DLA Land and Maritime’s Hall of Fame grows to 100 inductees (2024)

COLUMBUS, Ohio–

The 2024 Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Hall of Fame hit a milestone of 100 inductees since the Hall’s inception in 2005 in a ceremony honoring five former associates May 21 at the DLA Land and Maritime Operations Center Auditorium.

“Today’s group of inductees really spans a spectrum of expertise,” said DLA Land and Maritime Commander Army Brig. Gen. Gail Atkins. “Some from our supplier floor, command staff, out to our Naval shipyards, business process support and to the crux of keeping our supply center here whole.”

Collectively, this year’s class has served 180 years in the Defense Department with 130 of those years being in service to the warfighter as employees of DLA, Atkins noted.

“That’s pretty profound when you think about all the things that they have done, the people they have met and the people they have mentored and influenced,” she said.

The Class of 2024 members are – Karen Kramer, former branch chief in Maritime Supplier Operations; Andy Lancaster, former deputy director of DLA Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility; Eddy Poprock, former deputy site director for DLA Installation Management - Columbus; Tammy Sabo, former senior supply systems analyst lead in Business Process Support; and Griff Warren, former director of operations for DLA Land and Maritime.

“It is important for us to come together and honor and celebrate these individuals’ accomplishments but it’s also about connecting our past with our future,” said Kenneth Watson, deputy commander, DLA Land and Maritime.

After a brief slideshow highlighting their careers, the Class of 2024 was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame by the reading of a citation and a presentation of their Hall of Fame plaque and medallion by Atkins.

When each inductee addressed the audience after being recognized, not one said they achieved this honor alone. They thanked all the people who helped them along the way.

Advice given in their remarks centered on a common theme of teamwork, mentorship and collaboration as key to their successes.

Inductee Griff Warren, the 100th individual to be inducted, thanked several key people who were instrumental in helping him move forward throughout his journey at DLA.

“[Their actions] led to a great final military tour and a highly rewarding 14-year civilian career,” he said.

Inductee Tammy Sabo, who left everyone with a poem in lieu of remarks, shared her entire career, with each stanza and rhyme focusing on how she didn’t do it all alone.

“My co-workers, the customers, bosses and such, the incredible relationships meant so much,” she said in her poem, “Because after all the meetings and the conference calls, it’s all the special people that I recall, the ones who showed up day after day, working alongside me in every way.”

Inductee Eddy Poprock said the teams he worked with at DLA Installation Management were top notch and he was proud to work alongside them to provide the optimum workplace for all who enter DSCC’s gates.

“I was really so lucky to be a part of that,” he said.

Kramer remarked that the best job she had was working in the Aviation detachment as one big team supporting the Blackhawk and Apache helicopters back when items were managed by weapon system.

“That was probably one of the most interesting and fulfilling jobs I had,” she said.

Inductee Andy Lancaster said managing a busy shipyard and Navy submarine program was a challenge, but he credited his team for helping him “move the football forward.”

“Thank you for your enduring contributions to DLA Land and Maritime, to this nation and to this workforce as we move forward,” Watson told the inductees. “Thank you for being a part of DLA Land and Maritime’s growing legacy and our culture.”

DLA Land and Maritime Integrated Supply Team Division Chief Kirsten Pastorcich served as mistress of ceremonies, Contracting Officer AJ Layton performed the National Anthem and Management Program Analyst Mary Moore delivered the invocation.

Read more about each inductee and their significant contributions:

Watch a recording of the ceremony here (CAC-enabled) and view more photos from the event in a Hall of Fame image gallery.

The DLA Land and Maritime Hall of Fame was established to honor and preserve the memory of past associates for their exceptional leadership, service, dedication to duty and contributions in supporting the DLA mission. The Hall of Fame is open to all DLA Columbus based personnel, DSCC employees and personnel from DLA Land and Maritime detachments around the world including forward operating locations.