https://crsreports.congress.gov
Updated December 14, 2022
Defense Primer: The Defense Logistics Agency
Established under Title 10 Sections 191 and 192 of the U.S.
Code (U.S.C.), the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is the
Department of Defense (DOD) agency responsible for
supply or service activities common to all military
departments. Section 193 of Title 10 identifies DLA as a
combat support agency, a designation that DLA describes
as “a formal oversight relationship with the chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff and allows combatant commanders to
request specific support from the agency.” Under these
authorities, DLA manages the global supply chain for DOD
and interagency partners by providing procurement,
storage, distribution, disposition, and other technical
services that are essential to the Joint Logistics Enterprise
(see Joint Publication 4-0).
Headquartered in Fort Belvoir, VA, DLA operates in most
U.S. states and territories (Figure 1). In addition to DOD
customers, its portfolio includes 40 federal, 50 state, 300
local, and 122 international partners. In fiscal year (FY)
2022, DLA reportedly procured and/or provided over $46.7
billion in total goods and services.
Figure I. Distribution of DLA Employees, November
2022
Source: CRS graphic based on DLA data.
Major Responsibilities
DLA’s primary purpose is to meet the armed forces’
logistics requirements for food, clothing, fuel, parts, and
other items. Its major responsibilities are to buy or contract,
warehouse when needed, and distribute about 5 million
distinct consumable, expendable and reparable items to its
military customers. The agency contracts for high-volume,
commercially available items. It then distributes these items
directly to the customer (e.g., a shipyard or maintenance
depot), or stores them for later delivery. DLA also allows
customers to order supplies directly from integrated supply
chain contractors if they are an approved provider through
the Prime Vendor Program (Figure). DLA product delivery
typically includes supplementary services like warehousing,
packaging, and transportation.
Figure 2. DLA Supply Chain Management Process
Source: Government Accountability Office (GAO-02-776).
Energy Products and Services
DLA exclusively procures and manages distribution of
energy products for DOD, including bulk petroleum (i.e.,
petroleum, oil, and lubricants, or POL), coal, natural gas,
electricity, alternative fuels, and missile fuels. DLA-Energy
(DLA-E) secures vendor contracts for energy products,
manages product inventory, and ensures the delivery of
those products worldwide. Where appropriate, DLA-E
utilizes international fuel agreements with 43 allied nations
(as of FY21) to deliver cost-efficient, reliable fuel supplies
to DOD customers. DLA also provides energy-related
services to military installations (including energy
acquisition support and utilities contracting) and
propellants, cryogenic fluids, and gases for military
weapons systems and space programs. In the event of
natural disasters or domestic emergencies, DLA can also
provide fuel to support the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection,
the National Capital Region, and other civil authorities.
National Defense Stockpile
The National Defense Stockpile (NDS)—established in 50
U.S.C. §98 et seq.—is a non-fuel, raw materials-based
stockpile that “protects against a costly dependence upon
foreign and single points of supply for strategic and critical
materials needed in times of national emergency.” DLA
Strategic Materials (DLA-SM) is responsible for managing
the NDS and is required to provide a report to Congress
every two years on stockpile requirements. As of
September 30, 2021, DLA-SM reportedly stores dozens of
critical base and precious metals, rare earth elements,
alloys, ores and compounds valued at $1.28 billion.
Organizational Structure
DLA is led by a three-star general or flag officer, and
includes six one-star level subordinate commands:
