Master Shipbuilders Honored During Annual Recognition Ceremony 12 l 11 l 2017
A weekly publication of Newport News Shipbuilding
Newport News Shipbuilding’s Master Shipbuilders – employees with 40 or more years of continuous service – were honored during an annual recognition ceremony Dec. 6 at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. “Reaching 40 years of service is an extraordinary accomplishment and one of which you should all be proud,” Susan Jacobs, vice president of Human Resources and Administration, told honorees. “Many people don’t reach 40 years of service during their entire careers. We are honored and overjoyed that the women and men being recognized tonight chose to call Newport News Shipbuilding home for that long – and even longer in some cases.” CONTINUED ON PG 4
Holiday Food Drive Ends Friday A 1,000-ton barge crane and tugboats move a 42-ton whirler crane from just outside of the Modular Outfitting Facility (MOF) to Pier 6. Photo by Matt Hildreth
On the Move There was an unusual sight over the James River on Nov. 28 as one of Newport News Shipbuilding’s 42-ton whirler cranes was relocated by barge crane from just outside of the Modular Outfitting Facility (MOF) to Pier 6. “It’s very rare for us to have to move a crane like this,” said Aaron Moore (O48), who worked on the project for about a year. It had been a decade since a crane was relocated in this manner at NNS. The move was necessary because one of two cranes at Pier 6 had been relocated over land to Dry Dock 1 to support maintenance and modernization efforts on USS Columbus (SSN 762). That left Pier 6 in need of a second crane for backup and to support the workload, according to Scott Miller (O48). “We looked at cranes across the shipyard and evaluated which one was suitable based on its present condition and the rail gauge,” he said. Relocating the 30-year-old crane, which weighs 440 tons, involved shipbuilders from seven departments, multiple contractors, a 1,000-ton barge crane and three tugboats captained by Allen Sutton (X36), Tim Axsom (X36) and Tommy Wooten (X36). “Everyone did a very good job of getting the crane in safely,” Moore said. “It could not have gone better.”After about a year of planning, the actual relocation took less than three hours. Moore expects the crane to be operational in its new location in January.
SMALLTALK
about big ideas
There is still time to support Newport News Shipbuilding's annual holiday food drive. The "Shipyard Feeds" campaign, which supports the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, runs through Friday, Dec. 15. With the help of generous shipbuilders, the Foodbank will be able to provide nutritious meals to families across the region. Donation boxes are set up across NNS. Items in high demand include: • • • • • • • • •
Oatmeal Canned fruit Peanut butter Canned meat Pasta meals and sauces Hearty meat soups Canned vegetables Boxed rice 100 percent fruit juices
Shipbuilders can also make monetary donations to the holiday food drive at www. hrfoodbank.org/shipyardfeeds. Every dollar donated can provide four meals.
NNS President Jennifer Boykin continues her communications forum, “SmallTalk: about big ideas.” This installment focuses on safety and the importance of preparing for the unthinkable. Read more on p. 2. Past editions of "SmallTalk: about big ideas" are available on the Lead the Way webpage at http://nns.huntingtoningalls.com/lead-the-way.