DLA Distribution commander makes annual San Diego visit to boost operational synergy

Senior leaders from Defense Logistics Agency Distribution traveled to San Diego to evaluate operations at the local distribution center, meet with personnel, and discuss long-term infrastructure needs aimed at sustaining the mission.

Army Brig. Gen. Kevin Cotman, commanding general of DLA Distribution, and Joe Faris, the organization’s acting deputy commander, met with DLA Distribution San Diego Commander Navy Capt. Phoebe Tamayo, Deputy Greg Levardo, and members of the workforce. The visit included detailed tours of the site’s two principal hubs at Naval Base San Diego and Naval Air Station North Island.

“Beyond infrastructure and internal operations, the visit underscored the team’s critical role in sustaining warfighter readiness across the region,” said Tamayo. “Brigadier General Cotman was able to observe firsthand how our distribution center delivers vital, uninterrupted logistics support to a diverse and high-tempo network of local customers.”

The San Diego team supports a wide range of Navy and Marine Corps organizations, including Fleet Readiness Center Southwest, Commander Naval Surface Force Pacific, Commander Naval Air Forces Pacific, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons at Camp Pendleton and Miramar.

During walk-throughs on the warehouse floor, Cotman sought input from employees on the transition to a new Warehouse Management System. According to DLA officials, those conversations are informing tailored support from headquarters intended to sharpen the site’s capabilities and align local performance with the agency’s broader strategic objectives.