By NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella Public Affairs
NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s military and civilian leaders gather for the command’s annual leadership conference at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy. –photo by Joe Yanik
NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Sigonella’s military and civilian leaders gathered for the command’s annual leadership conference Nov. 13-15 at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, Sicily, Italy.
During the three-day symposium, attendees forged the command’s strategic way forward to support the Navy’s growing operations throughout Navy Region EuropeAfrica- Central (EURAFCENT) in fiscal year 2020 and beyond.
NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s Commanding Officer, Capt. Alsandro “Jay” Turner, kicked off the open-forum event with remarks about what should be key focus areas during the symposium.
“One of the most important objectives for us as leaders this week is to communicate and collaborate with each other in order to develop solutions for challenges that inhibit us from completing our logistics support mission,” Turner said. “This cross-communication underscores and bolsters our mission of providing netted logistics to support our region’s warfighters.”
Leaders in attendance included military members, civilian employees, and host nation partners who represented the FLC’s headquarters located at NAS Sigonella and the command’s five operational sites located at Naval Station Rota, Spain; Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Greece; Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti; NAS Sigonella and NSA Naples, Italy.
“Our annual symposium helps us as a geographically-diverse organization to foster a culture of innovation and cooperation so we can deliver the best logistics solutions for the Navy operating in Navy Region EuropeAfrica-Central,” said NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s Executive Director, Bong Cabling. “The challenge/solutions breakout sessions in particular were extremely productive and are indicative of a well-functioning, highly-adaptive netted team.”
Besides developing solutions, the symposium's other themes were recognizing the contributions made by the command’s host nation partners (HNPs) and Reservists.
“NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s HNPs make up more than one third of the workforce,” Cabling said. “Their expertise and continuity of support means their perspectives and ideas are essential to our continued success and all of our command’s strategic goals.”
Representing NAVSUP’s Reserve component, Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Klose, said that the purpose of his presentation was to illustrate the many ways Reservists have contributed, and are contributing, their expertise in logistics and supply chain management while assigned to the command.
“Leveraging Reservists is a critical force multiplier in the execution of dynamic force employment,” Klose said. “My message to the command’s leadership during the symposium is that we are well-positioned to provide this support.”
Offering his perspective as Director, Readiness and Logistics, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, Rear Adm. Michael Curran spoke to the group to highlight the role NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s products and services play in providing logistics readiness support to the Navy and Joint warfighters operating in Europe and Africa.
Products and services that the command delivers throughout the region include logistics support, supply chain, contracting, hazardous materials, postal, fuel, household goods services, and integrated logistics.
For NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s leaders, developing solutions to challenges is only the first step toward achieving the command’s strategic goals during fiscal year 2020.
“Achieving our objectives this year requires following through on action items we agreed upon during our discussions,” Cabling said. “Completing these action items ensures we respond to leadership’s mandate of being able to fight and win.”
NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s mission is to provide netted logistics, business and support services to U.S. Naval, Joint and Allied forces through partnerships and sound business practices in order to set theater readiness with materiel accountability.