Show of support: DLA director visits Tinker air logistics center

Published Oct. 15, 2010
By Brandice J. Armstrong
Tinker Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- His trip was two-fold and an overall success. On Oct. 6, 2010, Tinker welcomed Navy Vice Adm. Alan Thompson, Defense Logistics Agency director.

Admiral Thompson visited with significant customers and stakeholders including the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center to see how DLA supported the center and what could be done to better the relationship. He also met with DLA team members.

"It was great, very successful," the admiral said. "We had an opportunity to see a great deal of the air logistics center in action. We identified a number of opportunities for DLA to provide additional support and looked for ways to provide better support."

Named the director of DLA in 2008, Admiral Thompson has an abundant responsibility. Within his organization of 27,000 employees, DLA provides the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and other federal agencies with logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency also offers fuel, consumable items, medical items and construction equipment.

Operating in 48 states and 28 countries, DLA supports 1,700 weapons systems. In fiscal 2010, revenues equaled approximately $41 billion.

The DLA-Oklahoma City team is comprised of approximately 1,000 personnel in five separate DLA organizations -- DLA Aviation; DLA Distribution; DLA Disposition Services; DLA Document Services; and DLA Information Operations. Two of the units report to offices in Richmond, Va., while the remaining units report to offices in Pennsylvania and Michigan.

The admiral said he learned more about the challenges of material support within Air Force depot maintenance at the air logistics centers and got a better look at the OC-ALC's issues.

"Because of the various significant roles that Oklahoma City ALC performs, some of the challenges have been most pronounced here and I wanted to learn more about that," Admiral Thompson said. "I wanted to get an assessment whether the initial actions we have under way with the DLA aviation enterprise are going to improve the support as desired. I think given time, it will."

Admiral Thompson also discussed the changes since the Base Realignment and Closure decision of 2005 and how it affects Tinker. He said as a result of that action, there were two significant resolutions -- transferring material management function from the OC-ALC to DLA, and transferring procurement of depot-level reparables from the OC-ALC to DLA.

"Both of these are still works in progress and the transfers have occurred and we're now enhancing the capabilities of both of these operations," he said. "In the material support for the depot, I think there's been a great deal of improvement made."

The admiral said the workforce has moved to DLA and is in the process of enhancing the information technology system, which will better provide the support. In regards to the procurement of reparables, it's still in the betterment process but making great strides.

"When I look across the entire customer base for the Defense Logistics Agency, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and Air Force Materiel Command are certainly some of our most important customers, so we have a great deal of focus on making sure DLA is providing everything that is needed so the DLA can accomplish its mission," he said. "And, we're going to continue to do so."