Following the news that D&G Solutions had added this United States Air Force combat veteran and retired Colonel, who would bring more than 27 years of senior leadership experience across global supply chain management, fuels, transportation, and enterprise logistics operations, we caught up with Ryan to learn more.
Drawn by Culture, Energy and Passion
The primary reason I was drawn to D&G is the company’s culture. The energy and passion of our CEO, Leah Sanders, sets the tone for the entire organization. She is very much a people person, and it was immediately clear to me how much she truly cares about her workforce. Coming from the military, where developing, mentoring, and taking care of your team is exceptionally important, finding a leader who shares those values was a priority for me. She has built an environment where people are encouraged to think differently and take ownership of the challenges our customers face.
Another thing that drew me to D&G was their incredible momentum. I am particularly excited about the company’s recent successes, including USTRANSCOM J5 Contested Logistics (CONLOG) Support contract and the execution of the USTRANSCOM Global Bulk Fuels Management and Delivery (GBFMD) contract. These are not just contract wins; they are a testament to D&G’s role as a trusted partner in solving the Department of War’s most critical problems. D&G’s motto is “Bring us your Goliaths,” and these are goliath challenges.
Leveraging Deep Institutional Knowledge
D&G has been incredibly successful in delivering high impact results for USTRANSCOM and DLA. My addition to the team signals a strategic move to export that success across the entire Joint Logistics Enterprise.
Having served as a senior logistician, I fully appreciate the gravity and complexity of the challenges facing our forces today. I’ve seen firsthand where the Goliaths live, whether at the Services level, within the Joint Staff, the National Guard Bureau, or the Office of the Secretary of War. My goal is to leverage deep institutional knowledge to bridge the gap between existing needs and the innovative solutions D&G is known for.
I will help position D&G for its next phase of growth by identifying where our expertise in logistics and supply chain management can solve similar pain points for a wider array of DOW partners. By applying my understanding of the “why” behind the mission, I intend for D&G to be more than a participant in the market; we will be a lead architect in modernizing the logistics framework for the entire Joint Force. I see my role as ensuring the Joint Logistics voice is heard in the solutions we develop so they are precisely engineered to solve the real world operational challenges that define success or failure on the ground.
Recognition of the Paramount Importance of Logistics
The most significant trend, or rather a critical realization, is that senior leaders across the Department of War now understand the paramount importance of logistics. Logistics is truly the fulcrum between winning and losing. While logistics has always been essential in the conflict phase, leaders are now appreciating that it is just as important in the competition phase. Often, winning in the competition phase through superior readiness means you never have to move into conflict. As such, logistics has finally been recognized as a powerful strategic deterrent.
My focus will be on leveraging this strategic understanding to help D&G and our clients address close the gap on these logistical challenges. While funding is always an issue, money is not the only way to close the existing gaps. The primary challenge is that data and knowledge remain siloed, preventing the level of integration required to make informed and prioritized resourcing decisions across the Joint Logistics Enterprise.
We must focus on integrating that data to answer the vital question of where resources must go. In a conflict with a near peer adversary, you must have the theater and the globe set prior to conflict. The speed and pace of the next conflict will not allow for long lead time resupply.
Success in Collaboration
Because our strategy is centered on broadening our client base across the Joint Logistics Enterprise, we recognize that success requires a collaborative approach. I am specifically looking for teaming partners, particularly Small Businesses, SDVOSBs, and WOSBs, that have demonstrated past performance and established relationships within the organizations we are expanding into, such as the Joint Staff, National Guard Bureau, OSW, and the individual Service components.
At the end of the day, my transition to industry is driven by a continued desire to serve the mission. I have a deep-seated respect for the men and women who operate at the tip of the spear, and I know that their success depends on the logistics tail being as resilient as possible.
I want the community to know that D&G is not just another contractor; we are a group of dedicated professionals who take the responsibility of supporting the Joint Force personally. I am honored to be part of a team that values integrity and operational excellence as much as I do. I look forward to reconnecting with old colleagues and building new partnerships as we work together to solve the complex challenges facing our national defense.
Career Highlights
While I am a fresh face in the GovCon industry, I bring nearly three decades of boots on the ground experience from the United States Air Force as a Logistics Readiness Officer. The highlight of my career was having the privilege and opportunity to serve as the Commander of the 635th Supply Chain Operations Wing. In that capacity, running operational logistics for the Air Force, I had a front row seat to the complexities of a global supply chain and the depth and breadth of the challenges we must solve for the warfighter. My career has been dedicated to ensuring global mobility, supply chain integrity, and operational readiness across diverse and often contested environments. D&G Solutions allows me to translate that leadership into the corporate sector, helping bridge the gap between complex federal requirements and innovative solutions.
About Ryan Bakazan
A former Air Force Wing Commander—among the top 1% of officers entrusted with enterprise-scale logistics and readiness—Bakazan joins D&G following a distinguished career overseeing some of the Department of War’s most complex sustainment operations. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director of Logistics at Air Mobility Command, where he led a 330-person organization managing a $2.5B annual budget in support of 1,100 aircraft across more than 50 locations worldwide.
