Photo By Stephanie Abdullah | Participants from 21 countries converged in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, from...... read more read more
Participants from 21 countries converged in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, 2025, for the 20th Annual DLA Energy Europe & Africa (DLA Energy E&A) Fuels Exchange Agreements Forum. The forum serves as a crucial platform for U.S. military services, foreign partners, and DLA Energy International Agreements and Finance teams to address challenges in fuel exchange, including operational hurdles, infrastructure limitations, and modernization needs.
The event highlighted the importance of acquisition cross service agreement (ACSA) orders as vital tools for streamlining logistical sustainment and resource sharing, ultimately improving the effectiveness of multinational forces in joint operations. The event provided first-time attendees from Switzerland and Canada, along with those from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), comprehensive information about the U.S. fuel exchange agreements program. These agreements are instrumental in building interoperability between partner nations and coalition forces worldwide, enabling efficient fuel cost management and streamlined supply chains. Organizers say that this year’s forum saw the highest number of participants in its 20-year history, with nearly 120 attendees, gathering representatives from European, African ministries of defense and U.S. combatant commands.
“The forum focuses on improving the ability of partner nations to work together effectively while strengthening relationships and cooperation within the fuel community,” said Gerald R. Candelaria, DLA Energy Europe & Africa chief of international agreements. He added that the forum’s success demonstrates that support through the use of ACSA orders is a critical mechanism for logistical support and resource sharing between allied nations and partners. Candelaria continued, “During the forum we actively worked to establish new ACSA orders with Cyprus, Morocco, and Switzerland. The record attendance suggests increasing interest and recognition of the importance of international cooperation in defense and security. Emphasizing interoperability indicates a desire to streamline joint operations and improve the effectiveness of multinational forces. This is crucial in modern conflicts and peacekeeping operations,” he said.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Phillip Hoffman, DLA Energy E&A commander, emphasized the critical role of partnerships in overcoming logistical challenges: "The challenges we face in synchronizing strategic logistics in a multinational fight, across a contested supply chain, are vast but the foundation of all solutions are the partnerships we forge and the trust we build. Trust is built through shared experiences, interpersonal contact, and demonstrated partnerships. That is exactly what we do at the FEA forum.”
Attendees such as Panagiotis Theotis, security cooperation program coordinator at the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the U.S. Embassy Cyprus, highlighted the value of partnerships with DLA Energy E&A, specifically mentioning Cyprus Ministry of Defense’s efforts to establish an agreement in support of the U.S. warfighter. Others, such as Command Sgt. Maj. Amund Klem Rønning of the Norway Defense Logistics Organization, lauded the forum as a dedicated space to enhance partnerships and discuss global fuel capabilities. The Slovakian Ministry of Defense recognized the DLA Energy E&A International Agreements team with coins of 'Excellence' for their support and coordination.
“The overarching purpose is to support military operations through improved logistics and resource sharing,” said Gabriela Earhardt, DLA Energy acquisition executive. "The forum has shown that it is an unmissable prospect for cooperation with our partners and allies’ partners to explore new opportunities, to look into how to improve the support we provide to each other. Ultimately, it takes us together and it is the collaboration that will get us into the future and for us to be able to succeed in a contested logistic environment."
During the forum, the DLA Energy Finance and Accounting team, in collaboration with DLA Energy E&A International Agreements, achieved an estimated $145.5 million reconciliation through direct billing accounts receivable — the highest amount ever achieved at the annual event- contributing significantly to the DLA Energy Working Capital Fund.
The next fuel exchange agreement forum is planned for Sept. 21-24, 2026, in Seville, Spain.
Nathalie Marthe Iyabi contributed to the article.
| Date Taken: | 11.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.25.2025 16:16 |
| Story ID: | 552408 |
| Location: | DE |
| Web Views: | 15 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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