DLA Distribution leaders chart path for modernization, readiness and audit at summit

NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. — Senior leaders from Defense Logistics Agency Distribution’s 24 global centers convened at headquarters Sept. 14–18 for the 2026 Leadership Summit, a weeklong gathering centered on modernizing the storage and distribution enterprise that supports the joint force.

Operating under the theme “LEADERSHIP: Resilient, Ready,” the summit aligned command priorities, reviewed progress on technology upgrades, reinforced audit-readiness standards, and examined operations across the worldwide network. Brig. Gen. Kevin Cotman, the DLA Distribution commanding general, urged commanders to confront operational challenges and sustain momentum. “This week, we rally under the theme: LEADERSHIP: Resilient, Ready. This isn’t just a slogan, it’s a direct call to action for each of you in this room,” Cotman said. “You are the leaders who will guide our enterprise through its next inflection point.”

Cotman acknowledged the strain associated with ongoing enterprise initiatives, particularly the rollout of the Warehouse Management System, while underscoring the need for strong command climates at every site. “I know the last few years, especially the WMS transition, have tested our resilience. Your leadership has been crucial in navigating this fatigue,” he said. “The Nation and the joint force depend on our global distribution network to be ready and responsive every single day.”

Deputy Commander Joseph Faris traced the command’s three-decade evolution, including consolidation of service logistics branches, culture and workforce integration, and the shift from legacy systems to the Distribution Standard System and now WMS. “This organization, since it was born in the early ’90s, has been in a constant state of change,” Faris said, noting that even as warehouse space decreased from 100 million gross square feet to 38 million while overseas operations expanded, the workforce continued to meet warfighter demand. “We can learn from our history here,” he said, adding that the people at every level made continuity possible. “The takeaway is constant change, and the reason why the warfighter has remained supported amongst all this is the people that were before you in the room: the distribution center commanders, the deputies, the workforce, and the staff,” he said. “That’s what kept all this going as we were transforming and the legacy you are now a part of.”

Leaders detailed a proposed command-and-control realignment targeted for fiscal 2027 designed to streamline communication, reduce bottlenecks, and provide distribution centers more direct access to headquarters support. The plan clarifies reporting lines, better synchronizes regional theater support, and grants local commanders greater decision-making authority in contested environments. The structure would establish four mission-aligned directorates:
– OCONUS Readiness Center Europe & Africa / Central Command
– OCONUS Readiness Center Pacific / Northern & Southern Command
– Army/Navy Industrial
– Air Logistics Complex / Fleet Readiness Center
Each directorate would be led by a director and supported by analysts focused on site advocacy and issue resolution.

Audit readiness and material accountability emerged as a central focus heading into fiscal 2027. Sessions covered inventory accuracy thresholds, key supporting documentation requirements, and the linkage between clean, auditable records and materiel readiness. A cross-agency audit panel tackled practical warehouse issues, from reconciling physical counts with system records and standardizing audit trails for multimodal shipments to enforcing internal controls at remote locations and maintaining accountability during system transitions without disrupting customers.

Army Lt. Gen. Gavin Lawrence, deputy commanding general and acting commanding general of U.S. Army Materiel Command, delivered a keynote emphasizing joint-force interdependence and shifts across the operating environment. The agenda also featured updates from DLA Information Operations on WMS developments, a panel on artificial intelligence use cases across the agency, a tabletop exercise simulating degraded-network conditions, and a tour of the Eastern Distribution Center’s modernization projects.

Cotman closed the summit by praising the value of frank exchanges among leaders and urging commanders to carry priorities on modernization, audit compliance, and operational synchronization back to their sites. “What I really appreciated was the dialogue that happened in this room, and I think probably more importantly, what happened outside the room,” he said. “It makes those conversations that much easier now because you actually met that person face to face. What makes this organization so special is the way we can talk, we can bring problems to the table, and we can have fruitful discussions. We have to maintain that type of dialogue.”

He pledged continued headquarters support to the distribution centers. “You are the ones that are right there where the rubber meets the road, and you’re making it happen,” Cotman said. “When there are barriers in your way, we in this headquarters need to not be a barrier for you. Keep bringing those to us… we will take it to the agency to get you what you need.” He added, “Leaving today, we’re closer and we are a better team right now because of what we did during this week,” concluding, “Thank you.”