CHANTILLY, Va. –
Navy Rear Adm. John Polowczyk, vice director for logistics on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited Defense Contract Management Agency Manassas March 8.
“Adm. Polowczyk came to speak to the Manassas team at an all hands to discuss the National Defense Strategy, the joint operating environment, and the important role DCMA plays in our ability to achieve and advance our defense objectives,” said Navy Capt. Pamela Theorgood, commander of DCMA Manassas.
“He spoke on how the joint strategic environment has grown increasingly complex and how the character of war has changed,” she added. “Our ability to project military power and maintain our strategic comparative advantage is inextricably linked to the commercial industry. DCMA is key to the Department of Defense’s enduring mission to provide combat-credible military forces and protect the security of our nation.”
Theorgood’s previous assignment was with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She is a Navy Supply Corps officer who maintains rapport with her fellow Supply Corps officers to make sure they understand DCMA’s mission and capabilities. During a previous discussion at the Pentagon, Polowczyk mentioned he wanted to visit the contract management office.
“I want to ensure senior leadership in the Navy Supply Corps are aware of DCMA’s critical mission, what the work actually entails, and potentially seek opportunities for better partnerships and collaboration with the procurement side to include contracts as well as training,” Theorgood said.
Theorgood said Polowczyk’s visit emphasizes how DCMA plays a vital role in the National Defense Strategy.
“DoD’s enduring mission is to provide combat-credible military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our nation,” she said. “Should deterrence fail, the joint force shall be prepared to win. In the execution of DCMA’s mission, we ultimately ensure the front-line warfighters get the equipment and services they need when they need them and where they need them.”
Theorgood stated she received positive feedback from the Manassas team on the recent visit.
“My employees were extremely appreciative that such a high-ranking member of the Pentagon took the time to visit and share this information with them,” said Theorgood. “Some mentioned, with notable excitement, that this was the first time they received such a visit. It is one thing to hear a leader internal to DCMA express our importance. It is quite another to hear it from a flag officer from the Joint Chiefs of Staff that directly advises the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and ineluctably, the secretary of defense and the president of the United States. It was an incredibly well received and motivating engagement.”
Many employees asked Polowczyk questions during the briefing and spoke to him after the event.
“Having a flag officer from the Joint Chiefs of Staff take time out of his extremely busy schedule to visit our team was a huge force multiplier,” said Theorgood. “I could see it in the employees’ faces that the message was well received.
“Even when I closed the event and thanked the admiral for his time, numerous employees stayed in the conference room to join the huddle of folks that wanted to speak with him and continue the conversation. The event was so productive that the admiral stayed an additional two hours, one hour with the employees, and the other hour with me for further discussion.”
According to Theorgood, it’s important for DCMA employees to remember how they fit into the bigger defense picture.
“We should never lose sight of why our work matters and how much our employees are appreciated by leaders in the Department of Defense,” she said. “This job can get very task oriented and metrics based.
“Sometimes people need a reminder of the big picture and why we are a critical link in the DoD supply chain. I also think it is important for our agency employees to stay informed of our National Defense Strategy, current and future challenges in the joint operating environment, and what our top Pentagon leaders are focusing on in support of our national objectives,” Theorgood added.