MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga -- Only days after Secretary of the Navy Gordon England visited here to honor Marine Corps Logistics Command with a Meritorious Unit Commendation, another high profile visitor made an appearance to make suggestions on how to improve logistics operations.
Although the MUC was presented at Maintenance Center Albany, the award itself is authorized for wear by all LOGCOM servicemembers including those stationed at Blount Island Command, Jacksonville, Fla., and aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif.
Nick Kunnesh, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Logistics), toured the maintenance center March 31 as part of his trip aimed at improving productivity, decreasing waste, and streamlining communication within the logistics command.
Kunnesh inspected the new armor kits during his tour and commented on the job that LOGCOM personnel in Albany are doing to keep productivity high and waste down.
"I think you all are doing really well," Kunnesh said. "You're further along than anybody out there and I've visited just about every (logistics) depot.
While less fanfare was associated with Kunnesh's visit, it was no less important than Secretary England's. Kunnesh presented base leaders with plans detailing methods to reduce waste and streamline efficiency in the maintenance center and LOGCOM-wide.
According to Kunnesh, even minute adjustments to some of the base's business practices could save the military large amounts of money.
"Sixty percent of a weapon's lifecycle cost is in logistics, Kunnesh said.
Comparatively speaking, Kunnesh gave the maintenance center a "B+" on the efficiency and productivity grade scale. Unfortunately, not all bases have adopted such proactive measures to maximize productivity.
Kunnesh said these bases often pay for these oversights when something unexpected happens. Kunnesh went on to say that MCLB is on the leading edge of best business practices and an example for other logistics bases to emulate.