Enterprise Rotation Program offers unique opportunity to join DLA director’s team

FORT BELVOIR, Va. -

Every year, the Enterprise Rotation Program announces temporary assignments across the Defense Logistics Agency that are open to eligible employees. DLA has 40 rotational assignments (Common Access Card required) available across the agency that are expected to start in January.

Rotational assignments provide hands-on learning and develop participants' functional and leadership skills while giving them a broader understanding of the DLA mission. One of these assignments gives candidates the chance to serve as a strategic analyst in the DLA Director's Strategic Initiatives Group. David Harris is in the SIG's current 12-month rotation.

"Rotational personnel have the unique opportunity to work on high visibility projects," he said. Harris is planning the former DLA directors' roundtable, being hosted July 18 by Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly. He also assisted in preparations for Simerly's first Town Hall as the director.

"This rotation represents a unique opportunity to see how senior leaders formulate decisions that shape DLA," said Marty Binder, SIG director.

Binder said his team's role is to ensure DLA's senior leaders are prepared to engage with Defense Department leaders, federal agency directors, members of Congress, foreign dignitaries and business executives.

The SIG includes a director, a military deputy, an operations officer, a strategic analyst and a communications specialist. The team is supported by a graduate from the Eisenhower School and one or two rotational candidates.

"The SIG benefits from participating in the rotation program because we get to bring in employees from across DLA who have various levels of institutional knowledge and functional expertise," Binder added.

He said that a rotation in the director's office also gives candidates a chance to gain a wider perspective of the mission of DLA's major subordinate commands and learn new skills by interacting with senior leaders. These experiences have helped previous SIG rotational participants stand out among competitors when applying for DLA positions at higher grades, and roughly 3 out of 4 participants usually experience a promotion.

"I was able to lend my voice and perspective in various discussions and decisions that impacted the workforce," said Imani Moseley, who now works as a strategic integrator for DLA's Acquisition Support Group.

Before her rotational assignment in 2017, Moseley worked as a contracting officer for the Construction and Equipment Directorate at DLA Troop Support, where her understanding of the breadth of DLA's footprint was limited to purchasing activities within the MSC. Now, she says she is more well versed in DLA's overall mission and business.

"I was given a rare opportunity to be positioned in rooms, meetings and conversations that I would not otherwise be privy to as a contracting specialist in the field," Moseley added.

Rachel Dunlap recounted lessons learned after her rotation in the SIG ended in 2022.

"I gained a better understanding of the complexities involved with working within DLA, and with the services and the Office of the Secretary of Defense," she said.

Dunlap added that she most enjoyed the team aspect of working in the SIG, supporting and coordinating service days, meetings with the deputy secretary of defense, off-site events held by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, and distinguished visitor engagements.

"Those were truly collaborative efforts that made it a joy to go to work every day," she said.

Today, Dunlap is the director of DLA Energy's Commander's Action Group, where she applies her newfound understanding of agency processes and leverages the connections she made during her rotation to DLA Energy's benefit.

Tony Thomas is the second of two rotation participants in the SIG. He has found the timing of his placement to be a distinct advantage.

"What made my rotation unique was the opportunity for me to work on transition books containing essential DLA information for the incoming DLA director," he said.

Thomas found aspects of the rotation challenging, but said opportunities for collaboration with various DLA offices on a range of operational topics and the overall experience were rewarding for him personally and professionally.

Reflecting on his time and contributions to the SIG team so far, Thomas recognized several benefits.

"As a SIG member, you gain unparalleled access to DLA's senior leaders, witnessing their decision-making processes and strategic responses," he said. "It allows you to build relationships across the agency that would otherwise be inaccessible. It's a remarkable opportunity."

Visit the Enterprise Rotation Program page (CAC required) to learn how to apply for this opportunity and other rotational assignments in 2025.

Rob Campbell, a strategic analyst in the Director's Strategic Initiatives Group, contributed to this story.

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