Your Yard: PLACES & FACES
Tim Spitler, Production Facilities Manager, (Code 900F) congratulates Freeman with a hug after the award ceremony. Opposite Right: Mike Regna, NCMA President, presents Freeman with the inaugural award plaque.
Shipyard Spotlight: Code 900’s Freeman Named Admin Professional of the Year Gracie Freeman lives and works by the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Her dedication and positivity were recently rewarded when Freeman was named the inaugural National Association of Superintendents (NAS) and Naval Civilian Managers Association (NCMA) Administrative Professional of the Year in May. Freeman, the seventh of eight children, is a native of Gatesville, North Carolina. In March 1984, shortly after graduating from Gates County High School, she enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served for 24 years. Her assignments as an information manager took her around the world to Portugal, Korea, and Italy, and she served at the Pentagon and Naval Station Norfolk before retiring in 2008. A quarter of a century in uniform was not enough and Freeman wanted to continue to serve her country as a civilian. Her career at Norfolk Naval Shipyard began in October 2008 as the Administrative 18 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JUNE 2016
Assistant for the Nuclear Engineering and Planning Department Test Engineering Division (Code 2340). She is now the Administrative Assistant for the Production Resources Officer (Code 900) and the Production Department Manager (Code 901). On a regular day, Freeman maintains calendars, assists with daily requests, and coordinates off site training forums. “I also receive, review, and process travel requests for the Operations and Production Resources Departments’ travelers, assisting with authorizations and vouchers in the Defense Travel System (DTS), and informing resource managers when changes to the travel process occur,” she said. “And I submit visit requests for shipyard employees if they need base and ship access at other shipyards, and when travelers are going overseas, I prepare a Naval message.” All of Freeman’s duties require her to interact with a variety of people on a daily basis. She answers questions and provides guidance