DLA Disposition Services reservist lauded for efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan

AFGHANISTAN

07.27.2012

Story by Staff Sgt. Jacob Boyer 

Defense Logistics Agency   

AFGHANISTAN - A Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services reservist is being recognized for his service as the assistant officer-in-charge of disposition efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan in 2011.

Navy Lt. j.g. Eric Mills is one of five Navy Supply Corps officers who will be recognized with the 2011 Vice Adm. Robert F. Batchelder Award at a Sept. 7 ceremony in San Diego. The Navy League award is presented to “Supply Corps officers who have made significant contributions to the supply readiness of … operating forces,” wrote Navy Rear Adm. Mark Heinrich, commander of Naval Supply Systems Command in a June 6 memo announcing the winners.

Mills will be the most junior recipient of the 2011 award, as well as the only reservist. His nomination packet highlights his leadership as a junior officer.

“His stellar performance supporting combat operations has earned him the respect of subordinates, peers and superiors alike,” the nomination reads. “His dedication to the mission is evident through his extension from Iraq to Afghanistan. His unwavering commitment to mission success is in keeping with the finest traditions of military service. He is most deserving of this prestigious award.”

Mills, the co-owner of an inventory control and tool accountability firm in North Carolina, was mobilized in December 2010 and deployed to Iraq’s Victory Base Complex in February 2011. He took over as the assistant officer in charge of DLA Disposition Services Iraq, assisting in the coordination of expeditionary disposal remediation teams at four sites and 35 forward operating bases across the country during the draw down.

“Mills was integral in developing a strategic plan for the long-term manning footprint of DLA Disposition Services Iraq, achieving balance between an increasing demand for EDRT support and the mandated Iraq drawdown,” according to the nomination packet.

Mills points to his team’s movement of lithium batteries in Iraq as one of its major accomplishments.

“We were able to facilitate one of the largest lithium battery movements in all of the [operating area],” he said. “That endeavor was the direct result of all DLA Disposition Services personnel in Iraq working together.”

Mills, who was finishing out his tour in Iraq, left the country in June 2011 to take over the same role in Afghanistan. He spent three months at Bagram Air Field before moving to Camp Leatherneck to continue his mission. Since his arrival, the expeditionary disposal remediation teams he oversees have cleared more than 10 million pounds of scrap metal from Afghanistan.

“That resulted in not only saving the Defense Department money and time, but it also saved countless U.S. military lives by not having them transport that material over the austere and volatile Afghanistan roadways,” he said.

Although he’s spent his deployment in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Mills said the challenges for his teams have been similar: transportation and communication.

“In the states, we take for granted the ability to fly at will and pick up our cell phones to make a quick call,” he said. “That is not the case in the Iraq or Afghanistan. Security risks, weather or more pressing activities all play into a successful mission or a delayed one. We do not have the luxury of calling Delta and getting where you need to be in a moment’s notice. Being very patient is key to successfully living in a kinetic environment.”

As a reservist, Mills left his civilian business when he deployed. He said DLA Disposition Services and the Navy were crucial in preparing him for his overseas duties.

“The Navy does an outstanding job of training its reserve force to be always ready, and therefore I feel very equipped to tackle any challenges that may come my way,” he said. “The missions were essentially the same: support the warfighter and deliver the best customer service that DLA Disposition Services is known for.”

Mills said his wife and their five children are fully supportive of the mission he has undertaken even though it has kept him away from home for a long stretch. That support comes from the support of the Navy and DLA Disposition Services.

“Both the Navy and DLA Disposition Services keep the service member’s home life top of mind and the two did not interfere with the task at hand,” he said. “Without the support of my wife and children I could not have remained centered on the mission I was about to undertake. With their 100 percent backing I knew my head stays in the fight and is mission-driven and customer-focused.”

Seeing is family is the Number 1 thing Mills said he is excited about when he returns later this year.

“I can’t wait to see my wife and kids,” he said. “I also look forward to being allowed to drive over 15 mph and talk on the phone without saying ‘over’ or ‘say again’ about a million times in one conversation.”

• Date Taken: 07.27.2012
• Date Posted: 08.13.2012 12:50
• Story ID: 93118
• Location: AF