What is Open Season? Enrollment in your federal benefit plans is limited to 

Open Season and Qualifying Life Events, so now is the best time to explore your 

options. Take the time to review your options now as Open Season only runs 

from November 14 through December 12, 2022. Updated/changed elections 

will be effective January 1, 2023 and employees will see premium changes on 

their January 20, 2023 Leave and Earnings Statement. 

Why is this important? There are significant changes to many plans for 2023. 

Several plans will see benefit and rate changes, some plans are dropping out of 

the program and others are changing their service areas or coverage options. 

What do you need to do? Compare plans using the FEHB Plan Comparison 

Tool. Employees should review, enroll, cancel or make changes to their Federal 

Employee Health Benefits (FEHB), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and Federal 

Employees Dental & Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) benefits. 

How do you make the changes? Use the Government Retirement & Benefits 

(GRB) Platform. GRB is the puts you in control of your election, eliminates 

possible errors, and allows you to print a confirmation. In GRB, you can also 

review and make changes to your TSP contributions.

Want to learn more? Register to attend the 2022 Virtual Benefits Fair to chat 

with carriers, review 2023 plan details, and get the information you need to help 

make the right decisions—in one convenient, online location. Learn more in 

this announcement on Energy’s DLA Today webpage.

Questions about Open Season? Contact the Benefits Team at DHRSC.Benefits@

dla.mil. For further questions, contact the DLA Benefits Center.

2022 Federal Benefits Open Season

Health Benefits Dental/Vision Flexible Spending Accounts

Enroll Make Changes Cancel Re-enroll (FSAFEDS)

Nov. 14 − Dec. 12

Federal Benefits

OPM.gov/OpenSeason

December

November

U.S. Office of Personnel Management HI-03487-B (Banner) 10/2022

FSAFEDS allows you to set aside pre-tax funds to pay for eligible out-of-pocket dependent care and 

health care expenses. Remember: If you are currently enrolled in the FSAFEDS program, your election 

DOES NOT carry over from year to year. If you wish to participate again you will need to make a new 

election for 2023. 

Learn more about this program at www.fsafeds.com

ENERGY CONNECTION

Core Values: Leadership, Professionalism & Technical Knowledge through Dedication to Duty, Integrity, Ethics, Honor, Courage & Loyalty

Team Energy, 

 I love a good coincidence, and this happens 

to be your Energy Connection Issue 21 on 

November 21st. Hard to believe there are only 

a few more issues left for this year. Interesting 

fact... this is actually the 45th issue since the 

newsletter began in January 2021. I hope you 

continue to find it valuable and informative. 

But, as always, I encourage you to send us your 

feedback, ideas and input using the Virtual 

Suggestion Box. The link to the suggestion 

box is always available on Energy’s DLA 

Today homepage under the main photo as a 

Featured Link. 

 For those of you here in the local HQC area, 

I look forward to seeing you at the in-person 

Holiday Party at the Hilton Springfield on 

Wednesday, Dec. 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Besides a delicious lunch, there are lots of 

fun activities planned to include the annual 

“Ugly Sweater” contest, a photo booth with 

unlimited photo opportunities, a DJ with a 

variety of music, and amazing door prizes. 

Contact Michelle.Groat@dla.mil to buy a ticket 

or if you have any questions. 

 A reminder, the Combined Federal 

Campaign is underway. CFC’s mission is to 

promote and support philanthropy through an 

employee-focused, cost-efficient, and effective 

program that provides federal employees the 

opportunity to improve the quality of life for 

all. It’s the world’s largest and most successful 

annual workplace charity program with over 

8,000 charities representing local, national, 

and international levels. 

 As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, 

I hope that your time off provides an 

opportunity to enjoy the company of family 

and friends, celebrate our many blessings, and 

to focus on those we are most grateful for in 

our lives.

 Sincerely, and with thanks to all of you.

A MESSAGE FROM 

THE DEPUTY 

COMMANDER 

Mr. David Kless

HQC/NCR COVID-19 Status: HPCON A

HQC Occupancy limited to <100%, social distancing highly recommended. 

Conference room normal seating restored.

Volume 2, Issue 21 November 21, 2022
Nearly 40 senior DLA Energy leaders from around the globe gathered 

for a three-day DLA Energy Strategic Offsite Nov. 1-3. The group 

discussed a broad range of topics including staffing/training, NDAA 

section 352, and Carbon Pollution-Free Electricity Initiatives & 

Sustainable Aviation Fuel Update. Events also included a tour of the 

new Army Museum and evening socials. 

Farewell Mr. Bruce Blank 

Meet the DLA Energy Acquisition Support Division! This team 

manages and oversees various contract reporting systems, the 

DLA Energy Government Purchase Card/Government Travel 

Charge Card programs and the associated acquisition metrics. 

They ensure the integrity of data, driving and sustaining program 

compliance and auditability across the systems and programs. 

(Left) Kurtiss Beach, Ayodele Warburton, Angela Jones (division chief), Angela Hall, 

Tracey Anderson, Glynis Guest & Brandi Carpenter. Not all may be pictured.

Brig Gen Canlas and Mr. Kless presented Mr. Blank the Exceptional 

Civilian Service Award before he departed the Energy family to 

assume his next role as the DLA Pacific Deputy Director in Hawaii. 

With over 30 years of federal government service, Mr. Blank 

has served in many DLA Energy 

positions including Director of 

the Procurement Process Support 

Directorate, Deputy Director of 

Supplier Operations, Director of Bulk 

Fuels, acting Deputy Commander, 

DLA Energy Pacific Integrator and 

Director of the Commander’s Action 

Group. He has been a critical leader 

and member of the DLA Energy 

team and will surely be missed. 

Thank you Mr. Blank!

For the 7th consecutive year, Installation Energy team members 

earned Federal Energy and Water Management Awards for their 

significant contributions to energy and water efficiency within the 

federal government. The 2022 and 2021 awards were presented at 

the Energy Exchange in Cincinnati, Ohio, Oct. 26. 

Read more in this DLA News story

Thank you for participating in the DLA 

Energy Pet Photo Contest. We had 84 pet 

submissions and 1,196 votes...simply 

amazing!! All proceeds go to the DLA 

Energy Boosters for morale events. 

Pre-order your 2023 Pet Calendar 

by December 2! 

Learn more and see the pictures of the 

pets in this DLA Today announcement

Energy Hall of Fame celebrates three 

new members

A former high school summer intern, 

airman and a sailor were inducted in 

the seventh annual DLA Energy Hall of 

Fame Oct. 31. Learn more about all of 

Energy’s Hall of Fame members on the new HOF webpage. 

GTCC News Bulletin 2022 Q1

Click to read important tips for Govt Travel Charge Card holders. 

Task Force Americas closes out 

Hurricane Ian support

After nearly a month of emergency 

fuel support, DLA Energy Task Force 

Americas closed out Hurricane Ian 

assistance to FEMA Oct. 19. 

TFA personnel Chris Rogers, Air Force Maj. Timothy Truong, and Ray 

Juré helped coordinate fuel shipments from supply points in Virginia 

and Alabama to affected areas in central Florida.

AROUND ENERGY AROUND ENERGY

Region Commanders: Brig Gen Canlas, CDR Mazzouzi (AMW), LTC Cordova (ME), LTC Fortune 

(E&A), Maj Land (AMN), COL Carrasquillo (Americas), LTC Han (Korea), LTC Masson (AME), 

Lt Col Smith (Japan), CDR Jakubowicz (East Pac), CDR Radke (SW Pac) and Mr. Kless. 

DLA Energy Offsite

Pictured (left to right): Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program 

Director Mary Sotos, Installation Energy team members – Jacob Vigil, Andrea Kincaid, 

Cynthia Ralph, Christine Bond-Jawish, Steven Slater with Deputy Assistant Secretary of 

Defense for Environment & Energy Resilience Richard Kidd IV, and Department of Energy 

Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Infrastructure Kathleen Hogan. 

Pet of the Year: Halley Valda

Americas West Resolution 

Specialist Christian Sivelle

and Customer Account 

Specialist Leonard Cole

played in the 7th Annual Hero 

Charity Golf Tournament in 

Ontario, California, Nov 4. 

The tournament supports a 

nationwide non-profit mentor 

program for Veterans suffering 

from PTSD. Ian Yusko, Lenny Cole, James Chapman 

and Christian Sivelle