Tobyhanna Army Depot, PA –
An innovative and inspirational leader has been named Tobyhanna Army Depot’s (TYAD’s) Supervisor of the Quarter for the second quarter of 2023.
Daryl Gebhardt earned the award for his leadership of the depot’s Fire & Emergency Services Branch. Gebhardt’s team of 31 is comprised of firefighters and fire protection inspectors charged with responding to fires and emergency events – both on post, and in the community. Tobyhanna has mutual aid agreements with 19 regional agencies to aid during a variety of emergency situations across Northeastern Pennsylvania - a relationship that is better than it ever has been, he said.
Gebhardt’s journey to being named Supervisor of the Quarter is a testament to his work ethic and commitment to TYAD’s mission as well as the opportunities presented by a career at the depot.
In the late 2000s, Gebhardt began his Tobyhanna career as a firefighter. This organic rise to leadership has positioned Gebhardt well to understand what his diverse group of employees are experiencing daily and how best to support them. He prides himself on being an empowering, transparent leader who can adapt to meet the wide range of situations Fire & Emergency Services personnel may be faced with.
"I like to believe I put people first and have an open door. If there’s a problem, I stop what I’m doing to be there for them first. In my occupation, I’ll never ask them to do what I wouldn’t do myself. The guys are empowered to run the various programs that make the Fire & Emergency Services Branch function, and that’s what makes us as successful as we are.”
Gebhardt said although his name is on the award, he shares this success with the driving force behind it – his team.
“The award is a reflection of the team I work with. I’m successful because of the team and the tremendous effort they put forth each day,” said Gebhardt.
Gebhardt said he was honored to be recognized by depot leadership and shared that his code of ethics is what motivates him to be the best leader he can be.
“I do what I do because I believe it is the right thing to do. I don’t need awards and recognition for my actions, but it is quite humbling to have received support from several levels of leadership in the nomination process and to receive the award given the excellence of my peers.”
Gebhardt was nominated for the award by Jason DeMatteo, Chief of the Risk Management Division, who celebrated the Chief’s team-focused approach.
“Daryl places the needs of his team before his own and makes himself available whenever needed, day or night. Through fostering a fair and inclusive culture, he leads by example,” said DeMatteo. DeMatteo’s division is part of the Installation Services Directorate.
William Ramey, Director of Installation Services, echoed DeMatteo’s praise of Gebhardt.
“Daryl is a people-centric leader. His commitment to care for and serve his team are just one factor that makes the Fire & Emergency Services Branch so special. Daryl’s approach to ensuring his team is resourced, trained, and ready to respond to any emergency both on and off post is commendable. Spend some time with the entire team and you will feel the camaraderie and commitment to excellence.”
Known as a strong advocate for employee development, Gebhardt relentlessly pursued a mobile confined space trailer and associated training for the Fire & Emergency Services Branch. The state-of-the-art, immersive training simulator helps emergency personnel experience real-life scenarios in a low-pressure, danger-free atmosphere. Trainees learn how to move safely among debris, low ceilings and obstacles, as well as how to perform rescues when a teammate goes down - reducing the likelihood of panic or disorientation during actual emergency events.
Patrick Ward, Assistant Chief of Training and Prevention, celebrated the arrival of the equipment, saying, "It [the simulator] will help our team better prepare for the emergency scenarios they face every day. We are thankful for this opportunity and hope to share it with fellow emergency responders in our region and across the Department of Defense."
Looking to the future, Gebhardt said his goal, and the goal for each member of TYAD’s Fire & Emergency Services Branch, is to improve every day to become a more efficient team. Gebhardt said a specific goal is for Fire & Emergency Services to become an accredited agency through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.
The Supervisor of the Quarter award – and its companion Employee of the Quarter awards – are TOBY2035 initiatives aligned with the Invest in Our People line of effort. The plan, which has three additional focus areas, strives to position Tobyhanna for success in the coming years as the Department of Defense's premier worldwide C5ISR readiness provider.
TYAD 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, postproduction software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters.
About 3,200 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.