Simerly encourages readiness and transformation in Battle Creek

Defense Logistics Agency Director Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly asked DLA's Michigan-based property disposal leadership team to keep a sharp focus on readiness and transformation during a short strategy review visit to Battle Creek April 2.

"We typically don't describe what [DLA Disposition Services] does as a readiness generator," Simerly said. "But when you divest property and unencumber units - that's generating readiness. And when you do it responsibly, so we're ensuring we're protecting the integrity of our supply chains and our military equipment - that's generating readiness."

DLA Disposition Services Director Mike Cannon provided Simerly with a progress report on its Annual Operating Plan that included several readiness-generating efforts like the pursuit of an agreement with Australia to allow rotating Marine Corps forces to turn over used property directly to the Australian Defence Force, a successful pilot program to tap contract personnel for potential expeditionary site deployment, recent increases in property reutilization by the services due to better data, and more stringent oversight of critical property demilitarization processes.

Simerly praised the MSC and its field sites for outstanding contributions to joint force readiness, citing several recent examples of warfighter support like the team's ongoing collaboration with the U.S. Army on force restructuring and the service's Equipment Redistribution and Divestiture Site initiative.

"It's a huge amount of heavy lifting, a huge amount of responsiveness and agility that you all are demonstrating in your ability to meet those heavy lift requirements across the Army," Simerly said. "You all are doing some remarkable work and are really helping to continue and sustain our good reputation down in the ranks by the folks you have out there just doing tremendous work."

The bulk of Simerly's remarks to the MSC's leaders provided direction on how he expects the agency to continue moving forward during its second year of transformation strategy execution.

"It's necessary for us to change. As the conditions of warfare are changing, as the services are transforming, as combatant commands are changing their war plans, we have to change, and status quo is not an option," Simerly said. "We have to be ready for the future so that our service partners can be ready for the future as well."

The director expounded on several concepts that he said were essential ingredients for successful organizational transformation, like clarity of purpose, commitment, cultural alignment, transparency, and consistent communication.

He also encouraged leaders to always consider what capabilities DLA wants to grow.

"If you think about capability, it's about skills," Simerly said. "Think about our strategy - 'People, Precision, Posture, Partnerships.' We start with People for a very good reason. Because no matter what we develop, in terms of a new procedure or a new technology, it's not going to succeed unless we make sure our people have the appropriate skillsets to employ it and to optimize its use."

In addition to reviewing mid-year progress on the DLA Disposition Services Annual Operating Plan, Simerly attended readiness briefs, presented commander's coins to high-achieving employees, and took time to chat over coffee with local staff. He was accompanied by Army Command Sgt. Maj. Petra Casarez, his senior enlisted advisor, who said the portion of the Battle Creek visit that she'll remember best was a side quest for a torch cutting training session at the MSC's nearby expeditionary readiness facility.

Casarez said she was very impressed and motivated by local staff and was thankful for the opportunity to meet the team and develop an appreciation for their roles.

"Everybody knows that, in DLA, everything we do is for the warfighter. That's why our motto is 'Warfighter Always,'" Casarez said, citing the direct impact efficient property disposal has on improving unit readiness. "Just hanging out here with the team, learning from them, hearing what they do, seeing what type of equipment we have - it's been a blast."

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