On the Road: Delaware and Maryland

Last Monday, DLA Energy Commander Brig Gen Canlas, Col Eric Haler (Director 

of Customer Operations), Richard Rines (Terminal Operations), and a team from 

Americas East conducted visits to four strategic energy partner sites to better 

understand the interconnectedness of the AME supply chain along the eastern U.S. 

and discuss ongoing projects and issues at these locations. 

The team visited Defense Fuel 

Support Point Port Mahon and 

Dover AFB in Delaware and DFSP 

Baltimore and The Vane Brothers 

Company in Maryland.

They were briefed on DFSP 

operations and projects and 

discussed supply chain challenges 

and ongoing efforts like the Port 

Mahon dredging project. The Vane Brothers Company currently has a USTRANSCOM 

contract responsible for fuel barge transportation services in the Atlantic region.

Brig Gen Canlas also took time to recognize a few outstanding Airmen. He performed 

a re-enlistment for TSgt David Rhodes and coined SSgt Hoyt Merchant, SSgt 

Christopher Fairchild, (S)Sgt Jacob Parsons, Amn Cameron Hurst, SSgt Matthew 

Rutledge, and SSgt Caitlyn McNorton.

Amn Cameron Hurst

SSgt Christopher Fairchild

(S)Sgt Jacob Parsons

TSgt David Rhodes SSgt Hoyt Merchant

SSgt Matthew Rutledge

SSgt Caitlyn McNorton

ENERGY CONNECTION

Energy Team, 

 As evident these past few months and even 

years, we are constantly managing change. 

Whether in our personal lives, our careers or as 

an Agency, change is inevitable. 

 At DLA Energy we are not exempt from 

change. Current changes on the horizon include 

an eventual return to work, the Future of Work 

initiatives, Lorton move and the NDAA Section 

352 provisions can combine with other changes 

taking place within our personal lives to cause 

“turbulence” or uncertainty in our daily routine. 

 Whether anticipated or unanticipated, 

change can weigh on us. If we embrace it as 

an opportunity rather than a challenge, we can 

find ways to make change mutually beneficially 

to our lives and our careers. Understanding the 

process and reason for the change and our role 

in it can help us prepare ourselves and minimize 

the turbulence and uncertainty. 

 While there are still many unknowns about 

specific details related to the upcoming changes 

within DLA Energy, I want you to know that we 

will continue to communicate and keep you 

informed throughout the process. We will use 

these newsletters, emails, all hands meetings, 

and strategic communication efforts like the 

Coffee with the Commander and Donuts with 

the Deputy to communicate, share information 

and provide updates on these and other topics. 

 I encourage you to share your questions 

related to these changes with your supervisors 

and senior leaders. There are likely others 

on the team who have the same or similar 

questions. Please use the available forums for 

your questions as we navigate through these 

changes in the coming months and years. As 

Peter Drucker once said, “The greatest danger 

in times of turbulence is not the turbulence – it 

is to act with yesterday’s logic.” Let’s continue to 

be forward thinking and forward leaning as we 

shape DLA Energy for tomorrow’s challenges. 

 Thank you for all your do to support the 

warfighter. Please continue to stay safe.

A MESSAGE FROM 

THE CHIEF OF 

STAFF

Col Keith Mecham

HQC/NCR COVID-19 Status: HPCON B

Continue max telework. As of March 2, face masks no longer mandatory in the HQC 

Complex. Masks remain required for HQC Child Development Center.

Volume 2, Issue 5 March 14, 2022
Effective March 1, the following masking guidance applies to 

all DoD and DLA workplaces in the United States:

If you have symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with 

COVID-19, DoD force health protection guidance for workplace 

access and mask wearing for DoD personnel remains in effect 

regardless of the CDC Community Level.

Read about this guidance and get more information on the DLA 

Coronavirus webpage. 

DLA Energy Europe & Africa “Energizer of the Month”

Sammy Sobah 

Mr. Sobah, Lead Customer Account 

Specialist, is recognized for his support 

to USEUCOM. After duty hours and on 

multiple weekends he worked important 

purchase requests for essential “spot 

buys” for fuel to ensure support for U.S. 

forces in Poland, Romania, Hungary and Turkey. 

JOB WELL DONE!

March 17: Energy Supervisor Town Hall at 11am*

March 17: Energy All Hands at 12:15pm*

March 22: Energy Hall of Fame, HQC Auditorium/virtual, 9:30am*

March 23: Donuts with Deputy, GS-13 and below, time TBD*

*Watch your email for more details to follow 

Mark your calendars!

To honor Women’s History Month, we share the stories of 

DLA Energy employees who are making a difference through 

their accomplishments both at work and in their community. 

Learn more about your colleague

Jill Chouinard, an engineer for DLA Energy in Alaska

SAVE THE DATE for the Acquisition Workforce Development 

& Intern Office Women’s History Celebration March 28 at 

1pm ET. More information to follow!

Pre-Retirement Training 

MASK GUIDANCE 

DLA LMS Pre-Retirement Training provides an in-depth look at 

the federal benefits in retirement for those eligible employees. 

The training provides a clear explanation of all major federal 

retirement benefit programs to include Deposits and ReDeposits; Thrift Savings Plan (TSP); Federal Employees Health 

Benefits program (FEHB); Federal Employees’ Group Life 

Insurance program (FEGLI); Survivor Benefits; Social Security 

Benefits; Long-Term Care Insurance Program; and legal issues 

and taxes. Learn more in this DLA Today Announcement

DLA Energy FY21 Fact Book is online!

Read more in this news story.

DLA chemist leading efforts in 

alternative fuel

Lindsey Hicks, a DLA chemist for 30 years, is the 

program manager for DLA Research & Development’s 

Energy Readiness Program. ERP’s strategic focus 

areas are fuel refining and distribution, fuel instability 

and contamination issues, and alternative fuel 

certification efforts. Read more in this news story.

Four DLA Energy employees earn agency annual awards

Sloane Struse, Maj Charles Morton, 

William Kennedy, and Jaron Tyner 

earned the agency’s 54th Annual 

Employee Recognition Awards. A 

recorded ceremony honoring the 

recipients was released on March 

10. Read more in this news story.

When the CDC COVID-19 Community Level

is medium or low in the county where a DoD installation 

or facility is located, indoor mask-wearing is not required 

for DoD personnel or visitors.

• Add it to your IDP annually! Eligible employees should 

include their chosen pre-retirement training on their IDP 

during Open Season (HQ Training uses the data to identify DLA 

Energy Employees requesting training). 

• Plan for it! Once registered, employees should fully 

dedicate themselves to the training (if unable to attend once 

enrolled, employees should withdraw from the course thru LMS 14 

days prior to start date).

• Employees must wait 2 years to retake the training! 

To ensure all eligible employees have an opportunity to 

attend retirement training, employees must wait at least 

2 years from the last time they were registered for the 

training to sign up for another class.

• Enroll early! Classes fill up quickly. Plan ahead and enroll 

early. Seats filled on a first approved, first enrolled basis. 

MSgt Travis Bowser was reenlisted by Maj Lewis Benton on 

March 1. MSgt Bowser is the Air 

Force Fuels Logistics Education 

Advancement Program (LEAP) 

Senior NCO. The program allows 

him to move throughout DLA 

Energy Business Units to learn all 

aspects of a fuels career field. 

IMPORTANT PRE-RETIREMENT TRAINING TIPS: