IN THIS ISSUE 2014 Model of Excellence Award Winners Powerhouse Replaces 67-Year-Old Boilers NNS Invests in New Welding Equipment
JA NUA RY/ F EBRUA RY 2 0 15
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Looking Back on NNS 2014 Achievements Stoller and Newport News Nuclear Merge New Weld Management System Hits a Home Run
Photo by Chris Oxley
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Dear Colleagues: Thank you for a great 2014. It was a busy year ďŹ lled with challenges, milestones and new opportunities. Importantly, our safety performance has continued to improve, which is a direct result of your efforts. Please take a moment to review this timeline and to reect on how you contributed to these accomplishments. Although this is just a sampling of the many milestones we achieved, it represents the complex work we do each day to build the world’s greatest ships. The year ahead will continue to be challenging as defense budgets continue to tighten. Performing well on our contracts and meeting our commitments will strengthen our ability to earn additional work. I believe we can meet these challenges while continuing to grow our business, but we must also continue to create a positive and engaging environment for all shipbuilders. If we do these things, I believe this year will be one of our best.
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Thank you for your dedicated service and commitment to Newport News Shipbuilding, and for continuing our 129-year legacy of building the best, most complex ships in the world. Sincerely,
Matt Mulherin President Newport News Shipbuilding
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2014
Year in Review 1) January 6 – S.M. Stoller is acquired.
9) May 18 – NNS dedicates 12th Habitat for Humanity house.
16) September 22 – John Warner (SSN 785) is launched.
10) May 19 – More than 1,000 people run in the NNS 5K.
17) September 22 – NNS recognizes 124 employees with Model of Excellence Awards.
11) In July and August, employee Town Halls are held.
18) October – Employees participate in Heart Walks in Hampton and Virginia Beach.
2) January 21 – Aiken, South Carolina field office opens. 3) January – NNS Fleet Support teams complete repairs on USS Montpelier (SSN 765).
4) March 3 – The Apprentice School graduates 137 shipbuilders. 5) March 10 – NNS is awarded $1.2B contract extension for John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).
6) April 7 – John Warner (SSN 785) reaches pressure hull complete. 7) April 28 – 868 Master Shipbuilders with 40 or more years of continuous service are honored. 8) May 5 – Navy awards $18B for Virginia-class Submarine Program.
12) August 4 – NNS is awarded $49.6M contract for George Washington (CVN 73) RCOH planning. 13) August 1 – NNS marks major milestone in the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). 14) August 8 – NNS employees begin purchasing pink hard hats to raise money for cancer research. More than $50,000 from the hard hat sales was raised for the American Cancer Society. 15) September 8 – John Warner (SSN 785) is christened.
19) November 5 – NNS completes dry dock work on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). 20) November 22 – Keel for Washington (SSN 787) is laid. 21) November – NNS and HII employees raise more than $2.1 million for the United Way. 22) December – NNS employees collect 25,451 pounds of food and $7,400 for the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank.
Natasha Diaz inspects a 3D printer prototype similar to the experimental prototypes she created while working at Kesselring, a Department of Energy facility in New York that NNS maintains. Photo by Chris Oxley
Working Outside the Gates:
Kesselring This is the first article in a series featuring employees who have worked or who are currently working on NNS projects outside the shipyard gates. The series will also explore some of the career opportunities currently available at locations other than Newport News.
versatile in my role. I have also been able to use the skills that I have outside my Radiological Control knowledge to benefit other organizations.”
In 2011, Newport News Shipbuilding was awarded a contract to provide maintenance services on two nuclear reactor prototypes at the Kenneth A. Kesselring Site (KSO) in West Milton, New York, a Department of Energy (DOE) facility where U.S. Navy sailors are trained and qualified to operate nuclear-powered vessels. Since then, more than 200 NNS employees have ventured outside the shipyard to accept short-term and permanent positions at KSO.
The RadCon technician said that he would encourage others to look into the opportunities available at Kesselring. “I would encourage anyone to apply who is looking for a challenging work environment, good people who genuinely care about their jobs and the people they work with, a good salary, a beautiful place to live and more.” Jackson said. “It’s a good opportunity, and you never know where the job will lead you in the future.”
Radiological Control (RadCon) Engineering Manager Joe Noll, Designer Natasha Diaz and RadCon Technician Kristopher Jackson were among the first NNS employees to arrive in West Milton after NNS was awarded the Kesselring contract. Noll was a participant in the successful transition of maintenance services. “I was responsible for transitioning engineers into their new roles, reviewing engineering documents, and aiding with preparations for KSO’s first scheduled maintenance shutdown NNS was responsible for,” he said. “I had never been part of a transition before, so during my two months at Kesselring, I was able to experience the changeover process.” Diaz’s assignment lasted nearly two months. “My job at KSO was very similar to my job at NNS, except I was given more freedom to think ‘outside the box’ when creating experimental, mock-up prototype drawings,” said the designer. “Because of the knowledge I learned from my time at Kesselring, I still support KSO now that I’m back in Newport News.” After working on temporary assignment at Kesselring, Jackson accepted a full-time position in April 2014. “My responsibilities at KSO give me the opportunity to be challenged in a positive way,” said Jackson, whose primary role is to protect workers from radiological exposure. “Since I’ve been here, not only have I rapidly gained valuable experience, but I have grown more
Many of the talents needed to fill KSO jobs are skill sets that NNS employees hold. “We need to bring those skills and qualifications to the Kesselring site to perform the reactor plant maintenance that will allow the mission of the site to continue,” said Tim Alexander, KSO director. “The mission of training nuclear plant operators is extremely important to the country, and NNS is in a unique position to stand side-by-side with the Navy in accomplishing that mission.” Currently, numerous career opportunities are available at KSO. To search current job openings, visit www.buildyourcareer.com and search by the location “Ballston Spa, New York.” Relocation assistance is available for some positions. | By Lauren Ward
Brothers Wayne (right) and Mark Davis visit the Pipe Shop where their careers overlapped during the 1990s to reect on their family’s 80 years of combined service at the shipyard. Photo by Chris Oxley
Now with another generation of Davises at the yard, it’s amazing to look back at the more than 80 years of combined service the family has at NNS.
As Wayne and Mark Davis drive from their neighboring homes in Poquoson to Newport News Shipbuilding each morning, they make their way to a shipyard that has employed their family for four generations. Wayne, a supplier quality analyst, and Mark, a manager of production control, trace their shipyard lineage to their grandfather Ellis Roosevelt Colbert, who first entered the yard in 1929 and became a welder. Colbert retired in 1951, the same year his son-in-law, Robert Holloway Davis, entered the shipyard and quickly worked his way up in the Steel Fab Department. Now, Robert’s two sons, as well as their sons, all work at the shipyard. “Growing up, I always heard working here was a great opportunity and that The Apprentice School was a great opportunity,” said Mark, who entered The Apprentice School in 1987 as a pipefitter, following in the footsteps of older brother Wayne, who graduated as an inside machinist. Having always lived in close proximity to and with the rich family history here, it almost seemed natural for the brothers to enter the shipyard and have their careers overlap. Even with an 18-year age difference, Wayne and Mark’s professional lives crossed paths in the 1990s when they both worked in the Pipe Shop— Wayne as a second-shift foreman and Mark as a first-shift pipefitter.
“When I think about my grandfather and my greatgrandfather working here, I think about how different it must be here now compared to when they first started back in the mid-1900s,” said Austin Davis, Mark’s son who began as an electrician in May 2014. “The technology today is much more advanced, and the ships are so much bigger now.” Wayne and Mark think back on all the changes their family has seen throughout their years here. From time cards, turnstiles, numerical control machines and welding improvements, the processes and look of the shipyard have definitely changed since their father’s and grandfather’s time. The two also see changes in culture and perception, from improvements in employee engagement to education and safety. “Leadership definitely tries to engage the workforce more now, and the educational opportunities offered to employees have definitely expanded,” said Wayne. These positive changes haven’t gone unnoticed by the youngest generation of Davises who are just beginning their careers here. Wayne’s son Hunter Davis, a nuclear test engineer, has been with the company for more than three years. “I’m looking forward to staying here and seeing what the future holds as far as career progression,” said Hunter. “My dad’s and my uncle’s success here has definitely shown the opportunities out there.” With such strong ties to NNS, the Davis family has truly witnessed the shipyard evolve through the years. “My grandfather was a welder, my father started in the Mold Loft and Steel Fabrication, my brother came in as a machinist, I started as a pipefitter and my son is an electrician,” said Mark. “My nephew Hunter took another track and went to college so now he’s an engineer here. Through all this, we’ve touched almost every aspect of shipbuilding.” | By Phoebe Doty
Newport News Industrial has good reason to cheer. The new Weld Management System (WMS) they developed in 2014 is a hit with employees and their customer. NNI, a subsidiary operating under Newport News Shipbuilding, is under contract to build dry shield building modules for four nuclear power plants that Chicago, Bridge & Iron (CB&I) is currently constructing in South Carolina and Georgia. With operations expected several years from now, these power plants will be among the first new nuclear units built in the U.S. in the last three decades. “Our construction process requires a tremendous amount of welding and inspection documentation. In the course of building one module, there could be 3,200 weld joints,” said NNI Program Director Bob Schatzel. “Every time someone touches the product, all the way through the entire construction process, it must be documented. That’s 3,200 pieces of paper touched numerous times by a host of people.” Historically, all weld documentation was handwritten. Recording and managing the thousands of entries was time-consuming. Packaging the final documentation that has to accompany the modules took weeks, and it also has to meet the commercial nuclear industry’s quality standard, which means it has to be 100 percent accurate. “It could take a welder anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes to complete the paperwork,” said Schatzel. “And the room for human error was huge. If a reviewer couldn’t tell whether a character was an “S” or a five, the paperwork had to be done all over again.” Between the shipyard’s bar code systems and warehouse operations, NNI knew there was an opportunity to leverage the talent and knowledgebase
across NNS to enhance input and management of product weld and inspection data, as well as welder performance. So NNI turned to AMSEC, another shipyard subsidiary, to design and develop the database for the new system. From initial concept to production rollout, development took nine months. Now, all weld documentation is digitally entered into WMS via bar code scanning. Dan Brooks, who had oversight of the project for NNI, and AMSEC’s Jessica Anderson had key roles in establishing requirements and validating compliance. Today, more than 170 employees are using hand-held scanners and laptops on the shop floor to record weld and inspection data into the WMS database. Welders who didn’t think they would be comfortable with the system agree WMS is straightforward and easy to use. “One of the reasons WMS is successful is we interviewed everyone who worked closely with the product at every phase as we went along. When we finally rolled WMS into production, everyone was familiar with the system and adoption was quick,” said Dana McKnight, AMSEC’s Technology Solutions program manager. “Since the initial rollout, what used to take a team of 14 reviewers now can be done by three people because the confidence is there. Paperwork that took almost 60 hours for CB&I to review can now be completed in an hour,” explained Paul Vinyard, NNI’s quality review manager responsible for the final documentation package. “It’s the project team’s passion that produced such positive business results. If that database were not 100 percent accurate, the product could not leave the facility. CB&I has told us NNI produces the best doc packages they’ve seen,” said Brooks. Since NNI no longer has to maintain paper records, the company also factors reduced IT network costs and storage into the project’s long-term savings. WMS has improved quality, schedule and cost performance for the contract directly, and it improves NNI’s competitive position in the future. “The AMSEC team provided a product that was head and shoulders beyond what was expected,” said Schatzel. “Now, our welders can do what they enjoy – focus more on the weld and less on the paperwork.” I By Gina Chew-Holman
Using Newport News Industrial’s new Weld Management System, Welder Bennie Arbogast can quickly scan, point and click information for a weld joint he completed. The new system saves time and improves the accuracy of the information required for each of the 50 to 60 welds Arbogast performs daily. Photo by Ricky Thompson
Shipbuilder Gloria Eure has learned that even small lifestyle changes can make a big difference to her health – especially when it comes to lowering the risk of heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, health conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes and high blood pressure, if left unchecked, can lead to heart disease. Three years ago when Eure began experiencing dizziness and fatigue, she didn’t suspect there was an underlying problem with her heart. “I just thought I was exhausted,” said Eure. “When I’d rest, I’d feel better. Then the exhaustion would come back.” During a physical exam, Eure’s doctor noted her blood pressure was elevated. He prescribed medication, advised her to exercise, eat a balanced diet and eliminate some of the stress from her life.
daily. By cutting back on fried foods, ice cream and sodas, I started feeling better and my health numbers improved.” Then she focused on reducing stress. Good at prioritizing, Eure concentrated on balancing work, school and personal time. At home, she made time for herself and scheduled regular study hours to keep up with the business classes she had started. “I’m 55, but sometimes I feel like I’m 25. I had to learn to slow down.” Today, Eure feels healthy and in control, thanks to the small lifestyle changes she made and the continued support from her family, friends, coworkers and HealthWaves.
The last piece of advice seemed the most challenging of all. As an administrative assistant, Eure supports general foremen, supervisors and employees in the aircraft carrier Refueling and Complex Overhaul program. She’s also a student, mother and wife. Determined to get healthy, Eure began working with HII’s wellness provider, HealthWaves. “My wellness coach helped me to make positive changes by encouraging me to walk
TREAT YOUR TICKER RIGHT WITH THESE With guidance and encouragement from the shipyard’s Wellness Coach Terry Holbert (right), Administrative Assistant Gloria Eure made lifestyle changes that have helped lower her blood pressure and risk for heart disease. Photo by Ricky Thompson
HEART-HEALTHY TIPS Courtesy of the Mayo Clinic
• Quit smoking • Control existing health conditions, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes • Exercise at least 30 minutes a day • Eat a diet that’s low in salt and saturated fat • Maintain a healthy weight • Reduce and manage stress
Benefits & Wellness
Just before 2014 came to a close, two Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) subsidiaries operating under Newport News Shipbuilding Energy Programs announced they were merging to form a single company focused on the Department of Energy and Department of Defense markets.
Stoller and Newport News Nuclear Begin New Chapter
Joining forces, The S.M. Stoller Corporation and Newport News Nuclear were renamed Stoller Newport News Nuclear, or SN3 for short. The merger comes one year after Stoller was acquired by HII. “Formation of SN3 is a logical next step in the postacquisition process of fully integrating our people and capabilities to achieve our business goals,” said Nick Lombardo, president of SN3. “Through the renaming and rebranding of Stoller, we will accomplish several important objectives while preserving the proud heritage of both the Stoller and Newport News Nuclear companies.”
SN3’s portfolio of nuclear operations and environmental services for commercial and DOE customers will include full-service environmental remediation, radiological characterization, deactivation and demolition, waste management, and site closure expertise, as well as nuclear facilities management and operations, nuclearquality fabrication capabilities and cutting-edge project planning and engineering decision-making tool sets. SN3 Chief Operating Officer Curt Hull said, “The new uniformed brand is a powerful way to demonstrate the strength of our offerings and the tight tie with the Newport News world-class name. We’ve had positive feedback from our employees and our customers, and we’ve already seen the collective value of SN3 significantly increase.” Hull said SN3 has set aggressive goals for 2015 to compete for bigger contracts and to partner with larger firms. SN3 will pursue more opportunities like the long-
term agreement that Stoller and Newport News Nuclear inked Dec. 4 with the construction and infrastructure company Morgan Sindall to offer combined capabilities to the United Kingdom nuclear market. “The merging of S.M. Stoller and Newport News Nuclear into SN3 provides a powerful and synergistic combination of our world- class nuclear capabilities. We’re very enthusiastic about our merged future and what we can offer the market in full-service nuclear capabilities,” said Bob Granata, SN3 vice president, Northeast Operations. SN3 is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. I By Gina Chew-Holman
SN3 has supported a number of projects at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) since 2002, including engineering and construction of storage vaults for the INL Integrated Waste Treatment Unit. Photo by SN3 Archives
ed t n e m g u A ng i w t o a H e r C s i y t s i l e i t i l Rea a e New R uilding in Shipbyond and Be
G N I K A M Y T I L A E R
Augmented Reality engineers (left to right) Jonathan Martin, Lauren Hamburg and Durrell Blanks use shipyard -approved iPads and Google Glass to inspect a virtual piping system. For demonstration purposes, the piping system they see on their iPads has been added to this photo. Photo by John Whalen
What if, instead of using paper drawings, shipbuilders could use a 3-D model to guide them? What if they could take that model with them to the ship, even see it through their safety glasses as they worked? What if planners could see the piping and ventilation in a space before it is installed? Augmented Reality (AR) makes all that possible by overlaying digital information onto the physical world through a window – like an iPad or a TV. A great example is a football game. Viewers see a yellow “first down” line on TV, even though the line isn’t physically on the field. In Olympic swimming coverage, TV viewers could watch a red line moving with the swimmers, showing a previous swimming record. In shipbuilding, the possibilities are enormous. In 2011, Newport News Shipbuilding began a research and development project to learn how to apply AR to shipbuilding. They called the project “Drawingless Deckplate.” After a year, it was apparent that the potential cost savings in shipbuilding were big enough to start forming a dedicated team. Today, the AR team is 15 strong and has more than 30 projects either completed, in process or in backlog. Last year, one project on Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) used AR to help a foreman visualize all the systems coming together in the advanced arresting gear space. Looking through an iPad, the foreman was able to see the room filled with systems that weren’t physically there yet, highlighting potential conflicts in ongoing work. “For shipbuilding, this is one of the huge advantages of AR,” said Brian Bare, one of the original members of the AR team. “It’s the ability to see a space in a new way, which can be
very eye-opening.” Jonathan Martin, another original team member, is one of the developers who creates the AR Technology. “We’re getting much faster at developing AR for specific uses. Recently, we had an urgent request to visualize a space. We visited the space and created the AR in one week.” As the team constantly improves AR for shipbuilding, they are also pursuing new business possibilities. NNS recently formed a teaming agreement to pursue commercial work with Index AR Solutions, a startup based in Williamsburg. The U.S. Navy is also showing interest, funding their first AR project with NNS in February. The project will use the technology to help NNS tiger teams visualize and prepare for a modernization job on submarine USS Boise (SSN 764). Whether for shipbuilding or commercial work, the technology is right on the cutting edge and requires intense dedication and a thirst for learning. Helping new team members find their fit is crucial. “Our philosophy is ‘everyone tries everything’ to find the best fit,” said Lauren Hamburg, an engineer and one of the newest members of the team. “We’re all constantly learning new things, and it’s one of the most dedicated groups I’ve ever worked with.” The team starts each day with a “stand-up meeting.” In between playful banter, everyone shares what they’re working on and any obstacles they are facing. If someone needs help, they ask for it. Their blend of fun and tenacity creates an atmosphere of innovation and, possibly, new realities for shipbuilding and beyond. | By Peter Stern Have an idea for an AR project? Contact Patrick Ryan at 757-688-3228 or learn more at www.huntingtoningalls.com/ar.
NNS SAFETY
REPORT *Compared to ďŹ gures from December 2013
+14%
Year-to-Date Lost Work Days 30,423
+9%
Year-to-Date Injuries with Lost Time 522
Year-to-Date Injuries 756
-9%
SHIPYARD
MACGYVERS In a 1980s television series, MacGyver solved complex problems with simple items like duct tape and paperclips. And the same type of resourceful thinking has propelled the Pipe Shop Safety Task Team to be one of the safest and most engaged teams of all production areas in the shipyard. The team’s outside-the-box thinking and enthusiasm have even grabbed the attention of other safety task teams throughout the yard.
“Safety is something we can all relate to,” said Welder and Casey Bill. “Finding new ways to improve is exciting an brings us closer together.” The 25-member team uses everyday household items and other products around the yard to organize shops and reduce the risk of accidents. They’ve demonstrated that foam material from swimming flotation noodles xtures. can be used to cover sharp points or edges on fixtures Bright paint can draw attention to hazardous edges or range steps. The team also uses scrap material to build a ran of devices to get lines, hoses and material off the floor to eliminate tripping hazards. “We want shipbuilders to know that improving safety doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or take a lot of think time,” said Pipefitter Andre Norfus. “Being able to thin creatively about our workstations gives us a sense of ownership. We take great pride in that.” solutions After showing off some of these cost-effective solution at the 2014 Safety Expo, the team has been invited to visit other shops around the yard. During visits, the team tea evaluates work areas and makes suggestions for making makin the environment safer. They also encourage shipbuilders shipbuilde to take charge of safety in their shops. “It’s great to see the team’s passion,” said team lead and an Pipefitter Terry Gray, who penned the 2014 Safety Song Contest’s runner-up tune, The Safety Man Movement. “And you don’t have to be on a safety task team to prevent accidents. Walk past a hazard today; it could be an accident tomorrow.” | By Jeremy Bustin
Grinder Billy Williams, Pipefitter Terry Grayy and Pipefitter George Liufau discuss safety improvemen improvements for a machine in the Pipe Detail Shop. Photo by Ricky Thompson
As Information Systems Manager Christine Schaffner prepares for the first Newport News One City Marathon next month, she reflects on her running career and the more than 10,000 miles she’s run. She looks down at her “Boston Strong” necklace, a reminder of how precious life is. She recalls the clear skies and the smile she wore when she crossed the finish line in the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Schaffner completed the race in three hours and 58 minutes, just 11 minutes before the first bomb. “It was the furthest thing from my mind,” she said. “I’d been in big races before, but never did I ever think anything like that could happen. Not in a million years.” Just five years earlier, running in the Boston Marathon was only a dream. An athletic teenager, Schaffner ran her first half-marathon at 17. But, somewhere between college and career, she lost the time she needed to consistently stay active. In 2006, her doctor informed her that due to increased weight, she was at risk for diabetes and heart disease. The news was not a complete surprise. Both her mother and grandmother suffered heart attacks at 58. “I didn’t want to be another family statistic,” she said. “It was the kick in the butt I needed to do something about my health.” She signed up for smaller races in Hampton Roads to stay motivated. Two years later, she completed the Anheuser-Busch Half
Marathon in Colonial Williamsburg. Later that same night, she registered for her first full marathon. While preparing that summer, her father suffered multiple strokes. Between hospital visits, she maintained her training. She knew that he would not want her to give up. “Running helped me deal with what was going on with my father. Every run out there, I was praying he would heal or that he wouldn’t be in pain any longer.” Schaffner ran the Outer Banks Marathon on November 9, 2008. “I was thinking about my dad the whole time.” Five days later, her father died. “To me and my family, we just believe that he stayed with us to see me fulfill that dream. And as much as I was hurting, I knew that I was going to race again.” Since her father passed, Schaffner has completed 125 races, including a 50-mile ultra-marathon and marathons in Boston, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle. The One City Marathon in Newport News on March 15 will be her 16th marathon. And like every other marathon, she believes her father will be watching. I By Jeremy Bustin
At 51, Information Systems Manager Christine Schaffner is in the best shape of her life. She has been running approximately 40-50 miles a week to prepare for the March 15 One City Marathon in Newport News. Photo by John Whalen
Tougher Than Steel Huntington Ingalls Industries’ “Tougher Than Steel” campaign has focused on shipbuilders, comparing their toughness to the ships they build — until now. Can a scientist fit the bill?
Whiting said sage grouse occupy sagebrush habitat. “A lot of those habitats are being threatened,” he said, “so the bird is considered a candidate species for listing under the Endangered Species Act.”
Jericho Whiting, a wildlife ecologist at HII’s Stoller Newport News Nuclear (SN3) subsidiary is definitely tough. He works at the Idaho National Laboratory Site (INL), in a remote and rugged part of the state known for its extremes of weather.
During the last six years Whiting has worked at Stoller, populations of sage grouse appear to be stable. “We’re still collecting data and getting more information regarding the habitat of these birds on the INL site,” he said.
“The summer can be excessively hot — above 100 degrees,” he said, “and in the winter it can be very cold— sub-freezing temperatures.”
While tracking and monitoring the sage grouse across INL’s 800-plus square miles is hard work, Whiting finds another aspect of his job more demanding, and just as rewarding: “One of the toughest parts of my job is collaboration,” he said. “Oftentimes it is difficult to get different people with diverse backgrounds at the table to work through wildlife conservation.”
The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy operates INL, where research on nuclear energy, general science and national defense is conducted. As part of the Candidate Conservation Agreement with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the DOE helps protect greater sage grouse and its habitat on INL. The DOE has funded research on greater sage grouse at INL since 1995, and SN3 – which was recently renamed from S.M. Stoller Corporation – has worked the contract for more than a decade. “Stoller’s role in sage grouse population and habitat management is really a collaborative effort with federal and state agencies,” Whiting said. “We work hand-inhand with those agencies to come up with ways in which we can try to conserve populations of sage grouse and also their habitat.”
Whiting finds this challenging partnership also very gratifying. He said, “One of the most rewarding aspects of this job is working with state and federal agencies in collaborating and coming up with research and methods to help improve wildlife and wildlife habitat in southeastern Idaho.” Go to the “Tougher Than Steel” page at HuntingtonIngalls.com/Jericho to see a short video about Jericho and other “Tougher Than Steel” ads.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE FEEDING THE HUNGRY
Between school and work, Pipe Apprentice Sin Yi doesn’t have much spare time built into his schedule, but any extra time he has is devoted to helping others and giving back to the community. “Growing up, my parents instilled in me the importance of community service,” said Yi. “I was always involved in church activities and participated in many outreach programs to benefit others.” So when Yi was given the opportunity to become involved in The Apprentice School’s Jaycees chapter nearly two years ago, he didn’t think twice. “I wanted to form relationships with other shipbuilders and continue to help others in the community at the same time, so I joined,” he said. Since becoming a Jaycee, Yi has led the organization’s volunteer efforts at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen in downtown Newport News. “We volunteer twice a month for about three hours each time,” he said. “We cook, serve, clean and spend time
talking to citizens.” Yi says that seeing the smiles on people’s faces and hearing how thankful the people are for the food they receive has reinforced to him the importance of his volunteer efforts. “Being hungry is a difficult feeling to fight off, so my hope is that with these meals, we can ease the feeling of being hungry – at least for a moment,” he said. As The Apprentice School Jaycee’s Community Service Lead for 2015, Yi vows to continue making a difference in the community and providing shipbuilders more opportunities to get involved. “As shipbuilders, the more we can do to create positive changes in the community, the better off our community will be,” said Yi. “Any little bit of help goes a long way.” | By Lauren Ward
Apprentice School Jaycees volunteer Sin Yi serves food at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Soup Kitchen twice a month in Newport News. Photo by Dar Deerfield Mook
MASTER SHIPBUILDERS
James “Bull” Durham 55 years
Woodrow E. Hitt 45 years
DECEMBER/JANUARY
Eileen D. Wallace 45 years
LONG SERVICE 55 YEARS James L. Durham O98 45 YEARS Betty J. Dickson E18 Kenneth E. Perrin M20
35 YEARS Michael D. Blei T55 Pernell Brown X88 Danny H. Carroll O53 Thomas W. Diggs X11 Frank W. Edwards Jr. E89 Wayne A. Foster O64 Scott A. Garrett X74
DECEMBER Karen A. Govan X59 Steven R. Hewitt X82 Ronald J. High N950 Arnie R. Johnson X43 Carl C. Melton X42 Garland L. Moore X43 Gregory S. Ruffin E82 Claude S. Sain III E82
Harold W. Stoll T55 James D. Thacker X42 Willie L. Williams X42 30 YEARS Max E. Coburn Jr. E51 Gary L. Dickerson Jr. X42 Daniel D. Douglas E82
Richard M. West X91
Tammie L. Thompson E85 George T. Webster III E82
25 YEARS Anthony W. Deshong E88 Arndrell D. Gaines E85 David J. Gruszkowski X83 Barbara A. Holloman O26 William P. Mueller E83
JANUARY 45 YEARS Woodrow E. Hitt O46 Eileen D. Wallace E61 35 YEARS Milton Barnes X18 Stephen J. Brady E17 David J. Bryant O39 John P. Christein E46 Richard A. Coy E08 Spurgeon P. Cross E18 Ernestine H. Edwards O53 Allyson T. Giordano E49 Gregory H. Hedrick O75 Charles A. Hensley E13
Debra J. Hickam O53 Thomas E. Hogge Jr. X10 Lawrence Koeck O22 Robert E. Lee N307 Martin L. Merenda E84 Steve R. Moore E84 Edwin J. Moriarty O67 Barbara J. Neville O51 Kevin B. Outsey X72 Christopher A. Owens X73 George D. Peak O39 Robert W. Price E85 John M. Runner E82 Glenda E. Saunders X42 John P. Simone Jr. 32
Hollis J. Spease X36 Albert F. Wagner O96 Ernest G. Williams O53 Victor T. Worrell X72 30 YEARS Dwayne D. Banks O43 Rufus W. Blow III X11 Michael L. Cline X70 Thomas Chiu AMSEC David A. Conley O31 Scott Gibson X70 April D. Hauser E17 James H. Hughes O22 Robert G. Hurst O48
Andrew M. Maslaney O46 Thomas A. Moore O43 Vincent D. Pascual E20 Robert S. Russell X82 Robert H. Spooner O19 James R. Tarrant E57 John Weirich X36 Todd H. West K71 Wilson I. Woods Jr. X88 25 YEARS Christopher B. Arnold O37 James I. Barnette II X74 Andre V. Belle E85 Carl F. Brakman E83
Ronald L. Brockett O31 Daniel M. Chapman X73 Carl J. Davis E86 Brian T. Fields O11 Eric C. Foster X82 Kurt C. Johnson E82 John J. King III E85 Arnold O. Langston O67 Jun G. Lockett AMSEC Lenard E. Lovick AMSEC Gregory Pittman E85 Rafael O. Tavarez E85 Tammy L. Toupin K76 Glenwood Trafton X31 Eric J. Tran E25
RETIREMENTS Walter L. Bell X11 James E. Brothers X36 Roger G. Brown E13 Jesse J. Byrd O43 Patrick S. Carmean X89
Willard E. Carter X18 Elwood S. Carter Jr. X89 Bernard E. Cooke X42 Mark E. Dial T53 Irwin F. Edenzon N300
Herbert L. Vidana E82 James M. Vreeland O13 Allen M. Weber O67 Timothy W. Weisflog E85 Stanley R. Wheless E89 20 YEARS Michael E. Baker X10 James D. McKercher N910 Michael J. Snell E72
NOVEMBER Larry D. Elliott X33 Park T. Jenkins Jr. O35 Eugene J. Little E86 Wayne R. MacDonald E81 Janie E. Martin X33
Robert L. Neading Jr. X43 Carlton E. Outlaw X18 Kenneth O. Powell O15 William A. Rhodes X43 James T. Rogers X42
William G. Sale A572 Jeffrey L. Sinclair X31 Fred A. Sorce E42 Thomas K. Warren III X11 James E. Williams O15
Larry J. Williams X42
DECEMBER Donald R. Baker Jr. X43 Stanley Balson O44 Stanley H. Benton X42 Norman G. Brumfield X42
Carlton E. Drewery E56 Walter I. Fortenberry O31 Phillip A. Haley N940 James L. Langford E86
Ronald C. Liles O22 Wayne O. Lowery X42 Thomas W. Oxley E14 Nancy E. Parker O14
Herman M. Peoples Jr. X18 Jerome T. Pickett X18 Kenneth E. Reddick M53 Marvin B. Richmond O53
Maurice R. Riddick X11 James H. Rose Jr. O43 Linwood O. Smith E07 Bradley L. Spahnie E81
Melvin Stallings X18 Michael Swanick E86 Richard C. Trevilian E83 Robert E. Wright E26
Yardlines is published 10 times a year for the employees of Newport News Shipbuilding. This issue of Yardlines was produced by: Jeremy Bustin, Troy Cooper, Phoebe Doty, Margie Jones, Christie Miller, Eugene Phillips, LaMar Smith, Peter Stern, Susan Sumner and Lauren Ward. Editor: Gina Chew-Holman Send change of address, comments, questions and story ideas to communications@hii-nns.com or call 757-380-2627. To stop receiving Yardlines, go to nns.huntingtoningalls.com/Yardlines to unsubscribe.
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