April 4, 2022 by Newport News Shipbuilding

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A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding

Preparing to Deploy USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) completed flight deck certification and carrier air traffic control center certification last week in the Atlantic Ocean. This was part of the ship’s basic training phase prior to operational deployment. Newport News Shipbuilding recently completed Ford’s first planned incremental availability. See the press release for more information. U.S. Navy photo

Navy Celebrates Delaware Commissioning The U.S. Navy celebrated the commissioning of USS Delaware (SSN 791) Saturday, April 2, in Wilmington, Delaware. Newport News Shipbuilding delivered the Virginia-class submarine in 2019. Due to COVID restrictions in place at the time, there was no traditional ceremony held when Delaware was commissioned administratively on April 4, 2020. On that day, the submarine was underway and became the first U.S. Navy ship commissioned while submerged. Saturday’s ceremony followed the script of a traditional commissioning in every way and was held in commemoration of the milestone. As the ship’s sponsor, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden performed the traditional honor of calling for the crew to man the ship and “bring her to life,” a ceremonial procession following the commemorative setting of the first watch.

The 18th Virginia-class submarine, Delaware is homeported at Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut. U.S. Navy photo

HII’s New Look HII is evolving, and the company has updated its logo, branding and website. These changes honor and preserve HII’s shipbuilding heritage, while acknowledging a new chapter of growth, as the company broadens its scope in defense technologies. Visit the new website at HII.com. For branded resources – including updated PowerPoint templates – and guidance, visit the Brand Central Station on Homeport.

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Shipbuilders involved in the recent Columbia milestone include welders, pictured left, and the radiography crew.

Columbia Program Celebrates Milestone The Columbia (SSBN 826) team at Newport News Shipbuilding is celebrating another successful milestone in the construction of the first-in-class submarine. NNS is a major subcontractor and shipbuilding partner in Columbia-class submarines with General Dynamics Electric Boat. Recently, the NNS Columbia team worked to land, fit and weld the hemi-head on the submarine’s pressure hull. Radiographic testing (RT) revealed a 99% pass rate of the c-seam weld. Frenandez Lee (X18) and Anthony Williams (X18) are among the welders who worked on the project. They both previously worked on Virginia-class submarines and said the larger size of Columbia-class submarines is an advantage. “It was actually easier than Virginia class because everything is more open,” Lee said. Williams said first-time quality was maintained, even with welders from different shifts working on the same job. “It makes you feel good as a welder,” he said. “You have to love what you do.” Nathan McInnis, a Nondestructive Testing (O38) manager who is currently on loan to the Columbia Program as a construction supervisor, said the team overcame challenges and “knocked it out of the park.” “At the end of the day, the important thing was letting the deckplate experts do what they do best,” he said. “You’ve got a team of welders over here who are invested in the work they do.”

Once the welding was complete, shipbuilders from O38 – including Tim Depow and Keon Smith – stepped in to test the welds. They were given a two-week timeframe. However, they finished their work in less than four days on 12-hour shifts. Depow was the lead operator for the RT crew. Logistical differences meant the team couldn’t test the Columbia hemi-head the same way it does for VCS boats. They developed a plan that allowed them to capture the images they needed while blocking off a significantly smaller area and not disrupting other work taking place nearby. “Now that we have all these footnotes and techniques down, we know exactly what we need to do next time. We can get over there and probably knock it out even quicker,” Depow said. “I couldn’t ask for a better crew – everybody from the top down.” As the safety lead, Smith was responsible for ensuring the job was conducted safely. “It becomes second nature to us, but we cannot be complacent,” he said. “Safety is always the No. 1 priority. You can’t get anything done without safety being a priority.” Lee, Williams, McInnis, Depow and Smith all agreed having a hand in the construction of a new class of submarines that will serve the nation for decades to come is an honor. “Together between the construction teams – X11, X18 and O68 – and O38, the Columbia Program is further positioned to continue to meet and exceed the high standards of quality required by our Navy,” said Mark McKain of the Columbia Program Office.

New Off-site Parking Location Available to Employees Beginning Monday, April 11, the Parking and Transportation Team will operate a shuttle from the Bldg. 600 parking lot to 50th, 46th, 43rd and 31st streets between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. A constant loop will run from 5 until 8 a.m. and from 2 until 5 p.m. Outside of the hours

for the constant loop, employees will need to call the NNS taxi at 757-262-6516 for a ride to the parking lot. At Bldg. 600, 250 parking spaces will be available and marked by cones and a sign for the shuttle pickup. The spaces are

located inside the Bldg. 600 parking lot and located in the corner by 44th Street and Madison Avenue. Email questions to ParkingSolutions@hii-nns.com.

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AROUND THE YARD Paid Summer Internships for Business and Engineering Students Newport News Shipbuilding Talent Acquisition has immediate openings for business management and engineering paid summer internships. Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, April 5. To qualify for the business internship, college students must major in accounting, business or finance with a minimum 2.5 GPA. To qualify for the engineering internship, students must major in corrosion, electrical, industrial, systems or welding engineering. All students must be enrolled in a fouryear bachelor’s (or 2+2) or master’s degree program returning to school in the fall. Employees are encouraged to share these opportunities. For more information or to apply, visit buildyourcareer.com and search for req Nos. 19554 and 19553.

Join Leadership Lunch and Learn April 13 At Newport News Shipbuilding, being an inspiring leader means we C.A.R.E. (connect, accountability, respect and empathy). Shipbuilders are invited to join The Learning Organization and Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) offices for a lunch and learn at noon April 13. Danyelle Saunders will explore the ways leaders can ensure team members feel valued and are able to contribute their very best every day. Register on MyNNS. For more information, contact Vickie Robinson via email.

Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Active cases: 0 NNS employees vaccinated: 79% See case details at nns.huntingtoningalls.com/411.

Secretary of the Navy Visits NNS Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, pictured in the center, visited Newport News Shipbuilding Friday, April 1. During the visit, NNS leaders shared updates about the construction of aircraft carriers and submarines, workforce development efforts, facility investments and the supply chain.

Mandatory 10-Digit Dialing for 757 Area Code Begins April 9 Mandatory 10-digit dialing goes into effect for the 757 area code April 9. That means all local calls made in the 757 area code must be dialed using a 10-digit number (three-digit area code and seven-digit phone number). The change comes because the inventory of available 757 numbers is expected to run out. The State Corporation Commission approved an overlay, which is the addition of another area code (948) to the same geographic region served by an existing area code (757). No existing 757 numbers will change. At Newport News Shipbuilding, internal five-digit dialing will remain in place. Internal emergency numbers (*911 and 380-2222) also will remain the same. However, shipbuilders who call the emergency number from an external line such as a mobile phone will need to dial 757-380-2222.

Relay For Life is May 1 Newport News Shipbuilding is a sponsor of the 2022 Relay For Life event from 3 until 9 p.m. May 1 at the Hampton Coliseum. Shipbuilders are needed to volunteer in time slots between noon and 10 p.m. Volunteers can choose their time slots when they sign up. Contact Heather Slaughter (O53) to register to volunteer. Shipbuilders who have a short story about their experience with cancer – or that of a family member –that they do not mind sharing are encouraged to contact Jenn Cherry (O22) via email to have their story featured in Currents. Visit the Relay For Life website on MyNNS or RelayForLife.org/nns to donate, register or join the team. For more information about registration and donation, contact Jenn Cherry (O22), Heather Slaughter (O53) or Adam Krininger (X02). Relay For Life donations help the American Cancer Society fund a range of services including research, education and treatment counseling for cancer patients, their families and medical professionals around the world.

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DATEBOOK THROUGH APRIL 8

Join the Generational Integration Focus Team (GIFT) and the Virginia Peninsula Salvation Army for their “Easter for Senior Citizens Event” to provide much-needed items for local senior citizens. Shipbuilders can help by donating toiletry items, games, Easter candy and gift cards. Donations can be placed in a drop box in the Bldg. 520 lobby through April 8. For more information, contact Cassandra Bonner at 534-3416 or Paula Young at 688-7634.

APRIL 6

The Professional Enhancement and Enrichment Rotation (PEER) Program is hosting a learn at lunch WebEx event for potential candidates from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. The program is open to salaried individual contributors. To sign up, visit the PEER Program website on MyNNS. For more information, contact Gary Figg at 688-4495.

APRIL 6

The NNS Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Community of Practice (CoP) is holding a kickoff event from 3:45 until 4:45 p.m., sponsored by Julia Jones, vice president of Manufacturing and Industrial Manufacturing and Systems Engineering. This is an in-person event at the PCU building (Bldg. 4931). Shipbuilders in manufacturing, production or those with interest in this career field are welcome to attend. The event will introduce WiM and the CoP’s goals, and host a mixer to facilitate networking. To register and for more information, check out the NNS WiM website on MyNNS.

APRIL 7-9

The FIRST Robotics Chesapeake District Championship, sponsored by Newport News Shipbuilding, will be held at the Hampton Coliseum April 7-9. This event will bring 140 middle and high school robotics teams to our area. SEEKnns is looking for volunteers for this event. Sign up to volunteer on NNS Gives. Shipbuilders can volunteer for one, two or all three days. Contact Lewis Fisher (X46) at 688-0111 or via email for more information about volunteering.

APRIL 21

Volunteers are needed for Newport News Shipbuilding’s annual Earth Day Cleanup. NNS employees will help celebrate Earth Day by volunteering to clean up and spread mulch around trees and shrubs at Christopher Newport Park and the Victory Arch area in downtown Newport News. Volunteers also will cleanup the Huntington Park beachfront and Oakland Industrial Park. For more information visit the 2022 Earth Day website on MyNNS or contact Kristen Scarsdale at 688-2582 or via email. The rain date is April 22. Information regarding the annual Earth Day Coloring Contest for kids (ages 4-17) also is available on the website.

Technical Solutions is Now Mission Technologies HII’s Technical Solutions division has been renamed Mission Technologies. Following a series of strategic acquisitions and supported by organic growth, the division has expanded its workforce around the globe and enhanced its capabilities with mission-critical national security solutions. See the press release for more information.

APRIL 27

The Veterans Employee Resource Group (VERG) and the Department of Veterans Affairs will host an overview of the Women Veterans Health Care program event from noon until 12:30 p.m. Catherine MacDonald, Women Veterans Program manager, and Lisa Riha, deputy Women Veterans Program manager, will share information. This will be a WebEx event and is open to all NNS employees. No charge will be provided. Register on MyNNS. For more information, email VERG@hii-nns.com.

MAY 14 AND 15

The BeWell for Life 5K, formerly the NNS 5K, is a fun 3.1-mile walk, jog or run to the finish line. The in-person race is scheduled for May 14, at 9 a.m. at Victory Landing Park. A virtual event will be held May 14 and 15. To sign up or to learn more, visit myquadmed.com/2022-bewellfor-life-5k. Those interested in volunteering during the race should contact Topaz Artis via email. Volunteers will receive free entry and a free T-shirt.

JUNE 10

The 17th annual F. Farrell Sanders Apprentice Athletic Club Golf Tournament will be held at Ford’s Colony Country Club. Look for more information about costs and how to register in upcoming editions of Currents.

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HIRING IDEAS

Newport News Shipbuilding needs to hire more than 6,000 employees this year. NNS Talent Acquisition welcomes innovative ideas on how to support this effort. Employees are encouraged to send ideas to hiringideas@hii-nns.com.

SEEKING SHIPBUILDERS

Visit www.buildyourcareer.com to search for the latest NNS job openings.

Job Title Req Number Dept. Employee Referral Cash Bonus Fitter (Entry-level & 18811, 18810, X11 Eligible Experienced) 18808, 18809 Outside Machinist 18325 X43 Eligible (Experienced) Refueler (Experienced) 18317 X43 Eligible Summer Internship (Business 19554 K21 Not Eligible Accounting, Finance majors) Summer Internship (Corrosion, 19553 K21 Not Eligible Electrical, Industrial, Systems, Welding Engineering majors) Supply Chain Specialist 3 17615 K22 Eligible Welder 18846, 18845, X18 Eligible 18844, 18841

Remote Work Considered No No No No No

Yes No

All positions are located in Newport News unless otherwise noted.

Employees are encouraged to use MyHR or the "Current HII Employees Job Search" button at www.buildyourcareer.com to apply. Visit www.huntingtoningalls.com/careers/refer-a-friend to learn more about the cash bonus awards for referrals to select positions.