Packed with pride at DDSP

The outward appearance is similar to many other distribution facilities located throughout central Pennsylvania; however, this is no ordinary warehouse operation. The Defense Distribution Depot Susquehanna, Pa. (DDSP) is the Defense Logistics Agency's eastern strategic distribution platform. Stored throughout 70 warehouses is an inventory worth $6.5 billion. DDSP processes an average of more than 600,000 receipts and issues per month and stores more than 702,200 stock numbers.

DDSP is a key logistics support base for both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Mouths before the first shots were fired, depot workers shifted into high gear shipping parts and equipment forward in support of deploying forces. Three shifts, seven days a week, the 2,200 workers shipped critical gear such as desert cammies, "hot" boots, shoe track for armored vehicles, Unitized Group Rations (UGRs), pouch bread, combat first aid kits, parachutes, bolts, O-rings, and tires.

As in any Navy ship deployment, the process begins several months in advance of the military service deployment date. When a deployment order is announced, orders for supplies are initiated. DDSP saw this evolve first hand in January 2003. The number of receipts and issues for the month increased nearly 9 percent over the FY '02 monthly average, As increases continued, DDSP experienced the highest workload numbers in ten years in March 2003, up 32 percent from FY '02. Because Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March, DDSP expected a decrease in the requisitioning tempo. In April, the number of orders did decrease but remained higher than "normal."

An example of how employees have met the challenges of Operation Iraqi Freedom is the Medical Set Assembly Branch, located at DDSP's Mechanicsburg, Pa., site, which continuously builds a wide variety of medical sets for all military services to be sent worldwide. From March to April 2003, nearly 44,000 individual first aid kits were built--twice the normal production. The first aid kits are similar in structure to a Navy Corpsman's Emergency Response Kit on a ship. Major fieldings are medical kits designed specifically for a function. For example, a trauma kit may have 200 stock numbers in one container and it will be shipped to a battle aid station for establishment or replenishment. Each person has a direct impact in achieving these accomplishments.

DDSP's civilian employees have given record-breaking man-hours to support the troops. Since mid-February, the majority of the Distribution Operations Division employees--more than 50 percent being military veterans--have worked six days each week, or more. The employees understand why the material is needed and understand the urgency.

As a function of the Consolidation and Containerization Point (CCP), DDSP receives material from other Defense Distribution Depots, vendors, and GSA and consolidates the material into 463L Air Force pallets or containers for shipment overseas. These consolidations eliminate multiple shipments to a theater distribution center or supply support activity.

In support of the war on terrorism, the CCP operation has ramped up. In April 2003, DDSP built 2,367 463LAir Force pallets, stuffed 888 surface containers, and processed more than 200,000 lines of material for consolidation and further shipment overseas.

This may not seem like much until compared with the figures from one year ago. In April 2002, DDSP employees built 725 air pallets, stuffed 376 surface containers, and received over 40,000 lines of material for consolidation and further shipment overseas. "A very impressive increase in numbers generated by a very impressive and dedicated work force," said DDSP Commander CAPT Robert Ritchie. "The DDSP work force can and should be proud of its support to the war fighters and their contribution to the war on terror."

CDR Ted Olson has been the DDSP Deputy Director for Distribution Operations since March 2002. Previous tours include Commander Seventh Fleet Yokosuka, Japan; Fleet and Industrial Supply Center San Diego; USS Constellation (CV 64), Naval Air Station Moffett Field, USS William H. Bates (SSN680) and USS Thach (FFG 43).

LCDR Liz Beaty has been the DDSP Strategic Planning Officer since May 2002. Previous tours include USS Oak Hill(LSD 51), COMFAIRWESTPAC Atsugi, Japan, Trident Refit Facility, Bremerton, Wash., and USS Sylvania (AFS 2).

COPYRIGHT 2003 U.S. Department of the Navy, Supply Systems Command
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group