Albany’s Marine Corps Logistics Base leads in technological innovation

ALBANY — A strong current of Albany pride rippled through guests attending the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Military Affairs Rise N Shine Breakfast Thursday morning.

For the first 45 minutes of the event, about 50 guests hardly sat, shaking hands, exchanging smiles and sharing their eagerness for the banquet’s purpose.

Members of the chamber, Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany and Marine Corps Logistics Command were all in attendance, celebrating one central point: Albany leads the way in technological innovation within the U.S. Marine Corps.

At the base, Marines and civilian workers are developing advanced methods to rebuild and repair Marine Corps weapons systems like mastering data-driven decisions, moving toward artificial intelligence for transactional work as well as continuing to trailblaze energy innovation.

“Albany is setting the bar,” Barbara Rivera Holmes, the Albany chamber’s president and CEO, said. “I really hope everyone kind of takes that in.”

A panel moderated by Holmes featured new leadership of the Marine Corps Logistics base, giving community members a chance for introduction to the people leading the growth at Albany’s base. These leaders included Col. Matthew McKinney, MCLB-Albany’s new commanding officer; Major Gen. Keith Reventlow, Marine Corps Logistics command, and Erin Kern, U.S. MCLC’s executive deputy.

The trio shared their current focuses throughout the Marine Corps’ systems. They maintain the mantra “You can’t use yesterday’s processes and procedures to fight the challenges of today.”

Reventlow said his focus is the relevance of the organization in regards to the future, meaning an emphasis on investing in modernization.

Kern said she is focused on getting the Marine Corps its first clean audit.

“We are responsible for about 20% of all the stuff the Marine Corps owns,” she said. “If we fail, the Marine Corps fails.”

McKinney assumed his position at the end of June, carrying on the torch from Col. Michael Fitzgerald, who served as MCLB-Albany’s commanding officer for three years. McKinney wasn’t shy about applauding Fitzgerald’s achievements.

He also chalked the success up to rural southwest Georgia’s patriotism and what he calls “the heart of the South” — a level of warmth and support that sets the Albany community apart.

The base was recognized as the first in the Department of Defense to reach “net-zero” electricity status in May, meaning the base produces as much renewable energy as it consumes. This major step in green energy solutions has been a work in progress since 2005 and has gained Albany national recognition.

Most recently, McKinney said he received a call from the Pentagon’s command asking for help in achieving net-zero status at the White House level. Achieving this status first is a big deal for the city, McKinney said, noting it took a spirit of camaraderie throughout the community: Marines, civilian base workers, Albany State University and Albany Technical College students, Procter & Gamble, and Georgia Power all played a part in this achievement.

The DOD is the world’s largest single institutional producer of carbon emissions in the world. The Albany base is setting the nationwide standard in moving toward renewable energy.

“Now, when we say, ‘Hey, I gotta go to Albany,’ they’re like ‘Wow, they’re doing great things down there,’” McKinney said. “So I think it is a big deal.”

With all of this innovation, Holmes asked about the impact on the base’s desired work force. The base is trying to retain what it has through a process of upskilling or teaching workers new skills with new technology, Reventlow said.

“Then, of course, bringing in new folks as well to help broaden our intellectual capital,” he said.

Amid its efforts supporting the global warfighters with modern facilities, utilities and infrastructure, McKinney said another focus is enhancing the quality of life for Marines on the base.

The technological and energy advancement isn’t something for only the base to celebrate but a beacon of light for the entire city, Daniel Gillan, the chamber’s Military Affairs chair and Albany YMCA CEO, said. The partnership between the Marine base and the community is unique and creates an innovative spirit, he said.

“It’s our neighbors … in this community, living next door, wearing coveralls and jeans, that go to work every day out at this Marine base to do what they do,” Gillan said.

With Albany’s community growth, there are still many needs to be met in the community — like poverty, unemployment — he said. However, MCLB-Albany offers opportunities for jobs and education through its partnerships with local universities and colleges. Educating the youths on these opportunities, as well as the importance of voting, education and community involvement, are key, he said. The end of the banquet was spent recognizing “local heroes” and award recipients. Corporal Austin Dawley was named 2023 Marine of the Year for MCLB-Albany. Cpls. Christopher Montano and Jonathan Lynch received recognition for outstanding service. Cpl. Jared Thomas was recognized as the MCLC noncommissioned Officer of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2023.

Cpl. Jovan Sandoval was recognized for his outstanding community service with Toys for Tots, ASU campus cleanups and delivering snacks for Dougherty County students along with the Dougherty County Police Department and others.

Navy Hospital Corpsman Ryan Schmidt’s work across Southeast installations and in aiding rehabilitation of service members was recognized as maximizing “operational readiness for the Navy and Marine Corps.”

Hospital Corpsman Second Class Jacob Naumann was recognized for outstanding work as well, including processing and dispensing more than 22,000 prescriptions and ensuring 100% accountability for quarterly controlled substance inventory board inspections.

Staff Photo: Lucille LanniganStaff Photo: Scot Morrissey