DLA Aviation modernizes operations with Warehouse Management System

RICHMOND, Va. -

The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation recently transitioned to the Warehouse Management System at its industrial support activities colocated with Navy fleet readiness centers in San Diego, Cherry Point and Jacksonville, marking a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to improve inventory management, operational efficiency and warfighter support.

Based on System Application and Products, or SAP, WMS is designed to replace the outdated Distribution Standard System, and it includes features essential to ensuring warfighters get their parts and supplies on time.

"WMS provides improved visibility and traceability of inventory location, movement and delivery to the customer," said Angela Johnson, order fulfillment division chief in DLA Aviation's Business Process Support Directorate.

Access to real-time data allows DLA to accurately track inventory quantities and locations, crucial for operational efficiency and financial accountability. Aligning WMS with the Enterprise Business System, another SAP-based product, has eased the shift to WMS.

"Users are familiar with the look and navigation shared between the systems, making the transition smoother and more intuitive," Johnson said, adding that the familiarity reduced the learning curve, allowing users to take advantage of the system's features more quickly.

San Diego is already hitting notable milestones with WMS, including improved order accuracy and warehouse space utilization. Reduced cycle times also enable the facility to meet rising demands with greater agility.

DLA Aviation ISA leaders gathered in Jacksonville July 16-17 to discuss best practices for WMS implementation at ALC sties. Emphasizing continuous feedback and shared experiences, the leaders explored options to improve the system and maximize its benefits across geographically separated locations.

While WMS is proving its worth with the ability to handle increased workloads with fewer errors, moving to the new system required extensive teamwork across logistics, IT and operational staff to tackle the challenges associated with major transitions.

Implementation at the Navy sites revealed issues with the system involving unauthorized breaches of protected stock, duplication of orders and delays in work-in-progress that impacted customer support. These early challenges highlighted the need for collaboration between Aviation headquarters and individual sites due to the complexity of WMS.

Johnson said, "Our biggest challenge was not knowing what issues we'd face during implementation. During future implementations, we'll have experienced users to train the new ones. We'll also have the cross-process support team available to address any issues after site implementation, and we'll be documenting what we did and what we learned to improve WMS training and use."

Those initial challenges led to innovative solutions and valuable lessons. Business Process Analysts, or BPAs, played a key role in identifying and fixing problems with the system, such as collaborating with technical teams to trace and correct a WMS mapping issue that erroneously duplicated transactions.

Challenges aside, Johnson contends that WMS offers significant improvements, including streamlined processes that reduce the time required to deliver requisitions and enhance overall operational performance.

One notable success was resolving delays caused by the initial design of consolidated picklists. Under the leadership of DLA Aviation Deputy Commander Charlie Lilli, the system was adjusted to revert to a "one Material Release Order to one requisition" practice, significantly reducing requisition backlogs and improving delivery times.

"The results were immediately felt as requisitions began to flow to the [Fleet Readiness Center Southeast] customer with minimal delay," said Dave Scalf, deputy director of DLA Aviation at Jacksonville.

As DLA Aviation prepares for the upcoming WMS transitions at Air Force sites, the lessons learned from the Navy site implementations are invaluable. Johnson highlighted the importance of "frequent, transparent multi-directional communication" and involving all stakeholders early in the process.

The next steps for WMS at DLA Aviation include finalizing the development of local delivery processes, conducting interoperability testing between Air Force and DLA systems, and performing user acceptance testing.

A rehearsal of concept drill is scheduled for this month at Warner Robins to validate the processes required for successful WMS implementation at the ALCs.

Johnson also envisions continuous updates and enhancements to WMS, further improving warehouse management and operational efficiency.

"I believe WMS, in conjunction with EBS modernization, will allow nearly instantaneous order and inventory updates, with auditability factors built in to prevent non-compliance," she said.

As DLA Aviation continues to evolve, WMS will play a crucial role in ensuring the organization meets its mission with precision and effectiveness.

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