Logistics Officer Association
Approved for Public Release – Evan Hanson, Chief Information Officer
ARLINGTON, Virginia

The Logistics Officer Association is pleased to announce that voting for the next President and Chief Financial Officer is currently open to the membership via email. We’re thrilled to introduce the following individuals as candidates for leadership of the Logistics Officer Association. This year, we asked out nominees for President to provide personal statements that describe why they are interested in the position, their qualifications for the role, and their vision for the organization. Their statements and bios are provided below.

President

  • Col Kellie Courtland (bio)
  • Col Jason Okumura (bio)

Chief Financial Officer

  • Maj Joshua McNelly (bio)

Voting will remain open until 17 February 2024 and the results will be announced at #LOA2024. Please contact cio@loanational.org with any questions, or concerns.

Col Kellie Courtland’s Statement
It is my absolute privilege and honor to be a member of LOA, an organization with an outstanding reputation each of you has had a hand in building. I’m humbled to receive a nomination for the position of LOA President. I’m excited and willing to serve LOA and LOGNATION in any position needed.

I’m committed to serving LOA in a greater capacity because it’s an opportunity to expand on conversations and networking with logisticians across our military, civilian, academic, and industry sectors that have been nurtured by LOA members. Building a resilient and capable logistics enterprise and enabling Integrated Deterrence in support of our National Defense is paramount and LOA is a force multiplier in propelling that vision forward. There has never been a time where more importance has been placed on logistics from a warfighting perspective than it is today, nor has there been a time when we’ve needed to rely on industry, allies, and partners more than now.

I’m capable and ready to serve as President of LOA. After 33 years and an abundance of Air Force experience in logistics, acquisitions, policy, congressional affairs, and training, as both an enlisted member and an officer, I have a passion for teamwork, team building, and empowering others. I’m dedicated to modeling the desired behaviors of a LOA President and a professional officer, and welcome feedback always.

From a strategic and visionary perspective, I believe preparedness and collaboration amongst our enterprise enhances our ability to have a competitive and comparative advantage in conflict by providing warfighters and commanders with an agile, robust, and resilient logistics community. With continued collaboration, education, and innovation our community will predict problems and prescribe solutions and be able to detect, deter, delay, and disrupt our strategic competitor’s will to act.

I believe the LOA Warfighting, Innovation, Sustainment, and Education (W.I.S.E.) model is savvy and supports the LOA mission. I further believe the vision and mission of LOA reflect the future we are embarking on. We can adjust these to meet future challenges as needed and desired. Again, it is my deepest honor to be considered for this position.

Col Jason Okumura’s Statement

The purpose of logistics throughout the history of warfare is to project and sustain combat power. The character of warfare has and will change but our role will always be to provide Commanders and our Nation’s leaders with capable and ready options to achieve objectives. Logistics will always power the force.

 My desire to serve the Logistics Officers Association stems from the belief that all of us are smarter together. As a community of leaders focused on the projection and sustainment of combat power, our individual role and responsibility is to contribute in a measurable way. We measure our success by the number of surprises we encounter…less is more. Learning through education, listening, and sharing, strengthens our position as Logistics Professionals. Our nation’s competitive advantage is the ability to tap into our professional force, critically think through hard problems, and to innovate. For me, LOA has been the conduit that connected mission execution to the power source that is our greater LOGNATION.

 LOA plays a critical role in advancing the Air Force’s perspectives and concepts of employment. Through the Exceptional Release and the Annual Symposium, LOA’s connections bring forth today’s relevant topics while exploring the range of possibilities through academic freedom and open discussion. LOA’s growth over time is indicative of it’s value to the force and industry partners. The goal of tomorrow’s LOA should be to create the environment to make all of us smarter together. The next 42 years of LOA should be focused on creating a professional community highlighted by empowered leaders, an educated force, problem solving, critical thinking, strategic leadership, understanding of geopolitics, more knowledgeable in the industrial base, and a valued presence in decision making.

 LOA is community of logisticians and those who share a passion for the projection and sustainment of combat power. It would be an absolute honor to contribute to the community as a part of the LOA Executive Board.