New HR director wants team to enable DLA’s success

FORT BELVOIR, Va. -

A former Army warrant officer who was among the first to implement military human resources on the battlefield as a part of the Army's personnel services delivery redesign efforts aims to make the Defense Logistics Agency's HR team an integral part of organizational success.

"Providing full-spectrum HR in the combat zone in Baghdad lessened service members' exposure to IEDs and other hazards. Going through that experience drives my passion for folks to understand that HR can be a strong strategic partner," Chuck Barber, DLA's new HR director, said of his time in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team.

As DLA navigates complexities such as contested logistics, the agency's HR team must have a deep understanding of the mission and anticipate new skills needed by employees across all functional areas, from distribution and supply chain management to operations, Barber continued.

His team is in the early stages of discussing development of what he described as a "dynamic skills ecosystem" to continuously enhance employees' capabilities. The effort includes leveraging data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on modern skills and talents of America's broad workforce.

"We'll have controls in place so that if we're falling short of staying competitive with the private sector, our model will walk us through a series of steps to be forward leaning as we continue to build capacity," Barber said.

Changes in technology, workforce demographics and employee expectations have created a complex landscape for HR professionals, he continued.

"You'll hear me preach to my team that we can't continue to respond to these challenges by doing the same things we've been doing," he said, adding that while everyday administrative tasks will remain a priority, the DLA Strategic Plan calls on HR staff to also champion data analysis, business transformation and cultural intelligence.

"Culture is a capability that is perishable if you don't consistently cultivate it," Barber said. "When we emphasize positive culture, we also foster inclusive and psychologically safe work environments that align with DLA's commitment to diversity and innovation."

DLA's approach to telework is one example of an area where Barber wants to drive mutual understanding and respect between leaders and the workforce. Leaders, he said, are under pressure to assess the impacts of telework as they measure organizational performance, even as they work to balance employee well-being with organizational needs.

"We have to show some grace on both sides. We must show grace to our leaders who shoulder the burdens of managing their portfolios just as much as leaders have to show grace to employees who adapted to telework during COVID to continue the mission," he said.

This is Barber's second stint at DLA. He first served as an executive assistant to former DLA HR Director Brad Bunn, now the agency's vice director, after concluding his 14 years with the Army. With a master black belt in Lean Six Sigma, Barber pushed to provide more than just routine administrative support by working to improve HR processes. That experience helped him understand DLA's operational intricacies and aspire to follow in Bunn's footsteps as a director and executive.

"Coming back to DLA in this role is a dream come true for me," he said, quoting American speaker, author and pastor John C. Maxwell: Your dreams don't work unless you do. "I think I'm a prime example of how diversity and meritocracy can work in harmony."

Barber comes to DLA from the National Science Foundation, where he served as the chief diversity and inclusion officer. Before that, he was the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Programs for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.

Becoming a member of the senior executive service in January 2023 was the pinnacle of his civil service career so far, he said.

"Less than 1% of the government gets to serve as a senior executive. In my opinion, there's no greater honor than public service," he said. "We're all symbols of democracy."

The native of Bald Knob, Arkansas, is a lifelong runner who was drawn to military service after college when he discovered the All-Army Track and Field Program. He joined as an enlisted member, and his fastest 100-meter sprint was 9.98 seconds. The current world record is 9.58 and was set by Jamaican Usain Bolt during the 2009 world Athletics Championship, according to Olympics records.

Barber was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2022. While some athletes claim to experience a brief "runner's high" during or after intense periods of strenuous activity, Barber said he maintains a steady high when running.

"You get used to your legs just turning over fast; it's almost like muscle memory," he said.

Decades have passed since he last competed, but he still runs.

"Because I also like to eat," he added.

Despite the praise and accolades that came with being a track star, Barber said he's equally proud of his climb to the warrant officer ranks. He's also eager to begin the next chapter in his career.

"I'm excited about pushing the team here to embrace technology and automation to see how we can expedite position classification and hiring, as well as enhance our performance management framework," he said. "I want to thank everybody for making me feel welcome so far. There are really good things on the horizon."

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