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FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Defense Logistics Agency Aviation manages the agency’s Chemicals and Petroleum Products (Class 3P) Support Program as well as its aviation supply chain.
As such, DLA Aviation is filling customer identified needs for Class 3P chemicals and lubricating oils, as well as aviation items, for military units deploying under Operation United Assistance (OUA). OUA is a humanitarian effort led by the U.S. Agency for International Development to contain the spread of the Ebola virus in West Africa.
Though the agency privatized its chemical and petroleum support contact in May 2007, DLA Aviation employees are working with the prime vendor contractor and other suppliers to ensure needed bed nets, insecticides, insect repellents, disinfectants and cleaning detergents are available to ensure the health and safety of deployed service members.
In a tent-living environment, potable water, hot showers, and laundry facilities are needed. Reverse Osmosis Purification Units (ROPUs) are shipped to deploying units by DLA Land and Maritime. DLA Aviation supplies the chemicals, disinfectants, and lubricating oil needed to keep these units functioning. One hundred pounds of calcium hypochlorite, commonly referred to as HTH, shipped to Africa Oct. 10.
The chemical (HTH) is the same as what would be used in swimming pools or the food services industry. In Africa, HTH is being used to provide clean potable drinking water and assist in disinfecting mess hall facilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, the CDC is advising individuals in West Africa to clean and disinfect their hands with a chlorine solution.
Cliff Myers, who works as a chemist in DLA Aviation’s Supplier Operations Directorate, Joint Commodities Division, said it isn’t just potable water that is a concern.
“We are also shipping rodent traps, insecticides, insect repellents and bed nets,” he said. “We are shipping repellents so Soldiers can treat uniforms that weren’t already pre-treated when issued by DLA Troop Support.” Bed nets are fabric netting place over cots to keep flying insects out.
Myers said repellents are also being provided to treat equipment and living areas and for applications by Soldiers on their exposed skin areas. “The traps are sent to control any rodent population that may be nearby. Not only is Ebola a concern, but in these types of living conditions, malaria, dengue and other disease pest vectors can also become a concern.”
Myers said DLA Aviation’s mission has always been providing the best possible support to our warfighters.
As reported in DoD News, Defense Media Activity, Oct. 27, over the upcoming weeks, the number of U.S. service members deploying to West Africa could grow to upwards of 3,900 personnel.
As of Oct. 28, DLA has 30 personnel in Liberia and Senegal. DLA Aviation will also be sending a warfighter support representative (WSR) to work with the DLA Support Team in Africa by the end of November.
“Our WSR will serve as the focal point for forward-deployed units assisting with DLA support,” said Gerol Meadows, DLA Aviation’s civilian force provider who manages the activity’s DLA Support Team (DST) obligations. “Our representative may face some unique challenges requiring flexibility as this is the first DST team formed to assist in an operation dealing with an infectious disease.”
DLA Aviation’s DST mission is managed in its Customer Operations Directorate’s Army Customer Facing Division, which is leaning forward to support the Army’s in-country requirements.
Dave Brown, chief of the division’s Operations Branch, said his division is working with the Business Process Support Directorate and DLA Troop Support to review availability of 2,000 items on the Army list of requirements to stock a forward Supply Support Activity they are establishing in Africa.
“The items included bench stock items like nuts, bolts, washers, clamps, electrical wire/harnesses, etc.,” said Brown. “Some of the more airframe-related end items are brake pads, fuel selector valves, clearance/marker lights, steering linkage/tie rod ends, fuel/hydraulic filter elements, fuel pumps, and generators. We are supporting the KC-130 Hercules, UH-60 Black Hawk, and H-60 Seahawk, and CH-47 Chinook aircraft weapon systems.”
About a third of the items are industrial hardware items assigned to DLA Aviation, and out of the 2,000, all but 112 items were in the distribution system as of Nov.10, he said.
For the 112 items not in the distribution system already, Brown said DLA Aviation is looking at existing contracts to expedite deliveries or pushing out a high priority purchase request.”
“The Army provided the list, but hasn’t placed any orders yet,” he said. “We are leaning forward to fill the list and position the stock.”
The Class 9 (repair parts) Authorized Stock List (ASL) submitted is a deliberate effort by the Army and DLA to ensure replenishment items are in theater when needed.
“Army Aviation units should be taking an initial 30-day supply of items,” said Brown. “The items on the ASL should arrive prior to the Army's initial supply packages being consumed.”
Regarding the impact of OUA on the DLA Aviation mission, Brown said, “OUA is a highly visible critical operation and we are putting a priority of filling needed requirements, but this is what we do; it’s our basic business.”
| Date Taken: | 11.18.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2014 12:06 |
| Story ID: | 148129 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, DLA Aviation provides supplies for safety and support of deploying military units, by Catherine Hopkins, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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