7 | 27 | 2015
A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding
U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Roger Wicker Visit NNS Last week, Huntington Ingalls Industries hosted U.S. Senators Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., for a tour of Newport News Shipbuilding.
VCS Achieves Superior Safety Results Over the past year, the Virginia-class Submarine (VCS) Program has reduced accidents by 40 percent. The VCS leadership team gives a lot of the credit for the improvement to its Environmental, Health, and Safety (EH&S) Task Team, led by craftsmen across all trades. One of the team’s activities is a monthly “Module of Excellence” banner presented to the area that has demonstrated outstanding safety. Members of the safety task team survey every module under construction to determine a winner and to provide feedback to others for improvement. They determine a score based on each module’s staging, line management, safety boards, housekeeping, and accidents. The most recent recipient was the sail team in the Covered Module Assembly Facility (CMAF). CMAF Safety Task Team Leader Eric Duvall (X31) said, “The Safety Task Team and upper management have been coming up with innovative ideas to make a safer work environment. Positive change can happen, and winning the Module of Excellence banner shows we are moving in the right direction.” CONTINUED ON PG 4
The senators met with shipbuilders and discussed the shipyard’s increased efficiencies and construction progress on Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). They also received progress updates on the Virginiaclass submarine program, the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), and the inactivation of USS Enterprise (CVN 65). “America’s Armed Forces require the best technology and tools available to complete their missions,” said Wicker, whose state is home to Newport News’ sister shipyard, Ingalls Shipbuilding. “Huntington Ingalls Industries produces the world’s most sophisticated ships, enabling our troops to remain the most well-equipped military power on Earth.” Wicker has represented Mississippi in the Senate since 2007. He is a senior member of the Armed Services Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Seapower. Kaine was elected to the Senate in 2012 and is a member of the Armed Services Committee. The former Virginia governor has been a strong advocate for Newport News Shipbuilding. Last year he worked to secure funding for the refueling and overhaul of... CONTINUED ON PG 3
June Master Shipbuilder, Retirements and Long Service
NNS’ Software Center of Excellence Appraised at Maturity Level 3
Answers to This Year’s Build Clean Crossword Puzzle Contest
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