By Jondavid DuVall, Chief Operating Officer
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Logistics Officer Association is proud to present Leigh E. Method, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics with the organization’s 2022 Lt. Gen. Michael E. Zettler Lifetime Achievement Award.
As LOA’s most prestigious annual award, the Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to members who have demonstrated superior leadership in service to the organization throughout at least 20 years of service and at least 10 years of LOA membership.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Air Force logistics community,” said Ms. Method. “I’m grateful to all the leaders that raised me and to the women and men that do the hard work every day.”
In her current role, Ms. Method serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Logistics and the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment. She is responsible for the Department’s logistics strategy and policy, supply, storage and distribution, property and equipment, transportation, and program support. Her massive portfolio includes oversight of $100 billion of inventory along with $2 billion in airlift and transportation programs. Furthermore, she directs operational contract support, non-tactical vehicles, equipment and material management policies.
Ms. Method started her career in 1990 as a Transportation Officer in the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley as the Installation Deployment Officer and was the last officer standing during the wing’s Operational Readiness Inspection. She is also a proud member of the Port Dawg community! Ms. Method served as the Air Freight Officer at Yokota Air Base (1993-1995), Aerial Port Commander at Ramstein Air Base (2004-2006), and Squadron Commander at Andrews Air Force Base (2006-2008). “I can recall so many profound experiences from each of those assignments and am very proud to have worked with the Port Dawg professionals for most of my military career. Port Dawgs move the mission!” she said. “I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of things in the military, and when I try to describe my journey, I say that I started out on the flightline and now I’m at the table as a contributor and decision-maker in the boardroom.”
Ms. Method’s career took her into Aircraft Maintenance supporting C-5s at Travis Air Force Base, and C-17s at Charleston Air Force Base, while learning and understanding all of the different stakeholders in the Logistics equation to help drive better solutions for the warfighter. Her final active duty assignment was as the Commander of the 76th Commodities Maintenance Group at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base. “Logistics is a team sport and every team performs at its best when its members are connected to the mission, valued for their contribution, and have the tools, training, and leadership they need to be productive,” she said.
Now serving in the Senior Executive Service, Ms. Method respects the trust placed in her. “In any challenge, I always seek to be enterprise oriented, process focused, and readiness driven. I always ask two questions: Are we doing the right thing? Are we doing it the right way? These can be surprisingly hard questions.“ she said. “The value of this community cannot be understated. It takes all of us, each doing our part, without seeking favor or recognition, to get the mission done. These past few years especially have made the world aware of just how vital this community is. I have the privilege to serve and be part of it and I’m very grateful.”
“Ms. Method is a true role model for future generations of leaders whose achievements have inspired loggies throughout the DoD and industry,” said Jason Kalin, LOA President. “I couldn’t be more excited for her to receive this award.”
To quote one of her many mentees, “Ms. Method is 365 shades of amazing and if you throw her to the wolves, she will come back leading the pack every single time!!!”
Ms. Leigh Method will formally accept the Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2023 LOA Symposium in St Louis, Missouri, March 28-31, 2023.
To learn more about attending the 2023 LOA Symposium, visit logisticsymposium.org.