The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) is a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) defense agency. DLA provides worldwide logistics support for the missions of the military departments and the Unified Combatant Commands under peace and war-time conditions. The DLA’s headquarters provides its 3,200-person staff a fitness center including related fitness and wellness services. The fitness center promotes fitness, wellness and healthy lifestyle programs for the agency employees.

On-Site Needs

Prior to linking with Aquila, DLA’s wellness and fitness programs were offered by in-house recreational specialists. These specialists did offer essential on-site fitness programs, but DLA wanted to provide innovative programming management and up-to-the-minute wellness and fitness information. Furthermore, DLA wanted to focus on wellness management and disease prevention programs.

DLA needed a skilled, professional workforce to administer its fitness and wellness programming. Moreover, DLA wanted progressive formats of group fitness programs, mind/body instructional programs, incentive programs and worksite wellness educational seminars. In addition to the traditional wellness education, DLA wanted to offer alternative and non-traditional wellness instruction.

To be able to control and track the effects of the programming, DLA also wanted to install integrated data management systems and Quality Improvement (QI) programs.

Aquila Solutions

As a first step, Aquila positioned exercise specialists and a management team at DLA. To ensure that they had an appropriate educational background, all of Aquila’s personnel held undergraduate and graduate degrees in health and fitness fields. 

To ensure quality of exercise assessments and prescriptions, Aquila placed staff who were certified by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), National Strength Conditioning Association (NSCA) or Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA).

Aquila established effective day-to-day operational procedures to successfully manage over 7,000 square feet, including a fitness center, group fitness studios and racquetball courts.

Aquila worked with DLA and created programming that:

• Enhanced the ability of employees to lead productive lives through health and wellness activities

• Offered health and fitness prescriptions recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine

• Delivered dynamic wellness and group fitness instructional programs

• Addressed the health and wellness needs of the entire DLA population

Client Benefits

The Aquila team designed and delivered the initial DLA requirements in two months. With all management components in its place, DLA was able to offer highly visible fitness and wellness promotion services extended to reach the entire employee population. 

With energetic programming, distinctive staff and variety of instructional programs, DLA offers traditional and modern approaches in wellness and fitness education.

“I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Aquila for their outstanding fitness support of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA),” said Jerry Arnold, Chief, Military Manpower and Assignments, J-16 Human Resources. “I would also like to recognize the members of your staff who were tremendous fitness consultants and superb ambassadors for your company. They are, in no certain order, Ms. Jeannine Dawson, Ms. Joleen Easterday, Ms. Erin Tolosky, Ms. Renee Allen and Ms. Jordan Henkel. Each of these women were simply awesome in their capacity as fitness ‘gurus’ and they collectively and individually provided outstanding fitness classes and training recommendations with infectious enthusiasm.”

Cost Minimization

Implementation costs were approximately one fourth less than similar programs but delivered equal or greater benefits.

Awards

DLA won in 1999 U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Best 'Quality of Life' Award.