I am DLA: Jamieson Duvall

My name is:

Jamieson Duvall

I am:

The deputy director of Business Process Support at DLA Weapons Support (Columbus).

Briefly describe your job:

My office handles analytics and system interfaces and processes. That involves planning, order fulfillment, inventory management and technical quality, along with analytics. We essentially support the rules and tools of how the business works.

How long have you worked for DLA?

Just over 10 years.

What do you like about your job?

It's a great time to be a part of DLA because of the technological advances. As we move into the agency transformation, a lot of what we're doing is attempting to look at those processes and reduce duplications across both Richmond and Columbus. It feels like we're right in the eye of the hurricane, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

How do you feel about being part of DLA's newest major subordinate command?

I'm excited. I've always been somebody who's wanted a challenge in my job, and I think there's great opportunity with this. I tell myself each day that I'm going to have more of a hand in building the agency's future than if I had just been relegated to working on part of repair parts with the former DLA Land and Maritime. Now I'm working with all of DLA Weapons Support. I get to work with some cool aviation platforms, as well, so I'm super excited about that because I've been interested in B-52s and B-1s and B-2s and all of those things since being a little boy with models.

What energizes you about the change and working with your colleagues in Richmond?

Through working on projects with people in Richmond, I realized how like-minded we are. Before, I felt like maybe I was fighting all on my own from a Columbus perspective, now I have other voices that I can engage with when we speak to Headquarters, or the Office of the Secretary of War or the services.

How do you think this transformation is going to benefit the warfighter?

In Columbus, we essentially had the Army, Navy and the Marine Corps as our primary customers. The former DLA Aviation in Richmond had the Air Force as a primary customer. Those customers are looking to DLA for information. There were always little twists in how we answered them that might not have been exactly the same. Now DLA is doing its best to create one process that is efficient and provides customers with the best quality of material.

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

To the vendors, industry and the warfighter, I would say give us time because we're going to have to build. Know that the broader effort is to create efficiencies and cut out the larger fat to make sure we're moving things to them faster.

To the workforce, I would say it's OK to smile. It's OK to not get mired in the things that are changing and all of the things that you don't know and to have some fun at work. Remember, it's a marathon, not a sprint. If you're having a bad day, find one or two people and impact them positively. I guarantee that it will boomerang back for you by the end of the day, and you'll feel that you've done something good by helping somebody else.