11 l 1 l 2021
A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding
NNS Leader Testifies Before Congressional Committee Newport News Shipbuilding Vice President of Trades Xavier Beale testified Oct. 26 before the House Appropriations Committee about NNS’ workforce development challenges. Beale joined William Bonvillian, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology lecturer; Jose-Marie Griffiths, president of Dakota State University and former commissioner on the National Security Commission for Artificial Intelligence; and General Hawk Carlisle, president and CEO of the National Defense Industrial Association, to deliver the testimony virtually during the first of two Defense Subcommittee hearings on workforce development.
Thousands of Newport News Shipbuilding employees have been vaccinated against COVID-19 at the NNS Vaccination Site and during in-yard clinics. Photo by Ashley Cowan
Vaccine Deadline Looms
To comply with a government mandate to fully vaccinate all federal contractors by early next month, Newport News Shipbuilding employees must receive their first Pfizer shot by Wednesday, Nov. 3. Shipbuilders, including leased employees, are eligible to receive Pfizer vaccinations at the NNS COVID-19 Vaccination Site (Bldg. 601). To schedule an appointment, visit myquadmed.com/hii-nns/COVID-vaccine. If you experience difficulty, call the COVID hotline at 1-844-243-8749 (option 6). Operating hours are as follows: • Monday and Tuesday: 4:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Vaccines are administered from 4:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. • Wednesday through Friday: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Vaccines are administered from 6:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. Shipbuilders who do not receive their first dose of the two-shot Pfizer vaccine by Nov. 3 can still meet the Dec. 8 deadline for full vaccination if they receive the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is widely available in the community, by Nov. 24.
Raffle Winners Named
Three NNS employees are the latest winners in a series of raffles aimed at thanking shipbuilders for getting their COVID-19 vaccination. Travis Quidera (X31) won a reserved parking spot in Zone A that is good for one year. Another parking raffle will be held at the end of November. John Confalone (E91) and Douglas Carter (X42) each won $3,750 in the latest monetary raffle. Raffle drawings will be held for $3,750 prizes Nov. 5, and raffles for $2,500 prizes will be held Nov. 12 and Nov. 19.
Beale fielded questions from committee members and suggested that increased investment in federal workforce development would go a long way toward overall growth of shipbuilding talent. “With your help and the partnership of other local, state and federal allies, the Defense Industrial Base will prosper and be in a better position to provide the support our Navy needs and our nation deserves,” he said. NNS leadership has been invited to testify in front of Congress several times over the past decade to educate its members about the important role shipbuilding plays in our nation’s defense. “It’s hard to overstate the importance of Congress to shipbuilding,” said Andrew Hicks, vice president of Legislative Affairs for Huntington Ingalls Industries. “Funding for our programs is provided by annual Appropriations bills for which the Defense Appropriations subcommittee has responsibility. To have leadership like Xavier invited to testify and provide recommendations allows us an opportunity to inform important decisions that impact the future of our business.”