DLA, Army logisticians discuss opportunities to increase warfighter readiness

Senior Army logisticians met with Defense Logistics Agency leaders to discuss data interoperability, advanced and organic manufacturing, food program modernization, and more during the DLA/Army Service Integration Day, held at DLA's McNamara Headquarters Complex Oct.17.

The service integration day provides an opportunity for agency leaders to share knowledge and ideas with their Army counterparts on DLA's support and ongoing efforts around the globe, listen to the service's challenges and concerns to set logistics priorities, and identify areas for collaboration for the future.

Data interoperability

The leaders discussed how digital interoperability will enable DLA to be more precise in data planning so that the Army has the supplies it needs.

"Supply chain data provided can help DLA and the Army balance risks associated with stockpiling parts at predetermined locations and move beyond just-in-time logistics, which does not factor in surge requirements," Army Col. Kalin Reardon, DLA's Army Senior Service Integrator said. "Instead, we can leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to aid in accurate forecasting of surge requirements to ensure that we have the right stuff, in the right place, at the right time."

DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly said the agency is responsible for meeting the needs of warfighters in all services through its supply chains and major subordinate commands.

"We have to implement agency-level strategies that are fully resourced and fully integrated with the services that will enable us to talk and measure the things you value," Simerly said.

Simerly said the agency's new strategic plan is a call to action for DLA, its leaders, and its people to transform, and the four operating principles will improve integration. He also said that in the current era of contested logistics and advancements in technology, we must shift our focus from efficiency to resiliency.

Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics Lt. Gen. Heidi Hoyle said that DLA's new strategic plan aligns well with Army's emphasis on continuous transformation.

"Technology is progressing quickly, and the old ways will not work," she said. "DLA is supportive of what we need to provide and do for the warfighter so that they are able to respond to the nation's call."

Building supply chain resiliency

The senior logisticians also discussed building resiliency through advanced and organic manufacturing. Reardon said DLA must identify any policies that are limiting or hindering the agency's or the Army's ability to be innovative in advanced manufacturing inside of their organic industrial base.

"DLA can procure parts through the Army as they manufacture repair parts, but this requires engineer qualification and standardization across all of the services for joint use," he said. "If the Army makes a part for DLA and it has joint use, how do we get the engineering approval done fast to enable innovation? Whether the part is made using additive or traditional manufacturing processes, the goal is to get the parts quickly approved by all the services to meet their standards and needs."

Reardon added, "In situations where industry may take 12-18 months to produce a part, this will enable us to procure a qualified part in the organic industry base in six weeks or less, giving us supply chain flexibility and resiliency the joint force needs in a contested environment."

Army food program modernization efforts

The Army's food program is going through several changes to improve access to nutritional food, while addressing dining facility use rates, and soldier eating preferences, Army's Director of Supply Policy Sydney Smith said. "Soldier feeding must transform to become more modernized to include grab-and-go and takeout choices, food delivery, campus-style dining, restaurants and even kiosks.

Reardon said these changes are making DLA become more agile, flexible and faster in fulfilling subsistence requirements.

"Under the current process, the Joint Culinary Board approves menu offerings that are the same across the Army, DLA Troop Support then provides these standard menu ingredients," Reardon said. "Under the new pilot program, the dining facilities will be more restaurant style, where chefs and nutritionists at each installation will have their own targeted menus and ingredient requirements based on the demands and needs of the soldiers of that location."

As the planning process continues to transform the Army's food program, Reardon said the service will look to DLA to gather lessons learned from the other services that have various types of feeding models and options provided to their service members.