DSCR, DLA, Air Force hold joint session for BRAC implementation

Published Sept. 25, 2007
By Amy T. Clement
Defense Supply Center Richmond Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE -- Air Force and Defense Logistics Agency officials held a kickoff session Sept. 12-15 at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center in preparation of the transition of the 776th Maintenance Support Squadron's subset that will be transferred to DLA on Feb. 3. The 776th MXSS is part of the 76th Maintenance Wing, one of the DLA Aviation demand and supply chain's largest customers.
   This changeover is part of the implementation of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission decision that calls for the Department of Defense to realign its supply, storage and distribution process at depot level maintenance facilities.
   Brig. Gen. Judy Fedder, 76th Maintenance Wing commander, welcomed the team.
   "We are prepared to take the transition," General Fedder said. "This is extremely important, not just for DOD, but important to the warfighter."
   With the transition, 365 of the 555 civilian personnel positions will transfer in place from the 776th MXSS to DLA. All positions will remain at the current location, but will be managed by Defense Supply Center Richmond, the aviation demand and supply chain manager within DLA.
   One of the purposes of the kickoff meetings was to form seven implementation planning teams. The IPTs include those in human resources, facilities and equipment (including environmental, occupational health, accountable property and security), financial management, metrics, change management and SS&D workload transfer.
   "The HR IPT is concerned with all the personnel actions necessary for the transfer. The financial management IPT works the payroll actions to make sure that folks continue to get paid and their allotments transfer smoothly," said Amy Gonzalez, change management lead for DSCR. "There is work done by the (information technology) IPT to track all the IT systems and equipment needed by the personnel transferring and to ensure that it continues to operate as they need.
   "The facilities folks are looking at all the real estate that comes over, the accountable property, desks, chairs, forklifts, trucks, etc.," she said.
   The security part of the facilities IPT ensures that the security clearances of personnel are transferred over, said Ms. Gonzalez. "They do all the little details necessary to pick up a large organization and keep it rolling without interruption -- even though that organization changes parents from the Air Force to DLA."
   The change management IPT works with leaders and supervisors, addressing the people side of the change.
   "By supporting and assisting in communications, they help folks get the information they want and need to reassure them that this transition is necessary and that it can be a positive experience," Ms. Gonzalez said.
   General Fedder stressed the importance of a seamless transition for all customers who receive products from the three ALCs.
   "We're going to have some challenges and that's OK," General Fedder said. "That's why we have this expertise gathered today."
   Concluding the three-day session, the IPTs set direction, and determined rules of engagement and roles and responsibilities for working together to prepare for the day one transition from the Air Force to DLA.
   Attendees in the event included General Fedder; Ellen Griffith from the Air Force Materiel Command A4 office; Joe Alexander, chief of Supply at the Warner Robins MXSS; Elaine Dockray, chief of Supply at Tinker; Col. Jim Meersman, Air Force Service Team chief for DLA J-39; and Brenda Longest, DLA SS&D pillar co-lead.
   "We could not have come up with a better group of folks to build on what has been done at (Warner Robins)," said General Fedder. "I want to thank you for everything you're going to do. This is just going to be a blip in the history of Oklahoma City."
   At the conclusion of the kick off session, charters for the IPTs were established, and rules of engagement and roles and responsibilities were set for all participants in the transition.
   "We determined who's doing what on each side, and also fleshed out the plan of action and milestones for each IPT," Ms. Gonzalez said. "They're rolled into one big document to provide a tool for managing and monitoring all the tasks that are necessary to get to day one."
   "If there is anything that we need to do, then that's what we will do," General Fedder said. "We will apply every resource. We are completely committed to the success of this endeavor."