Saying that the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) supports U.S. troops is an understatement. As the nation’s combat logistics agency, DLA manages the global supply chain from raw materials to end user to disposition for the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, 10 combatant commands, and other federal agencies. Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, VA, DLA is a worldwide operation. Wherever we have a military presence, the DLA is there to assist.
With 2,695,457 military and civilian personnel working across the US, the DLA supplies 86% of the military’s spare parts, and nearly 100% of fuel. They also supply almost every consumable item the US military needs such as food, clothing, protective gear, medical supplies, and construction materials.
The DLA’s origins go as far back as World War II, when our military needed large amounts of weapons and supplies quickly. It went through a few names along with continued change and expanded missions, but on January 1, 1977, officials named the agency we know today.
The primary locations for DLA are:
- DLA Headquarters (Fort Belvoir, VA)
- DLA Aviation (Richmond, VA)
- DLA Disposition Services (Battle Creek, MI)
- DLA Distribution (New Cumberland, PA)
- DLA Energy (Fort Belvoir, VA)
- DLA Land and Maritime (Columbus, OH)
- DLA Troop Support (Philadelphia, PA)
Employee benefits
DLA offers the usual suspects like an Employee Assistance Program, Thrift Savings Plan (the 401(k) equivalent for Federal employees), training and professional development opportunities, healthcare insurance, dental, vision, leave and life insurance.
One perk that sets DLA apart is their alternative work schedules. These are non-traditional schedules available to employees as opposed to the normal Monday through Friday, 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week. There are two types: flexible and compressed work schedules. Flexible work schedules are like flex time in the private sector. They refer to scheduling arrangements where employees may choose their time of arrival and departure from the office, within limits of course. Compressed work schedules can take many forms but require employees to work 80 hours or less in a 10-day period. The times of arrival at and departure from the office are fixed here, but you can knock out your work week quickly, providing a decent work life balance.
The DLA is also offering remote work for certain positions, and even did so before the COVID-19 pandemic.
How to Apply
Carefully review their vacancy announcements to determine if you are qualified, including the clearance required, the location, and the “Who May be Considered” information.
They use various structured programs to fill positions at their job sites, in addition to traditional job listings. The DLA Pathways to Career Excellence (PaCE) Program is a 2-year training curriculum designed to teach entry-level personnel for advancement to the journey-level in professional, administrative, and technology career fields.
Their Pathways Internship Program provides federal employment opportunities to students who are enrolled in an accredited high school, technical, vocational, 2- or 4-year college or university, graduate or professional school. Lastly, DLA is always looking to mentor transitioning military to prepare them for their career in the civilian world.
Their job listings include skillsets in recreation, IT, contracts, distribution, administration, marketing, emergency management and law, to name a few. They have openings around the globe.
Forget about the stigma in working for the federal government: the gray desks, the lack of innovation, or the red tape. While every organization can run into bureaucratic issues, DLA’s philosophy is the belief that happiness lies in the perfect balance between work and home. It’s their ethos and way of life.
