The Defense Logistic Agency: Navigating Your Way Through the Maze

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_B_Thompson]Jeremy B Thompson
Navigating your way through the maze that is the defence logistics agency is no easy task. But it can be done! First you need to understand that the defence logistics agency (or DLA for short) is the largest logistics combat support agency operated by the Department of Defense (otherwise known as the DoD).
What exactly does that mean? In layman's terms (kind of) the defence logistics agency obtains, manages, stores, and distributes almost every conceivable consumable item the military needs to operate. Which - if you're counting - totals more than 5 million different items of one type of another.
And if you think its easy navigating your way through this multi-layered retail outlet during peacetime, just imagine what it is like operating during times of conflict! Add to that a laundry list of civilian agencies and foreign countries and you certainly do have a maze of bureaucracy and red tape that is difficult to navigate through. Yet for all its perceived quagmires, the Defense Logistics Agency runs quite smoothly. No easy feat when your work staff totals more than 26,000 men and women.
The Defense Logistics Agency: Four Easy Pieces
In order for the Defense Logistics Agency to do what it does so efficiently, the organization is divided into 4 supply chains located at different locations across the US and split up into the supply categories of Aeronautics, Land/Sea, Medical and Energy, which is further broken down into consumable items such as food, fuel and energy, to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction equipment.
And by the way, as a global enterprise, it can be said that wherever the United States has a military presence, the defense logistic agency is likely there as well, making the world's largest retail outlet "chain".
As confusing as that sounds, the way the DLA operates makes perfect sense. Narrow your focus a little bit more and you can see that the defense logistic agency is servicing actual individuals. Specifically providing logistics support and technical services to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and a variety of other federal agencies.
DLA: Impressive Numbers for an Impressive Mission
Next time you start to gurgle with "oohhhhhh's" and "aaaahhhh's" because you're so impressed with your favorite retail outlet and how they do business, take a step back and look at how the DLA does business:
- The Agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America's military forces need to operate.
- In fiscal year 2010 the DLA provided over $28 billion dollars in sales and over $41 billion dollars worth of services. That places DLA in the top 10 percentile of the Fortune 500 best run businesses!
A maze to navigate through? Certainly. But in terms of sales volume, return business and amount of customers the defense logistics agency is an amazing operation.
The [http://www.wbresearch.com/defenselogisticsusa/home.aspx]Defense Logistic Agency is a complicated part of the US government. If your role involves negotiating contracts with the military, check out our website to learn more about this key function.
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Defense-Logistic-Agency:-Navigating-Your-Way-Through-the-Maze&id=6649993] The Defense Logistic Agency: Navigating Your Way Through the Maze