Courtesy Photo | Air Force Master Sgt. Matthew Nichols sits at his desk during his Department of...... read more read more
Air Force Master Sgt. Matthew Nichols participated in the Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge Program with the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Quality Technical Directorate (QTD) from May to September 2025. Nichols was one of two first-time participants selected for the five-month fellowship at DLA Energy.
Prior to Nichols’ DLA Energy QTD tenure, he served as superintendent Fuels Technical Training Schoolhouse, 364th Training Squadron “Golden Knights,” specializing in the 2F0X1 fuels career field at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
The DoD SkillBridge Program is an opportunity for service members to gain valuable civilian work experience through specific industry training, apprenticeships or internships during their last 180 days of service. The program connects transitioning service members with industry partners for real-world job experiences.
DLA Energy Quality Technical Directorate, Policy Coordinator, Jason Karras believes that “highlighting the SkillBridge program would promote additional interest and could entice other DLA organizations to take advantage of the program. The program helps find and retain a talented workforce by providing up to six months of on-the-job training in which we can interview potential hires.”
DLA Energy Quality Technical Directorate, Quality Policy and Training Division Chief, Mark Mizrahi said, “the DoD SkillBridge program is more than a transition tool – it’s a strategic human capital pipeline. For highly specialized roles like quality assurance specialist, where petroleum quality and technical expertise are essential and hard to source, the SkillBridge program gives us a way to identify, train, and recruit transitioning military professionals who already bring a strong foundation to the workplace. It allows us to evaluate real-world performance and align talent with mission-critical needs, helping to close persistent workforce gaps.”
Mizrahi noted that “DLA Energy Quality Technical Directorate was the first to pursue and implement the SkillBridge program in Energy. Additionally, Nichols was the inaugural participant, paving the way for other quality regions to adopt the program.”
Nichols learned about the SkillBridge program through the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and a retired military friend at DLA Energy. “After my Oct. 2025 retirement from the military, I still wanted to serve my country by aiding warfighters around the world, which made the SkillBridge program a good fit for my goals. I gained a thorough understanding of the role members of QTD play in supporting the Department of War and how involved the directorate is with other DLA entities. The QTD truly is a well-rounded team that knows quite of bit about other DLA entities’ functions,” Nichols said.
As it relates to how the program prepared him for the civilian sector once completed, Nichols said, “given the numerous retirees that are employed with DLA Energy, it was nice to hear their retirement experiences and the dos and don’ts leading into and after retirement. It helps to ease the stress of a major life event and builds a strong support system that I can use anytime.”
Nichols added, “the SkillBridge program typically yields employment in the commercial industry once an individual retires from the military. However, this process is different in the federal government. I hope to leverage my experiences to enhance my resume and display my work ethic to make me marketable for future DLA Energy job announcements.” Nichols also emphasized how working with DLA Energy’s QTD as a SkillBridge program fellow aligns with supporting warfighters’ global mission.
Additionally, Nichols said “I’ve really enjoyed being a part of a team with a global impact and sharing my experiences to help improve it. I also really enjoyed the field opportunities to see what quality assurance representatives do daily. It helped closed the loop on what I didn’t know when reviewing policies.”
DLA Energy Quality Technical Directorate management spoke highly of Nichols. Mizrahi said “Nichols approached his SkillBridge rotation with a clear sense of purpose and professionalism. He quickly adapted to the operational tempo at the headquarters level, contributing to policy development, refining training materials, and supporting bulk purchase program initiatives. His ability to absorb complex information and apply it effectively made him a valuable asset to our team and a strong candidate for continued service as a DoD civilian.”
“From the initial interview, I could tell Nichols was a true professional,” said Karras. “Upon starting with us, it was evident that we selected a highly motivated and extremely talented individual.”
Adding, "Through his training, we received nothing but the utmost compliments praising his professionalism. These compliments not only came from within our directorate and DLA Energy regions but from every entity he supported. His work ethic and skill set are so superior that other sections within DLA Energy wanted to hire him upon his military retirement. He set the standard remarkably high for future SkillBridge participants, and we hope he continues his post-military journey with us in the DLA Energy Quality Technical Directorate.”
| Date Taken: | 11.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.24.2025 12:25 |
| Story ID: | 552232 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, SkillBridge Program: Service member gains experience with DLA Energy Quality Technical Directorate, by Kathryn Pegram, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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