Vice Adm. Harnitchek became director of the Defense Logistics Agency in November 2011. As such, he is responsible for providing the military services and other federal agencies with logistics, acquisition and technical services. These services include logistics information; materiel management; procurement, warehousing and distribution of spare parts, food, clothing, medical supplies and fuel; reutilization of surplus military materiel; and document automation and production.
Harnitchek received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Penn State University in 1977 and was commissioned through the Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps program. In 1987, he received a master's degree in management from the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif.
Harnitchek has served in a variety of sea tours including two submarines, USS Will Rogers (SSBN 659) and USS Buffalo (SSN 715); two ships, USS Holland (AS 32) and USS Proteus (AS 19); and the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). His shore tours include Commander, Submarine Group 7, Yokosuka, Japan; the Navy Ships Parts Control Center, Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.; and the Chief of Naval Operations Staff.
Flag assignments include commanding officer, Naval Inventory Control Point; vice director for logistics, the Joint Staff; director, Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics, U.S. Transportation Command; director, U. S. Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom; and deputy commander, United States Transportation Command.