Photo By Amy Perry | Christy Veglia, Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Ogden’s deputy commander, kicks...... read more read more
OGDEN, Utah – Facing a rapidly changing global landscape and the looming threat of Great Power Competition, DLA Aviation at Ogden embarked on a critical mission: transforming into a wartime-ready force.
Leaders and staff gathered for an intensive three-day offsite event Feb. 18-20, 2025, to chart a new course for the organization. Driven by Air Force Col. Kaz Kostrubala, commander of DLA Aviation at Ogden, and Christy Veglia, deputy commander, the event tackled the urgent need to align the organization with the Defense Logistics Agency's strategic plan and address key challenges hindering their warfighting capabilities.
This wasn’t just another strategic planning session. The offsite served as a direct response to internal assessments revealing a critical need to empower personnel at all levels and streamline operations for maximum agility.
“Ensuring DLA's strategy is understood by key leaders and, most importantly, having an operational plan to support that strategy was paramount,” said Kostrubala. He acknowledged that previous reports exposed a communication gap within the organization – a gap this offsite directly addressed by bringing together a diverse group of voices.
The focus of the event centered around three key areas: current operations, future operations, and personnel development. These areas stem directly from the two overarching priorities outlined by Kostrubala and Veglia in a memo published shortly after Kostrubala assumed command: bolstering command and control capabilities and cultivating a resilient workforce.
"To align with DLA's desire to transform into a more capable warfighting agency, we need a focused effort to enhance our ability to operate in a high-pressure, complex environment," Kostrubala explained.
A key takeaway from the strategy discussion was the need for improved communication and a shift in organizational culture.
"What we've realized from feedback over the years at Ogden is that a lot of our folks aren’t involved in the decision-making process," said Veglia. "They feel like their voice isn’t being heard."
To address this, the gathering included a diverse group of attendees, from recent hires in the Pathways program to supervisors, division chiefs, and other stakeholders. This provided an opportunity for fresh perspectives and encouraged those not typically involved in strategic discussions to contribute.
"I need people who are going to challenge our way of thinking," Veglia emphasized. "People who aren’t in the know are sometimes the best people to do that."
The event also highlighted the need to address unsustainable workloads and ensure everyone is aligned on shared priorities.
"We have to understand our priorities, and we have to get our customers to understand and identify their priorities so we can channel it and get everyone focused on the same thing," Veglia added.
Looking ahead, Kostrubala and his team plan to delve deeper into supply chain agility and demand signal improvements. He believes in empowering personnel at a retail level to better meet customer needs and build resilience in crises. He also aims to improve the integration between DLA and the services to ensure clear demand validation and prioritization.
According to the memo outlining the organization's goals, Kostrubala and Veglia wrote “We recognize that the foundation of a wartime-ready organization is a resilient workforce. This means cultivating our team to excel during crisis conditions, adapt to rapid mission changes and thrive under pressure. A robust personnel development program is essential to equip our team with the necessary skills and mindset.”
The Ogden Industrial Support Activity event marks a critical step in DLA Aviation at Ogden's journey toward becoming a more agile and responsive organization ready to support the warfighter in an increasingly complex and demanding global landscape.
| Date Taken: | 03.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2025 10:49 |
| Story ID: | 493441 |
| Location: | OGDEN, UTAH, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, DLA Aviation at Ogden charts course for wartime readiness, by Amy Perry, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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