DLA Energy installs turnkey oxygen supply system at Moody Air Force Base

The Defense Logistics Agency Energy has fielded a new turnkey system for transporting aviator’s oxygen to the 23rd Logistics Readiness Squadron at Moody Air Force Base, creating a dedicated supply chain designed to prevent the kinds of disruptions seen during the coronavirus pandemic. The system is now fully operational, agency officials said.

The initiative traces back to pandemic-era pressures, when surging hospital demand for oxygen pulled delivery trucks toward medical facilities and stretched lead times for specialized ISO tank containers to as long as 24 months. During that period, DLA Energy leased an ISO container to support operations in Hawaii, a workaround that required agency personnel — including Mike Blankenship of the Business Operations Branch — to deploy with the equipment to oversee connections and fills.

Seeking to avoid deploying staff for future missions, DLA Energy pursued a vendor capable of end-to-end cryogenic transport. After traditional industrial gas firms declined the contract model, the agency’s supplier engagement team partnered with Katmai and Maytag, a small-business team with cryogenic capabilities for aviator breathing oxygen and liquid nitrogen.

Aerospace Energy Director Doug Smith organized the effort, with Aerospace Customer Operations Director Shonda Rizo coordinating with customers and Cryogenics East Branch Chief Charles “CJ” Hunter working with the Air Force Petroleum Office to choose Moody Air Force Base for the first delivery. Blankenship supplied operational requirements based on the Hawaii deployment. Quality Manager Nelly McLeod oversaw quality control and product sampling, Supply Planner Bryant Daniels drafted the purchase request for the new requirement type, and Contracting Officer Jessica Negron awarded the contract.

“We couldn’t accept ‘no’ from the market when flight operations were on the line,” Smith said. “This turnkey solution isn’t just about moving oxygen; it’s about building a resilient, adaptable supply chain. If a customer loses their permanent storage capability, we can now drop this system in place and keep the warfighter flying without missing a beat.”

Under the new model, the vendor procured an ISO container, filled it at an approved DLA Energy site, and delivered it to Moody. A former Air Force cryogenics expert trained the 23rd Logistics Readiness Squadron on filling, transferring, and sampling procedures. Following delivery, Archie Hawkins III of the Cryogenics East Branch handled product ordering, billing, and post-delivery reviews for the squadron.