DLA works to bring fresher food to US warfighters in Afghanistan

Courtesy Photo | Marines of the 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion receive their first salad delivery while stationed at an austere location in Afghanistan. The vegetables were supplied through DLA Troop Support Europe & Africa contracting and logistical efforts.  

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

03.07.2012

Story by Larry Levine 

Defense Logistics Agency   

KABUL, Afghanistan - Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support Europe and Africa personnel in Afghanistan have helped improve food and beverage delivery and quality for warfighters, saved taxpayers millions in transportation costs, and improved relations among U.S. warfighters and Afghans, a DLA food service supervisor said.

Todd Lutz said locating a second distribution center, known as the Helmand Regional Distribution Center, in Helmand province reduced perishable food transportation time by two to four days for each of the 3,750 average monthly shipments.

Having two distribution centers also helped the vendor shift transportation methods from air to road.

Shorter distances to U.S. warfighter sites and the lower cost-per-mile of ground transportation decreased transportation costs by about $28 million yearly, Lutz estimated.

The food distribution center in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, is about 350 miles from the HRDC and was previously the only one in eastern Afghanistan, Lutz noted.

Lutz estimated the HRDC serves about 37 percent of warfighter locations in Afghanistan.

Tim Schmidt, lead DLA Troop Support Europe & Africa contracting officer representative at the Kabul food storage facility, said DLA Troop Support Europe and Africa’s efforts help develop sustainable, desirable Afghan businesses that support U.S. warfighters.

The prime vendor contracts for locally bottled water and canned soda have employed hundreds of Afghans who produce and transport the products. Lutz said this contract supports the mission of the International Security and Assistance Force, which is to assist the Afghan government in establishing of a secure and stable environment.

“[The vendor] understands and supports the political and economic imperative of ISAF to develop sovereign capability,” Lutz stated.

Schmidt agreed.

“Security doesn’t always come in the form of [Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles] or Humvees, sometimes it comes from the loyalty of individuals to whom you’ve provided the means to provide for their families,” Schmidt said.

Indirect benefits for warfighters include improving the climate between Afghans and Americans, Schmidt said.

“It’s been my experience that treating Afghans well, in part by giving them employment opportunities to deliver food and water under our [vendor’s] contracts, is reciprocated by them in kind,” Schmidt concluded.

• Date Taken: 03.07.2012
• Date Posted: 03.15.2012 08:02
• Story ID: 85271
• Location: KABUL, AF