Get to know an NCO: Air Force Tech. Sgt. Deron Cooke

My name is:

What is your job at DLA?

I'm a materiel management enlisted career broadener at DLA Troop Support.

Can you explain what you do in that role?

The Air Force Career Broadening program selects experienced noncom-missioned officers to gain expert-level logistics experience outside of their traditional assignment. Broadeners can be assigned across different DLA organizations, or they're embedded within the Air Force Materiel Command to learn how the military operates within the larger global supply chain.

At DLA Troop Support, I'm the first broadener who will rotate through all four supply chains. I'll be able to see the operational coordination, acquisition support, supply chain visibility, and all the other initiatives that DLA Troop Support performs.

How long have you been at DLA?

I was assigned to DLA in April 2025 as part of a three-year controlled tour for the broadening program.

When did you enlist in the Air Force?

I enlisted in March of 2019. I came through the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, down the road from DLA Troop Support. I did my technical training in Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, for materiel management.

What's one moment that stands out from your military career so far?

An Air Force unit operating in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility recently needed help with Class II (clothing) sustainment. The challenge was that Class II items typically are not pre-positioned overseas, and because they're normally not high-priority cargo, the traditional distribution sites were backlogged and not able to move them fast enough.

Since I'm with the Air Force, my supervisor at DLA Troop Support brought me on to help with coordination. The team was able to coordinate with U.S. Transportation Command experts, some third-party logistics providers, and even commercial carriers. We identified alternate routing solutions around bottlenecks within that distribution pipeline, and we were able to get the sustainment items over to the warfighters in a timely fashion.

What do you feel is the most important part of being a noncommissioned officer?

The most important thing is taking care of people. I believe leadership is ultimately about service, whether it's mentoring, supporting teammates, problem solving or helping others grow. We all have a responsibility to positively impact the people around us, and as an NCO, that responsibility becomes even greater because people look to you for guidance, professional-ism and leadership every day.

How does your experience as an NCO contribute to DLA's mission?

As an NCO, I try to build strong relationships and communicate effectively to help connect the work being done here to directly support the warfighter. Sometimes, simply showing appreciation and helping people understand the real-world effect of their work by saying, "Thank you for what you do for me," while standing there in uniform strengthens their morale. It reinforces how important their work truly is to the mission and what it means to them and the country.

The theme of this issue of Loglines is "Western Hemisphere and Homeland Defense." How does your role tie into this theme?

My role directly ties back to our commitment to defend the nation, whether foreign or domestic. To do that effectively, DLA is shifting from a reactive, just-in-time model to a more proactive and agile concept of "just enough" logistics.

This means moving our planning mentality closer to the warfighter, allowing us to anticipate needs ahead of the fight. Instead of waiting for the call, our goal is to have critical support already in place, ensuring our warfighters have what they need before they even have to ask. It's about being in the room where decisions are made, because we're seeing more and more that logistics is what wins fights.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I'm grateful for the opportunity to represent the Air Force within DLA Troop Support. This assignment has really shown me the amount of passion, expertise and effort that goes into supporting the warfighter behind the scenes every day, which I never had any indication of while in the operational Air Force. Working alongside the civilians here gives me a deeper appreciation for the critical role that DLA plays in supporting the military readiness across the globe.

Editor's Note: This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Read more from this June 2026 edition of Loglines or browse more editions of the magazine on the Loglines Magazine website.