Photo By kevin walston | Rear Adm. Valerie Huegel (right), director, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM)...... read more read more
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By Kevin Walston
USFOR-A Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan -- Improving customer relationships and getting a first-
hand look at some of the dynamics customers face in executing the logistics mission were spotlighted when the CENTCOM Deployment and Distribution Operations Center (CDDOC) Director visited Afghanistan Jan. 13-15.
Rear Adm. Valerie Huegel, Supply Corps, U.S. Navy, said CDDOC’s primary mission of synchronizing and optimizing strategic and theater movements can’t be successful without first understanding customer’s strategic priorities.
“Once cargo arrives in theater, CDDOC is responsible for getting it where it needs to go,” Huegel said. “We move the majority via air by C-130 and C-17 aircraft, but we also monitor the ground lines of communication (G-LOC) and sea lines of communications (S-LOC) to get the equipment where it needs to go in the most expedient and efficient manner.”
Huegel made the trip to Afghanistan to see first-hand what additional assistance CDDOC can provide its U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A) and Resolute Support customers.
“During office calls with Maj. Gen. (Jeffrey) Bannister and Resolute Support officials, I was able to not only meet face to face with our primary Afghan theater customers, but get an idea of how successful we’ve been and where we can make improvements if necessary,” she said. “Building relationships is a key to overall success and our ability to meet with key leaders is crucial to our mission success.”
In addition to meeting with key leadership during her visit, Huegel also received USFOR-A command and logistics briefings, and toured key logistics facilities to include the Army Field Support Battalion-Afghanistan’s Redistribution Property Accountability Team yard, the Combat Support Sustainment Battalion’s Forward Retrograde Element Yard and the Defense Logistics Agency’s Disposition Services Yard to witness retrograde and disposition actions taking place first hand.
CAPT. W. A. “Rope” Burns, Jr., Commander of Defense Logistics Agency-Afghanistan, said the strategic partnership between DLA and CDDOC is critical to DLA’s support for the CENTCOM AOR. Based equipment demand requests from U.S. forces in Afghanistan, the relationship is key in planning the efficient and timely disposition and retrograde of equipment from theater.
“CDDOC facilitates the movement of food subsistence, building supplies, spare parts and packaged petroleum in this AOR for DLA,” he explained. “CDDOC also works closely with DLA’s Primary Level Field Activities throughout the DLA enterprise and with the DLA support teams in Afghanistan and Kuwait.”
Burns said it was important to provide Huegel with a tour of the DLA yard to show not only its current capabilities, but also the capacity of the facility.
“The (yard) is DLA’s enduring operation in Afghanistan and its employees are comprised of military, Department of Defense civilians and contractors,” he said. “All material in Afghanistan that is not retrograded to other theaters or back to the U.S., or that isn’t sold or transferred to our strategic partners, is earmarked for disposition at the yard.”
Huegel said her trip to Afghanistan was a validation of the strategic relationship her organization has built with its USFOR-A and Resolute Support customers.
“Based on strategic decisions to maintain operational capabilities in Theater, R2MR (Retrograde, Redeployment and Material Reduction) efforts have slowed. CDDOC will continue to partner with the logistics enterprise to accomplish this mission supporting the operational commander’s intent” she said. “USFOR-A and Resolute Support are truly strategic planners and as they look at future requirements, it’ll allow CDDOC to be more predictive as we prepare to provide them the support they need.”
| Date Taken: | 01.15.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 01.21.2016 06:44 |
| Story ID: | 186700 |
| Location: | BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF |
| Web Views: | 505 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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