PHILADELPHIA –A global Continuous Process Improvement project undertaken by Defense Logistics Agency Information Technology & DLA Distribution has proven that a dedicated model for building a resilient workforce can transcend any boundary, thanks to a first-of-its-kind mentorship collaboration with experts from DLA Troop Support.
"You can't let logistics become an excuse. We knew that for this to work, our coaching had to be a reliable, steady presence, not an afterthought," said Deputy Coach Alec Fixl from the CPI Office at DLA Troop Support. "It meant being adaptable and recognizing that the traditional 9-to-5 workday didn't apply. We organized by building a schedule based on the needs of the project, not the convenience of our calendars."
The project was born from a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training class in Kaiserslautern, Germany, provided by the DLA Troop Support CPI office. It focused on identifying and capturing efficiency gains within a recurring weekly task and comparing the practices with approaches used across DLA. The result is a framework to deliver a scalable, disciplined, data-driven approach to improve how work gets done by reducing unnecessary variations and eliminating steps that accumulated over time. By combining Lean thinking to reduce waste with Six Sigma methodology to reduce variation, the framework empowers personnel to make smarter decisions based on data rather than assumptions.
"The expert coaching I received from the team in Philadelphia was critical for turning theory into a lethal capability. It gave me the confidence to tackle ingrained inefficiencies," explained John Race, a DLA IT supervisor supporting DLA Europe & Africa who led the project. "They provided the digital framework and the sounding board I needed to validate my findings and develop a solution that was not only effective locally but robust enough to enhance readiness across the entire enterprise."
The core challenge was a six-hour time difference that threatened to disrupt the continuous flow of information. Overcoming this required the kind of agility and resilience DLA Troop Support is building into its supply chains. The team frequently adjusted their schedules, holding coaching sessions and crucial review meetings late into their day to create a secure, connected network for guidance and mentorship. This commitment ensured the project’s rhythm never faltered, proving that a distributed workforce can achieve operational dominance when properly supported.
"When we took on this project, we saw it as an opportunity to prove that DLA Troop Support's commitment to the Warfighter is a global effort, not confined to our own walls," said Max Ayala, the DLA Troop Support Continuous Process Improvement chief, and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. "This was about investing in our people agency wide. Our CPI team in Philadelphia provided the expert guidance that is essential for shaping the global workforce to meet future challenges."
This long-distance partnership was formalized through a series of tollgate reviews, a cornerstone of the Lean Six Sigma methodology where progress is strictly evaluated to ensure precision and accountability. These reviews were conducted with Race’s champion, U.S. Navy Cmdr. Renae Renken, DLA Distribution Center Sigonella’s commander, and his sponsors Jimmy Siminario Martinez and Christopher Witter. The DLA Troop Support coaches facilitated these critical checkpoints, providing the data-driven oversight needed for success across commands and ensuring the project remained aligned with the agency's number one priority: Warfighter readiness.
"My role as Champion was to ensure top-level support, but it was the DLA Troop Support team that provided the foundational expertise and coaching structure to strengthen our leadership bench," stated Renken. "They demonstrated that with a solid process and dedicated mentorship, we can empower our people to create the meaningful, data-led change that is a battlefield imperative."
The outcome of this intensive, cross-continental coaching effort is a streamlined workflow that serves as a powerful model for how DLA, as an entire organization, is becoming faster, smarter and more predictive. This partnership between DLA Distribution and DLA Troop Support underscores a deep commitment to shared success across the agency's headquarters, major subordinate commands and regional commands. By freeing up local personnel to focus on higher-priority mission requirements and creating a repeatable and scalable process that other DLA activities can now adopt, the expert mentorship provided by the DLA Troop Support team fosters effective solutions that strengthen the whole enterprise. This effective partnership reinforces a culture of shared success, proving that when one part of the DLA enterprise succeeds, the entire agency, and the Warfighter, reap the benefits.
| Date Taken: |
03.27.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
04.30.2026 09:32 |
| Story ID: |
563967 |
| Location: |
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, US |
| Web Views: |
14 |
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This work, Coaching across continents: how DLA Troop Support mentorship conquered a six-hour time difference, by Kendall Swank, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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