Yardlines, April 2015

APRIL 2015

T H I S

I S S U E

Strong Showing for Shipbuilders at One City Marathon The Apprentice School Graduates 157 Shipbuilders Hi-Tech Weapons Elevators Tested on Gerald R. Ford Look Inside for HII 2014 Report to the Community

Photo by Chris Oxley

I N

The One City Marathon (OCM) began unlike any other race. Instead of the traditional starting pistol, it was the sound of the shipyard whistle that signaled more than 700 marathon and marathon relay runners to start at Newport News Park on March 15. Throughout Newport News, more than 2,000 runners participated in the marathon, relay, 8K and nautical mile.

Radiation Safety Analyst Danielle Martin was among 27 marathon runners from Newport News Shipbuilding.

“This was my second marathon,” she said. The opening of the course in Newport News Park was her favorite leg of the run. “I’ve never been in the park that early before, as everything is just waking up. It was so peaceful and beautiful, and the running conditions were perfect.”

With a finishing time of 3 hours, 23 minutes, 2 seconds, Material Process Engineering Manager Daniel Moniak was the only shipbuilder to qualify for the 2016 Boston Marathon. The 50-year-old shipbuilder committed to run a full marathon before he turned 51, so the OCM, two weeks ahead of that birthday, was the perfect opportunity. He enjoyed the crowds, especially seeing fellow shipbuilders and friends and family during the entire 26.2-mile trek through Newport News.

“After six months of training and runs up to 23 miles, I expected to run an 8-minute, 15-second pace, so qualifying for Boston never entered my mind,” he said. “I consider qualifying for Boston to be a life event and intend to run the race next April 18.”

More than 7,000 spectators, including shipbuilders and their families, gathered at local schools, churches and in neighborhoods to cheer on the runners.

I By Jeremy Bustin

ONE CITY MARATHON BY THE NUMBERS • 4 races • 2,600 runners • 7,000 spectators • 800 volunteers

More than 200 shipbuilders competed in three One City Marathon events March 15.

Mr. B Being

For Ralph Bailey, welding isn’t just a job – it’s a way of life.

Bailey, known to his colleagues as “Mr. B,” is a structural welder who spends the majority of his days in the shipyard’s Sub Shop performing work on Virginiaclass submarine modules – a work environment that Bailey describes as “extremely confined.”

“Three years after the shipyard hired me as a structural fitter, I was transferred to the welding department,” said the 33-year shipyard veteran. “And I’ve been welding ever since.”

After receiving his welding certifications from Newport News Shipbuilding’s Welding School, Bailey began his career in the carrier program working on USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and then eventually moved to submarine work. “The main difference between my experiences welding carriers versus submarines is the work environment,” he said. “On submarines, the spaces are a lot smaller, which makes welding a lot more challenging. Because I have to frequently maneuver my body to get to my tight workspaces, staying in shape is a priority for me.”

To keep his body in top shape, Bailey modified his eating and exercise routines early in his career.

“Every morning before I come to work I do push-ups and sit-ups,” he said. “I also run on occasion to keep up my endurance. As far as eating goes, I gave up sodas and fried foods a long time ago. Now, my diet consists

of mainly vegetables and lean meats – broccoli, chicken and fish are my favorite go-to foods.”

Welder Jackie Evans is a member of Bailey’s crew and often works alongside him.

“Bailey is the oldest welder in our crew, but you would never know it,” he said. “For years he has crawled in and out of tanks that are very cramped, to say the least, and welded the seams by hand. His success rate is off the charts.”

Bailey contributes much of his success to prayer and taking the time needed to perform quality work and says he lives by the phrase, “You’re only as good as your last weld.”

“It’s important in any profession to do your best, but here at NNS, the stakes are higher,” he said. “We’re building a product to keep our sailors safe. We owe it to them to provide them with the best product on the market. My contribution to that is doing my best toward making sure every joint I weld together is flawless.” | By Lauren Ward

Welder Ralph Bailey uses a “temp stick� to check the temperature of the submarine module before beginning his weld. Photo by Chris Oxley

In the early 19th century, when a ship was about to enter rough seas, the captain would order the crew to “batten down the hatches!” The order told the crew to close all the ship’s hatches (doors) using lengths of batten (rods) to secure each opening against the storm.

On Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the hatches won’t be secured with battens. In fact, the crew of America’s next-generation aircraft carrier will open and close the hatches digitally. Ford’s new weapons elevators are electromagnetic and controlled by computers. Powerful magnetic force literally suspends the elevator in its vertical shaft, which means it can move weapons quickly and smoothly up to the flight deck.

At the top, a software-controlled hatch opens on the flight deck where weapons will be off-loaded. The new “clamshell” hatch features two doors opening out from the center. When open, the doors are just 4 feet tall. On the Nimitz-class, the one-door hatch stood about 12 feet tall. The shorter doors increase visibility on the flight deck and allow aircraft more space to maneuver.

Brown and his team met the challenge head-on, working closely with engineers to find an alternate solution for setting the alignment of the doors on a floating ship.

They also met the challenge with a diverse team. All the mechanics on the team are rigger-certified up to 2,000 pounds, and many can weld. One of their mechanics, Dave Pittman, came to the team with 10 years of programming experience.

“Pittman is able to really work with the computer software that controls the elevators,” said Corey Wade, a fellow machinery installation mechanic. “My strength is more on the mechanical side. Our diversity makes us more capable of meeting these kinds of challenges.”

For Wade, working on the weapons elevators is about more than bringing home a paycheck. “It’s a proud feeling knowing that 50 years down the road, my sons could be working on the ship I built. It’s amazing.”

Since Ford is already in the water, aligning the doubledoor system was a challenge. Though hard to notice, the ship does sway slightly – even more on rough days.

| By Peter Stern

“You got five hinge-points that need to be within onesixteenth of an inch on the same axis,” said Brandon Brown, the foreman responsible for installing the hatch doors. “The tolerances on installing these doors are much tighter than on Nimitz-class.”

The machinery installation team prepares to test one of the weapons elevators on Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), which feature a new “clamshell” hatch door at the top.

Photo by Chris Oxley

nns meets small-scale challenge with

Engineer Chris Lowe examines the new Large Scale Vehicle stern adapter developed by NNS engineers before shipping the unit to the Navy’s Acoustic Research Detachment in Bayview, Idaho, for testing.

Photo by Chris Oxley

Newport News Shipbuilding has a long history with the Navy’s Large Scale Vehicles (LSVs). Built one-fourth to nearly one-third of full-scale submarines, LSVs are used to test new submarine technology.

These scale models of advanced submarines are extensively tested in the quiet, deep waters of North Idaho’s Lake Pend Oreille, where the Navy’s Acoustic Research Detachment (ARD) is located in Bayview, Idaho.

NNS first provided on-site technical support at ARD for LSV1 KOKANEE, and in the late 1990s, the shipyard became the prime contractor for design and construction of LSV2 CUTTHROAT. Today, as the LSV Planning Yard, NNS continues to work closely with the naval organizations responsible for maintaining and operating LSVs at ARD. NNS Engineer Jim Ochenkoski, who moved to Bayview in 1995 to be the technical liaison and interface at ARD, said, “Since the 1980s, NNS’ Submarine Engineering Machinery Department has played a key role in innovating unique designs to meet scalemodel challenges with fully-engineered solutions.

Most recently, with the Navy’s plans to utilize LSV2 for testing scaled versions of Ohio Replacement propulsion components, innovation has hit a new high.”

In response to the Navy’s request for a propulsion support structure that could provide six degrees of freedom (linear and rotational motion), NNS engineers developed a new stern adapter for LSV2 using the same kind of mechanism often used in flight simulators. It has six adjustable “legs” sandwiched between two flanges that will accommodate all the necessary motions moving up and down, forward and back, left and right and rotation in any direction.

“This was a tough problem,” said Chris Lowe, lead engineer for this project. “The specifications were quite demanding, with extremely high loads that had to be met with a robust design without sacrificing very exacting adjustability. It also had to make the adjustments with all propulsion components installed.”

From concept to hardware delivery, it took nearly two years to make this unique design a reality. An important part of Lowe’s job is to make sure every question about the new design is answered to the Navy’s satisfaction.

Lowe said, “With a brand-new design like this, you can expect the Navy to have a lot of hard questions. We just have to run the numbers to make sure our design is solid, and we have the technical rationale for every nut and bolt.”

In March, the new stern adapter was shipped from Newport News and delivered to Bayview to begin its testing at ARD. I By Gina Chew-Holman

Photo by Ricky Thompson

MEET THE 10,000 TH GRADUATE

SARA RUGGLES Without any mechanical experience and never having used tools, Sara Ruggles left her job as a waitress in 2008 and enrolled in the pipefitting program at The Apprentice School because she wanted to go back to school and pursue a career.

“The school works with you so much to teach you your trade – how to use a ruler, how to read drawings, how to use a grinder, and then they send you to welding school.

What you learn from all of that, is that anyone can do it if they put their heart into it.”

Ruggles continued into the Advanced Dimensional Control Program at the school. Now, she is a metrologist and spends her days using laser trackers and other measuring tools to build boats in the Virginia-Class Submarine program. And at night, she studies engineering at Old Dominion University.

“The Apprentice School took me from a job where I wasn’t going anywhere, and introduced me to a lifelong career here at the shipyard,” she said. “I couldn’t ask for a better place to go to work every day.”

The sound of 157 bells rang at Liberty Baptist Church on February 28, as family and friends gathered to witness the milestone graduation of The Apprentice School’s class of 2014. As each apprentice received a diploma and exited the stage, he or she rang The Apprentice School bell, a tradition that signifies their accomplishments. But one bell rang louder than the rest – that of the 10,000th graduate.

During the ceremony, Retired Admiral John C. Harvey, Virginia’s secretary of veterans and defense affairs, reinforced the importance of what shipbuilders do every day and asked for a commitment from each graduate – a commitment to protect the men and women who serve on Navy ships around the world.

“Young sailors will walk aboard the ships you will design

and build, and they will bet their lives on the work that you will do.”

Sharing in the festivities of his fellow graduates was the class’s top graduate, Stuart Mitchell Brauer, the school’s recipient of the Homer L. Ferguson award for achieving the highest cumulative academic and craft scores.

“The ships we build allow our Navy to travel the world, upholding American values for 50 or more years of peace,” Brauer said. “We are in an aging business with walking libraries of knowledge retiring daily, so I encourage you to continue to learn from these mentors, but to also become mentors yourselves.” I By Jeremy Bustin Commencement Speaker, Retired Admiral John C. Harvey Jr. (third from left) and Newport News Shipbuilding leadership congratulate Roger Dale Blankenship Jr., a sheet metal apprentice who graduated with honors February 28.

Photo by Chris Oxley

10,000

STRONG

Newport News Shipbuilding congratulates the 2014 graduating class of The Apprentice School. Among the 157 graduates, seven are military veterans; 67 completed an optional, advanced program; 46 graduated with honors; eight earned high honors; and one graduate received highest honors. Twenty-one graduates received athletic awards and 12 students earned perfect 4.0 grade-point averages. The men and women listed below now join a distinguished group that includes more than 10,000 apprentice graduates.

Christopher Saint John Aldridge Jr. Joshua Ryan Ammons Christopher James Anderson Lionel Christopher Bailey Christin Nicole Baird Ayneka Lyshell Ball Jessica Alyssa Barber Robert Jay Barth Roger Dale Blankenship Jr. Christopher James Boone Darcy Durand Boone Stuart Mitchell Brauer Justin Taylor Brock Jason Carter Brown Randy Lamar Brown Christina Sue Butler Corey Brandon Carden Robert Stone Carlton Michael Joseph Carta Erol Michael Carter Cacheena Cashae Chandler Paul Andrew Christensen Darren Leon Clark Jr. Steven Patrick Clark Jr. Drew W. Coates Bryan West Cole Joseph Bradley Cole Courtney Darlene Collins Dakota Scott Connell James Robert Conti William App Crawford Jr. Ashley Gilliam Crocker John Anthony Currin Jonathan Noel Dalby LaTrone Maurice Demiel Jacob Jared Denson Douglas Tyler Dorsey Arynn Victoria Easom Marquis Rashad Ellsworth Alan Michael Evans

Ryan Dail Everett TaMichael Lenard Fedd Devonna Brianna Machelle West Fehr Darrell Garnete Fenton Jr. Hunter Selby Ferguson Gilbert Michael Flores Malcolm Jamal Fullard Brett Michael Gardner Gary Gerard Garner Timothy David Gault II Kelli Nicole Gilliam Jeffery Ryan Gravely Kevin Charles Gray Eboni LaChish Green Matthew Rideout Gular Chad Ryan Gurganus Karla Jean Hamrick Zachary Paul Harding Dawn Lynn Hardister Ryan James Harris John Thomas Helmick Nicholas Alexander Henry Nyjle Lorenzo Henry Brittanie Jazmyne Herriott Robert Allen Hornsby Jr. Daniel Jeffrey Hudgins Zachary Dixon Hudgins Benford Javon Hunter Sr. Joshua Carroll Hux Joseph Janus IV Kimberly Marie Jarvis Adam Christopher Jaynes Keli Michelle Jenkins Laneisha Janea Jenkins Alex Matthew Jessup Johnathan Neil Johnson Eric Matthew Johnston Phillip Andrew Jordan Linwood Sylvester Joyner Jr. Dezmond Emmanuel Kee

Johnny Allen Keller Anthony George Kent Jr. Brian Magee Laine II Jarrett Malcolm Larrimore Humberto Lopez Jr. Miriam Simone Lopez Kenneth Wayne Lucas Joel Jermaine Mason Sr. Steven Roshawn McDonald Nathan Scott McInnis Jodey Sylvester McNeil Matthew Carlton Miller William Hodgkin Miller Jr. Cameron Lee Moore Paul Lamount Morgan-Chism Jr. Brandon Allen Mosher Layfette Murphy Jr. Corinthious James Nathan Jr. Brett Theodore Nelson Curtis Wayne Newsome III Matthew James Obergfell Nicholas Shane O’Brien Ronnie Edward Ours Steven Andrew Ours David John Pagliughi Ricardo Alfonso Palacios Terrence Bruce Palmer Jr. Daniel Wayne Peedle Christopher Michael Perry Cody James Peters Victor Wayne Pettaway Jr. Courtney Jane Phaup Brian Scott Pittman Norman Bradburn Pulliam Jr. Antonio Laquan Richardson Ivan Phillip Robinson Izhia De’Andre Roundtree Wayne Leon Rudd Jr. Sara Gilman Ruggles Ethan Clifton Sargent

Sekita Natasha Saunders Michael Thomas Seaman Kyle Christopher Simmons Tysheka Marie Simpson Daniel James Smith Matthew Robert Smith Nicole Suzanne Smith Ryan Timothy Sparks Darin Desmontae Rashaad Spencer Jessica Louise Spessard William Noah Sterling II Donta’ Jamal Steward Pierrette Anne Swan Jermaine Anthony Tatem Seth Earl Thayer Ethan Andrew Thompson John Michael Thompson Jacob Allen Thornton Wayne Edward Tillman III Marlon Deon Towns Joshua Robert Trainum Tu Thien An Tran Malachi Lee Underwood Tyshawn Tremayne Washington Wesley Allen Waters Nathan Gentry Weiss Odis Keith Wesby Nicholas Allen West William Charles Westerman Danita Lashawn Whitaker Marcus Vann White Micaiah Javon White Isaac James Wigfall Tamieka Laneice Williams Joshua Daniel Wilson Lennora Marie Young Ryan McLendon Young

Test Your Checkup Knowledge!

A recent survey on the Benefits Connect website showed that 45 percent of respondents don’t remember the last time they had a routine physical. Take the quiz below to test your knowledge about physical exams.

1

What is the purpose of a physical checkup?

A. To assess your overall health B. To update your medical history C. To learn about preventive measures to help keep you healthy D. All of the above D, all of the above. During the examination, your primary care provider will conduct a routine examination to check your current overall physical health, update your medical history, discuss any health concerns and find out if you are at risk for common chronic diseases. Your doctor may also discuss lifestyle changes and preventive measures you can take to stay healthy.

1

2

How often should I have a physical?

A. Once a year B. Every other year C. Every 1-3 years D. Every 5 years

3

What won’t be checked during a standard physical?

A. Heartbeat B. Blood pressure C. Weight D. Temperature E. Colon

C and D, depending on your age. The American Medical Association recently suggested adults ages 18-40 get checked every five years, and adults over 40 have an exam every one to three years. If you take prescription medications, your provider may want to see you more frequently.

2

E, your colon. Your doctor will check you from head to toe, including your vital signs (heart, breathing rate, temperature, blood pressure), reflexes and weight.

You may also receive a cholesterol screening. Be prepared to discuss age-related medical procedures with your provider, such as a colonoscopy (at age 50) and an annual mammogram for women (age 40)*.

3

4

4

What if I’m nervous about the exam?

A. Don’t tell anyone; it’s too embarrassing B. Tell the nurse or primary care provider right away C. Cancel the appointment

Benefits & Wellness

B, tell the nurse and your doctor on arrival. It’s best they know up-front so they can make arrangements to make you feel comfortable and at ease.

Now that you have a better understanding about what a routine checkup entails, take the time to schedule yours now. Remember, as part of your HII benefits, preventive care, such as annual checkups with approved providers, are covered at no cost to you. *Colonoscopy and mammogram ages recommended by the American Cancer Society

MAKING A DIFFERENCE fixing the floodgates

On Aug. 24, 2012, floodwaters poured over the Virginia Living Museum’s floodgates, inundating the entire lower level of the museum. Museum officials said the facility had never experienced damage of that magnitude in its 40-year history.

“After the incident, the shipyard volunteered to assist with engineering, designing and fabricating a more robust flood mitigation system,” said Dave Orie, design engineering manager. “The idea was communicated, and many shipbuilders volunteered their time and expertise to make it happen.”

Designers Lee McBee and Newton Claiborne created drawings for the new system. “Before we began drafting plans, we visited the museum several times to see what new ideas could be incorporated into the design,” said McBee. After several weeks, the team’s design was presented.

“We took the design to the fabrication and assembly team and got them to give feedback,” said McBee. “They

were able to give us several suggestions to improve our design. Once those changes were in place, we handed the project over to them.”

Shipfitter Robert Hakes fabricated and built the new floodgates. “The gates are roughly two inches thick and are made of aluminum,” said Hakes. “The most challenging part of the project was making sure the gates were flat so that they could fit flush against the doors to the museum.”

In February 2015, the new gates were installed at the museum.

“I’m proud that I was able to use my skills to help the museum,” said Hakes. “Knowing that my work is going to help keep museum employees and animals safe is very fulfilling.” I By Lauren Ward Pictured (L to R): Shipbuilders Duke Mitchell, Jim Cockhran, Lee McBee, Rodney Beltz, Rusty Johnson and Bonnie Babb examine the new floodgates recently installed at the Virginia Living Museum. More than 20 shipbuilders designed and built the museum’s new two tiered flood mitigation system. Photo by John Whalen

MASTER SHIPBUILDERS

march

Sandra Richardson 45 years

LONG SERVICE 45 YEARS Sandra V. Richardson N350 40 YEARS Preston G. Leonard X11 35 YEARS John S. Bartlett O20 Marvin R. Dalton O38 Patricia L. Evans O53 Larry W. Jameson Jr. O67 Kenneth C. Keeter X88 Gary A. Locke E85 Sharon A. Morris E39

Mickey Pittman E85 Debbie L. Turner O23 Brian E. Welch O62 John M. Whitney E85 James F. Williams E17 John E. Wright Jr. E84 30 YEARS Dwayne O. Alcock X73 Ronald D. Barnhill X31 John W. Bell Jr. X31 Robert J. Fleming O38 Stephen H. Foster X18 William W. Haigler E22

march Chanel D. Johnson O51 Lawrence R. Lacourse E13 Allen K. Lettley X59 Timothy D. Marks X33 Glenn McKenzie E25 Lisa A. McLaughlin O16 Kenneth R. Polas E88 Louis E. Rendulic E84 Clarence Skinner X33 Terry M. Tynes M53 Timothy R. Warren O68 25 YEARS Jesse H. Artis X31

Dennis M. Barnes X89 Samuel W. Blank E25 Talbot R. Branch X11 Andre D. Briggs X31 Sonny A. Camat AMSEC James B. Clayborne X11 James P. Dodge AMSEC Carl R. Fischer Jr. E84 Lisa D. Gibson O53 John D. Glenn X59 Chris G. Hartman O84 Roy L. Hassell X32 Kenneth R. Holland X73 Vincent E. Holley X42

James A. Jones X43 Ronald G. Martin X10 Gary L. Mayfield X36 Charles McGehee IV O24 Owen E. Merritt X70 Ronald L. Morrison E22 Steve B. Moton X36 Stephen C. Murrer E49 Barbara J. Payne E22 Darren W. Price X59 Michele Ray-Bannon O58 John M. Risucci X74 Charles E. Slade Jr. X36 Clarence E. Square III X33

James S. Gatling X36 Bettie J. Harsh K93 Mark A. Hayes E83 Alfred Hooker O46 Alan R. Horne O53

20 YEARS Robbie D. Bynum E21 Walter E. Cole AMSEC David J. Gardiner AMSEC Richard H. Leybold E51 John D. Stuck E13 Nathan S. Wade X82

February

RETIREMENTS Benjamin L. Brokenburr X42 Wendell Clark X42 William P. Clayborne Jr. X36 Donald L. Fulford X91 David O. Garrison O04

Diane R. Thomas T55 Jerald D. Trussell E83 Larry Wilson X42

Steven W. Horner X11 Henry L. Howard Jr. X36 Charles P. Jones X42 Joseph D. Leach T53 Mary O. Lewis X36

Floyd C. Martin Jr. X67 Emmanuel A. McGlone X18 Jerome Reese III O46 Arthur C. Robinson Jr. O15 Urban D. Rourke Jr. E68

William R. Sharp Jr. E82 Ethel R. Spady O63 Elisha J. Stokes O53 Ernest A. Stubbs X42 Richard F. Wicar E07

ON THE COVER

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

At the finish line, volunteers at Newport News Victory Landing Arch prepare for the more than 2,600 runners who participated in the inaugural One City Marathon, hosted by the City of Newport News, Sunday, March 15.

APRIL 2015

This issue of Yardlines was produced by: Jeremy Bustin, Troy Cooper, Margie Jones, 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.

T H I S

I S S U E

Strong Showing for Shipbuilders at One City Marathon The Apprentice School Graduates 157 Shipbuilders Hi-Tech Weapons Elevators Tested on Gerald R. Ford Look Inside for HII 2014 Report to the Community

Photo by Chris Oxley

I N

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On September 29, Continental Maritime of San Diego (CMSD), a Huntington Ingalls Industries subsidiary operating under Newport News Shipbuilding, was awarded a contract to perform work on the 32nd Street Graving Dock and Caisson Recertification Project. CMSD’s Estimating Department began the detailed commercial bid proposal process in May 2014.

“Our estimators were able to successfully meet all contract requirements, while outperforming the competition,” said David Hernandez, the proposal manager who leads the 11-member estimating team.

CMSD COMPLETES WORK ON KEY CONTRACT

NNS SAFETY

REPORT *Compared to figures from March 2014

estimators met with the client, key subcontractors, government representatives and various department supervisors.

“Winning commercial work as well as Firm Fixed Price contract work will be key to CMSD’s future, and the caisson work is a major step in that direction,” Hernandez said.

In December, tugboats moved the caisson from the 32nd Street Naval Station to the ARCO Dry Dock located in Point Loma, California.

Once inside, the caisson was lifted out of the water to allow CMSD employees to begin the repair and maintenance work. The project was completed at the end of March.

During the bidding process, CMSD Continental Maritime of San Diego employees performed repair and maintenance on the caisson from the 32nd Street Graving Dock at the ARCO Dry Dock in Point Loma, California. Photo by U.S. Navy

Year-to-Date Injuries 264

Year-to-Date Injuries with Lost Time 90

Year-to-Date Lost Work Days 2,105

-1%

-12%

-4%