DLA Logistics Operations team exercises COOP capability during national event

RICHMOND, Va. -

A team from Defense Logistics Agency Logistics Operations tested their continuity of operations plan, or COOP, during a July 23-24 exercise dubbed "Eagle Horizon," in which part of the agency's Fort-Belvoir-based headquarters element relocated to Defense Supply Center Richmond.

About 20 personnel from the DLA Logistics Operations' Plans Executive Directorate moved their operations to the secure Aviation Logistics Operation Center in the DLA Aviation headquarters building at DSCR as part of the national-level Federal Emergency Management Agency annual exercise to test government continuity plans. Several DLA Aviation employees assisted the COOP team with the relocation drill, the first since 2017 involving DSCR.

While DSCR is not the primary COOP location for the headquarters element, the team regularly trains their ability to set up shop across the country, said Tyrone Jeter, Logistics Operations enterprise continuity manager. They conducted their last successful exercise in Battle Creek, Michigan, in October 2023.

A primary goal of the continuity program is to ensure multiple locations across the country can support other organizations in case of inclement weather issues, security reasons, or a once-in-a-century global pandemic, Jeter said. In 2020, agency operations would have been at a standstill if elements of the headquarters team had not relocated to Columbus, Ohio.

Army Lt. Col. Kwame Boateng, a mission assurance director for the Plans Executive Directorate and the Eagle Horizon exercise director, said Jeter reinvigorated the enterprise continuity management program, an effort made apparent during the exercise at DSCR.

"It took a lot of work, effort and coordination to get out here and see what's been done to ensure continuity of operations," he said. "It's been very worthwhile, as the Aviation team has been receptive and responsive and is making strides in the right direction. At Aviation, we see growth. The culture, sometimes more important than systems, is in the right place. The continuity and security teams have the right mindset when looking at the problems we're facing."

Navy Capt. Sean Nuila, a Plans Executive Directorate mission assurance director, echoed those sentiments.

"Basically, COOP is the ability to continue operations," he said. "Since arriving at ALOC, it's obvious that Mr. Jeter and his team have created a seamless transition. The COOP team stood up pretty quickly and successfully."

During the time spent at DSCR for the Eagle Horizon exercise, the Plans Executive Directorate team held a classified planning session for an upcoming exercise, Global Thunder, set for October.

"DLA has always participated by supporting these types of exercises, but now, contested logistics is more out front and in our faces," Jeter said. "We're trying to make sure we have things in place so that we can operate in that framework."

The concept of contested logistics is relatively new to the organization, spearheaded by DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly, and Nuila said keeping it in mind is essential to getting on a wartime footing.

"Contested logistics is our ability to lean forward, foresee things and stay ahead of requirements," he said. "We're a supporting command, so we must always consider the warfighter. If we don't participate in these exercises, we'll never know what we may need to do in each scenario to be accurate. I think the training and exercises that DLA participates in has value."

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