I N
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HII President & CEO Mike Petters Discusses the Future NNS Welcomes New Undersea Solutions Group Tradeswomen Find Success at Kesselring New Employee Phone Line Magnet Inside
Photo by Ricky Thompson
MARCH 2015
The Shipyard©s New
Undersea Solutions Group In today’s shipbuilding environment, involvement in a broad spectrum of products is critical. To that end, Huntington Ingalls Industries announced Jan. 30 the purchase of the Engineering Solutions Division (ESD) of The Columbia Group, a 30-person leading designer and builder of small underwater vehicles for domestic and international customers. ESD will continue to operate from its Panama City Beach, Florida, location, but it now operates as Undersea Solutions Group (USG), a subsidiary of HII that reports to Newport News Shipbuilding’s Submarine and Fleet Support division. Shipyard leadership traveled to Florida in early February to welcome USG’s engineers, analysts, craftspeople
and technicians to NNS. As part of that trip, shipyard leadership also confirmed their belief that USG and NNS are a lot alike, despite the size difference of their products and organizations. “At NNS, we’re a little bigger than what you’re used to here but, from what I’ve seen, many of the challenges are the same and the people’s love of what they do and the care they take in doing it are exactly the same,” NNS Vice President of Submarines and Fleet Support Jim Hughes told the USG team during a welcome reception. From the outside, USG’s 25,000-square-foot facility looks small, but the work taking place inside is making a big impact. The company designed, developed and operates the Proteus dual-mode underwater vehicle. Proteus looks a little like a mini Virginia-class submarine,
but a closer look inside reveals its ability to operate in both autonomous unmanned and manned modes. The specialized vehicles are intended to be used for a variety of purposes, including support of submarines, special warfare personnel and mine warfare operations. While USG’s primary customer is the U.S. Navy, the company builds vehicles for military customers around the world. USG Ocean Engineer Chloé Mallet is a diver and Proteus pilot in training. When she learned of the acquisition, she was concerned with “becoming just a number.” The visit changed her tune. “I was able to meet with senior management and relate to them on a personal level. I’m excited about the travel opportunities to Newport News and working with them on future projects.” David Farris, an ocean engineer with USG for six years, was familiar with NNS prior to the acquisition. He worked with NNS Systems Test Engineer Colin Meigs on his senior design project at Florida Institute of Technology.
“It was nice to meet Matt Mulherin, Jim Hughes and so many others who shared the vision and direction for our division as well as that of HII as a whole,” Farris said. “It was nice to hear Mr. Mulherin reassure us that postacquisition would not be a large upheaval of our current staffing.” Andrea Raff, a project manager and mechanical design engineer, agreed. “Since our company builds smaller swimmer delivery vehicles and HII is known for building large ships and submarines, I was curious to know how our goals aligned with HII’s,” she said. “Newport News Shipbuilding leadership reinforced that we will be working together to provide better services in the shipbuilding industry and that we can learn a lot from one another.” I By Christie Miller
Machinist Terry Hobbs programs a computer numerically controlled lathe at Undersea Solutions Group’s facility in Panama City Beach, Florida. Photo by Chris Oxley
STRIVING | LEADING |
Engineers Honored at Diversity Conference
Humbled and honored summarized how the Newport News Shipbuilding engineers who were recognized Feb. 6 for achievements in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields felt during the Black Engineer of the Year Award STEM Global Competitiveness Conference. “I am both humbled and honored to represent HII as one of the Modern-
Day Technology Award recipients at this year’s BEYA conference. The experience confirmed and reenergized my passion for giving back to the community and striving for professional excellence within the field of engineering,” said Anthony Norton, a nuclear engineer responsible for providing secondshift support for all nuclear systems
| SUCCEEDING in the propulsion plant on Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). The 29th annual BEYA conference took place Feb. 5-7 at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C. Booker, who has led a number of projects on Gerald R. Ford for the nuclear propulsion, construction and
process engineering department said, “Attending the BEYA STEM conference was a life-changing experience that refocused and reignited my passion for engineering. I plan on using this experience as a reminder of the accomplishments ahead and not just the accomplishments I’ve made.” I By Gina Chew-Holman
2015 NNS BEYA Award recipients (L–R): Nuclear Engineer Anthony Norton Jr., Systems Test Engineer Jenell Webb, Nuclear Engineer Brandon Booker, Mechanical Engineer C. Mike Jones, Electrical Engineer John Banks, Systems Engineer Malcom Jones, Design Engineering Manager David Orie and Electrical Engineer Tavarius Urquhart. Photos by Ricky Thompson
Girls with Engineering Minds in Shipbuilding So what do you want to be when you grow up? Well, for some girls at Booker T. Washington Middle School in Newport News, it could be a career in engineering, thanks to an after-school program developed by women engineers at Newport News Shipbuilding. “The goal of GEMS, or Girls with Engineering Minds in Shipbuilding, is to help prepare the future shipbuilders of tomorrow – one girl at a time,” said Engineering Manager Leah Colvin. “GEMS offers young girls the chance to work together as part of a team and to focus on problem-solving and solutions.” Twice a month, Colvin and 14 other NNS volunteers meet at the school to encourage girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) by performing a wide range of fun hands-on experiments, such as how to build the ”perfect bubble.” “In this experiment, the girls have to mix a recipe to make the bubbles and then design a bubble wand using a variety of different materials,” explained Colvin. Amanda Snyder, a guidance counselor at Booker T. Washington, said, “The girls really put their brain power together to come up with a
great idea, and they get so excited to see something from start to finish.” The ideas are plentiful, and along the way the girls are having fun learning while building the confidence they need for the future. “I wish there was something like this when I was growing up,” said Jennifer Boykin, vice president of Engineering and Design, who was instrumental in bringing the resources together to launch GEMS. “A career in engineering and shipbuilding is often overlooked by girls. Our mentors, along with the Newport News Public School System, are instilling the confidence these girls need to prepare them for STEM careers.” Engineering Manager Carla Vaughan said, “I enjoy reaching out to the girls who may not think they have the opportunity or know what they want to do, or could do. Just one encounter can change somebody’s life.” With plans for NNS to expand the GEMS program to other local middle schools, more engineering mentors are needed. Engineers interested in volunteering should contact Stephanie White for Career Pathways at 380-3576. | By Aaron Pritchett
Engineering Manager Karey Malyszko works on a project with Booker T. Washington Middle School students participating in the Girls with Engineering Minds in Shipbuilding (GEMS) program. Photo by John Whalen
GLAUCOMA DIAGNOSIS
Delivers Vision of Better Health Thirty years ago, Dale Jowers thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. Coming home from night school after a day’s work at the shipyard, he noticed the James River Bridge lights seemed to glow, as if rainbows were radiating from the beams.
Anyone can develop glaucoma, according to the National Eye Institute, including those who have experienced a traumatic eye injury. But some are at a higher risk, including people with a family history of glaucoma and individuals who have diabetes and high blood pressure.
Something didn’t feel right, so he made an appointment to have his eyes checked. Soon after, the ophthalmologist delivered the diagnosis – Jowers had glaucoma, a disease caused by damage to the optic nerve. If left untreated, it could cause vision loss or blindness.
Since his diagnosis, Jowers, a foreman in the Sheet Metal Department has seen numerous specialists and has had to relinquish activities he enjoys, like woodworking and mowing the grass. In 2012, he spent nearly a year away from his job for an extended recovery period.
“The pressure in my left eye was sky-high,” he said.
He says faith, family and friends have kept him strong. Today, Jowers is in a good place. He’s healthy, upbeat, and his vision, though not what it used to be, has stabilized.
Jowers, who was 21 at the time, stayed positive. He began using eye drops and medications that would reduce the fluid buildup and alleviate the pressure. A few months later, he underwent the first of 13 surgeries he would face over the next three decades.
After being diagnosed with glaucoma 30 years ago, Dale Jowers is now healthy and upbeat. Photo by Chris Oxley
Employee Information Phone Line
1-877-871-2058 The primary source for information on severe weather or other conditions that may impact normal operations.
Practice Good Eye Health • Visit your eye doctor regularly • Wear your personal protection equipment on the job and when working around your home • If you have diabetes, watch and control your blood sugar levels • If you have high blood pressure, monitor your pressure regularly • If you are being treated for glaucoma, take your medicine as directed Source: Prevent Blindness America, National Eye Institute
Benefits & Wellness
The Employee Information Phone Line When severe weather or other types of emergency situations impact the shipyard, the Employee Information Phone Line is the primary source for reliable information about Newport News Shipbuilding operations and work schedules. The phone line is regularly updated and is available 24/7. If there are no changes, the message will say, “We are conducting normal operations.” Please use the attached magnet to keep the information phone line number visible and easily accessible. Also, add the phone line number to your mobile device’s telephone contacts for faster dialing.
Meet the
Tradeswomen of Kesselring
Growing up, Boilermaker Amanda Ricci and Operating Engineer Marianne Rafferty never dreamt of becoming masters of a trade. However, life ended up taking each of them down a path not frequently traveled by many females. Today, they are the only two NNS tradeswomen working at the Kenneth A. Kesselring Site (KSO) in West Milton, New York, a Department of Energy facility where U.S. Navy sailors are trained and qualified to operate nuclearpowered vessels. “There are approximately 80 Newport News Shipbuilding employees working in trades at KSO,” said Rafferty,
who is a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 158. “Amanda and I both take pride in being the only female tradespersons on-site – it’s something that we’re really proud of.” Rafferty worked construction for more than 20 years before accepting a job at Kesselring in 2007. As an operating engineer, she is responsible for making lifts and transporting objects around the nearly 4,000-acre site. “Being an operating engineer at KSO is much different than my past experiences working construction,” she said. “I enjoy working at Kesselring because everyone is
extremely conscientious about safety, and because the site is nuclear, the work we do must be flawless.” Rafferty works closely with the riggers. “Many of the lifts we perform on-site are what we call ‘blind lifts,’ which means that I can’t physically see the object I’m lifting, so I have to fully trust the signal callers.”
“After graduating from the program and before I was hired at KSO, I was a boilermaker at two hydropower plants, a cement plant, garbage plants, paper mills and coal power plants,” she said. “Boilermakers typically have to travel to where the work is – which is one of the things I love about KSO; I’m able to stay in one location without having to move to find work.”
Ricci is one of the riggers that Rafferty works with on occasion.
While they didn’t start out to be trailblazers, they are proud of what they’ve accomplished.
“In addition to rigging, I’m also a qualified nuclear pipe and structural welder,” said Ricci, the only female boilermaker at NNS. “I also read prints and work in the Rigging Loft when needed. If I had to describe a boilermaker, I would say that they are skilled tradesmen in all aspects of building and maintaining boilers, iron ships and nuclear power plants.”
“We both plan to continue working hard to build a good reputation and master our trade,” said Rafferty. “Hopefully, we’ve paved the way for other female tradespersons to work on-site in the future.” I By Lauren Ward
The New York native learned her trade through the Boilermakers Northeast Apprenticeship Program, where she was the first female to graduate from the Local Lodge No. 197 Albany, New York, apprenticeship program.
Amanda Ricci, NNS’ only female boilermaker, works to maintain her weld qualifications by welding on-site in a Kenneth A. Kesselring Site weld booth. Operating Engineer Marianne Rafferty, one of only two tradeswomen at KSO, transports material in a 10-ton fork lift. Photos by Rex Spakes
First-Class
CARRIER
It’s a familiar routine. Before daylight breaks, they walk into the shipyard to start their day. They work on aircraft carriers, drawing on generations of experience and a proud tradition of quality. They’re welders, fitters, machinists, pipe fitters, riggers, painters and electricians – representing every trade at Newport News Shipbuilding. The only difference – the aircraft carriers are not in Newport News. Of the 10 aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy fleet, eight have work currently being planned or executed by NNS. In 2014, the company had shipbuilders at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) in Portsmouth, Virginia, working on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) or “Ike.” Nearby at Naval Station Norfolk, work on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is also being supported by NNS. Across the country in San Diego, Newport News shipbuilders are supporting an eight-month maintenance availability on USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and planning a six-month maintenance availability on USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Work in Bremerton, Washington, and Yokosuka, Japan is also on the horizon.
Last year’s work on Ike was an example of how NNS is growing its support of the carrier fleet. About 125 NNS shipbuilders performed contracted work on Ike and – for the first time – provided supplemental labor to the Portsmouth shipyard. NNSY needed the extra hands due to the ship requiring more work than originally planned. “We did a lot of structural work all over the ship,” said Mark Christian, a veteran welder who acted as a makeup supervisor during the project. After starting at NNS in 1978, Christian has spent a lot of time away from Newport News, working fleet support on carriers in San Diego and submarines in Connecticut and Maine. “I always tell younger shipbuilders to give fleet support a try. You learn a lot,” he said. Chris Miner, vice president, In-Service Aircraft Carriers (ISCVN), praised the shipbuilders’ commitment to safety,
quality, cost and schedule during a luncheon in February honoring the shipbuilders for their work on Ike. Miner said, “As you know, the work was very challenging, but you got the job done and proved yet again that NNS has the greatest shipbuilders in the world.” Miner encouraged the shipbuilders interested in NNS work opportunities outside the shipyard gates to let the leadership team know. “Take advantage of these opportunities. They provide new learning experiences and allow you to represent the men and women of NNS in a very special way.” In December, NNS began sending shipbuilders back to NNSY to start work on USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). A significant portion of work is in the ship’s propulsion plant – another first for Newport News shipbuilders at
the Portsmouth shipyard. The team is already exceeding expectations, achieving the propulsion plant “production complete” milestone ahead of schedule. ISCVN Director Richard Coleman believes in the value of the program. “Whether in Virginia or Japan, it’s all part of a focused effort to send the world’s best shipbuilders to the aircraft carriers, wherever they’re needed.” Shipbuilders interested in being part of the fleet support team can email ISCVN@hii-nns.com for more information. | By Peter Stern In 2014, for the first time, NNS shipbuilders were contracted to perform structural work on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia. Photo by U.S. Navy
When Shipfitter John Harrell started working at Newport News Shipbuilding in 1974, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) was under construction. He thought he would work long enough to buy a car. Forty years and 11 cars later, he’s a Master Shipbuilder building the first ship in a new class – the Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). And while the names of the aircraft carriers have changed, his daily routine hasn’t. At 3:30 a.m., the North Carolinian boards a bus and travels 93 miles to the shipyard. After walking through the gates, the 59-year-old shipfitter maneuvers gangways and climbs a series of ladders onboard the new carrier, before crawling into some of the dark and confined spaces or compartments where his work begins. “I come here every morning and I’m happy,” he said. “It’s hard work, but it’s work that matters. “The ship is like a giant puzzle. You have to figure out how each part fits. Sometimes the pieces fit perfectly. Sometimes, you have to take the pieces apart or cut them in half to fit them into tighter spaces.” Growing up on a farm in North Carolina, Harrell learned the value of hard work at an early age. His father died when he was 11, leaving him to take care of his nine brothers and sisters. Now, it’s his mission to look after his fellow shipbuilders.
Whenever he can, he spends time guiding younger shipfitters. “Over the years, I’ve realized that there’s always something new to learn. Now I want to help the younger shipbuilders and pass on everything I’ve learned.” But he admits that mentoring today’s shipbuilders is not always easy. “This new generation of shipfitters wants to dive right in to the work, but it takes time to learn how to read construction maps. There aren’t any computers onboard the ship, and that’s what the younger guys are used to. If they’re at home and can’t figure something out, they can always look at YouTube. This is real work with our hands.” And shipbuilders have reason to listen to him. In his 40 years at the shipyard, Harrell has not had a single injury. “You have to keep your eyes open at all times and be aware of your surroundings. You have to be really involved in the job.” At the end of the day, when the bus returns him to his home in Windsor, the sun has already set. Still, he says that he can’t help but be proud of the work he and his fellow shipbuilders have accomplished. I By Jeremy Bustin
Master Shipbuilder John “Cheese” Harrell takes measurements on Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) flight deck before installing T-bar structures. Photo by Ricky Thompson
Creating MIKE PETTERS DISCUSSES HII’S FUTURE
HII announced its fourth quarter and 2014 earnings on Feb. 19. In a letter to employees, HII President and CEO Mike Petters called the financial results “outstanding.” In this Q&A, Petters expands on 2014’s success and discusses the company’s strategic initiatives for the future.
Today we have 1,000 engineers and designers in the oil and gas space. It’s critical that we react to that market and reposition that business so it will be even stronger when that market rebounds–and it’s inevitable that it will rebound. So this is a very important year across all of our businesses to set the foundation for the future.
Q
Q
How would you describe our 2014 financial results, and what part have HII employees played in achieving success?
A
That seems like a good segue into talking about HII’s most critical strategic initiatives for this year and the future.
A
I think our overarching initiative for success in these Consistently strong is probably the best way to marketplaces will be continuing to improve in our put it. We’ve improved from the beginning of the ability to create new value. Maybe there’s someone we formation of the corporation, and we’ve essentially done can do that for who we’re not doing it for today. Maybe what we said we were going to do, but we’ve done it with there’s some way we could do it differently, which would strength. Not everything goes right in the business, but create more value for the customers that we have. That’s a lot has gone right, and that’s a tribute to the employees an attitude as much as it is a process, so I think the that are working these things every day. They’ve done a biggest strategic initiative is going to great job. They’ve retired a lot of risk, be around attitude toward new value. and they’ve created new value where “I know we’re about they’ve had the opportunity, so I’m 38,000 people spread The enabler for that is leadership really proud of the team. all over the world, but development. I believe everyone that every single day, I feel comes to work in this corporation For the current year, aside from connected to everybody wants to do good work. I believe our financial goals, how will you leaders have a special responsibility measure success? in the organization. I feel to give everyone that opportunity, responsible to everyone This is an important year for and when that happens, new value in the organization. I us in that we we’re basically gets created. I also believe we need think of us as much as a creating the foundation for this to become more inclusive and community as I do company going forward. We have a lot build upon the character, civility a corporation.” of opportunity in front of us. Several and community that we have in our Navy programs, by themselves, are workforce today. To create this new very large, but they lead to larger value, we need a culture that allows for and actually programs over the next 20 or 25 years. It’s very important invites the least empowered people in our organization to to get those right on the front end, so we will be working come forward with their best ideas. If we do that, then we very hard to lay that foundation. will be achieving the full potential of the business.
Q A
We formed a new subsidiary. We combined Stoller with Newport News Nuclear to create SN3. The Department of Energy will be re-competing over $60 billion worth of work in the next five to 10 years. Our presence in that market is an opportunity for us to create more new value. We’re really excited about that, but that’s also something that we’ve got to get right from the beginning.
Our latest acquisition was The Columbia Group’s Engineering Solutions Division. What role do you see HII playing in the unmanned underwater vehicle market?
Q A
I think this is a great example of what we have been talking about in terms of creating new value.
Value This small acquisition tied to what we are already doing creates a much larger footprint than we had at Newport News before the acquisition or that Columbia Group had in their business before this acquisition. So it’s another case of new value being created where the two businesses by themselves were probably not equal to the two businesses being together.
Q
We’re opening two family health centers–one in Virginia, one in Mississippi. From your perspective, how are they important to the future success of the company? Let’s go back to where we started. I fundamentally believe that everyone that comes to work in this company wants to do their very best work. When I come to work, my job is to give everyone an opportunity to do that. One of the things we invest an awful lot in is people’s well-being. If we can enable our employees to take better care of themselves, then it’s an investment worth making. This is our family, and we are doing this because this is the right thing to do for our family.
A
Q
You’ve said many times that one of the measures of a good job is the opportunity to learn something new every day. What have you learned since becoming CEO that you didn’t know before? This job has sharpened my view that the relationship between a supervisor and his or her employees is the most important process in the company. If the boss cares about it, the organization will care about it. I kind of knew that all along, but I’ve come to believe that that is the true measure of your leadership team. How open are they to putting themselves out there to let people know what they care about? And how good are they at giving their folks a chance to do their best work? This idea that we’re going to create new value– that’s what that’s all about. If we let our people do our best work, we’ll be creating a lot of new value–not just for our shareholders, but for ourselves.
A
Photo by Chris Oxley
MAKING A DIFFERENCE teaching lifesaving skills
The American Red Cross has been helping people for more than 130 years. Volunteers like Master Shipbuilder George Bradby make it possible for the organization to carry out its mission. Bradby, a Health and Safety analyst at Newport News Shipbuilding, has volunteered with the Red Cross for 18 years. “I became certified in CPR in 1998, and then I began teaching it in 2001,” he said. “I enjoy putting people participating in the course at ease. Most people are nervous at first but, when they finish, they have a completely different perspective.” Bradby teaches CPR to shipbuilders through the Night School. He also teaches courses for the Rushmere Fire Department, several churches and not-for-profit organizations. He said most people worry that when they’re faced with a situation when CPR is needed, they might not remember
what to do. “But I tell them when it happens, what they learned will kick right in.” While Bradby has taught thousands of people CPR, he’s never had to use the skill in a real-life situation. “I’m very proud of the people I’ve taught who have saved lives. In four out of the last six years, the Red Cross has recognized NNS employees at their annual breakfast for their heroism.” The first employees who were recognized were a group of engineers who saved a co-worker’s life only a few weeks after completing the course. “If you teach one person who saves one life, it’s worth it.” Six years ago, Bradby was appointed to the American Red Cross Hampton Roads Chapter Board of Directors. I By Gina Chew-Holman Since 1943, every U.S. president has designated March as American Red Cross Month. The organization uses this month to thank supporters like Master Shipbuilder George Bradby, who help fulfill its mission. Photo by Ricky Thompson
MASTER SHIPBUILDERS
Burley C. Ball Jr. 40 years
Wayne Peterson 40 years
february
Bill Robert Sharp Jr. 50 years
LONG SERVICE 50 YEARS William R. Sharp Jr. E82 40 YEARS Burley C. Ball Jr. O79 Ashton W. Peterson M10 35 YEARS Henry L. Baggett E25 Gilbert L. Bartlett X88 Earl A. Brewer O39 Donald M. Bright X59 James A. Carter O53 Robert E. Fallon Jr. O61
Glenda R. Fox E68 James A. Grogg E18 Gregory K. Howell X36 Bert Ihlenfeld X10 Tammy D. Johnson E79 Jimmy L. McKeithan E82 Stephen J. Morgan E79 Michael C. Moseley O38 David W. Paulden X57 Ronald F. Titus X31 Kim R. Walker-Washington K78
february 30 YEARS Leland E. Beale III E81 Michael D. Doyle E81 Henry S. Earl III E85 Elizabeth G. Evans X89 Scott D. Fuller E25 Jeffrey M. Levi A572 William J. Mann O58 Charles E. Norman III X73 Marvin Q. Porter O67 William E. Rinaca E51 Simeon P. Robbins E81
25 YEARS Larry W. Alger Jr. X70 Arthur L. Artis O15 Charles N. Backus O79 Thomas A. Baragona E30 Christopher L. Bennett E82 William F. Berger O43 Nehemiah N. Biggs X36 Reginald Braswell X70 Byron A. Craig E84 Edward B. Garrett X36 Marie P. Greene T54 Paul A. Grudt O53 Ali H. Harkous AMSEC
William G. Harris X36 Eugene S. Hatfield X36 Frederick N. Hogge E83 Cedric K. Jones X43 Tony D. Kigler X11 Richard A. Kurek E75 Tracy A. Lassiter X31 Jonathan E. Lee M53 Bryant K. Lewis X89 Rocco Mannino E82 Floyd M. Morning X42 James A. Raposa E84 Janie C. Sledd T55 David M. Smith E86
RETIREMENTS Alene G. Kaufman O11 Alvin Smith X33 Anita F. Skinner E88 Anthony J. Pomponi X43 Arthur W. Smith O37 Charlie R. Parker X36 Christopher C. Boyd Jr. X33 Clifford A. Overby O39 Daniel L. Arczynski N356
Daniel L. White X88 Danny W. Hunley O11 Danny L. Warren E85 Dennis M. Crump X11 Dennis M. Jones E21 Dennis M. Libby O53 Doris Johnson O53 Eugene Davis X43 Frank E. Mitchell X33
Nelson L. Towns X18 Paul R. Vinyard N930 20 YEARS Gina M. Andrade AMSEC Christopher M. Boyd N950 Earl H. Collins III X59 Christopher A. Finch X88 Avery A. Goodwin E57 Melvin K. Hemphill E81 Peter C. Meston E22 William V. Waters E81
december George W. Murphy X74 James E. Everette X42 Janice L. Belton O04 John M. Giles X71 John E. Viars Jr. X70 Joseph Copeland X33 Larry F. Munn E42 Lee E. Hall X15 Leonard E. Harper O61
Linda B. Graves O35 Lorenza Clayborne X88 Marion D. Sykes X70 Marshall E. Worthington E56 Mary F. White O51 Mcdale Grant X11 Nancy C. Moore E86 Ora M. Council O53 Paul J. Weishaar O19
Phillip L. Saunders X91 Ralph R. Fish O15 Ralph T. Griffith O53 Ricky D. Bartram O54 Robert L. Franks E18 Robert D. Lilley N360 Robert L. Myers E45 Robert L. Willis E45 Timothy G. Moody O39
Vincent L. Jones X88 William B. Smith X42 William L. West X67 Herman M. Peoples Jr. X18
january Charles K. Baber O64 Jasper Bell E42 Willard E. Carter X18 Randolph Deloatch X43
Carol R. ElchonessBeesmer T55 Phillip R. Eley X33 Larry L. Granby X11
James C. Hopkins O15 Raymond V. King X36 Daniel G. Klemencic X71 Jerry G. Lewis Jr. N206
Ernest L. Martin X32 Martin L. Merenda E84 Sandra D. Nicholson E18 Carlton E. Outlaw X18
Kermit L. Pinkard O43 Johnny B. Scott X70 Mckinley Simmons X73 Bernard L. Van Arsdale O24
Lee J. Westergard E85
IN THIS ISSUE 2014 Model of Excellence Award Winners Powerhouse Replaces 67-Year-Old Boilers
Yardlines is published 10 times a year for the employees of Newport News Shipbuilding.
NNS Invests in New Welding Equipment
JA NUA RY/ F EBRUA RY 2 0 15
MARCH 2015
This issue of Yardlines was produced by: Jeremy Bustin, Troy Cooper, Margie Jones, Christie Miller, Eugene Phillips, LaMar Smith, Peter Stern, Susan Sumner and Lauren Ward.
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I N
T H I S
I S S U E
HII President & CEO Mike Petters Discusses the Future NNS Welcomes New Undersea Solutions Group Tradeswomen Find Success at Kesselring New Employee Phone Line Magnet Inside
I N
T H I S
I S S U E
Looking Back on NNS 2014 Achievements Stoller and Newport News Nuclear Merge New Weld Management System Hits a Home Run
Yardlines 1_15.indd 1
Photo by Chris Oxley
Send change of address, comments, questions and story ideas to communications@hii-nns.com or call 757-380-2627.
Photo by Ricky Thompson
Editor: Gina Chew-Holman 2/3/15 10:04 AM
ON THE COVER Pictured on the front of this month’s issue is Jimmy Mosely, a welder building the Virginiaclass fast attack submarine Washington (SSN 787).
Featured on the front cover of the January/February issue was Larry Malone, a member of the Virginia-class submarine team building Colorado (SSN 788).
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ANOTHER
25 YEARS
The Navy awarded a $224 million modification to an existing contract for advanced planning of the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). The contract award allows Newport News Shipbuilding to continue planning all the work associated with a full RCOH and funds the procurement of long-lead materials, including items such as pumps, breakers, valves and steel to support fabrication of structural units. CVN 73 is scheduled to arrive at NNS after RCOH work on USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is complete and delivered to the Navy in the fourth quarter 2016. USS George Washington (CVN 73) makes a speed run while conducting carrier qualifications. Photo by U.S. Navy
NNS SAFETY
Year-to-Date Injuries 153
Year-to-Date Injuries with Lost Time 48
Year-to-Date Lost Work Days 843
-2%
-19%
-13%
REPORT *Compared to figures from February 2015