Photo By Christopher Goulait | Defense Logistics Agency Energy Acting Commander Patrick Dulin looks on as DLA...... read more read more
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. - Air Force Brig. Gen. Giovanni Tuck assumed command of Defense Logistics Agency Energy in a ceremony, July 9, at the McNamara Headquarters Complex auditorium at Fort Belvoir, Va.
In a time-honored ceremony, DLA Energy Acting Commander Patrick Dulin handed the organizational DLA colors to DLA Director Navy Vice Adm. Mark Harnitchek, who then handed the colors over to Tuck, charging him with the responsibility for the organization’s mission and the welfare of its people.
“Pat has done a fabulous job as acting director of DLA Energy,” Harnitchek said. “DLA Energy has been through a lot in the past year with the loss of Rear Adm. Kurt Kunkel, a great naval officer and shipmate who passed away well before his time. It was of course a painful loss for the Kunkel family, but also for the entire DLA Energy family. In addition, Energy has continued to face a demanding operational environment.
“Yet the superb leadership of Patrick Dulin, with the support of his DLA Energy team, kept the organization sailing on. Pat is a strong New York Irishman with a career Marine background,” Harnitchek continued. “He knows how to deal with adversity and meet challenges. Building on the foundation set by Kurt and his predecessors, Pat and all of DLA Energy did not skip a beat in continuing to provide world-class support and developing technology that supports our men and women in uniform.”
Dulin led DLA Energy as acting commander for 10 months.
Tuck comes to DLA Energy after serving as commander of 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia. This composite wing included strike, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, mobility, aeromedical evacuation, and command and control assets supporting operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The wing provided support to more than 11,000 Air Force, joint and coalition forces.
A native of Honolulu, Tuck graduated from Southwest Texas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree. He has a Master of Arts degree in international relations from Webster University, Mo., and a Master of Arts degree in national security and strategic studies at the Naval War College in Newport, R.I. He is a graduate of the Air Force Air War College and completed the National Security Studies Program at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University, Washington, D.C., and was in a Senior Executive Fellowship at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass.
Harnitchek presented Dulin with the Exceptional Civilian Service Award in recognition of his service as acting commander from Sept. 15, 2011, through July 9, 2012. He was recognized for his efforts in leading DLA Energy and ensuring uninterrupted energy support to warfighters in Afghanistan in spite of closure of the Pakistan ground lines of communication.
“DLA Energy kept fuel levels in Afghanistan at record high. They did so in their role as the executive agent for fuel support in [the Department of Defense],” Harnitchek said. “They redirected deliveries of fuel through the Northern Distribution Network and maintained maximum flexibility for the warfighter by ensuring a constant supply of fuel into Afghanistan. In fact, just before the decision to start reopening the PAKGLOC, [Dulin] and his staff had fuel inventories at their best ever level in Afghanistan. We are swimming in fuel in Afghanistan. Just an amazing feat that reinforces my view that DLA can do anything it sets its mind to.”
Harnitchek praised Dulin and the DLA Energy team for their efforts.
“The strength of DLA is its civilian workforce. You and your global team have represented the best of DLA, as you relentlessly worked to enhance logistics support to our nation’s warfighters, both in Afghanistan and around the world, totaling close to $20 billion in annual sales and averaging nearly 15 million gallons of fuel per day,” Harnitchek said.
Dulin took to the podium to address the audience.
“Stepping up to the role of acting commander was a task I prayed fervently I would never have to bear. I have lost men in units I have served in and in units I have commanded, and I assure you each name and each face is indelibly etched on your soul from the day you lost them until the day you die. But I had never lost my commander, until that dark day when we all lost our indefatigable admiral, ‘smiling Kurt’ Kunkel,” Dulin said.
"Since that day when we lost our comrade, our conscience and our compass, I can proudly report that the DLA Energy fighting family has stayed unerringly on target ensuring Kurt’s legacy of calmly solving crises with surprising innovations, of exceeding mission accomplishment in every case, of anticipating warfighter needs, of pristine stewardship, of sterling integrity and of undaunted moral courage,” Dulin said. “His legacy has been maintained and pervades all of the DLA Energy team, right down to the bone.”
In the tradition of old Hawaii, Kunkel’s wife, Pattie, welcomed Tuck’s wife, Susie, with a traditional flower Hawaiian lei greeting honoring the Tucks’ home state of Hawaii.
Tuck addressed the audience after receiving the DLA colors.
“To the men and women of DLA Energy, Mr. Dulin and I look forward to honoring this commitment, and for me, I look forward to being on your amazing team,” Tuck said. “For the continued journey we are about to embark upon, you have our deepest admiration, loyalty and respect. … What we do is not easy, but there are lives that count on us each and every day, … and we can’t let them down.”
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs Sharon Burke was in attendance.
Tuck is DLA Energy’s 36th commander.
| Date Taken: | 07.09.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.16.2012 16:17 |
| Story ID: | 91630 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 285 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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