DLA director outlines transformation vision for Columbus workforce

Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime welcomed DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly for a town hall and review of the agency's 2026 Annual Operating Plan Sept. 12 at the Operations Center on Defense Supply Center Columbus.

The town hall offered Simerly an opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of several employees, provide updates on agency transformation initiatives, and gave employees a platform to speak directly with DLA leadership through a robust Q&A discussion.

Simerly set the tone of the discussion by sharing that America's adversaries have changed, technology has changed and the character of warfare has changed - and DLA must change with it.

"We live in an era of contested logistics in all domains and levels of war," he said, noting that DLA's warfighting partners are operating in a transparent battlefield where everything can be seen, targeted and destroyed including logistics capability. "We have to rethink the way we are delivering logistics" he added.

To that end, Simerly said DLA is guiding its ongoing transformation around three priorities: to set the globe, set the agency and set supply chains.

Designed to enhance and build upon the DLA Strategic Plan's four imperatives, all three involve anticipating future states of the Agency.

"We have to adapt to changing demands to increase our ability to deliver," he said.

Setting the globe involves optimal placement of logistics to enhance readiness; setting the agency speaks to preparing DLA to support current conflicts while looking to the future of warfare; and setting the supply chains focuses on optimizing processes through sophisticated modeling and wargaming against potential adversaries.

"We have to comprehend what is changing on the battlefield to understand what we have done in the past probably isn't suitable for what we are going to have to do in the future," Simerly said.

He spoke about DLA Land and Maritime's ongoing data acumen journey and increased participation in exercises as key to achieving those priorities.

"I believe that the strength of this team is the tactical innovation at the edge," he said, noting that DLA's data acumen training is geared toward unlocking that ingenuity to combat intense technological change at a rapid pace.

Simerly stressed that DLA Land and Maritime's participation in large scale global readiness exercises, like the multiyear Elite Constellation suite of exercises, is fundamental to integrating with the Services to get the logistics they need at speed.

"We understand just-in-time logistics is not a viable concept when it comes to supporting this fight," he said. "We have to ensure we have supply chains that will be there when it matters," noting working closely with the Services through exercises and other actions is key to the agency's resilience now and into the future.

Organizational optimization

Simerly said that this is an exciting time for DLA, as it rewrites the script on weapon system support with the establishment of a new Major Subordinate Command uniting the Land, Maritime and Aviation Class IX supply chains.

"At the end of the day, we want to improve how we support the warfighter," he said.

He said that when DLA leadership was looking at the agency's organizational structure, it made sense to combine the Class IX spare and repair parts mission under one umbrella, to have "a single command to optimize our level of support, develop standard best practices and prioritize appropriately across the board."

Simerly said that initial operating capability for the new MSC will begin Oct. 1, and it will operate across the two existing locations at DSCC and Defense Supply Center Richmond, as no facility closures are planned.

He went on to highlight the remarkable inclusivity and collaboration that is shaping the process at all levels of both organizations.

Simerly emphasized that the plan was "integrated by design," reflecting the combined efforts of both the DLA Land and Maritime and DLA Aviation leadership.

An integration team that includes key leaders and support staff from DLA Aviation, DLA Land and Maritime, and DLA Headquarters have been assembled to inform the design of the future MSC.

"We continue to evolve and through this process we're looking to optimize the strength that we can forge together," said DLA Land and Maritime Commander Navy Rear Adm. Julie Treanor.

Simerly harkened back to the agency's beginnings to drive the point home that DLA is built to change and built to last, and this latest transformation is an evolution of DLA's collective DNA.

"We think the things that made us valuable then, very much hold true now," he said. "We have expanded, and we have contracted over time as we responded to warfighter requirements - constantly changing to stay relevant."

After the town hall, Simerly attended a comprehensive Annual Operating Plan quarterly review session to discuss priorities for the future MSC.

Workforce Recognitions

Simerly recognized several employees at the event with a DLA Director's coin. Those employees are: Mary Shearer, deputy director for Procurement Process Support; Jonathan Metz, supervisory supply systems analyst for Business Process Support; and Erin Roesky, supervisory supply systems analyst for Business Process Support, were recognized for their recent work as Crisis Action Team members. DLA Maritime Customer Operations Weapon System Support Manager Gina Lee Lewis was recognized for her critical support of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine.

Simerly was accompanied during the visit by Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Alvin Dyer, who was then DLA's senior enlisted leader. The town hall represented Dyer's final appearance in Columbus. The senior enlisted leader position passed to Army Command Sgt. Maj. Petra Casarez in a change of responsibility ceremony Sept. 18 at DLA Headquarters.

In honor of his service to DLA, Treanor presented a special recognition plaque to Dyer at the close of the town hall.

"It has been a phenomenal ride," Dyer said of his two years at DLA. "I thank you so much for letting me be a part of this team."

"I know that the people on the battlefield don't get a chance to see the person behind the equipment that has been issued to them," Dyer concluded. "But you are the ones who make it happen every day, so thank you for all you do."

The entire town hall event may be watched here: https://dlaio.gcds.disa.mil/index.html?id=COL209122025 (CAC-enabled)