote.

DLA Energy is following the fi nancial improvement and audit readiness guidance, 

also known as FIAR, which was fi rst 

published in 2005. The guidance 

provides instructions for implementing a department-wide 

plan for achieving DoD’s fi nancial improvement and 

audit readiness objectives. 

“Audit readiness is an 

integral part of our 

everyday business 

processes,” said DLA 

Energy Auditability 

offi ce Chief Claudia 

Waters. “Our efforts 

aren’t something new 

or separate.”

By Susan Lowe Audit 

20 www.energy.dla.mil
Energy Source l January 2014 21

t

-

,

tReadiness Readiness

Audit readiness means they can demonstrate that the key controls within 

the business processes are functioning 

properly, which provides a reasonable 

assurance that fi nancial statements 

are appropriately stated, she said.

Just about every business unit, offi ce 

or directorate engages in some type 

of business process in order to carry 

out their missions effectively, Waters 

said. 

“So imagine that the key steps in 

those business processes have to be 

identifi ed, tested and documented. If 

a defi ciency is found, it needs to be 

worked out before the process can be 

considered working effi ciently and 

effectively,” she added. 

Being audit ready isn’t the sole 

responsibility of the fi nance department, Waters said. 

“We have to remember that what ends 

up on the fi nancials [stems from] 

our business processes,” she said. 

“Everything from procuring product 

to paying the vendor to receiving the 

funds from our customers triggers the 

events that produce the data on the 

fi nancial statements.” 

Part of the audit readiness efforts include making sure the organization’s 

key controls over its business process 

operate effectively.

“Key controls are in place to safeguard 

from fraud, waste and abuse,” Waters said. “And they need to be tested 

throughout the various business 

processes and systems.”

As of now, Waters said, DLA Energy is 

working toward the many milestones 

needed to be ready for assertion. 

“There are several different dates for 

assertion that are key for DLA Energy 

with inventory and real property in 

fi scal 2014, and all our other key processes like Procure to Pay and Order 

to Cash will assert in fi scal 2015,” she 

added.

Waters said the audit readiness effort is important because that kind 

of fi nancial data knowledge can help 

management make sound decisions. 

Even though DLA Energy is working to meet the assertion timelines, 

Waters said, there isn’t much wiggle 

room. 

“Our biggest challenge is that we are 

in the midst of moving our business 

into the Enterprise Business System 

along with the rest of DLA,” Waters 

said. “We have the additional challenge of having to wait until our move 

to EBS is completed to document our 

business processes or test our key 

controls. We couldn’t do it in our legacy system, which makes our timeline 

to be audit ready very slim.”

“If the organization hits any real 

roadblocks, like any defi ciencies in the 

processes or controls, we have an even 

tighter timeline to get them corrected 

and then validated to ensure they are 

working properly,” she added.

Reliance on fi nancial statements is the 

key to how well our business practices 

are operating, Waters said. Financial 

statements refl ect the agency’s business health. 

“We have a short amount of time to 

do a lot of work and it’s been very 

challenging,” Waters said. “It will take 

everyone’s support and efforts for us 

to achieve the goals set forth over the 

next couple of years.”

Energy has the best employees, and 

they are working very hard to make 

sure DLA Energy achieves all goals for 

audit readiness, she added.

In the 2014 DLA Director’s Guidance, 

DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Mark 

Harnitchek said DLA is aggressively 

pursuing audit readiness at DLA.

 “Instead of planning for the 2017 

deadline mandated by the Department of Defense, we’re targeting the 

end of fi scal 2015 as our deadline, and 

we’re making steady progress. DLA’s 

Hire-to-Retire program has already 

achieved assertion, three months 

earlier than planned. This coming 

year we’re focusing on really proving 

our numbers, and I need every one of 

you engaged in this important effort. 

Understand your processes and the 

internal controls within them, and 

make sure the data is accurate and 

in compliance with the rules. Audit 

readiness makes us a stronger organization and enhances the trust the 

public places in us to get things done 

and done right,” he wrote.

In his guidance, the director encourages DLA personnel to “prove it” and 

wrote employees should “demonstrate 

our commitment to transparency and 

accountability through our culture 

of judiciousness, meeting assertion 

dates, identifying and driving improvement opportunities, and expanding audit readiness beyond process integrity to process excellence.”
22 www.energy.dla.mil

Decrease Direct Material Costs ecrease Direct Material Costs

Be Smart Buyers e Smart Buyers

of the Right Stuff f the Right Stuff

Story by Amanda Neumann

I

t will take several methods of 

driving down costs to meet Defense Logistics Agency Director 

Navy Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek’s 

intent for DLA to “be smart buyers of 

the right stuff.”

As one of Harnitchek’s fi ve “Big Ideas” 

implemented in March 2012, DLA is 

working to decrease direct material 

costs. This is a large part of efforts to 

shed $13.6 billion in expenditures by 

2019. Methods DLA is using to drive 

down costs include: reverse auctions, 

value management, strategic sourcREVERSE AUCTIONS

Regular auctions have multiple buyers bidding toward one source supplier. 

Reverse auctions are a Web-based pricing tool that fosters competition between 

contractors to reduce the price the government pays for a particular item. By 

requesting an item from multiple suppliers, DLA is able to get those suppliers to 

bid against each other to give DLA the best price. Graphic by Paul Crank

ing, and improvements to the agency’s 

procurement systems and processes.

Although the agency has already 

reached or exceeded most of its 

targeted goals for fi scal 2014, which 

include savings from both fi scal 2012 

and 2013, improvements can be made 

in some areas, said Tim Stark, head of 

the functional group for material cost 

reduction in DLA Acquisition.

“We’ve done really well starting up,” 

he said. “The targets get more and 

more aggressive as you go forward. 

And although we’re doing great, we’ve 

got a long way to go.” 

Reverse Auctions

A large portion of the savings come 

from reverse auctions, which have 

saved DLA more than $1.6 billion 

over the past year, Harnitchek said 

at his Sept. 17 Director’s Call with 

agency employees. 

In reverse auctions, sellers bid online 

for contracts. These can be contracts 

for either instant procurements, for 

items needed to send directly to a 

customer or to be stored by DLA, or 

for long-term contracts for a term 

usually lasting fi ve years, said Carmen 

Pillitteri, a business process analyst at 

DLA Land and Maritime.

By allowing sellers to view the lowest 

offer and bid against it, the process 

creates intense competition between 

fi rms, which drives prices down, he 

said.

“Since it’s a competition-based event, 

we need to have at least two vendors 

that are quoting and that are competitive with each other,” Pillitteri said. 

“When they log in, they see their own 

price and they also see the current 

lowest price on the procurement. 

They don’t know who their competitors are, and they don’t know how 

many competitors they have in the 

auction, but they see the prices and 

have an opportunity to lower their 

price.”

Auctions run for no longer than an 

hour, Pillitteri said.
Energy Source l January 2014 23

Obtaining Technical Data Packages used to manufacture spare parts allowed DLA Land and Maritime’s value management team to increase competition when procuring parts for up-armored construction equipment, like this heavily armored 

Caterpillar D9 bulldozer. Previously bought sole-source, the competitive technical data packages have led to a total of $1.6 

million in savings to date. Photo courtesy of DLA Land and Maritime 

“We set it up, give the [sellers] two 

days to prepare, run it for a half hour 

to an hour and then it’s done,” he 

said. “If someone bids in the last few 

minutes, the time will be extended by 

fi ve minutes, so every vendor has an 

opportunity to put in their best price. 

But it’s a very defi nite and relatively 

short timeframe. That’s one of the 

best parts about it.”

DLA requires reverse auctions for 

procurements of $150,000 or greater, 

but reverse auctions can be used for 

procurements at any price, Pillitteri 

said. For instance, DLA Land and 

Maritime temporarily changed its local 

policy to require reverse auctions on 

procurements at the $25,000 threshold, providing a substantial increase 

in reverse auction opportunities. As 

a result, the organization conducted 

seven times as many reverse auctions 

in fi scal 2013 as it did the previous year, 

resulting in savings of $28.5 million by 

July 2013. This sum far exceeded the 

DLA Land and Maritime target of $3.3 

million in savings by the end of fi scal 

2014, he said.

Held almost daily, reverse auctions 

have also worked well for other DLA 

fi eld activities, including DLA Aviation, which has already exceeded its 

fi scal 2014 goal of $4 million. From 

October 2012 to July 2013, DLA Aviation conducted 241 reverse auctions, 

49 percent of which were successful 

and saved the organization $27.96 

million, said LaKisha Andrews, DLA 

Aviation’s reverse auction program 

manager.

“DLA Aviation’s contracting offi cers 

have done a great job embracing the 

use of reverse auctions, which has 

been a great benefi t to the successful 

push of [DLA] Aviation’s overall savings,” she said. “Two of our most successful auctions were for parachutes 

and turbines. The parachute yielded 

savings of $7 million, and the turbine 

yielded savings of $2.1 million.”

DLA Energy is also using reverse auctions to get better prices and increase 

competition in awarding fuel contracts, said Anthony Thomas, policy 

chief of the Procurement Planning 

Branch in DLA Energy.

In fi scal 2013, DLA Energy achieved 

$400 million in savings by using 

reverse auctions.

“We’re using this tool across the different business areas where we think 

it’ll add value and help us get better 

pricing,” he said.

Value Management

With a goal to promote competition, 

value management is a systematic 

process of reducing material costs 

while retaining the same or better 

quality, reliability and function.
24 www.energy.dla.mil

Switching a sole-sourced ballistic 

foam, used in the wings of A-10 airplanes to prevent the buildup of explosive vapors, to a second source will 

save the Defense Logistics Agency $12 

million over six years thanks to a value 

management initiative in DLA Aviation. Photo courtesy of DLA Aviation

At DLA Aviation, F-15 Eagle aircraft 

wire harnesses have garnered the 

most savings through value management, helping the organization easily 

meet its fi scal 2014 target of $14 

million, said Ralph Newlon, deputy 

director of DLA Aviation’s Engineering directorate.

“Five years ago, DLA Aviation Engineering worked with the Air Force 

in Warner Robins, [Ga.], to fund 

an effort to revise and complete the 

technical data they already had so we 

wouldn’t have to buy these items solesource,” he said. “Once completed, 

we used that technical data to break 

out the item through a source selection process. We ended up selecting a 

new contractor ... whose prices were 

just about half of what [the previous 

vendor’s] were. To date, we’ve saved 

about $48 million over the past two 

years. We expect to save about $60 

million total.” 

By July 2013, DLA Aviation had saved 

$42 million, in part due to another 

successful effort: creating additional 

sources for ballistic foam, used to prevent explosive vapors in Air Force A-10 

Thunderbolt II aircraft wings, Newlon 

said.

“Several years ago, our Air Force 

customer helped us to realize the 

manufacturing process for that foam 

was going to be phased out, so we 

had to fi nd a new ballistic foam out of 

necessity,” he said. “We worked with 

and funded the Air Force’s research 

and came up with a new foam, which 

created a new national stock number 

and a sole-sourced item. Anytime you 

have a sole-source situation, prices 

tend to be a little bit higher. Now, we 

have a second source on all [types of] 

the foam. So far, we’ve awarded three 

contracts against those NSNs, and 

we’ve saved $200,000, but it’s very 

early in the savings window. Over the 

six-year window, we expect to save 

about $12 million just by adding that 

[additional] source.”

Strategic Sourcing

DLA Acquisition’s Stark said the main 

area under reducing material costs 

in which DLA has yet to hit its target 

is “strategic sourcing,” or increasing government-wide cooperation in 

purchasing goods. Using DLA’s buying 

power helps get better prices for a wider 

range of customers. Strategic sourcing 

uses a variety of techniques, including 

prime vendor relationships, long-term 

contracts, and “performance-based 

logistics,” which is a way to provide 

support for a weapons system by having 

the contractor be responsible for the 

performance of the system, not just 

supplying spare parts.

“That’s where we see most of our 

large contracts with original equipment manufacturers and other big 

manufacturers,” Stark said. “Those 

contracts have just been put into place 

over the course of this past year, and 

a lot of them are coming due in the 

next few months. Once those are in, 

we fully expect to make the fi scal 2014 

target for those as well.”

The agency’s target savings through 

strategic sourcing exceeds $4 billion, 

but DLA Troop Support has already 

saved $66.1 million, said Ruth Herman, a senior procurement analyst at 

DLA Troop Support.

“All the big stuff we’re doing is under 

strategic sourcing,” she said. “The big 

one in DLA Troop Support Subsistence is increasing manufacturer discounts. We’re negotiating discounts 

for our National Allowance Pricing 

Agreement program. It’s actually pricing agreements we have with major 

manufacturers like Kellogg’s and 

Nabisco to give us the best deal, and 

we’ve got about $20 million in savings 

through July.”

DLA Troop Support Medical is expected to save $791 million alone over the 

next 10 years due to a recent negotiation to lower pharmaceutical prime 

vendor distribution fees, Herman said.

“We just negotiated a better deal 

from a negative 5.28 distribution fee 

to negative 8.87 percent,” she said. 

“That’s giving us $6 to $7 million 

a month, so that’s going to give us 

another $12 to $14 million alone [by 

the end of fi scal 2013]. We’ve also 

awarded our fi rst national [generic 

drug] contract, so we’ll start seeing 

those savings soon.”

While the “Big Ideas” initiatives have 

been challenging, it has pushed the 

supply chain to make more aggressive 

moves, something that better aligns 
Energy Source l January 2014 25

A FRAM oil fi lter in commercial (left) 

and military-specifi cation packaging 

(right). The switch from military to 

commercial packaging is expected to 

save the agency hundreds of millions 

of dollars over the next fi ve years due 

to the First Destination Transportation 

and Packaging Initiative. Photo by 

Laura Fearing

A brake pad in military-specifi cation 

packaging (left) and commercial packaging (right). Already implemented in 

March 2013, 4.2 million items within 

targeted supply chains, or 93 percent 

overall, are eligible for the commercial 

packaging in the First Destination 

Transportation and Packaging Initiative, saving not only material costs but 

labor costs as well. Photo by Laura 

Fearing

DLA with the commercial sector, Herman said.

“This is making people negotiate 

harder and be a little bit more aggressive,” she said. “They’re doing a little 

bit more market research and seeing 

what the commercial market is getting. But the biggest challenge with 

the Big Ideas, across all of the levers, 

is measuring the savings. Putting levers together and trying to fi gure out 

how you’re going to save the money is 

one thing, and then fi guring out how 

you’re going to count the money is 

another thing.”

DLA Energy has also seen signifi cant 

success in its strategic sourcing efforts, namely in its negotiation techniques with suppliers, Thomas said.

“It’s a package of things that has helped 

us,” he said. “We did a number of 

initiatives to squeeze every penny we 

could out of our deals, including getting 

suppliers paid faster and upping the 

amount of guaranteed product that will 

be purchased under a contract. In the 

fuel industry, if you can shave a penny 

or two off per gallon, you can claim success; it’s just that tight.”

Just like at DLA Troop Support, aligning with commercial practices has also 

helped DLA Energy achieve savings, 

Thomas said.

“Aligning the quality standards to 

commercial practices is a huge change 

in how we’ve done business that applies to all contracts,” he said. “We’ve 

tried to move toward more commercial 

[fuel] product because it’s more readily 

available, which improves competition. 

Even predictability of when a solicitation will come out is benefi cial since 

[suppliers] will be prepared and ready 

for it.”

DLA Energy is expected to save $195 

million over fi ve years by procuring 

more commercial fuel for the military 

services. 

Procurement Systems and Process Improvements

Improvements to the agency’s procurement systems and processes can 

have a profound effect on costs and 

performance. Current initiatives with 

PSPI include the expanded use of 

“should-cost” assessments to fi nd out 

items’ actual values, improved customer returns and an increased use of 

the agency’s Procurement Automated 

Contract Evaluation system.

One of the most anticipated initiatives in the agency is the First Destination Transportation and Packaging 

Initiative. With a twofold approach to 

reduce packaging costs using commercial-specifi cation packaging and 

decrease transportation costs by allowing vendors to use DLA’s inbound 

transportation providers, the initiative is expected to save the agency 

hundreds of millions of dollars over 

the next fi ve years, said Todd Jenkins, program manager for the initiative at DLA Land and Maritime.

“The [First Destination Transportation and Packaging Initiative] is 

really a catalyst to help both of these 

process functions achieve optimum 

savings,” he said.

Since the initiative’s start in March, 4.2 
26 www.energy.dla.mil

million items within the targeted 

supply chains, or 93 percent overall, are eligible for the commercial 

packaging, saving material and 

labor costs, Jenkins said.

“It really comes down to just 

using some of the industry’s best 

practices to package an item,” 

he said. “There’s a misconception that [military] packaging 

is excessive; sometimes it’s the 

right amount of packaging in 

order to get an item serviceably to the customer. However, 

when people put an extra level 

of packaging in, that adds extra 

cost. More than the material 

itself, it was the repackaging 

labor portion that would drive 

costs up.”

While the agency has found 

many opportunities for commercial packaging, Jenkins said, 

some items, like hazardous materials, will still be shipped using 

military-specifi cation packaging. 

It is important to note that any 

savings from the initiative will 

fi lter right back to customers.

“This really has been a collaborative, interagency effort 

that had been in the wings for a 

while until we had tremendous 

support, like the director’s, that 

pushed it,” he said. “We in the 

government have to be the ones 

that latch onto as much of these 

savings as possible, so that we 

can get the value of the dollar to 

go a little further for the Defense 

Department during these tough 

times. Whatever savings we 

make, we pass that back to the 

warfi ghter for personnel, equipment and other operations that 

are already stretched thin.”

Due to be implemented in late 

October 2014, transportation 

changes within the continental 

United States will help consolidate shipments from local 

vendors, using DLA trucking to 

travel from one local destination 

to the next, said Roy Pitman, a 
Energy Source l January 2014 27

program analyst and contracting specialist at DLA Land and 

Maritime.

“For inbound procurement, DLA 

does business with about 7,300-

plus ... company locations,” he 

said. “Each one of them operates 

independently. They could be 

right next door to each other, 

but they’re not taking advantage 

of using the same trucks that 

are coming in. We’re paying for 

their transportation rates, which 

are not nearly as good as what 

we can buy. Plus, we’ve got $7 

billion to spend as opposed to 

each of those vendors, two-thirds 

of which are small businesses. 

Their spending doesn’t allow 

them to get good transportation 

rates from DHL, FedEx, UPS and 

other carriers, so we can leverage 

ours to get better rates.”

For DLA, although the cost 

savings from this initiative will 

trickle in slowly, the plan will 

pay off in the long run, he said.

“This isn’t a sprint; this is a marathon,” he said. “This is a strategic 

initiative.”

By separating the transportation 

costs, DLA will get a better idea 

of the true cost of a product, 

Jenkins said, something that 

could also open the door for 

more small business competition.

“We’re actually doing things 

that will give us a clearer picture 

on the actual cost per product,” 

he said. “We’re ‘debundling’ 

things that were previously 

embedded, like transportation 

and packaging. And as we look 

at those numbers, we’re starting to realize that people used 

transportation to cover a lot of 

their general and administrative costs. By doing this, we’re 

going to get down to the real cost 

of the product itself, and that will 

open up the doors for small- and 

medium-sized businesses.” 
28 www.energy.dla.mil

A Pipeline Ru Pipeline Run

Pipeline networks are key to Defense Logistics 

Agency Energy’s mission of providing energy solutions to the warfi ghter throughout their global areas 

of responsibility and in the U.S. by connecting storage and 

distribution systems with fuels and lubricants.

In Europe and Africa, the NATO Pipeline System supplies 

forces and areas overseas with the capacity and fl exibility 

required by today’s security environment. In the continental United States, DLA Energy Americas uses more than 

a dozen pipelines as the main conveyances of refi ned product from the Gulf Coast and throughout the country. In the 

Middle East, DLA Energy uses three pipelines to convey 

jet fuel from fuel facilities in Afghanistan and Qatar to U.S. 

airbases in the region. 

DLA Energy Pacifi c sub-regions use a Navy-owned pipeline in Guam while Korea employs the Trans-Korea Pipeline and South-North Pipeline. The only pipeline system 

operated by DLA Energy employees is in Okinawa, Japan. 

Agency employees began operating the system after assuming the U.S. Army’s petroleum mission there.

“The great thing about pipelines is you can move large 

quantities of petroleum products, and even natural gas, 

cheaply and effi ciently,” said DLA Energy Director of Customer Operations Air Force Col. Steve Kephart. “Without 

pipeline networks, operations could see potentially signifi -

cant delays.”

Pipelines of Europe and Africa

The NATO Pipeline System, which was set up during the 

Cold War, is approximately 7,456 miles long and runs 

through 13 NATO countries with a storage capacity of 5.5 

million cubic meters. The system consists of eight national 

pipeline systems and two multinational systems, according to NATO’s website. 

DLA Energy has agreements with fi ve of the 10 major 

NATO pipeline systems providing fuel in support of U.S. 

forces in Europe.

The Central European Pipeline System is the largest multinational/multi-product system covering approximately 

3,418 miles in Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands 

and Luxembourg. The U.S. is a partner nation in this 

pipeline that also operates like a banking system allowing 

participating entities to introduce product into the line 

and lift product from any point along the pipeline.

“The defi nition of this [banking system] means that it is 

vitally important that each receipt into the pipeline system 

by a partner country meet all military specifi cation standards,” said DLA Energy Europe and Africa Inventory 

Management Chief McCoy Greer.

While this pipeline provides a signifi cant military capability, the excess capacity is used to move commercial product 

for which the pipeline operators charge money, helping to 

defray the costs to NATO, Greer explained. 

CEPS provides aviation fuel to the major U.S. air bases in 

Germany – Ramstein and Spangdahlem. It also has the 

fl exibility to move fuel in support of activities in other 

combatant commands from tanker loading/off-loading 

points in Marseille, France, Greer added.

In Turkey, the Turkish NATO Pipeline System is made up 

of two pipeline systems – one in the East and another in 

the West. Both are operated and maintained by a civilian 

organization attached to the Turkish Ministry of Defense. 

The pipeline has 10 operational districts with a headquarters in Ankara. DLA Energy injects fuel into the TNPS at 

the Port of Mersin, explained DLA Energy Europe and Africa Operations Center Chief Air Force Maj. Robert Lyon.

“This pipeline supports Incirlik Air Base and was also the 

source of aviation fuel for U.S. forces in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn,” Lyon 

said.

Another pipeline network used by DLA Energy is the 

Northern Italian Pipeline System, operated and maintained by a civilian fi rm under contract to the Ministry of 

Defense. 

Its operations are directed and controlled by the Italian 

Air Force that also controls off-base facilities. The pipeline 

comprises 466 miles of pipelines with a total of 217,500 

cubic meters of storage throughout 10 depots. 

It is connected to two refi neries and one sea terminal, and 

there are fi ve Italian air bases connected to the system 

with an additional eight not connected, but supported by 

By Terry Shawn
Energy Source l January 2014 29

uns Through It ns Through It

the NIPS, Lyon explained. 

Aviano Air Base also receives aviation fuel from this pipeline.

In Spain, the Spanish Pipeline System was constructed by 

the U.S., as authorized under the Spanish American Agreement of 1953, to supply petroleum products from Rota 

Naval Station to air bases in the interior of the country. 

The pipeline runs from South to North through the center 

of Spain, extending approximately 485 miles and supplying fuel to Defense Fuel Support Point El Arahal, Moron 

Air Base, Loeches Inland Terminal, Torrejon Air Base, La 

Muela Inland Terminal and Zaragoza Air Base. 

“Presently, the U.S. only utilizes about 70 miles of the 

pipeline from Naval Station Rota to El Arahal and Moron 

Air Base,” Lyon said.

Key to the DLA Energy mission in the United Kingdom, 

is the Government Pipeline and Storage System, a fully 

integrated system connecting fi ve refi neries, eight sea 

terminals and 16 military and four major civil airfi elds 

in primary support of Royal Air Force bases Lakenheath, 

Mildenhall and Fairford.

The Continental U.S. Pipeline System

In the continental U.S., there are more than 161,000 

miles of refi ned product pipelines supporting commerce 

throughout the county, according to the Natonal Association of State Fire Marshals. 

DLA Energy Americas uses pipeline systems in 29 of the 

48 states in the U.S. 

Of this network, the region uses only a portion of the vast 

pipeline infrastructure to provide bulk petroleum products 

to the military services in the U.S. Northern Command 

area of responsibility, said Greg Knowles, DLA Energy 

Americas liaison offi cer to U.S. Northern Command. 

“We accomplish this by managing and transporting petroleum product through 17 multi-product pipelines in both 

sub-regions,” Knowles said. “In DLA Energy Americas 

at Houston, we utilize the Buckeye Northeast, Buckeye 

Ohio, Colonial, Explorer, Magellan, Plantation, and Rocky 

Mountain pipeline systems. For DLA Energy Americas at 

San Pedro, Calif., we utilize Chevron No. 1, Chevron No. 2, 

A contractor detaches the elbow joint pipe to clean and replaces the anode to protect the steel pipe from deterioration 

and corrosion at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay. 

Photos by Marine Private 1st Class Roberto Villa Jr.
30 www.energy.dla.mil

Cal Nev, Holly Corporation, Idaho, Kinder Morgan Energy 

Partners (East, North, and Southwest) and NuStar pipelines.” 

Pacifi c Pipelines

DLA Energy Pacifi c sub-regions use a variety of pipeline 

systems. 

In Korea, the South-North Pipeline is used to provide DLA 

Energy-procured jet fuel to DFSP Waegwan and DFSP 

Seongnam. Seongnam then transports the JP8 through 

approximately 46 kilometers of the Trans-Korea Pipeline 

to Suwon and Osan Air Bases and Camp Humphreys. DLA 

Energy also supports Kunsan Air Base through a U.S. 

pipeline from Kunsan DFSP.

The Japan sub-region moves JP8 from DFSP Hachinohe 

to DFSP Misawa and Misawa Air Base through 17 miles of 

pipelines maintained by Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka. 

This pipeline currently runs along the northern Japan 

coastline through residential area, prefectural forests and 

across several rivers, said DLA Energy Pacifi c at Japan 

Deputy Director Jeff Connell. While environmental and 

security concerns are mitigated by a 24 hour patrol team, 

the two governments are addressing the issues.

“The U.S. government is working with the government of 

Japan to re-route the pipeline completely underground in 

double-walled pipe to reduce both the environmental and 

security concerns,” Connell said.

To provide fuel support to DLA Energy customers in 

Guam, fuel is received by ocean-going tanker at commercial and military fuel piers. The fuel is offl oaded into 

DFSP Guam and then can be conveyed from DFSP Guam 

through 16.7 miles of underground Navy-owned pipeline 

to DFSP Andersen and Andersen Air Base. 

The operation and maintenance responsibilities for this 

cross-country pipeline are shared by the Navy and Air 

Force, with DFSP Guam operating and maintaining the 

southern half of the pipeline running from DFSP Guam to 

Tiyan Junction. DFSP Andersen and the 36th Civil Engineering Squadron personnel operate and maintain the 

northern half of the pipeline from Tiyan Junction to DFSP 

Andersen.

This pipeline system consists of two 10-inch lines from 

DFSP Guam to Tiyan Junction, where it is reduced into 

one 10-inch line from Tiyan Junction to DFSP Andersen, 

DLA Energy Pacifi c at Guam Deputy Director Joy Griffi th 

said. 

“A fi scal year 2013 military construction project will add a 

second 10-inch line from Tiyan Junction to DFSP Andersen and will make other signifi cant repairs and upgrades 

to the rest of the pipeline system,” she added.

Unlike other pipeline networks, sub-region Okinawa is 

unique in that its pipeline operation is run by DLA Energy 

employees. In 2009, the Army decided to deactivate the 

505th Quartermaster Battalion that supported Department of Defense activities on the island from its force 

structure and asked DLA Energy to assume its petroleum 

Soldiers of the 62nd Engineer Battalion construct the beginnings of the Inland Petroleum Pipeline System in Kuwait during 

Operation Iraqi Freedom. Defense Logistics Agency Energy uses pipeline systems, like the one pictured above, to convey 

fuel to U.S. facilities. Photo courtesy of the Army’s 62nd Engineer Battalion
Energy Source l January 2014 31

mission. After a 30-month transition, DLA Energy offi -

cially assumed the strategic bulk fuel and quality control 

missions at DFSP Okinawa, Japan, in March.

DLA Energy employees are not only responsible for the 

day-to-day operation of the DFSP including receipt, storage, inventory and accounting, but the maintenance of the 

fuel facilities, as well as the quality of fuel issued to the 

island’s primary customers.

DLA Energy Pacifi c at Okinawa operates a DFSP with six 

tank farms with a 56 million gallon storage capacity, 78 

miles of underground pipeline, two deep sea fuel piers 

and two offshore tanker discharge facilities. The DFSP 

provides all bulk petroleum, oil and lubricant support on 

Okinawa including JP8, JP5 and F76.

Okinawa supports the Air Force’s 18th Wing at Kadena 

Air Base, Marine Aircraft Group 36 at Marine Corps Air 

Station Futenma, the Navy’s USS Bonhomme Richard 

Expeditionary Strike Group at White Beach, the Army and 

Air Force Exchange Services gas stations island-wide and 

all DoD installations on the island.

The Security of Pipeline Delivery

In the Middle East, DLA Energy uses a pipeline in Qatar 

from the DFSP to Al Udeid Air Base to deliver jet fuel, a 

pipeline in Afghanistan to deliver fuel from the fuel facility 

to Bagram Air Base and a third pipeline is under construction to deliver jet to Al Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab 

Emirates. 

There are a number of advantages to using pipelines versus tanker truck deliveries. 

The main advantage these pipelines provide is speed in 

delivering volumes of fuel and increased security because 

fuel trucks are not required to enter the base to download, 

said DLA Energy Middle East Operations Chief Gary Whittacre.

If a base consumes 300,000 to 400,000 U.S. gallons of 

fuel a day, it would require a 10,000 gallon-capacity truck 

to make 30 to 40 deliveries daily. 

The operations chief also said there are other advantages 

of using a pipeline system instead of truck deliveries. 

“Pipeline deliveries are considered one delivery [through a 

receipt meter], and it’s less of an accounting burden than 

accounting for 30 to 40 separate truck receipts,” he said.

Pipelines also reduce vulnerability to driver pilferage; 

syphoning off fuel en route, Whittacre said. 

“Using the pipeline delivery method reduces normal variance caused by temperature variation and residual fuel 

that cannot be extracted from tanker trucks,” he added.

In the continental U.S., DLA Energy Americas transports 

75 percent of their petroleum products to support the military and DFSPs via pipeline, Knowles said. 

“The main advantage in using pipelines over other modes 

of transportation is that pipelines provide the region the 

ability to transport large volumes of petroleum product 

from refi neries or commercial terminals to either military 

service supported sites or our own DFSPs,” he added. 

“Pipelines also provide true secure line of communication, 

have an excellent safety record, and are overall cheaper 

than alternate modes of transportation for movement of 

bulk petroleum products.” 

In Case of Emergency ...

The pipelines also play a role in emergency response to 

natural disasters in the U.S.

If there is time to plan for an event such as a pending hurricane or tropical storm, DLA Energy Americas offi cials 

would direct the sub-regions to bring their supported 

service sites and DFSP inventory levels to a higher point in 

the projected path of the storm based on information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data and location information on DoD facilities, 

Knowles said.

“This gives the commander and senior leadership the ability to thoroughly plan for mitigation strategies for supply 

support given the assumption that there is a disruption 

in pipeline support,” he said. “During the recent national 

emergencies such as Hurricane Sandy, the [DLA Energy 

Americas] region was still able to provide petroleum products to the services along the Eastern Atlantic Coast.” 

However, he added, there were challenges associated with 

the impact of the hurricane upon landfall. 

“These challenges were worked with and through our 

commercial energy partners to ensure the region provided 

uninterrupted product to supported military service sites 

and DFSPs,” Knowles said. 

Other disruptions in pipeline service may develop due to 

repairs or unforeseeable conditions.

“If pipeline operations were disrupted, we have contingency plans to use trucks to move the required fuel onto 

the base,” Whittacre said. “We routinely augment pipeline 

deliveries with a small amount of truck deliveries to keep 

the procedures current.”

Using trucks also allows DLA Energy Middle East to deliver fuel from other sources not connected to the pipeline. 
32 www.energy.dla.mil

For example, if the Afghan Government restricted a contracted company from operating in Afghanistan, Whittacre said his team could have fuel delivered to Bagram Air 

Base from the DFSP in Kabul via tanker truck.

In Okinawa, the pipelines play a role in supporting the 

DLA Energy customers on the island but if a natural 

disaster were to occur and damage that delivery conveyance, truck deliveries are still an option. 

“With the pipeline maintenance crew at [U.S. Army Garrison] Torii station public works, we would be able to repair 

minor damages within a few days,” said DLA Energy 

Pacifi c at Okinawa Deputy Director Edward Guthrie.

In Guam, while repairs are done to the pipeline that may 

cause a disruption, DFSP Andersen’s alternate receipt 

capability would be enacted, Griffi th said. Tanker trucks 

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, 240th Quartermaster 

Battalion soldiers attach an aluminum pipe with a Victaulic 

pipeline coupling as part of the Inland Petroleum Pipeline 

System in Kuwait. DLA Energy uses pipeline systems in 

many countries to provide fuel to its customers. Photo courtesy of the Army’s 240th Quartermaster Battalion

would fi ll at DFSP Guam’s truck fi llstand and deliver fuel 

directly into DFSP Andersen’s hydrant operating tanks.

“This secondary mode of resupply ensures the continued 

fl ow of fuel to the warfi ghter,” Griffi th said.

The role of fuel exchange and pipeline agreements

“DLA Energy leverages host nation fuel exchange agreements in [Europe and Africa region] pipeline systems to 

provide tailored fuel support solutions for operations and 

exercises,” said DLA Energy Europe & Africa International 

Agreements Program Division Chief Kevin Epstein 

“A perfect example of this region’s ability to leverage a 

pipeline fuel exchange agreement was our recent strategic 

support efforts with the Spanish Air Force that enabled the 

transfer of more than 2 million gallons of fuel in support 

of 10 NATO member nations for the conduct of a multinational exercise,” Epstein said. “Not only did this innovative course of action directly support the DLA tenet of 

enhancing support to the warfi ghter, it doubly supported 

the organizational edict to provide proper stewardship of 

government funds by saving in excess of $160,000.” 

Through the use of FEAs in concert with multi-national 

pipeline systems, DLA Energy is able to obtain fuel from 

or provide fuel to our host nation partners and directly 

support U.S. warfi ghter elements in the Europe and Africa 

areas of responsibilities, said Air Force Capt. Carissa Deeney, DLA Energy International Agreements liaison offi cer 

to the United Kingdom.

Despite such a vast network of pipelines used by DLA 

Energy Europe & Africa, the Central European Pipeline 

System is the only pipeline in the region to cross multiple 

countries. 

“Language and logistics challenges are overcome by the 

use of a management agency board made up by representatives from each country,” Deeney said.

The pipeline networks DLA Energy uses to fulfi ll its mission not only cover vast and diverse geographic areas; they 

eliminate signifi cant delays and are versatile as well as 

cost and time effective.

“Pipelines allow us to move large volumes of products at 

one time and, through the use of “pipeline cuts,” enable 

us to use the same pipeline to move multiple products,” 

Kephart said.

“The timeframes involved with downloading other transport modes are time consuming, manpower intensive 

and are sometimes limited by factors such as space and 

download header capabilities,” the Customer Operations 

director added. “And lengthy download times could lead to 

operational impacts.”
Energy Source l January 2014 33

Editor’s note: Portions of this article were gathered from the autumn 2003 issue of the “Quartermaster Professional Bulletin.” 

During wartime, the fuel pipeline proved to be 

the conveyance used to meet the United States’ 

emergency needs and support Allied armies during 

World War II. Those challenges still exist today in combat 

operations in the Middle East.

Security and secrecy surrounding Allied war plans in 1944 

were factors in Europe, and thanks to Walt Disney cartoon 

characters, these operations were concealed through the 

use of unique code names.

During the early planning stages of the invasion of Normandy, plans were made in 1944 for “Pipe Lines under the 

Ocean” or Operation Pluto. The operation would relieve 

the Allies’ dependence on oil tankers, which were susceptible to bad weather at sea and German submarines. 

Two routes were designated for the underwater pipelines. 

The original route was to run across the Strait of Dover to 

Pipelines Supporting the Front ipelines Supporting the Front

By Terry Shawn France, a distance of 31 miles. Fearing the Germans would 

learn details of D-Day, the June 6 invasion, the pipeline 

operation was relocated and another pipeline, code name 

Bambi, was laid from the Isle of Wight in Great Britain 

to Cherbourg, France. On that route, a 70 nautical miles 

pipeline was successfully laid by the British ship HMS Latimer in August 1944. Once operational, the pipeline could 

deliver 56,000 gallons of fuel per day.

As Allied troops gained more territory, it became possible 

to lay a pipeline as originally planned; across the Strait 

of Dover. It took only fi ve hours to lay the pipeline, codename Dumbo, across this shorter route in October 1944.

By the end of Operation Pluto, a total of 280 miles of pipeline had been laid along the Bambi route to Cherbourg and 

500 miles of pipeline along the Dumbo route to Boulogne, 

France. It is estimated that by Victory in Europe Day, May 

8, 1945, more than 172 million gallons of gasoline had 

been pumped to the Allied forces in Europe. 

Closer to American shores during World War II, oil tankers bringing crude oil and refi ned product from the United 

States’ Gulf of Mexico region to refi ning and distribution 

areas near New York City and Philadelphia by way of the 

During World War II, Operation Pluto was executed to lay pipeline under the English Channel to supply fuel for the Allied 

armies after D-Day. The operation involved wrapping pipe around cone-ended drums, also known as conundrums, similar 

to the one pictured above, that were approximately 30 to 40 feet in diameter and weighed 1,600 tons when fully loaded. The 

conundrum could then be towed by two tugboats across the channel, laying out the pipe behind it. Courtesy photo
34 www.energy.dla.mil

Caribbean were routinely subject to 

attack by German submarines.

Recognizing the vulnerability of 

America’s tanker transportation 

system to submarine attacks, thenSecretary of the Interior Harold Ickes 

wrote President Franklin D. Roosevelt July 20, 1940, “The building of 

a crude oil pipeline from Texas to the 

East [coast] might not be economically sound, but that in the event of 

an emergency it might be absolutely 

necessary.”

In response, construction of the Big 

Inch and Little Big Inch pipelines for 

the U.S. began in 1942 to serve as 

an alternative to the tanker deliveries, according to “Big Inch and Little 

Big Inch,” a compilation of data and 

published articles related to the war 

emergency pipelines.

With the Inch pipelines freeing up the 

oil tankers from the long dangerous 

travel from the Gulf Coast, the tankers 

were put into service transporting petroleum products by the shorter route 

from the East Coast refi ning and distribution centers across the Atlantic to 

meet the soldiers’ needs in Europe.

The pipeline, now named the Plantation Pipeline, is still in operation 

and delivers approximately 600,000 

barrels per day of gasoline, jet fuel, 

diesel and biodiesel through its 3,100 

mile pipeline network. Along the way, 

it serves various metropolitan areas 

including Birmingham, Ala., Atlanta, 

Charlotte, N.C., and Washington, 

D.C., according to the pipeline operator’s website. 

The head terminal of the pipeline is 

located less than three miles from the 

Defense Logistics Agency headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Va.

In more recent operations, the pipeline effectively provided fuel support 

to the warfi ghter in the warzone. 

During Operation Iraqi Freedom, the 

Army’s 49th Quartermaster Group 

and its 240th Quartermaster Battalion were tasked with fi nding innovative solutions to keep fuel fl owing 

to the forces. During various phases 

associated with construction and the 

operation of more than 200 miles of 

pipeline, 20 pump stations and 17 

million gallons of tactical fuel storage 

in tactical petroleum terminals, the 

battalion performed many missions. 

Preparation for the fuel support operation began in March 2002, a year 

before OIF started, with the initial 

deployment of the battalion for construction of the base terminal of the 

Inland Petroleum Distribution System 

at Camp Virginia in northern Kuwait. 

The base terminal would be capable 

of storing 1.8 million gallons of fuel 

when construction was completed in 

January 2003.

The fi nal stage of the prewar preparation was the construction of more 

than 100 miles of IPDS pipeline connecting Camp Virginia, Camp Udari 

and Breach Point West, a tactical 

petroleum terminal at a location on 

the Kuwait/Iraq border. The pipeline 

section required 10 pump stations. 

These pump stations were operated 

by the Army’s 267th Quartermaster 

Company.

The IPDS was an example of the 

most effi cient means of moving fuel 

in the theater of operations with a 

pipeline that was built as far forward 

as possible. Along the way, the 240th 

Quartermaster Battalion used innovation to develop tactics, techniques and 

procedures while achieving a number 

of “fi rsts.” Previously, the 240th had 

not operated a commercial pipeline; 

used water to test and fl ush the pipeline; employed FM communications 

to relay information along the pipeline or developed a tactical design for 

the protected pump stations.

At the peak of operation more than 

30 million gallons of fuel was moved 

through the IPDS. 

As part of Operation Pluto, a conundrum, wrapped with 

miles of pipeline, 

was towed across 

the English Channel from the Isle of 

Wight to Cherbourg, 

France in 1944. 

Once operational, 

the pipeline could 

deliver 56,000 gallons of fuel per day 

to Allied forces after 

the D-Day invasion 

at Normandy. Photo 

courtesy of the National Archives
Mission: ission: DLA 

Energy Middle East 

provides fuel integration for the U.S. 

Central Command 

combatant commander and supporting service component 

commanders. We are 

forward-stationed in the 

CENTCOM area of responsibility to be the conduit to 

our customers, the war-fi ghters 

and suppliers. We manage the dayto-day fuel support to Operations Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and New Dawn in Iraq 

and oversee defense fuel support point operations in support of multiple operation plans and 

contingency plans. 

Highlights: ighlights: In the summer and fall of 2011 we were importing about 40 percent of our fuel 

for Afghanistan through Pakistan. In late November of that year, an unfortunate cross-border 

air strike mistakenly targeted Pakistani soldiers, who were believed to be insurgents fi ring on 

friendly forces from within Pakistan. The incident resulted in Pakistan closing their ground lines 

of communication, forcing all fuel to be shifted to the Northern Distribution Network. Concurrently, Afghanistan experienced a winter with heavy snowfall, which closed the Salang Pass for 

days between January and March 2012. Compounding that challenge, weight restrictions were 

imposed on DLA fuel trucks transiting Salang, limiting them to about 66 percent of their previous throughput capacity. Through it all though, DLA Energy and our suppliers were able to keep 

all warfi ghter sites supplied without exception, and by March were rebuilding stock levels to the 

mandated 60 days of supply. 

Challenges: hallenges: The major challenge operating in the Middle East is unpredictability. The United 

States has a signifi cant military presence in the CENTCOM AOR to support ongoing combat operations and serve as a key deterrent to potential regional state actor aggression. Requirements 

change frequently in concert with mission priorities and focus, and environmental challenges in 

wartime require constant vigilance to foresee and mitigate threats to supply operations. 

Something for the workforce to know: omething for the workforce to know: The Middle East region is critical to the stability of 

the world’s economy due to the production and export of crude oil from its nation states. Persistent confl ict in the region threatens access to critical oil reserves and key navigation points for a 

signifi cant amount of overall world trade. There are ongoing insurrections in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many other countries enjoy only a fragile peace. The U.S. presence in the region will continue long after combat forces withdraw from Afghanistan next fall. 

Army Col. William Rush

DLA Energy Middle East 

Commander ommander

Bahrain

Energy Source l January 2014 35

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Army Col William Rush

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| 36

2014 Director’s Guidance

DIRECTOR’S IRECTOR’S

GUIDANCE UIDANCE 2014

AVAILABLE NOW AT VAILABLE NOW AT 

WWW.DLA.MIL WW.DLA.MIL