The agency is also studying possible personnel reductions at headquarters, the agency's Operations Support Center and regional levels. Richard E. Beale Jr., agency director, said he expects to decide geographic boundaries and headquarters locations for the three stateside consolidated regions by April. The commissary agency currently has Central, Northeast, Southern, Midwest, Southwest, Northwest-Pacific, and European regions.
Plans call for the European region to remain unchanged.
Within 90 days the agency plans to announce how it will streamline its headquarters and support center, both at Fort Lee. In addition to the consolidation, DeCA Chief Executive Officer Charles M. Wiker announced an agencywide hiring freeze on permanent staff positions. The agency reorganization is not due entirely to the budget crunch. Other factors include force reductions and base closures. Fiscal reality has made changes imperative, the agency officials said.