Yardlines, April 2014

IN THIS ISSUE NNS Women in Coatings Honored CMSD and NNS Operating Together Again

Yardlines

Photo by Chris Oxley

Pier 3 Readiness

A Publication of Newport News Shipbuilding

April 2014

MAKEOVER

The pier that has been used over the last six years for refueling and complex overhauling Nimitz-class ships received its own overhaul last fall.

Before Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and the more than 3,500 men and women building her could move from Dry Dock 12 to Pier 3 last November, Waterfront Services and Facilities Maintenance teams had to renovate the pier from end to end and top to bottom.

After the pier opened in June 2007, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) followed by USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) were docked there to complete their mid-life refueling and complex overhauls. As soon as Roosevelt departed Newport News Shipbuilding August 25, 2013, the pier readiness teams began an extensive list of renovations.

“It was one of the fastest turnarounds we’ve ever done to get a pier ready for a new ship,” said Scott Brubaker, manager of Waterfront Facilities Engineering. “We upgraded, repaired, painted and refurbished just about everything.”

The checklist of things to complete to ensure the 1,034-foot-long, two-level pier was ready for CVN 78 included: • Testing all mechanical services to ensure they were functional and ready for use.

• Reconfiguring and upgrading of high voltage, low voltage, shore power and construction power.

• Ensuring communications systems, Time and Attendance Systems and the computer infrastructure were working properly.

• Cleaning and painting more than 300 offices.

• Doing maintenance on stair towers, gangways, brows and ramps.

• Getting certification of the crane and crane rail.

• Performing safety checks, and repairing and painting handrails, platforms and walkways.

“This is the first time we’ve had a new construction ship at this pier,” said Bob Smock, general foreman for testing and rigging. “Because Ford is the first ship of a new class, we had some unique projects to meet the requirements of the ship and prepare for her docking. Things like mooring lines had to be moved, and new ramps had to be put in place for the elevators.”

South Yard & Waterfront Electrical Supervisor Frank Boyer added, “We performed preventive maintenance on over 300 electrical outlets, supplied power to all of the trade support structures on and around the pier, and prepared heat trace systems for future freeze seasons.”

Preparing for Ford was the fourth of five readiness jobs the team completed in 2013. “Our teams did an outstanding job planning and executing the long checklist that needed to be completed for Pier Operations to dock CVN 78,” said Brubaker. “We had a solid plan and we worked the list.” | By Gina Chew-Holman As part of the Pier 3 makeover, Jeffrey Hunt (right) helped to install a new elevator ramp and Jonathan Labrake (cover) verified the voltage before hooking the tool crib to the upgraded system. Photo by Chris Oxley

CMSD NNS RETEAMS WITH

Since January 2014, Continental Maritime of San Diego (CMSD), a certified master ship repair contractor for the U.S. Navy, is once again operating under Newport News Shipbuilding.

“The synergy between the two companies is outstanding,” said Dan Flood, CMSD vice president and general manager. “CMSD has provided over three decades of stateof-the-art service and holds one of the best safety and quality records.

We strive to be the best partner in the port, working together with NNS to give our customer, the Navy, the best product and service available.”

Conveniently located adjacent to Naval Base San Diego, the home port of the Pacific Fleet, CMSD conducts all types of repairs on all classes of Navy ships.

The full-service shipyard excels in boiler overhauls, and repairing steam valves and high-pressure piping

systems. Nearly 46 percent of CMSD work involves jobs of this type.

Guiding CMSD’s 400 employees are the company’s core values – integrity, honesty, engagement, responsibility and performance.

Assistant Production Manager Ken Pearcy said, “With these core values influencing every decision and action, we’ll continue to meet or exceed our commitments to our employees, customers, shareholders,

communities and suppliers.”

And an improved safety record demonstrates the strong safety culture that is being built. Since 2009, CMSD’s recordable injuries have dropped by nearly 30 percent.

In 2013, the shipyard had only 22 recordable injuries.

Earlier this year, the Production Support and Coatings Department teams were recognized for having zero recordable injuries in 2013.

Production team supervisors Leander Hill, Juan Macias and Kevin Rasmussen said communications between Environmental, Health and Safety and their teams is like that of a “well-oiled machine.”

Environmental Supervisor April McGinley, who has been with CMSD for over 11 years and serves on the board of directors with the Industrial Environmental Association explained, “CMSD’s core culture

has a strong safety mentality. We empower, train and educate our teams. This empowerment approach has successfully and significantly reduced recordable injuries. Not only are we striving to be the best partner in the port, but one of the safest.” | By Kathy Zwick

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Preble (DDG 88) and USS Higgins (DDG 76) are docked for repairs at Continental Maritime of San Diego’s shipyard under the Coronado Bridge in San Diego Bay. Photo by Lance Davis

WOMEN MAKING AN

IMPACT

When it comes to protecting and preserving our nation’s warships, Newport News Shipbuilding has seen big changes over the years.

Today, the process of applying coating systems is often as complex as our most technical jobs, and it takes real professionalism and teamwork to effectively protect these ships.

It takes approximately 200,000 gallons of paint to coat Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) from the inside out.

But shipbuilders can’t just apply paint to steel the same way paint is applied to drywall. “A lot of people say, ‘It’s just gray paint,’” said Gail Warner, a structural engineer. “But if you aren’t involved in the process, you might not understand the true science behind it.”

Throughout these processes, environmental conditions must be monitored and adjusted to make sure the coating reaches its projected service life. A coatings specialist must consider what area of the ship the paint will be applied to, and then select from more than 20 different types of paints and coatings specially formulated for the ship.

Mary Netzel, an industrial engineer supporting the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), has seen first-hand how applying new coatings and paint to a ship that’s been in service for more than 25 years can be transformed during prior RCOHs. “We see the ships come in with corrosion, and we strip

them down and make them look brand-new,” Netzel said. “Those guys on that ship – that’s their home, and they’re happy to see it in better shape and back to sea again.”

Netzel and Warner, along with NNS shipbuilders Lana Ponsonby, Kimberly Vacha, Joyce Wright and Cheryl Holt, were six of the 26 members of the Society for Protective Coatings (SSPC)

nominated for the new Women in Coatings Impact Award. The SSPC, comprising 10,000 members worldwide, helps set coatings application standards and provides technical guidance across the coatings industry.

“Having so many nominees from NNS is true testimony that NNS is an active participant in the future of the coatings industry,” said Wright,

a continuous improvement analyst.

“We’re being recognized not just within our company, but in our field worldwide.”

Ponsonby made history at this year’s conference in Orlando, Florida. She was one of two women selected from the 26 nominees to receive the first industry award honoring women who are leaders in their profession and demonstrate commitment to the

advancement of the coatings industry.

“Lana has a direct and daily connection with hundreds of marine painters,” said Holt, a senior instructional designer. “Whatever day or shift that you find Lana teaching, you can be sure she’s using her knowledge and talents to positively influence painters.”

But for Ponsonby, shaping attitudes

is job one. “The most important thing we can do is to mold other people’s attitudes toward the importance of preservation,” she said. “If a marine painter has not done his or her job, then all of the other trades work is compromised.” | By Jeremy Bustin (L to R): Product Trainer Lana Ponsonby provides tool demonstration to Painter Cory Veverka and Pump Operator Daquan Clemons before the coating process begins. Photo by John Whalen

THERE’S NO “I” IN

TEAMWORK

Approximately two years ago, product training inspectors in the Quality Inspection Department (QID) removed the word “I” from their vocabulary and replaced it with “We.” Since then, the crew’s business results and engagement scores have been on the rise. In fact, the team holds one of the highest engagement scores in the company.

Master Shipbuilder Neal Jones spearheads many of the team’s engagement activities and often compares the crew to an athletic team. “Just like in a football, basketball or soccer game, a team must depend on its teammates in order to win,” said Jones. “Our team approaches work with the same mindset. We believe that no one person is the superstar. Instead, we believe that we’re all superstars and must contribute for the whole team to be successful.”

QID Inspector Ricky Atkins attributes the team’s success to positive attitudes toward engagement. “Our team is serious when it comes to action planning and engagement activities,” he said.

The team also credits having an “in your face visual reminder” for their success. A large poster of their action plan hangs in their office’s common area. “The poster is an enlarged Excel spreadsheet listing the actions we’re currently working on for the year,” said Atkins. “It also has space to track our progress. This daily reminder has helped us stay focused.”

The 15-person team also has custom engagement booklets printed for each team member. “The booklet includes our engagement scores from the previous year, our action plan for the current year and information from Gallup on the 12 survey questions,” said Jones. “Every Tuesday during our staff meeting, we make any needed changes to the plan and document progress we’ve made.”

Jeremy Shaarda, QID supervisor, says that the team has shown him first-hand that engagement works. “Business is business, but at the end of the day relationships matter,” he said. “Having a colleague at work who you know will have your back is important. I’m a firm believer that our relationships with each other have allowed us to be successful, which has proven to us that engagement is synonymous with success.” | By Lauren Ward

(L to R): Ricky Atkins, QID inspector, demonstrates the science of magnetic particle testing to colleague Neal Jones in the crew’s testing lab. Photo by Chris Oxley

Redeeming t he

Land

Eighteen miles northwest of Cincinnati, Ohio, lies the Fernald Preserve – 1,050 acres of beautiful wetlands known for its rich bird life. A visitor would find it hard to believe that 25 years ago this land was home to a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) uranium processing facility, producing 500 million pounds of uranium metal from 1952-1989.

During those 37 years, the site’s soils, surface water and groundwater were contaminated, leading to national media attention and litigation from the State of Ohio. In 1989, the DOE began the long and expensive process of remediation, with the end goal of restoring the land to its original natural state.

Today, the site is managed for DOE Legacy Management

by The S.M. Stoller Corporation, which Huntington Ingalls Industries acquired in January 2014 and now operates under Newport News Shipbuilding’s Energy Programs division.

Sue Walpole, a Stoller employee and longtime resident of the greater Cincinnati area, was a science teacher before she started working at the site. “We went from being a place feared by the community to a place where school children come for field trips,” said Walpole.

Stoller employees at the site perform a variety of tasks, including ongoing clean-up and assessment of the groundwater – processing eight million gallons of water daily. Other employees are focused on outreach to the community, including participating in Cincinnati Earth Day festivities every April.

“The community did not want the history of this land to be lost,” said Bill Hertel, site manager at the Fernald Preserve. “So we renovated an old warehouse and turned it into a Visitors Center that tells the story of the land’s environmental transformation. The Visitors Center is so state-of-the-art, it achieved the U.S. Green Building Council’s prestigious platinum certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

“The Fernald Preserve’s diversity of wildlife is a testament to the quality of the restoration of this land,” said Hertel. “In fact, on March 1, we welcomed our 50,000th visitor – a birdwatcher.” | By Peter Stern

The Fernald Preserve, just outside Cincinnati, Ohio, was a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) uranium processing facility from 1952-1989. Now managed by Stoller, the site tells a powerful story of environmental transformation. For more information visit www.lm.doe.gov/fernald. Photo courtesy of DOE

Benefits & Wellness Do you take better care of your ride than you do of yourself?

Vehicle care is a balance of preventing wear and tear; responding to small issues before they turn into larger, expensive problems; and finding the best service for the best price when needed. Monitoring your health and controlling your health care costs aren’t much different.

If you pay more attention to the care of your vehicle than

you do of yourself, consider participating in FREE Health & Wellness programs available to all employees. If you answer “No” to any of the questions in the “You” column, read “What You Can Do” for program suggestions.

Watch for upcoming wellness programs in Currents and on the HealthWaves website on Yardnet.

YOUR RIDE

YOU

Do you check fluid levels and get the oil changed regularly and get the vehicle inspected?

Do you monitor your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and/or blood sugar and get a yearly physical with your physician?

Yes

Yes

No Do you use the right fuel type and the correct oil and check your air filter to ensure efficient performance?

Yes

No Do you fuel your body with a wellbalanced diet that helps it perform at its best, and avoid substances like tobacco?

Yes

No Do you monitor minor issues and get them fixed before they become major, costly repairs?

Yes No

No Do you address minor aches and pains and other health concerns by discussing them with a medical professional before they become a major medical issue?

Yes No

WHAT YOU CAN DO Sign up for free onsite wellness checks offered through the HealthWaves program. Wellness checks measure blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body composition. Health coaches are available on-site to discuss your results with you.

Professionals are available to help NNS employees make positive lifestyle changes.

• Free one-on-one sessions with a HealthWaves nutritionist.

• Free Quit for Life tobacco programs.

• Onsite Weight Watchers meetings.

Remember, when you need medical attention for a non-emergency, you can save money by avoiding the emergency room or urgent care center by visiting your primary care doctor.

Important upcoming dates: Annual enrollment April 28 through May 9 - Dependent verification deadline June 30 Questions or concerns? Call the Huntington Ingalls Benefits Center at 1-877-216-3222

Yardlines is published 10 times a year for the employees of Newport News Shipbuilding.

This issue of Yardlines was produced by: Jeremy Bustin, Gina Chew-Holman, Troy Cooper, Mike Dillard, Christie Miller, Eugene Phillips, LaMar Smith, Peter Stern, Susan Sumner, Lauren Ward and Kimberly Zayakosky. Photographs by: Chris Oxley, Ricky Thompson and John Whalen. Editor: Gina Chew-Holman Send comments, questions and story ideas to gina.chewholman@hii-nns.com or call 757-380-2627.

To stop receiving Yardlines, go to nns.huntingtoningalls.com/Yardlines to unsubscribe.

Look for more news at nns.huntingtoningalls.com.

HOMER FERGUSO Y B D E D N N FOU

The

1919

APPRENTICE School Today

For almost a century, The Apprentice School has recruited, trained and developed men and women for careers in shipbuilding.

Congratulations, Graduates!

Family, friends and faculty assembled at Liberty Baptist Church in Hampton on March 1 to commemorate the accomplishments of The Apprentice School’s graduating class of 2013. Among the 137 graduates representing 21 trades: 44 completed an optional, advanced program; 54 graduated with academic honors; 18 received athletic awards, and eight had perfect 4.0 grade point averages.

Newport News Shipbuilding is proud to salute the 137 men and women who now join an elite group of 9,860 shipbuilders.

Timothy Bernard Anderson II Tevin Daytwa Andrews Brock Lloyd Bullock Robert Collins Michael Alan Crewe Tamara Shauntaé Davis Duane Marcel Douglas Jr. Ryan Jonathan Eanes Paul Trent England Jonathan Price Nye Ferrell Aaron Joseph Finley Nicholas Charles Foor Tyare Marquese Ford John Ernest Fraas Benjamin Kwame Gamor Robert Van Gentry Andrew Morgan Gray Denise Verneida Hamilton Blake Douglas Henger Devorn Sylvester Lake Marlon Antonio Lane Alfonso Little Jr. Louis DeAndre Norwood Jr. Timothy Grover Owens Jason Jerome Pendleton Carmelo Collazo Roman Christopher Peter Scarola Arthur David Sebera Jr. Lincoln David Shuber Kyle Ray Spruill Ray Andrew Turner III Calvin Jeremy Warner Alexander Todd Wiatt II John Douglas Winn

Michael Don Adams Chadwick Vaughan Albert Sharon Ilene Apelt Ebony Chantrese Armstrong Angela Janelle Artis Norman Keith Beal Micheal Glenn Beamon Jr. Aaron Lee Beckett Jr. Cory Douglas Bennett Sarah Grace Block Eric William Bose Ronald Douglas Bridges Chelsie Lin Brinkley Robert John Brunoni III Jeremy Ray Buckner Anthony Ricardo Burris Lucas Ceballos Michael David Chieffo Sr. Famatta Sando Cole Chrishaun Latrell Coles Valerie Valencia Creecy Elisha Nicole Davis Jarrod Richard Davis Bilal Jamal Davis-Generette Randy Edward Dodson Chase Michael Dornbusch Christopher Paul Downing Robert Ryan Dudley Peter Edward Duncan Anthony Michael Durrette Pierson Mark Eaves Sarah Lynne Erlandson David Earl Gateau Jr. Roy Anthony Gilbert Jr.

Adam Bruce Green Justin Tyler Hager Amanda Renee Hall Brandon LaShaun Harris Che’ Dionejalee Hawkins Caleb Matthew Hazel André Jeremiah Henderson DeVaughn Albert Hendrickson Shavonda Lynette Holland Tywana De’Angelo Holley Calvin Antonio Holloway Jennifer Lorraine Hood Andrew Aaron Hooper Janet Yvette Jenkins Ashley Nicole Johnson Christopher Tyler Johnson Rachel Marie Johnson Kyiana Marquia Jones Ashley Marie Krivosky Jared Lee Madison Stephen Victor McGrew II Patrick Lee McIntosh Levi Admiral Minney Randolph David Morris Jr. Michael David Oczkowski John Tyler Paden Andrew Jordan Perry Matthew Lee Peters Tierra Na`Cole Peters LaShona Michelle Price Jasmine Monique Pringle Pedro Silbestre Ramirez III Christa Josephine Riley Stuart James Roes

LeAnn Patricia Rose Zachary Alan Routten Adam Joseph Rybin Dontè Tyjuan Saulsberry Sr. Bryan James Shahlamian Zachary David Sharpe Matthew Thomas Skalski Benjamin Karl Smail John Sterling Smythe James David Snead Diana June Sockriter Travis Clifton Talley Patrick Alan Tarves Van Edward Thigpen Eric Eugene Thorvaldson Jr. Wade Lanier Traynham III Jonathan Israel Turner William Jacob Umland Christopher Deontè Virgin Khoury Allen Waltrip Keiyannah Nicole Warren Shaun Lamont Warren Joshua Tyler Waters Ashley Akera Wells Michael Joseph Wermer Justin Eugene West Derrick Gene White Aaron Jacob Wikle Cory Logan Wojtasiak Henry Leroy Wright III Jared Lee Zacharias Cesar Augusto Zambrano Ramon Equiz Zapata Jami Christopher Zarichny

Long Service MASTER SHIPBUILDERS

MARCH

Alexander “Q” Askew 45 years

John B. Cowan 40 years

Tony D. Davis 40 years

Randolph Freeman 40 years

Marilyn Purdie 40 years

Junie Routten 50 years

Richard L. Spratley III 40 years

Cynthia Boyd-Williams 40 years

50 YEARS Napoleon Lee X15 Irving G. Routten Jr. M53

Christopher E. Angelo O37 Harriet M. Askew O43 Charlie L. Batten X10 John E. Blair Jr. X42 Laura F. Blount X36 Axem A. Bracy O43 Robert A. Bradshaw O31 Willie R. Briggs X11 Frederick M. Burns III X36 Diane Carr O43 George P. Chappell O37 Jerry J. Cousins O46 Lowell W. Cramer X36 Thomas F. Davenport Jr. O46 Jettie N. Dillard O53 Edgar P. Douglas X10 Dennis Eaddy O87 Carolyn D. Ezell X33 Eric M. Faudree X42 Cecil J. Freeman X11 Timothy E. Frye X84

Claude E. Garthright Jr. O43 Gary W. Gibson X18 Rodney E. Huffman X18 Mack Irving Jr. X11 Walter E. Jarvis X18 Calvin P. Leary Jr. M53 Mary C. Lesane X71 Michael H. Logan O26 Randy H. Mason X88 Keith E. McClure X11 Ronald A. McCrea K93 Michael A. McDonald E07 Stephanie A. Mears X76 Gary P. Michaelis N930 Reginald D. Moore X33 Russell B. Moore M30 Wendell D. Morgan A572 Lee L. Morings X70 Russell K. Owens X42 Clifton T. Parker X18 Dwight G. Parker O43

Isreal R. Parker E25 Michael G. Pittman O45 Willie H. Powell X18 Frenchie L. Puryear E15 Gary A. Roy O26 Aurelia A. Saunders X70 Glendoria Scott X33 Allen M. Sears X18 Lavone Sessoms O14 Richard Shaw Jr. M40 Leonard O. Shuler X33 John L. Smith O58 Ernest L. Spratley X70 Alverse Stringfield X11 Jeffery L. Sweeney X18 Carlton R. Taylor X36 Edward G. Toomey E15 Thomas C. Trau O64 Jeffery A. Trimbur E83 Julia H. Truitt O46 Forrest A. Vance T55

45 YEARS Alexander Askew X15 Anthony W. Williams X42 40 YEARS Richard Brock Jr. X11 Michael H. Conway O43 John B. Cowan T55 Tony D. Davis X18 Randolph Freeman X36 Henry L. Howard Jr. X36 Marilyn Purdie X18 Richard L. Spratley III X11 Cynthia Boyd-Williams O53 35 YEARS Frank W. Albertson X11

Henry L. Howard Jr. 40 years

Napoleon Lee 50 years

Vickie C. Wiggins O14 James A. Williams O26 Michael L. Williams O43 Gary M. Wilson O43 John C. Woodin O46 Gwendolyn D. Woods X33 Joyce A. Wright O07 Alphonsia Young X18

Michael R. Miller X69 Carl R. Myers AMSEC Leonard A. Nadeau X70 David R. Neese E25 Charles A. Patton A572 Dean D. Rudisill O64 Michael E. Stokely X10 Mark L. Webb E68 Donna L. White O04

30 YEARS Tommy W. Arrington O43 Kurt F. Boestfleisch O20 Archie K. Boswell K07 Michael W. Burkett X88 Douglas L. Fields O26 Brian K. Hiser E56 Timothy A. House M40 Danny R. Keel X67 Derek R. King X88 James A. Ledoyen O22 William E. Massenburg M30

25 YEARS Steven B. Kincaid O35 Mart M. Martin AMSEC Ronald A. Murray O11 20 YEARS John L. Lentini E22 Gregory L. Richards AMSEC Michael E. Tow AMSEC

Retirements FEBRUARY James L. Adams X11 Bobby L. Boone X43 Catherine H. Childs O53 Cherryl M. Clair T53

Brenda F. Collins X36 Brian J. Cooper O51 Alvester D. Dent O53 Roberta Y. Foster X11

Harold W. Gowers O15 Lynn O. Hobbs Sr. X36 Mark A. Ives E82 Bobby K. Jones Jr. X42

Teresa L. Lomax X33 Earl Long X88 William E. Price O43 Alphonso Richardson X42

Christopher L. Rohlf E46 Norma J. Scott O43 Robert L. Sunday O38 Willie L. Walker X11

Janice K. Wyatte O53

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NNS Safety Report

Year-to-Date Injuries

156

+2%

+2%

Year-to-Date Injuries with Lost Time

Year-to-Date Lost Work Days

59

973

*Compared to figures from February 2013

-29

%

PRST STD U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

4101 Washington Ave. Newport News, VA 23607

Yardlines is printed on recycled paper with vegetable-based inks.

EAU CLAIRE WI PERMIT NO. 366

April 2014

LOOK INSIDE FOR THE 2013 REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

New graduates of The Apprentice School are congratulated by faculty as they file out of the Liberty Baptist Church auditorium March 1. This year, the school graduated 137 apprentices. Photo by Ricky Thompson