Woodloch Resort Announces Partnership with Moka Origins Coffee As the New Year commences, two businesses in the Poconos are poised for exciting new beginnings. Woodloch, an award-winning, three property resort, and Moka Origins, an ethically-sourced coffee and chocolate company, are proud to announce the start of a partnership aimed at enriching the experience for resort guests while honoring Moka’s motto, “made locally, support globally.” This collaboration represents a shared commitment to offering guests unparalleled quality, sustainability, and community support.Nestled in the Pocono Mountains, Woodloch has been a cornerstone of family-friendly getaways for decades, renowned for its exceptional hospitality and endless activities. Woodloch is the largest employer in Pennsylvania’s Pike and Wayne counties and generates the most tourism dollars in the Northern Pocono Mountains area. The Poconos resort employs over 1,200 staff members and welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors per year. Moka Origins, known for its artisanal approach to coffee production, places emphasis on direct trade relationships with farmers, sustainable farming practices, and social responsibility. Woodloch will feature Moka Origins across its various dining and retail outlets. Guests can now indulge in the finest handcrafted coffee and chocolate while supporting a shared vision of social responsibility and environmental stewardship.This ethos aligns particularly well with the philosophy at Woodloch’s destination spa resort, The Lodge at Woodloch. The property features a working organic farm where the focus is on giving back to the environment before benefiting from it, in turn creating healthy soil and healthy plants and, consequently, healthy people. The Poconos spa looks forward to presenting Moka products through immersive guest experiences, such as chocolate tastings intertwined with storytelling about how Moka Origins began. In 2015, Moka Farms was founded in Cameroon, West Africa to help generate employment through sustainable farming and the creation of a Farmers’ Training Center. By 2017, Moka’s co-founder, Jeff Abella, started buying cacao and coffee directly from farmers around the world and began a chocolate and coffee company in Honesdale, PA, just 20 minutes from Woodloch. The company’s mission is to use chocolate and coffee as a vehicle for social change by ethically sourcing coffee and cacao, offering training programs on their Cameroon farm, and planting a tree for every product sold. To date, over 517,000 trees have been planted, more than 276,000 pounds of beans have been sold, and 2,600 workshops on sustainable agriculture have been provided to farmers.“We are thrilled to partner with Moka Origins,” said Brad Kiesendahl, CEO of Woodloch Resort. “Their dedication to sustainability, waste reduction, and environmental consciousness aligns seamlessly with our values here at Woodloch. We are committed to enhancing the guest experience by offering the finest quality coffee and chocolate while supporting a company with such a strong mission.” Moka Origins CEO, Jeff Abella, expressed equal enthusiasm, stating, “Partnering with Woodloch is a fantastic opportunity for us to expand our commitment to sustainability and community impact. We admire Woodloch’s dedication to creating an exceptional guest experience and look forward to providing their guests with our products while contributing to meaningful initiatives together.”
Marywood University Aviation Program Announces New Partnership Marywood University announced today that it has entered into a partnership with FlyGATEWAY Aviation Institute to provide state-of-the-art flight training for Marywood University Aviation students. As the need for airline pilots continues to grow more rapidly than the demand can be met, Marywood officials said this new partnership will provide their aviation students with a wealth of resources, enabling them to train on aircraft and in facilities that will provide a training experience of the highest standard as they work toward their goal of becoming professional pilots. FlyGATEWAY, a large flight school currently with operations in four locations throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware, is excited to expand their operations to accommodate Marywood University Aviation students by adding a new location based out of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Capt. Joseph McDonald, director of the Marywood Aviation Program and assistant professor of aviation, observed, “In addition to their classroom and technical training, the flight training provided by FlyGATEWAY will provide Marywood Aviation students with experience for real-world application and career development, ensuring that our graduates are prepared for a thriving career in aviation upon program completion. Marywood’s Aviation program, like others across the country, now plays a vital role in helping to mitigate the acute pilot shortage impacting the airline industry today.”
Condron Media Partners with Sweda Advertising to merge into Condron Sweda Advertising Sweda Advertising, established in 2004, and Condron Media, a 29-year-old firm, have combined forces to form Condron Sweda Advertising. The two firms have generated over $100 Million in collective client billings to date. The combined entity, Condron Sweda Advertising, boasts a deep in-house roster of 12 skilled, experienced team members comprised of Account Executives/Brand Managers, Media Planners, Content Writers, Graphic Designers, Audio/Video Producers/Directors, Public Relations Strategists, Print Managers, and Digital/Web Specialists offering 60 impactful advertising, marketing, and public relations services to clients.
RailRiders Extend Partnership with Bold Gold Media Group The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, have agreed to a two-year extension of their radio broadcast partnership with Bold Gold Media Group through the end of the 2024 International League season. All 150 RailRiders regular season games will be heard on “The Mothership” and its network of five frequencies across NEPA.Scranton/Wilkes-Barre games can be heard locally on 1400 WICK-AM (Lackawanna & Luzerne Counties), 1440 WCDL-AM (Lackawanna County & Pocono Lake Region), 93.5 FM (Scranton & Northern Lackawanna County), 106.7 FM (Wayne & Pike Counties) and 107.9 FM (Lackawanna County). In addition to radio broadcasts heard across the region, all RailRiders games will be streamed live on the web with links available through swbrailriders.com and boldgoldradionepa.com. The broadcasts are also streamed through Bold Gold’s free RadioBOLD app and MiLB’s First Pitch app.Adam Marco enters his sixth year as the “Voice of the RailRiders,” having joined the franchise in 2018. Last November, he was honored as Ballpark Digest’s Minor League Broadcaster of the Year.Emily Messina will join the broadcast team for the 2023 season. She spent the past three seasons as the lead broadcaster and Media Relations Manager of the Reading Fightin Phils, the Philadelphia Phillies Double-A affiliate. Previously, Messina broadcast games for the Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League. She has also had stints in the Arizona Fall League and with the Lynchburg Hillcats in the Cleveland Indians minor league system. In the offseason, Messina calls a variety of sports including field hockey, basketball and swimming. She is a 2019 graduate of the Catholic University of America, where she was a four-year varsity athlete.Each RailRiders’ radio broadcast begins 20 minutes prior to first pitch. For more information, please contact the RailRiders front office at (570) 969-2255.
The Wright Center Assists Drop-In Center with Services to Scranton’s Homeless The Wright Center for Community Health partners with many of the region’s nonprofit groups to better meet the needs of Northeast Pennsylvania’s residents. Bounced out of foster care when she turned 18, Angela Powers spent a “rough” five years dealing with homelessness, often staying on the streets of New York City’s Times Square. She then moved to and worked in Scranton, where her fortunes seemed on the upswing. But the house in which she lived in 2007 was condemned, thrusting her back into an uncertain and unsafe situation. “I had no relatives in Scranton,” Powers recalls. “I had no friends.” She turned to the Community Intervention Center (CIC) – a now 50-year-old nonprofit in Scranton that provides shelters, apartment-style supportive housing, case management and related services for historically marginalized populations such as adults who are experiencing homelessness. “They have helped me in every way possible,” says Powers, 43, who now lives in an apartment and is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in human services. “There’s no limit to the help that they try to give you. They do things from the heart.” The Wright Center for Community Health – a nonprofit with a similarly long presence in Lackawanna County and a heart for helping people – is proud to routinely partner with the CIC, supplying its clients, like Powers, with the primary health care and other forms of compassionate assistance they deserve. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, The Wright Center dispatched its mobile medical unit, Driving Better Health, multiple times to CIC’s daytime drop-in center on Sixth Avenue, enabling clients there to receive coronavirus tests and vaccines. On the mobile unit’s first trip to the CIC in April 2021 nearly 30 people received the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. Flu vaccines also have been made available. While at the drop-in site, The Wright Center’s team will sometimes distribute hygiene products, blankets and other essentials to those who want them. And the team offers “to-go packages,” each containing bottled water as well as easy-to-carry foods such as sandwiches and breakfast sandwich bars. “The CIC’s clients are so appreciative of the items and services that we are able to provide them during our visits,” says Allison LaRussa, director of health humanities at The Wright Center. “It’s a privilege to get to know these individuals and to spend time talking and sharing stories with them, as I have, while recently assisting in the painting of a mural there that enlivens the space and reflects their hope for brighter days ahead.” The Wright Center and CIC not only share a common purpose when it comes to helping marginalized communities, they also share proximity. The nonprofits’ headquarters in the city are about 1-mile apart. That’s especially convenient if CIC clients require speedy treatment for a health-related issue, says longtime CIC employee Jason Griffiths. “The Wright Center allows us to make an appointment for our clients, and they get right in,” says Griffiths, a permanent supportive housing case manager. “That’s great for us, and for the client.” At The Wright Center’s Scranton Practice, for example, patients have the convenience of going to a single site to access medical, dental and behavioral health services. No patient is turned away due to an inability to pay. Beyond primary care, The Wright Center’s team tries to provide CIC clients with an emotional boost by scheduling occasional social activities at the drop-in centernear downtown Scranton, which on most days draws 60 to 80 people. CIC’s drop-in center can trace its roots back to 1972. It historically has served adults facing homelessness as well as individuals who are coping with substance use disorders or behavioral health issues. Today, the center offers a safe and sober environment that furnishes everything from essentials (shower and laundry facilities, food and coffee) to recovery services to occasional chiropractic care and yoga. For some clients, it’s purely a place to socialize among friends. The Wright Center’s Patient & Community Engagement team goes to the CIC regularly, with trays of pizza in hand, engaging clients in fun activities such as bingo games and holiday crafts. Most recently, with guidance from LaRussa, about 15 CIC clients completed the mural project titled, “Instilling Hope.” Hope can sometimes be hard to find for people in Lackawanna County who are classified as homeless, previously estimated at 150 or more individuals who are unsheltered or are sheltered in emergency/transitional housing. That’s why, after a half-century of service, the CIC’s daily operation continues to be so essential to individuals – and to the Greater Scranton community. “We have 26 apartments in which we’ve taken 26 people off the streets who used to live in abandoned buildings and under bridges and put them into permanent supportive housing,” says Griffiths. “They have us as a case manager to help them get back on their feet.” Powers can attest that the CIC and its community partners are able to successfully deliver the services – and, just as important, the psychological boost – to change the trajectory of a person’s life. “This drop-in center is where you can get a fresh start,” she says. “It’s not just about taking a shower. It’s not just about having somewhere to have a cup of coffee. It’s about feeling cared for and accepted.”
Lackawanna Heritage Valley Partnership Grant Funding Lackawanna Heritage Valley has announced the start of a new spring cycle of partnership grant funding, open for application through March 11 at 12 p.m. The program is open to members of non-profit and civic organizations, municipal and governmental agencies, and educational institutions with proposals for projects designed to enhance the quality of life within the Lackawanna Heritage Valley. Successful grant applicants will receive up to $5,000 each to conserve, preserve, and educate the public about Northeastern Pennsylvania’s historic, cultural, economic and natural resources. Lackawanna Heritage Valley, designated as both a national and state heritage area, has provided more than three million dollars in funding assistance to community organizations through its Partnership Grants Program since its inception. Given the dire funding constraints and lack of community programming brought on by the ongoing health crisis, the organization feels this round of grants is perhaps one of its most crucial. Justin Topa, community engagement and programs manager, hopes that Lackawanna Heritage Valley’s spring grant program will continue the organization’s work toward stimulating the region’s economy, enhancing tourism initiatives, strengthening community organizations and increasing the quality of life for area residents. “We are proud to support our creative local partners who help us to tell the region’s story and to preserve and conserve our natural resources,” Topa said. “With each successful grant cycle, we invest in our history, our resources and the families in our communities. In a year that presents unique challenges, we hope that this year’s applicants will find creative ways to showcase our region’s story of perseverance and the strength in working together.” For general information about the heritage area, or for grant program guidelines and applications, those interested are asked to visit www.LHVA.org or call Lackawanna Heritage Valley’s office, via (570) 963-6730.
Tobyhanna Army Depot Keeps Soldiers Connected Through Partnership with Project Manager Tactical Radios Employees at Tobyhanna Army Depot are playing a big role in the deployment of critical communications equipment for America’s warfighters. The depot and Project Manager Tactical Radios (PM TR) are working together to create radio installation kits (IKs) for the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) capability fielding. A key priority for the Army, the ITN incorporates the Army’s current tactical network environment (applications, devices, gateways, etc.) with commercial components and transport capabilities to ensure warfighters are always connected, even in the furthest corners of the world. “When battalions deploy, the IKs we create at Tobyhanna will help them set up a ‘communications bubble’ that does not rely on towers. Simply put, our work makes sure the warfighter is never without communication capability,” said Kris Martin, the logistics management specialist for the program. Martin, who works in the Production Management directorate, is just one part of a 17-person team that is dedicated full-time to the ITN IK mission. The team consists of logistics support from the Production Management directorate, engineering support from the Production Engineering directorate and fabrication support from the Systems Integration and Support (SIS) directorate. He says the team is top-notch. “We have phenomenal support from our teammates across the depot, especially the folks in SIS. They do an incredible job responding to the shifting priorities of this program, allowing us to always meet customer requirements.” The fastest-growing segment of the partnership is fabrication work, which has doubled in the past year. Depot employees can fabricate more than 1,000 different items for PM TR, according to Martin. “Our SIS artisans do an amazing job building power and signal cables as well as manufacturing a variety of metal components for the IKs.” In addition to the work performed on-site, depot personnel also travel around the world to field the IKs – an endeavor that technical personnel say is key to mission success. “IK fieldings help our team gain a cradle-to-grave understanding of this workload,” said Blake Small, an electronics technician assigned to the program. “It also allows us to identify potential improvements we can incorporate into our processes for the next fielding. We are committed to always growing.” The depot also hosts two other PMs for interoperability testing – allowing for a validation and verification of components prior to the fielding. According to PM TR Fielding and Operations Chief Nelson Cespedes, the endeavor is vital to Warfighter success. “The interoperability testing helps us ensure the IKs and other equipment perform as expected. By identifying issues proactively, we can ensure our Soldiers have the highest quality equipment that gives them the support they need on the battlefield.” Tobyhanna previously collaborated with PM TR on a highly-successful program focused on integrating Manpack radios for Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) units. The depot served as the central logistics hub, streamlining the process overall and reducing travel time for key personnel. Timothy Ivory, Chief of PM TR’s Integrated Product Support Branch, says the continued relationship was a no-brainer. “Our experience with Tobyhanna has been fantastic. The team here understands our dynamic, enduring requirements and always finds a way to give us what we need,” adding that the SIS team who builds cabling has provided mission-saving support more than once. Ivory says he expects to be working with Team Tobyhanna long after the ITN kitting project ends in 2032. “We don’t see ourselves going anywhere else – the investment in Team Tobyhanna has certainly been worth it.” The continued partnership between Tobyhanna and PM TR is directly aligned with the depot’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2028 – specifically the C5ISR Readiness and Shape the Future lines of effort. PM TR is part of the Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T), which works closely with the Army Futures Command’s Network Cross Functional Team to improve and grow the Army’s tactical network for current and future Soldiers. Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the Joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners. Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters. About 3,700 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, which is located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to empower the Soldier with winning C5ISR capabilities.
PennDOT Invites Private Industry to Submit Qualifications for Major Bridge Public-Private Partnership Initiative The state’s Public-Private Transportation Partnership Office is inviting the private sector to submit their qualifications to compete for the opportunity to enter into a progressive public-private partnership (P3) with PennDOT to administer the Major Bridge P3 Initiative. “While we’re reaching out to the public and evaluating the candidate bridges for this initiative, we’ve seen significant private-sector interest in this program,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “This initiative will quickly address and fully pay for badly needed work on important interstate bridges and make work on other projects possible.” The private development entity chosen for the P3 will enter into a pre-development agreement to design, build, finance, and maintain one or more bridge packages. Each package will include select bridges and associated infrastructure, including tolling infrastructure, gantry structures and toll buildings for each bridge. The department continues to evaluate and conduct public involvement and environmental reviews on the candidate bridges announced for consideration in February. Interested proposers must submit an electronic copy of their statement of qualifications to design, build, finance, and maintain major interstate or expressway bridges and associated roadway and tolling infrastructure to PennDOT Public-Private Transportation Partnership Office as instructed in the Request for Qualifications document by 11:00 AM on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. Parties can view submission requirements on the “Major Bridges Program” page at www.P3.pa.gov. The project was approved by the state’s P3 Board on Nov. 12, 2020, and since then PennDOT has hosted three industry forums to educate potential, private-sector stakeholders on the scope and requirements. This is in addition to public outreach being conducted for the PennDOT Pathways transportation funding initiative, National Environmental Policy Act requirements for each candidate bridge, and varied legislative and stakeholder engagement. Act 88 of 2012, the state’s transportation P3 law, allows PennDOT and other state agencies, transportation authorities and commissions to partner with private companies to participate in delivering, maintaining and financing transportation-related projects. The law created the seven-member Public Private Transportation Partnership Board, appointed to examine and approve potential public-private transportation projects. Upon board approval, the department or appropriate transportation agency can advertise a competitive RFP and enter into a contract with a company to completely or partially deliver the transportation-related service or project. To learn more about P3 in Pennsylvania, visit www.P3.pa.gov.
Soldiers Ready to Make Field Repairs Thanks to Tobyhanna Army Depot Tobyhanna Army Depot has renewed a partnership that ensures warfighters can access repair facilities on the battlefield. The depot and Product Manager for Sets, Kits, Outfits and Tools (PdM SKOT) will work together to produce new versions of the Armament Repair Shop Set, dubbed the “ARSS V2.” The workload remains at Tobyhanna after an extremely successful partnership that began with the original ARSS in 2015. The ARSS is a transportable shelter that serves as a place for Soldiers to repair anything from small arms to field artillery. It comes equipped with a generator for mobile power, an environmental control unit (ECU), and a wide variety of tools to keep military equipment battle-ready. Michael Cook, a logistics management specialist in the Production Management Directorate, said the new iteration of the ARSS incorporates several important process improvements. “The asset is no longer mounted on a trailer, and ARSS V2 has eliminated the need for ramps or ramp boxes. In addition, a smaller ECU replaces the larger, more cumbersome unit from ARSS V1.” Research, design and development for the ARSS V2 took several years, according to Brian Thomas, an engineer in the Production Engineering Directorate. Depot personnel worked closely with PdM SKOT as well as representatives from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center to create a prototype based upon Soldier feedback as well as depot “lessons learned.” Depot personnel fast-tracked completion of the prototype shelter over six months in early 2019. Once complete, the prototype was subjected to two months of rigorous transportability testing at the Aberdeen Test Center in Aberdeen, Maryland. Since testing concluded, pre-production planning has continued on the endeavor. Those involved say the new asset will be a big success. “The final ARSS V2 is easier and cheaper to produce – a win for both Tobyhanna and our customer, PdM SKOT,” Thomas said. “In addition, it is more user-friendly for the Soldier.” Donald Vozzi agreed. “We are extremely proud of ARSS V2 – especially because we’ve been able to cut the asset’s production time in half. That means Soldiers in the field are getting the equipment they need quicker.” Vozzi is the chief of the Systems Integration and Support (SIS) Directorate’s Electronic Shelter Systems Branch. David Graham is the Assistant Product Manager for ARSS V1 and V2 at PdM SKOT. He says the partnership has been a great experience. “Tobyhanna has done a great job with ARSS V1 and we are excited to begin building ARSS V2. We are pleased to have a partner in identifying manufacturing efficiencies.” The completed ARSS V2 is the culmination of collaboration across many depot organizations. Necessary cabling is built in SIS’s Strategic Systems Cable Branch, while other SIS artisans fabricate brackets, raceways, and work benches. SIS also supports vital testing operations for the ARSS V2 internal generator and ECU to ensure proper operation as well as refinishing requirements such as metal deburring and painting. Overarching project support comes from the Production Engineering, Production Management and Quality Management Directorates. “Like many projects at Tobyhanna, ARSS V2 is a team effort. We [SIS] couldn’t do it without our teammates,” said Vozzi. The continued partnership between Tobyhanna and PdM SKOT is directly aligned with the depot’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2028 – specifically the C5ISR Readiness and Shape the Future lines of effort. Heather Fiedler, the overall lead for TOBY2028, says partnerships are key to a successful future for Tobyhanna. “Tobyhanna Army Depot is actively engaged in over 100 current and prospective partnerships, which provide numerous benefits to both parties. These co-operative efforts allow us to best meet mission requirements for America’s warfighters.” The ARSS workload is funded as a multi-million dollar program over the coming years – with growth potential. “PdM SKOT is very happy with our support,” said Therese Paxton, the project manager for ARSS V2. “I believe we will have many opportunities to partner with them in the future in support of warfighter readiness.”
Tobyhanna, L3Harris Technologies Partner to Sustain Air Force MQ9 Reaper Tobyhanna Army Depot has joined forces with defense contractor L3Harris Technologies to repair portions of a critical intelligence collection system for the U.S. Air Force. The depot is scheduled to repair two types of line repairable units (LRUs) for the MQ-9 Reaper ground control station (GCS), part of a lucrative public-private partnership (P3) agreement between the organizations. The Reaper is an armed unmanned aircraft system that performs strike, coordination, and reconnaissance missions. The asset is designed for long-endurance and high-altitude surveillance, with the ability to carry 15 times more ordnance payload than its predecessor. The Reaper is monitored and controlled by an aircrew in the GCS. The acquisition of this new workload is directly aligned with Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2028. The plan, which focuses on posturing the depot to be competitive in coming years, has lines of effort dedicated to expanding an already diverse portfolio through securing new workload, as well as connecting with community partners. The mission represents further growth for the depot’s support of assets used by the U.S. Air Force. The workload’s arrival is the culmination of several years of effort, according to Logistics Management Specialist Christopher Volch. Volch works in the Production Management Directorate. “We have been working with L3Harris Technologies since 2016 to transition sustainment responsibility incrementally. This measured approach ensures Tobyhanna is prepared to provide superior support to this program,” he said. The cross-functional transition team included personnel from the C4ISR, Production Engineering and Production Management Directorates. Much of the transition has focused on technical requirements, such as the development of test program sets (TPS). Matthew Rhoades, chief of the Production Engineering Directorate’s Test Engineering Branch, says the TPSs serve an important purpose for the program. “These TPSs will allow Tobyhanna’s electronics personnel to screen the LRU at the beginning of the process to identify where the asset requires repair. Once repair is complete, the asset will be tested to validate the repair, ensuring the warfighter receives a quality product – every time.” Rhoades noted the TPS development was only possible due to the P3’s collaborative working relationship. “It has been a great experience working with L3Harris Technologies. Their personnel have been extremely good communicators and are willing to help however they can.” The transition team has also focused on training to close the capability gap between the contractor and Tobyhanna personnel. A cadre of depot subject matter experts traveled to an L3Harris Technologies facility in Salt Lake City, UT last month for side-by-side training and validation of technical documentation. Attendees praised the experience, citing it as a valuable opportunity to collaborate and learn from subject matter experts. Representatives from L3Harris Technologies say they are pleased with the depot’s efforts to prepare for the new workload. “The entire team has been extremely accommodating. We are very excited for this workload to come to Tobyhanna,” said Steven King, project manager for the Reaper transition. Volch is hopeful that the already fruitful partnership will lead to more work for Team Tobyhanna. “This partnership has been a fantastic experience, and we’ve been able to meet all of their expectations thus far. I believe we are well postured to work together again in the future, “ adding that P3s allow the Department of Defense to leverage unique capabilities available in the private sector to support operational readiness in the most effective and efficient fashion. The depot has entered into nearly 300 partnerships since the program began in 1996.