Letterkenny directors enhance leadership skills

By TSgt Julie Lozinski, Letterkenny Public AffairsJune 27, 2012

Letterkenny directors graduate from Depot and Arsenal Executive Leadership Program
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Chambersburg, Pa. -- Two Letterkenny Army Depot (LEAD) Directors have successfully completed a rigorous six-month executive development program intended to improve Depot leadership and further the Letterkenny mission.

Terry Kelley, Director of Product Assurance, and Dave Putman, Director of the Theater Readiness Monitoring Facility, graduated on May 17 from the Depot and Arsenal Executive Leadership Program in Chapel Hill, N.C.

The program consisted of three weeks at the Department of Defense Center of Excellence in Logistics and Technology at the University of North Carolina. The curriculum included Strategic Business and Financial Management, Leading Change in Large Organizations, and Implementing Technological Transformation.

The participants spent one week in Jacksonville, Fl. And another in Atlanta, Ga. for visits to various depots, arsenals and private industry. The directors were specifically interested in operations, manufacturing and performance improvement.

Kelley spent two separate weeks at Raytheon Company in Andover, Mass. Raytheon was chosen for Kelley's residency program because of its similar mission.

"The most important part of DAELP for me was the two-week residency because it further enhanced the relationship between Raytheon and Letterkenny," stated Kelley. "Important connections were made that will help improve both organizations, and ultimately bring more value to the Warfighter."

Putman performed his residency at Lockheed Martin in Dallas, Texas, and at ITT Exelis in Fort Wayne, Ind.

At Lockheed Martin, Putman studied their award winning Process Based Logistics on the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) system. Putman was at ITT Exelis because it is one of the primary suppliers for C4ISR, or Radio and Networking within the battlefield.

"Both the locations were selected for me, but they were chosen because Lockheed and ITT Exelis are major DoD contractors with long histories with the Army," said Putman.

Putman said that one of the biggest light bulb moments for him was learning the true value of Lean Six-Sigma practices and how they are vital to staying in business.

Kelley and Putman graduated with the ninth DAELP class and were two of the 15-25 government participants that are selected annually for DAELP.

DAELP is designed for DoD military and civilian personnel in partnership with private sector. It is a part-time program lasting six months specifically structured to enable key staff of depot, arsenal, ammunition and combat support agencies to better manage their facilities and operations. DAELP was originally designed in 2003 by the Army Materiel Command and is administered by the Institute for Defense and Business.