DLA Distribution Anniston welcomes new commander

By DLA Distribution Public AffairsJune 19, 2014

DLA Distribution Anniston welcomes new commander
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DLA Distribution Anniston welcomes new commander
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ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- Army Lt. Col. Hattie LaFay Richardson assumed command of Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Anniston, Ala., in a ceremony June 4. The ceremony was officiated by DLA Distribution commander Brig. Gen. Richard Dix.

Richardson received her Reserve Officers Training Corps commission as a second lieutenant in June 1996. She holds an associate's degree in Applied Science from Georgia Military College, Milledgeville, Ga.; a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Augusta State University, Augusta, Ga.; and a master's degree in Management from Webster University, Saint Louis, Mo.

Her military schooling includes the Transportation Officer Basic Course, Fort Eustis, Va.; Combined Logistics Captains Career Course, Fort Lee, Va.; and Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Va.

Richardson served as platoon leader and company executive officer, 21st Transportation Company, 34th Area Support Group, Camp Yongsan, Korea; and as executive officer, Delta Company, 3/13th Infantry Regiment, 1st Basic Combat Training Brigade, Fort Jackson, S.C. She commanded headquarters and headquarters company, Task Force Victory Brigade at Fort Jackson.

Following the Captains Career Course, she participated in training with industry at LandStar in Springfield, Va.; and later served as executive officer to the director of Force Protection and Distribution, and director of Strategy and Integration, Assistant Chief of Staff, G-4, Headquarters, Department of the Army, the Pentagon.

Richardson also served as logistics management officer and deputy branch chief, Equipment Readiness Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-4, Forces Command, Fort McPherson, Ga.; and chief, Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support - Pacific, Korea Area Office, Camp Humphreys, Korea. Her most recent assignment was secretary of the general staff, Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Dallas, Texas.

Richardson deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2007, serving in Kuwait as integration operations branch chief, mobility division, operational sustainment, G-4/C-4, Army Central/Coalition Forces Land Component Command.

Her awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and Army Achievement Medal. Her badges include the Parachutist Badge, and Army Staff Identification Badge.

During the ceremony, Dix welcomed the new leader, saying, "With over twenty years of experience, there's no better person to take the reins of DLA Distribution Anniston than Lieutenant Colonel Hattie Richardson."

ROUSE RECOGNIZED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS

Army Lt. Col. Robert Rouse has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service medal for achievements while serving as commander, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Anniston, Ala.

Since coming to DLA Distribution in June 2012, Rouse has aggressively supported DLA Distribution command's five strategic goals of standardization, personnel, customer solutions, optimization, and operations.

To prepare the distribution center for audit readiness, directly supporting the goal of standardization, Rouse worked ahead of the curve in the site's Weapons Division, where the team spent approximately four months creating process maps for each mission procedure. They then used the maps to create a large visual wall, enabling employees to internalize important procedures.

Focusing on safety, Rouse was committed to ensuring the working environment remained as safe as possible. He helped the Anniston team get to Phase III of achieving the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Voluntary Protection Program Star site status, awarded to those employers and employees who demonstrate exemplary achievement in safety.

In the area of customer solutions, Rouse met the challenge of incorporating a Retail Division into Anniston - bringing the customer right to the front door. This initiative enables customers to directly pick up orders, allowing Anniston Army Depot artisans to stay in the shop, saving time and money.

In the Weapons Division, Rouse has helped the distribution center implement a new heat-seal process to meet Army's new packaging requirement. The process is efficient in reducing the number of personnel required to pack the M2A1 from eight to four.

Another area DLA Distribution is concentrating on is optimization. In the Vehicles and Artillery Division, Rouse helped to implement a program called Vehicle Tracking, or VTRAC, which inputs serialized information into the system. VTRAC has a database field that links back to DLA Distribution's main warehousing system, as the system does not hold serial numbers. As a result of this initiative, DLA Distribution Anniston can now track a vehicle easily through receipt, maintenance, and storage in one location, and can quickly find vehicles in the large storage fields.

In the area of operations, Rouse worked to usher new business to the distribution center after "cleaning out the attic" from optimization efforts.

Anniston recently added the Stryker secondary material business in the Retail operation, and has close to 400 more vehicles coming to the wholesale side over the next 16 months. The team also recently added the M160s Robotic Vehicles and Fox Recon Vehicles, and retooled to accommodate the M2A1 .50 caliber machine gun. This fall, the Anniston team will welcome a new Apache helicopter helmet system.

"I commend Rob for his leadership and his efforts. He has truly positioned this distribution center for the future," said Army Brig. Gen. Richard Dix, commander, DLA Distribution.

Rouse relinquished command of DLA Distribution Anniston to Lt. Col. Hattie LaFay Richardson in a ceremony June 4.