Warehouse Management System implemented at DLA Distribution Warner-Robins

Defense Logistics Agency Distribution officially implemented the Warehouse Management System at DLA Distribution Warner-Robins, Georgia, Feb. 17, marking a significant milestone in their modernization efforts.

The go-live makes the site the first DLA Distribution Air Logistics Center to implement the new system and the 21 of 24 DLA Distribution sites to transition to the modern, SAP-based platform. Army Brig. Gen. Kevin Cotman, commanding general, DLA Distribution, and Joe Faris, acting deputy commander, DLA Distribution, were on-site to see the system in action and the hard work of the implementation and DLA Distribution Warner-Robins, Georgia, team.

"This go-live is a testament to the incredible dedication of the entire Warner-Robins team," said Cotman. "Implementing a system of this scale, especially given the complexities of our Air Logistics Centers, required months of rigorous preparation, training, and collaboration. I am immensely proud of how the team rose to the challenge to make this a success."

This go-live represents a crucial step in the final phase of the enterprise-wide rollout. Leading the effort on the ground was the DLA Distribution Warner Robins WMS Task Force, a dedicated group responsible for ensuring a smooth transition.

"One unique challenge at Warner Robins is that we were operating in an environment that spanned two DLA Major Subordinate Commands, DLA Distribution and DLA Weapons Support, " said Air Force Maj. Nicole Torres, DLA Distribution Warner-Robins WMS Task Force lead. "This has required personnel to be split across more buildings to ensure proper support is provided. Additionally, as we continue to go through the process, we have identified SOPs that require development for the ALCs to ensure there is standardization among the ALCs on how to properly capture unique processes, that have not been integrated into WMS for previous sites."

The transition to WMS is a key component of DLA's broader digital transformation, designed to standardize operations, take advantage of industry best practices, and enhance auditability. As a cornerstone of this strategy, WMS moves DLA beyond legacy platforms into an interconnected, data-driven ecosystem, providing real-time visibility and traceability of inventory. This shift is critical for enhancing support to the warfighter in an increasingly complex global logistics environment.

The new system equips the DLA workforce with powerful tools for data-driven decisions, enabling logisticians to anticipate disruptions and optimize warehouse performance.

"With WMS, we are not just upgrading our technology, we are fundamentally enhancing our support to the warfighter," said Faris. "The real-time inventory visibility and streamlined processes this system provides will allow us to be more agile and responsive, ensuring we can deliver the right material, at the right time, every time."

The DLA Distribution enterprise-wide WMS implementation began with a pilot in 2018 and has since expanded across Army, Navy, and Marine Corps support sites. With Warner-Robins now online, the final ALC phase will continue with rollouts at DLA Distribution Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and DLA Distribution Hill, Utah. A non-ALC site, DLA Richmond, Virginia, will implement WMS in April.