WASHINGTON — It’s often said that the U.S. Department of Defense is the biggest buyer in the world. But the DoD also has among the most expansive networks of consumers of parts and supplies.
And the Defense Logistics Agency is charged with managing the bulk of those — from raw materials to spare parts; to fuel and sustenance; to the reutilization of military equipment and infrastructure; to the storage and tracking of inventories and suppliers.
With that in mind, securing the supply chain can seem like a game of whack-a-mole involving cyberthreats, counterfeit goods and a shrinking industrial base.
In the words of the DLA director, Lt. Gen. Darrell Williams, the supply chain “simply cannot afford to not be protected.”
Defense News spoke to Williams during a panel discussion and a one-on-one interview at the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army in October.
How does supply chain security fit into the mission of the Defense Logistics Agency?
I just want to start the…
