DLA Distribution leaders outline plans for organizational health and transformation

Leaders of the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution used a town hall at headquarters on April 29 in New Cumberland to share results of the organization’s 2025 Defense Organizational Climate Survey and outline near-term steps to ease strain as the command modernizes its global logistics network.

Commanding General Army Brig. Gen. Kevin Cotman and acting Deputy Commander Joe Faris said this year’s DEOCS drew participation from 31% of the workforce, giving them a sharper picture of employee sentiment than in prior cycles. They described the briefing as part of a series of sessions across the enterprise’s 24 distribution centers and emphasized that, despite a heavy operational pace that included eight major transitions in seven months, employee engagement remains strong.

“To me, 87% engagement means you understand the vision,” Cotman said. “You are committed to the mission. When it comes to DLA Distribution, you know your purpose that is supporting the warfighter and making sure they have what they need, each and every day.”

Survey responses also flagged workplace stress at 37%, which leaders linked to friction from the rollout of a new Warehouse Management System while continuing day-to-day mission support. Cotman said pressure should abate as the organization moves from standing up the system to refining it, with the aim of establishing a new operating baseline in which technology amplifies performance rather than hinders it.

“We’re pushing toward Artificial Intelligence taking on some tasks. It’s like another coworker is helping you out,” Cotman said, adding that automation and digitization are central to reducing the burden of routine administrative work so employees can focus on complex, time-sensitive problem-solving in support of the joint force.

Cotman and Faris outlined four pillars guiding the path forward:
– Leadership that removes obstacles and increases direct engagement, including a return to regular town halls and daily stand-ups to reinforce priorities.
– Workplace culture anchored by expanded, in-person training to set clear standards for professional conduct and reduce friction.
– Workload, staffing and resources aligned through modernized training—combining on-the-job instruction with short learning modules tied to the WMS—and closer collaboration with leaders and teams to improve operations.
– Talent management that fine-tunes formal and informal reviews to promote fairness in recruiting, rewarding and retaining high performers.

“The most important thing we do in this command is get that box out the door with the right part in it at the right speed,” Faris said, calling the workforce the agency’s decisive advantage. “While the sign on the door says DLA Distribution, it should also say ‘wicked problem solver’ because of the hard work you all do to mitigate issues and fulfill our core mission.”

Cotman closed by encouraging employees to focus on incremental improvement and reaffirmed his accessibility to the workforce. “If there’s something on your mind, talk to me,” he said. “I will make time to have a conversation. I guarantee that.”