Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan 1

STRATEGIC PLAN 2018 - 2026

Amended April 2019

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

The Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency
2 www.dla.mil www.dla.mil

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has a proud history of supporting the 

Warfighter. Since DLA’s founding in 1961, we have remained true to two core 

principles, providing “effective logistics support to the operating forces of our 

military services” and doing so at the “lowest possible cost to the taxpayer.” 

We live in such a complex, rapidly-changing world; DLA must continuously review 

its strategy to meet global mission requirements as prescribed by the Department of 

Defense. This amended strategic plan reaffirms and extends our commitment to Warfighter 

readiness and lethality and to self-accountability. The plan describes our five lines of 

effort, cross-cutting efforts and critical capabilities that DLA will leverage to provide 

global, end-to-end supply chain solutions. 

Secretary of Defense Priorities...... 3

DLA Mission........................... 3

DLA Vision.............................. 3

Why........................................ 3

Core Values ............................ 3

About DLA .................................... 4

LTG Darrell K. Williams

Director, Defense Logistics Agency

DIRECTOR’S INTENT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LINES OF EFFORT: 

Logic of Purpose – Cause and Effect

– Warfighter First: Strengthen Service and Combatant 

Command Readiness and Lethality

– Global Posture: Prepared for Immediate Action

– Strong Partnerships: Leverage the Joint Logistics Enterprise,

 Interagency, Industry, and Partner and Allied Nations

– Whole of Government: Support to the Nation

– Always Accountable: Assured Supply Chain, Financial

 and Process Excellence

CROSS-CUTTING EFFORTS: 

System of Efforts for Interagency Coordination and Execution

– Auditability: Is Everyone’s Responsibility

– DoD Reforms: Gain Efficiencies and Maximize Savings

– Supply Chain Security: Strengthening Operational Resiliency

CRITICAL CAPABILITIES: 

Core Elements Essential to Delivering Sustainable Operations

– People and Culture: At the Heart of Everything We Do

– Enterprise Enablers: Innovation, Technology, 

 Data Management and Cybersecurity

Our world-class workforce, both military and civilian, are at the heart of our ability to deliver results. I truly believe people and 

culture are the “secret sauce” of DLA, and it is indispensable to the success of our Agency. In coordination with our strategic 

partners, I have complete confidence in this team’s ability to support our men and women in uniform and other valued customers. 

My confidence rests upon the understanding of “why” our people do what they do – to serve the Warfighter and our Nation.

LOEs and Objectives ...............6

Warfighter First ...............6

Global Posture..................8

Strong Partnerships .........9

Whole of Government ...10

Always Accountable.......11

Cross-Cutting Efforts.............12

Auditability .....................12

DoD Reforms .................12

Supply Chain Security....12

Critical Capabilities...............12

People and Culture .......12

Enterprise Enablers.......14

DLA Strategy Map................14

Glossary of Terms.................15

DARRELL K. WILLIAMS

Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

Director, Defense Logistics Agency

DLA remains a bold, forward-leaning, and innovative organization. 

Our strength lies in collective, synchronized action and fierce 

dedication to mission accomplishment by every member of the 

team. Please join me in furthering the legacy of our Nation’s Combat 

Logistics Support Agency. 
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan 3

DLA’s MISSION

Sustain Warfighter readiness and lethality by delivering proactive global logistics in peace and war.

DLA’s VISION

We are the Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency ... Global, Agile, and Innovative; Focused on the Warfighter First!

WHY

To serve the Warfighter and our Nation!

CORE VALUES

Leadership, Professionalism, and Technical Knowledge through Dedication to Duty,

Integrity, Ethics, Honor, Courage, and Loyalty.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PRIORITIES

• Restore Military Readiness as We Build a More Lethal Force • Strengthen Alliances and Attract New Partners • 

• Bring Business Reforms to the Department of Defense •

PEOPLE AND CULTURE ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING WE DO
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ABOUT DLA

As the Nation’s Combat Logistics Support Agency, the 

Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) manages the global supply 

chain – from raw materials to end user to disposition – for 

the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, all 

Combatant Commands (CCMDs), other federal agencies, 

and partner and allied nations. DLA sources and provides 

nearly all the consumable items America’s military forces 

need to operate, from food, fuel and energy to uniforms, 

medical supplies, and construction material.

DLA also supplies 86 percent of the military’s spare parts 

and nearly 100 percent of fuel, manages the reutilization 

of military equipment, provides catalogs and other logistics 

information products, and offers document automation 

and production services to a host of military and federal 

agencies. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, DLA is a 

global enterprise – wherever the Nation has a significant 

military presence, DLA is there to support.

DLA accomplishes this with the dedicated men and 

women of its Major Subordinate Commands (MSCs). Four 

of these MSCs acquire and provide supplies and services: 

DLA Troop Support, DLA Land and Maritime, DLA Aviation 

and DLA Energy. In addition, DLA Distribution provides 

storage and distribution services, while DLA Disposition 

Services provides “reverse logistics,” disposing of surplus 

or excess materiel from the military services and DLA. 

One-star general/flag officers or members of the Senior 

Executive Service lead these organizations. They are directly 

responsible for meeting customer needs and report to the 

three-star DLA Director. 

Through a network of more than 12,000 suppliers 

(80 percent of them small businesses), DLA:

• Provides more than $37 billion in goods and 

services annually

• Manages nine supply chains and about 5 million items

• Supports more than 2,300 weapon systems

• Employs about 27,000 employees, military and civilian

• Directly serves CCMDs through dedicated 

liaisons and regional commands

• Coordinates a global distribution network with 

U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM)

• Administers the storage and disposal of strategic 

and critical materials to support national defense

• Operates in most states and 28 countries

• Manages distribution centers worldwide

• Supports disaster response and humanitarian 

relief efforts at home and abroad

• Delivers $8.1 billion worth of Whole of Government 

support, which includes state and local governments

• Supports 110 nations with $2 billion in foreign 

military sales
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan 5

DLA INDO-PACIFIC

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI

DLA EUROPE & AFRICA

Kaiserslautern, Germany

DLA CENTCOM & SOCOM

MacDill Air Force Base, FL

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

FORT BELVOIR, VA

UNDER SECRETARY

OF DEFENSE

(Acquisition and Sustainment) 

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY 

OF DEFENSE

DLA TROOP SUPPORT

Philadelphia, PA

Provides food, textiles, 

construction material, 

industrial hardware and 

medical supplies and 

equipment, 

to include 

pharmaceuticals.

DLA AVIATION

Richmond, VA

Provides repair parts 

for aviation weapons 

systems, flight safety 

equipment, maps, 

environmental products 

and industrial plant 

equipment.

DLA LAND AND MARITIME

Columbus, OH

Provides repair parts

for ground-based

and maritime weapons 

systems, small arms 

parts, fluid handling

and electronic 

components.

DLA ENERGY

Fort Belvoir, VA

Provides bulk fuel, 

alternative fuel/renewable 

energy, aerospace 

energy, fuel quality/

technical support, fuel card 

programs and installation 

energy services.

DLA DISTRIBUTION

New Cumberland, PA

Provides storage and 

distribution solutions/

management, transportation 

planning/management 

and logistics planning and 

contingency operations; 

operates a global network of 

distribution centers. 

DLA DISPOSITION SERVICES

Battle Creek, MI

Disposes of excess 

property by reutilization, 

transfer and 

demilitarization; conducts 

environmental disposal 

and reuse.
6 www.dla.mil www.dla.mil

DLA LINES OF EFFORT

U.S. interests are global, and our logistics presence must 

address a dynamic security environment and posture for future 

contingencies. Our support must ensure victory against a 

trans-regional multi-domain threat in an increasingly complex 

global environment.

We have identified five lines of effort in this strategic plan to 

serve as our roadmap:

LOE 1: WARFIGHTER FIRST 

Strengthen Service and Combatant Command Readiness 

and Lethality

LOE 2: GLOBAL POSTURE 

Prepared for Immediate Action

LOE 3: STRONG PARTNERSHIPS

Leverage the Joint Logistics Enterprise (JLEnt), 

Interagency, Industry, and Partner and Allied Nations

LOE 4: WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT 

Support to the Nation

LOE 5: ALWAYS ACCOUNTABLE

Assured Supply Chain, Financial, and Process Excellence

LINES OF EFFORT AND OBJECTIVES

 WARFIGHTER FIRST: 

Strengthen Service and CCMD 

Readiness and Lethality

Our number one priority is sustaining the full range 

of military operations in an increasingly complex 

global environment. 

Objective 1.1: Nuclear Enterprise 

– Support the DoD Nuclear Enterprise to ensure deterrence 

forces remain safe, secure, reliable and ready. Our adversaries 

increasingly present a nuclear threat. We will continue to 

strengthen support to the Nuclear Enterprise. 

Objective 1.2: Readiness and Lethality 

– Link performance to Service and CCMD Readiness and 

Lethality. DLA must be ready to support Warfighters engaged 

in any possible operation while achieving the efficiencies our 

Nation and customers expect. We will prioritize wargame 

and exercise participation, training, and realistic logistics 

AVIATION

LAND

MARITIME

ENERGY
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan

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scenarios that ensure we validate our Concepts of 

Operations (CONOPs). 

Objective 1.3: Address Risk 

– Ensure readiness and lethality across the end-to-end 

supply chain by reducing risk, improving efficiency, and 

optimizing retail and industrial support. DLA will continue 

to address risk areas (operational, cybersecurity, terrorism, 

counterfeiting) across Major Subordinate Commands 

(MSCs) and improve supply chain resiliency and security. 

Objective 1.4: Predictive Technology 

– Anticipate and position solutions for Warfighter 

requirements by combining big data, predictive analytics, 

automation, artificial intelligence, sustained supply 

chain visibility and continuous communication. Through 

employment of trend analysis and predictive algorithms, 

DLA is able to consistently predict and position the right 

logistics solution on time, every time.

Objective 1.5: Warfighter Trust

– Continually earn the Warfighter’s trust as the Nation’s 

combat logistics provider. DLA will make it fast and 

easy for Warfighters to work with our Agency by quickly 

understanding our customers’ current requirements and 

anticipating their future needs. 

Objective 1.6: Space Enterprise (SE)

– Provide responsive end-to-end supply chain support 

for the Nation’s organically supported SE systems. DLA 

will identify and mitigate the ever-present and increasing 

multifaceted risks to our supply chains supporting the SE. 

DLA will also recognize the critical importance of evolving 

“Space” requirements to our warfighting capabilities across 

the full spectrum of peace to conflict.

Objective 1.7: Support to DoD Reform

– Reform DLA’s business practices for greater 

performance and affordability to cut costs and return 

savings to the Military Services to increase readiness. 

DLA will continue to seek opportunities to institute 

meaningful, enduring change by working with our DoD, 

Whole of Government and Industry partners to streamline 

operations and deliver the best value possible. 

Objective 1.8: Demand Projections

– Working collaboratively with our Service, Whole 

of Government and Industry partners, we will improve 

projections and reduce demand planning errors to increase 

Service readiness and the buying power for the DoD and 

supported Federal Agencies.
8 www.dla.mil www.dla.mil

“The line between disorder and order 

lies in logistics ... .”

— Sun Tzu

GLOBAL POSTURE: 

Prepared for Immediate Action

DLA’s logistics presence and posture must enable the 

Nation’s ability to protect its global interests. The speed and 

complexity of global crises require resilient networks, robust 

partnerships, and quickly integrated teams. We will position 

resources for rapid use, build more deployable capabilities, 

and strengthen our partnerships using integrated logistics and 

contracting services. 

Objective 2.1: Strategic Positioning

– Strategically position DLA capabilities where the 

Warfighter needs them most. DLA supports Service Members 

around the world by providing comprehensive logistics support 

and services, even in the most austere environments. 

Objective 2.2: Single Point of Entry

– Ensure DLA regional commands, customer liaisons 

and CONUS-based organizations synchronize DLA 

capabilities with their supported CCMD and customers. 

We will resource, train and equip these vital teams for their 

essential role in presenting a single point of entry for all DLA 

support and services. 

Objective 2.3: Expeditionary Capabilities

– Exercise and deploy DLA Expeditionary Capabilities. We 

are highly deployable and always ready to meet missions in 

war and peace across the globe. We will sustain and extend 

the capabilities of our Rapid Deployment Teams, DLA Support 

Teams, Expeditionary Contracting Mission Support Teams, 

Deployable Depots, Disposal Support Units, and Mobile 

Communications Teams. DLA participates in joint training 

exercises to synchronize our joint logistics capabilities with 

U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and other key 

partners for real-world operations. 

Objective 2.4: Expanded Solutions

– Expand the availability and use of logistics solutions to 

enable immediate action. DLA will use big data to provide 

accurate demand forecasts, stock levels and positioning to 

enable rapid responses to emerging Military Service and 

CCMD requirements. Our flexible, responsive contracting and 

global services contracts bring additional capability to the fight 

when conditions warrant.

Objective 2.5: Joint Reserve Force

– Enhance the DLA Joint Reserve Force’s integration with 

DLA’s Expeditionary Capability and operations. Global operations 

include complex differences across cultural, language, regional 

and physical environments. DLA will integrate the Joint Reserve 

Force into all DLA expeditionary operations to capitalize on its 

members’ unique and diverse skills.

RAPID DEPLOYMENT TEAMS

DISTRIBUTION

DISPOSAL SUPPORT UNITS
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 STRONG PARTNERSHIPS: 

Leverage the Joint Logistics Enterprise,

Interagency, Industry, and Partner and 

Allied Nations

Mission accomplishment requires close collaboration 

and strong relationships with critical stakeholders: the 

Joint Logistics Enterprise (JLEnt), other government 

partners, suppliers and our allies. We must sustain our 

partnerships and synchronize our efforts with these 

entities to help DoD and the Nation address immediate 

needs and long-term challenges.

Objective 3.1: JLEnt Partnerships 

– Partner across the JLEnt to improve support for current 

and emerging requirements. Basing our efforts on Joint 

Publication 4.0, we will strengthen our partnerships through 

engagement with JLEnt entities and cooperatively facilitate 

progress toward mutual goals, objectives, and expectations 

of our partners. 

Objective 3.2: DOD and Interagency Partnerships 

– Collaborate with DoD and interagency partners to 

develop solutions that optimize DLA support to sustainment 

operations, government efficiency, major acquisition 

programs, business reform and policy objectives. Our focus 

on developing solutions and building relationships brings a 

full range of capabilities to the long-term, strategic goals of 

the U.S. government. 

Objective 3.3: Industry Partnerships

– Work with industry to ensure a capable defense 

industrial base, generate innovative and efficient solutions, 

and maintain a secure and resilient supply chain. By 

building on our strong relationships with industry partners 

we’ll deliver cost-effective, innovative solutions. An agency 

supplier engagement plan will guide us. We will continuously 

assess the strength of our industrial capabilities and develop 

responses to vulnerabilities, reduce single points of failure 

and implement best practices. 

Objective 3.4: Public Engagement

– Engage with public entities to increase understanding 

and awareness of DLA’s mission and operations. In 

collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of Defense 

(OSD), we will actively engage with Congress, advisory 

boards, public media, and other stakeholders to facilitate 

partnerships, raise awareness of DLA operations and 

highlight our contributions to the Nation.

INDUSTRY

INTERAGENCY PARTNERS

JOINT LOGISTICS ENTERPRISE 
10 www.dla.mil www.dla.mil

“Forget logistics, you lose.”

 — Lt. Gen. Fredrick Franks, USA, 

7th Corps Commander, Desert Storm

 WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT:

Support to the Nation

DLA’s global network and expertise in supply chain 

management can improve efficiency and increase effectiveness 

of our Whole of Government partners. Collaboration ensures a 

healthy, viable base of suppliers able to surge when needed. 

Working alongside these Whole of Government partners in 

domestic and international operations, DoD and DLA strengthen 

their ability to serve national interests. 

Objective 4.1: Crisis Response 

– Strengthen the crisis-response and contingency operations 

of our Whole of Government partners. DLA team members 

plan, organize and train to mutually support swift interagency 

response by proactively engaging with federal, state and 

local organizations. Drawing on our extensive supply chain 

partnerships, we develop processes, actions and policies that 

enable agile, rapid responses. 

Objective 4.2: Provider of Choice

– Extend DLA capabilities to support daily operations of other 

Government Partners. While providing uninterrupted support 

to the Warfighter we will offer our collective expertise, focusing 

on supply chains and services where DLA offers a unique 

advantage. Drawing upon our global network of command and 

control capabilities, suppliers and expertise, DLA will further 

extend its support to the Whole of Government. 

Objective 4.3: Expand Support to Federal Agencies

– Support interagency and DoD reform initiatives. DLA’s 

core competencies can offer the most cost-effective, efficient 

solutions to our Whole of Government partners. We will assess 

other agencies’ solutions for their value to the government and 

adopt solutions that enhance DLA’s Warfighter support. We will 

actively participate in federal initiatives to eliminate duplication, 

capitalize on economies of scale and create additional Category 

Management opportunities for the DoD.

FOREIGN MILITARY SALES

FOOD PROGRAMS

LAW ENFORCEMENT SUPPORT

FIREFIGHTING EQUIPMENT

MEDICAL SUPPLIES

DISASTER RELIEF
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan 11

 ALWAYS ACCOUNTABLE: 

Assured Supply Chain, Financial, 

and Process Excellence

Trust and confidence in DLA is born from ethical behavior, 

reliability, and transparency. Cost-consciousness, auditability, 

innovation, risk assessment and mitigation, and sound 

business processes are the foundation of this trust. We hold 

partners and suppliers to the same high standards as ourselves.

Objective 5.1: Cost Consciousness

– Reinforce a cost-conscious and process-oriented 

culture to ensure efficient, effective and reliable operations. 

We promote a cost-conscious culture through stewardship 

and informed investment decisions using sound business 

acumen. We will create and refine our business processes, 

emphasizing cybersecurity, supply chain management and 

improved supply availability. We will work together to ensure 

interoperability across business systems and share process 

improvements across the enterprise and with government 

and industry partners.

Objective 5.2: Auditability

– Attain and sustain auditability through process excellence 

and sound financial stewardship. DLA will achieve an 

unmodified financial statement audit opinion using thoroughly 

documented processes, automated tools and general controls 

that are secure and compliant. We will continue to document, 

evolve and test our processes to ensure we implement 

corrective actions and address deficiencies identified in 

the annual statement of assurance.

Objective 5.3: Value Innovation

– Innovate to achieve best-value logistics solutions. 

DLA always seeks opportunities to improve through 

process management and research and development. 

DLA works across the JLEnt to be more agile, 

adaptable and responsive to customer requirements. 

We are a change agent for logistics excellence in 

support of the Nation’s strategic security objectives.

Objective 5.4: Mitigate Risks

– Strengthen risk management to ensure secure, 

agile and resilient combat logistics support. DLA 

thoroughly manages risks associated with alternatives 

to deliver world-class logistics support. We must pay 

special attention to cyber risks and data integrity across 

the entire supply chain.

Objective 5.5: Transform Cost Structure to 

Reduce Rates and Improve Transparency 

– Improve alignment of DLA financial procurement 

and operations processes to better capture total cost 

of goods and services. We will reduce rates and 

provide greater transparency to the Warfighter and 

Whole of Government partners.
12 www.dla.mil www.dla.mil

our stakeholders, such as suppliers and customers. Supply 

Chain security is a cross-cutting effort to ensure we have 

the connections and communication in place to operate in a 

contested or degraded operational environment. 

Our efforts are focused on maintaining the integrity and access 

to key data; engaging with valid and reputable vendors who 

produce quality supplies and services; and building resiliency 

and redundancy into our processes and systems to ensure 

continuity of operations.

CRITICAL CAPABILITIES

 

 PEOPLE AND CULTURE: 

At the Heart of Everything We Do

DLA’s success depends on its greatest resource ... 

our people! The DLA People and Culture Plan outlines the 

foundational people and cultural elements necessary as a 

critical capability for DLA’s continued mission success. The 

Plan details strategies aimed at building a strong organizational 

culture, achieving diversity, increasing workforce competence, 

and enhancing employee engagement. 

Our workforce must possess the skills, tools and supporting 

culture to meet DLA’s ever changing and challenging mission 

demands. In previous DLA Strategic Plans, “People and 

Culture” was a separate line of effort that focused on building 

and sustaining a workforce capable of meeting current and 

future mission requirements. Under this Strategic Plan, we 

are calling out People and Culture as a foundational, critical 

element of everything we do, and therefore have created a 

separate companion human capital plan appropriately titled 

the “DLA People and Culture Plan (P&CP).” 

In doing so, we acknowledge that our people are the “secret 

ingredient” to DLA’s success, and a dedicated, focused human 

capital plan is necessary to ensure that we attract, retain 

and sustain a highly skilled, diverse and engaged workforce. 

The P&CP is an internal document focused on overarching 

guidance for developing capacity and capabilities in alignment 

with DLA’s priorities and lines of effort addressed in the 

strategic plan. 

The P&CP highlights People and Culture as foundational 

elements necessary for our continued mission success. It 

establishes specific objectives to ensure DLA has a missionready workforce, engaged leadership, and a supportive 

organizational culture on which to build and sustain the 

elements of the DLA Strategic Plan.

CROSS-CUTTING EFFORTS

 AUDITABILITY:

Is Everyone’s Responsibility

Auditability is a cross-cutting effort and is everyone’s 

responsibility from the Director down to the warehouse worker 

and across the enterprise as a whole – we all have to do 

our part. The audit requires full engagement to understand 

our operations, adequately document processes, implement 

strong internal controls and enhance IT general controls. Audit 

sustainment will improve enterprise business operations, 

reduce cycle times, and ultimately maximize warfighter 

support. We will develop corrective action plans that address 

changes to the end-to-end processes that span across the 

enterprise, improving DLA’s core business cycles – this will 

lead to achieving an unmodified audit opinion.

 DOD REFORMS:

Gain Efficiencies

and Maximize Savings

In response to the President’s call for governmental reform 

and under the Direction of the Chief Management Officer, 

the Department of Defense (DoD) is reviewing, changing and 

singling up processes where appropriate to gain efficiencies 

and maximize savings to reinvest into Service readiness. To 

support this effort, DLA’s central Reform Program Management 

Office coordinates with DoD reform teams and integrates reform 

efforts across the Agency.

 SUPPLY CHAIN SECURITY:

Strengthening Operational Resiliency

Interruption of DLA supply chain operations compromises 

our nation’s ability to deliver combat power and execute critical 

missions. As the nation’s Combat Support Agency responsible 

for end-to-end management of nine supply chains supporting 

the Warfighter, DLA has an inherent imperative to ensure we 

have the proper detection, protection, and redundancy built 

into our systems and processes to ensure continued support 

to the Warfighter. Supply chains rely on system availability, 

information accuracy and information security, meaning 

not only must we accomplish cross-functional integration 

across the DLA enterprise, but continuously collaborate with 
Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Plan 13

Objective 6: Perform and Reward 

– DLA is committed to creating a culture of high 

organizational effectiveness that focuses on employee 

engagement, development, performance, and accountability. 

The benefits of a successfully implemented performance 

management and appraisal program includes a workforce 

where every employee’s duties are aligned with the 

organization’s goals and objectives and where employees 

understand the importance of the work they do every day.

Objective 7: Build Connections 

– DLA must develop and implement opportunities for 

collaboration in a manner that reduces stovepipes and gains 

efficiencies across organizations. DLA must also cultivate an 

inclusive environment that engages employees, makes them 

feel respected and provide the tools and flexibilities at all levels 

that maximizes individual and collective potential.

Objective 8: Protect the Workforce 

– Leverage and enhance the DLA Safety & Occupational 

Health (SOH) program to build a culture focused on reducing 

the risk of injury or illness to the workforce and maintaining a 

safe and healthy workplace.

EXECUTING THE PLAN

DLA organizations will use the P&CP as a directional 

guide to develop specific initiatives and lines of effort to 

achieve or make progress toward the objectives. This will 

be a combination of enterprise efforts led by organizations 

such as DLA Human Resources and DLA Equal Employment 

Opportunity, as well as organizational initiatives implemented 

by MSCs and other DLA activities. These initiatives will be 

reflected and tracked in Operating Plans, and nested under 

the objectives and guidance provided in the P&CP.

Objective 1: Develop Leaders 

– It is essential that DLA’s managers and 

supervisors effectively lead an increasingly diverse 

and modern workforce to unlock the full potential 

of the workforce’s backgrounds, experiences, 

and perspectives in a technologically advanced 

workplace. We must assess and improve our current 

leadership model and leadership competencies 

to cultivate supervisors who are prepared to 

successfully manage in this evolving environment.

Objective 2: Resource the Enterprise 

– People are DLA’s most important asset. Without 

a trained and skilled workforce, the Agency cannot 

accomplish the DLA mission. DLA must complement 

its recruitment and retention strategies with a variety 

of paths to career success. Attracting and retaining a highly 

skilled, diverse workforce requires a comprehensive strategic 

approach, innovative recruitment efforts, and the right balance 

between speed and quality in the hiring process.

Objective 3: Manage the Talent 

– DLA Human Resources will partner with Agency leaders and 

Functional Community Managers (FCMs) to assess emerging 

and future mission imperatives that may require new enterprise 

and occupational competencies. We will continue developing and 

updating career maps that identify learning and development 

opportunities to help employees chart their career path. All of 

this comprises a comprehensive talent management approach 

that will position the Agency for success.

Objective 4: Sustain Our People 

– DLA relies on a large and diverse workforce to meet 

its mission. The key to DLA’s future success is to develop a 

flexible workforce with a focus on safety and security that 

is capable of meeting and overcoming obstacles and able to 

adapt to changes. Our capacity to respond to pressure and 

the demands of daily life and crisis operations, to absorb 

those demands, to flex with them, and to recover and return 

to both the DLA mission and our personal lives is crucial to 

maintaining work/life balance.

Objective 5: Fortify the Culture

– DLA has used surveys for a number of years to assess 

the current culture and identify ways to improve it, with the 

overarching purpose of developing and sustaining a highperformance culture. The surveys provide a confidential 

mechanism for employees to share feedback on their work 

environment, resulting in opportunities for DLA employees and 

leaders to engage in thoughtful, data-driven discussions that 

lead to informed action and improve our collective performance.
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 ENTERPRISE ENABLERS: 

Innovation, Technology, 

Data Management and Cybersecurity

In DLA, we recognize innovation, data management, technology and cybersecurity are intertwined. These four critical 

capabilities support the DLA Lines of Effort and are essential for 

the DLA workforce to accomplish our strategic and operational 

objectives. We will continue to focus on all four as enablers to 

help drive the constant transformation required to meet rapidly 

shifting Warfighter needs. With innovation, our technology 

stays fresh, and allows us to grow and exploit our data. As we 

promote an innovative culture, we will continue to transform how 

we drive business improvements with emerging technologies, 

how we source and develop our systems, applications and 

services, and automating tasks to allow the workforce to focus 

on those tasks that provide the greatest value to our Warfighter.

Objective 1: Innovation

– Innovate to achieve best-value logistics solutions. DLA always 

seeks opportunities to improve through process management and 

research and development. We are a change agent for logistics 

excellence in support of the Nation’s strategic security objectives.

Objective 2: Data Management

– Treat the Agency information as a valued resource, both 

financially and as a knowledge base. Realize value from data, 

which is accomplished by focusing on the data as an asset, understanding data in support of the overall enterprise strategy, and 

leveraging (e.g., analyzing) that data in new and innovative ways.

Objective 3: Technology

– Information Technology (IT) is a major enabler of DLA with 

regards to efficiently and effectively performing its mission. IT is 

integrated throughout all processes, facilitating the DLA workforce 

to be the best at what they do. DLA’s IT must be reliable, 

responsive, available, current, and secure to perform the mission. 

Our technology must also ensure we have reliable information 

available on demand. It must also be easily adaptable and 

scalable, to integrate and keep pace with emerging mission needs.

Objective 4: Cybersecurity

– Leveraging state of the art technology and tactics, 

techniques, and procedures designed to continuously monitor, 

detect, respond, and protect DLA’s mission critical data and 

enabling technology capabilities against an ever growing, 

advanced, and persistent cyber threat.

DLA STRATEGY MAP: MONITOR PERFORMANCE
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ALLIED NATIONS

Includes nations that the Secretary of Defense may enter into 

a formal agreement, usually to provide security, research, or 

financial assistance.

Specifically, these nations break down into groups, each 

with a different set of laws governing the level of assistance 

the U.S. Defense Department can provide. Those groups are: 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations (to include 

NATO organizations), a major non-NATO ally (MNNA), and any 

other friendly foreign country.

MNNA means a country (other than a member nation of 

the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) that is designated as 

a major non-NATO ally for purposes of this section by the 

Secretary of Defense with the concurrence of the Secretary 

of State. [10 USC § 2350a(i)(2)]

COMBATANT COMMAND (CCMD)

A unified or specified command with a broad continuing 

mission under a single commander established and so 

designated by the President, through the Secretary of Defense 

and with the advice and assistance of the Chairman of the Joint 

Chiefs of Staff. Combatant commands typically have geographic 

or functional responsibilities. (JP 1)

CONTINGENCY OPERATION

A military operation that is either designated by the Secretary 

of Defense as a contingency operation or becomes a contingency 

operation as a matter of law. 

(Title 10, United States Code, Section 101[a][13]). (JP 1)

DOD NUCLEAR ENTERPRISE

The federation of separate nuclear activities across the U.S. 

Armed Services and Defense Department agencies for the 

execution of a wide range of nuclear and non-nuclear activities. 

(2014 independent Nuclear Enterprise Review Report)

END-TO-END SUPPLY CHAIN

The full scale of “The linked activities associated with 

providing materiel from a raw material stage to an end user 

as a finished product.” (JP 1-02)

INDUSTRIAL BASE (ALSO DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE)

The Department of Defense, government, and private sector 

worldwide industrial complex with capabilities to perform 

research and development, design, produce, and maintain 

military weapon systems, subsystems, components, or parts to 

meet military requirements. (JP 3-27)

INTERAGENCY

Of or pertaining to United States Government agencies and 

departments, including the Department of Defense. (JP 3-08)

GLOSSARY OF TERMS JOINT LOGISTICS ENTERPRISE (JLENT)

A multi-tiered matrix of key global logistics providers 

cooperatively engaged or structured to achieve a common purpose 

without jeopardizing the integrity of their own organizational 

missions and goals. (JP 4-0)

NOTE: This list of providers is defined in Joint Publication 4.0, as “the Services, 

combatant commands (CCMDs), USTRANSCOM, Joint Staff J3 and Joint Staff J4 - 

interagency, nongovernmental, multinational, and industrial resources.”

LETHALITY

The ability of U.S. Armed Services to apply decisive force.

MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS (MSC)

DLA’s title for commands under the administrative and operational 

control of DLA’s Director. DLA previously referred to these organizations 

as Primary Level Field Activities (PLFAs).

OPERATION

A sequence of tactical actions with a common purpose or unifying 

theme. (JP 1)

A military action or the carrying out of a strategic, operational, 

tactical, service, training, or administrative military mission. (JP 3-0)

OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT

A composite of the conditions, circumstances, and influences that 

affect the employment of capabilities and bear on the decisions of the 

commander. Also called OE. (JP 3-0)

PARTNER NATIONS

A nation that the United States works with in a specific situation 

or operation. (JP 1) 

In security cooperation, a nation with which the Department of 

Defense conducts security cooperation activities. (JP 3-20)

RESILIENCY

The ability of a person, program, or organization to perform 

functions necessary for mission success. For DLA, our supply chains, 

cyber operations and employees can respond across a wider range 

of scenarios, conditions, and threats, in spite of hostile action or 

adverse conditions.

SERVICE MEMBERS

Includes personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, 

Coast Guard, and National Guard Bureau.

WARFIGHTER

A member of the U.S. Armed Forces.

WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT

For domestic operations, USG departments and agencies aspire 

to a whole of government approach. This approach involves the 

integration of United States Government efforts through interagency 

planning that set forth detailed concepts of operations. (JP 3-08)

NOTE: For the purposes of this document and DLA, a Whole of Government 

approach can and does encompass international operations (likely using 

interagency and international agreements).

This Strategic Plan was made possible by the significant contributions from our MSCs, HQ staff, regional commands, and all those who 

volunteered to review the document. A special thanks to those junior red team members who had a unique opportunity to influence DLA’s strategy.
4 www.dla.mil

Defense Logistics Agency

8725 John J. Kingman Road • Fort Belvoir, Virginia • 22060 

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Director’s Call to Action:

MOVE OUT AND EXECUTE!

We have a great strategic plan – it’s now time to move out and execute it. These five lines of effort clearly define our priorities 

and give us the direction we need to meet the needs of the Warfighter. Think of this plan as a roadmap, guiding us as we make 

decisions that enable our Nation’s men and women in uniform to achieve mission success.

We will further refine the plan through Implementation Guidance and Dynamic Operating Plans. We will track progress, make 

course corrections where needed, and stay laser-focused on metrics, connecting outcomes with leadership performance. 

I urge each of you to do your part in helping the Agency carry out this plan. This will give us the best chance of anticipating and 

overcoming the unforeseen challenges we know are in our future. We have a phenomenal team here at DLA, fueled by a deep 

commitment to serve the Warfighter and our Nation. Go forth and do great things — this is your call to action!