Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Norfolk recently updated supply ordering procedures for its Navy Food Management Team (NFMT), marking the first success of "The Forge," a new initiative designed to solicit and implement employee ideas. Capt. Kelly House, FLC Norfolk commanding officer, described The Forge as an external "Shark Tank." "It's a platform that gives our people — the ones doing the work every day — a direct line to leadership to pitch and execute ideas that make us faster, smarter and more efficient," House said. The first Forge project implemented came from Dyamante Williams, a purchase card holder in the Business Support Department. Williams is responsible for purchasing the food used by the NFMT to provide hands-on training for fleet culinary specialists throughout the year. She explained that the process was manual and time-consuming, with card holders required to go to the commissary in person and do the shopping for each order, a process that could take hours. Her idea was simple: replace the in-person shopping by using the Defense Commissary Agency’s digital platform. “I got the idea during a commissary run. While checking out, the cashier handed me a small flyer that mentioned online ordering was now available,” Williams explained. “It led me to consider how we could leverage that existing option to streamline the purchasing process and reduce the need for time-consuming, in-person trips.” Williams said the new method has been a success since its inception in March. “It reduces time away from primary duties, improves efficiency and increases capacity --all without requiring additional resources or policy changes,” she said. Chief Warrant Officer Aleithia Castro, NFMT director, agreed. “The shift to an online commissary ordering process has significantly improved efficiency, saving approximately one to two hours per shopping trip for NFMT seminars,” said Castro. “By eliminating the need for in-store selection and reducing coordination with the credit card holder for a shopping trip, the team now only needs to pick up pre-filled orders, streamlining operations and freeing up time for other mission priorities.” House says he looks forward to future innovative ideas from the workforce. The goal is to implement commercial efficiencies and processes into the command’s operations supporting the fleet. “’The Forge’ isn't a 'feel-good' initiative; it drives hard metrics that deliver tangible results across the command,” he added. “These are employee-generated wins that are direct investments to improve operations for the workforce." NAVSUP FLC Norfolk is the largest of eight globally positioned fleet logistics centers that provide the full range of solutions for logistics, business and support services to our mission partners. The more than 1300 Sailors, civilians and contractors that make up NAVSUP FLC Norfolk support operations at more than 30 sites across three regions and 12 states, plus Washington D.C.