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Air Force employees transition to Defense Logistics Agency

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  • By Debra Bingham
  • Defense Supply Center Richmond Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE --  Sixty-two Air Force employees officially became part of Defense Logistics Agency on Sunday, after a June 18 activation ceremony held in the Oklahoma Room at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. 
   The employees, mostly contracting officers from the Depot-Level Reparable Support Branch, part of the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center's 448th Supply Chain Management Group, procure depot-level reparable aviation parts for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. 
   Col. Sid Banks, the vice director of the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing at Tinker, thanked the Air Force employees transferring to DLA. 
   "Breaking up is hard to do, but as we look at where we are and where we're going, it's a union that's only going to get stronger,"  Colonel Banks said. "The passion you had in supporting the 448th is the same passion and commitment you'll pass to DLA. What you do behind the scenes in sustainment operations is vital to warfighters and that will continue with DLA." 
   Congress mandated the transfer of DLR procurement responsibility from military service aviation depots to DLA as part of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure legislation. Under that same law, Oklahoma ALC transferred supply, storage and distribution functions to DLA on Feb. 8 with more than 300 employees transferring from the 776th Maintenance Support Squadron, part of the 76th Maintenance Wing at Oklahoma City ALC, to DLA. 
   Defense Supply Center Richmond, the aviation supply and demand chain manager for DLA, will oversee the new organization. DSCR's core mission is to supply products with a direct application to aviation. 
   Yvette Burke, DSCR's acquisition executive, officiated at the ceremony and will oversee the DLR mission for DLA. She said the ceremony represented a joint effort between the Defense Logistics Agency and the Air Force. 
   "DLA is at the forefront of implementing initiatives that will enhance the support we provide to our nation's warfighters," Ms. Burke said. "You have the privilege of being close to the customer; we want to continue to develop and maximize that rapport." 
  Ms. Burke said the transition will provide a singe face for the Department of Defense to suppliers and save money by consolidating the depot-level reparable, and supply, storage, and distribution functions. 
   "This gives us more leveraged buying power -- reducing prices, reducing inventory, and leaning out our processes," Ms. Burke said. "We're creating a closer connection between our customer's demand and supply. We're part of the same team, and we share similar values; we're all dedicated to the customer, value teamwork, and we push for accountability and innovation." 
   Ms. Burke passed the DLA flag to Michael Yort, who will serve as chief of DLR procurement operations at DLA Oklahoma City. Yort previously served as director of the 553rd Combat Sustainment Squadron at Oklahoma City ALC. 
   Mr. Yort said his team's mindset shouldn't change as the detachment activates. The focus should continue on getting warfighters the right part at the right place at the right time. 
   "The warfighter isn't concerned that there's now a new DLA detachment at Tinker," Mr. Yort said. "The warfighter doesn't care who supplied the part; they just care that the part is there. So, whether you're GLSC, DLA, ASW, MXW or ALC or some other acronym, just remember that to be successful and ensure support depends on working together as a team."