In final town hall, DLA Energy commander spotlights new leadership and agency accomplishments

Defense Logistics Agency Energy’s top leaders mapped out modernization priorities, audit goals, and strategic focus areas during an Aug. 20 town hall at the McNamara Headquarters Complex, as Navy Rear Adm. George Bresnihan prepares to relinquish command and retire on Sept. 3.

The session, themed around leadership changes, the fiscal 2027 strategy, audits, performance management, the Agency Transformation Center, and digital readiness, marked Bresnihan’s final town hall as commander. It also spotlighted a slate of command transitions across the enterprise, including Deputy Commander Emily Vogeler’s appointment and new leaders at regional organizations: Army Col. John Short (Americas), Air Force Maj. Cristopher Price (Japan), Army Lt. Col. Matthew Mosteiko (Korea), Army Lt. Col. Juan Martinez (Middle East), Air Force Lt. Col. Michael McFadden (Pacific South–Okinawa), and Cmdr. Justin Gay (Indo-Pacific South–West).

“People put in a requirement for fuel and the team just delivers. That’s just what we do,” Bresnihan said, praising the workforce’s performance over the past year. “The DLA Energy team always delivers.”

Leaders recapped recent milestones, including:
– Supplying more than 21,000 pounds of specialized propellants to power Artemis II’s main engines.
– Deploying the Petroleum Logistics Utilization Tool and Optimization (PLUTO) to help logisticians visualize and optimize the global fuel supply chain.
– Maintaining resilient energy flows during Operations Southern Spear in the Caribbean Sea and Absolute Resolve in Venezuela.
– Hosting a record DLA Energy Worldwide event with more than 2,300 military, civilian, and industry attendees focused on fueling the joint force amid contested global logistics.
– Launching the Request for Proposal Generator to speed acquisition from purchase request to publish-ready solicitation while keeping contracting professionals in control.

Vogeler underscored ongoing transformation and digital readiness efforts through the Agency Transformation Center, noting plans to expand tools tailored to different user communities. “You don’t need to wait to get involved,” said Vogeler. “You have this ability right now to help learn more, whether you’re a pro or just trying to understand what AI means. I just want to encourage the workforce to get out there and learn how to use AI as a tool.”

She also highlighted the agency’s audit push, targeting a clean opinion for the capital fund in fiscal 2027, and urged employees to start assembling accomplishments and narratives ahead of the Oct. 9 Defense Performance Management and Appraisal Program deadline.

Looking to the fiscal 2027 strategy, Bresnihan reiterated its three pillars—setting the agency, setting supply chains, and setting the globe—as the foundation for decisions aimed at sustaining warfighter readiness. “The two most critical things in this fight are fuel and ammunitions, bar none, and I thank you because the work you have done has been amazing,” said Bresnihan. “When the history books are written, they probably won’t talk about the fuel piece. But I can tell you that you can’t pull this off without the fuel.”