SERVICE TO THE FLEET Norfolk Naval Shipyard
We Are America's Shipyard
July 2022
Table of Contents
IN THIS ISSUE Features: COVER INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION GRAPHIC BY JUSTIN DEBRAUX
3 SHIPYARD TRIVIA: BLDG. 30 4 FROM THE COMMANDER: SUMMER 2022—ALREADY OFF TO A BUSTLING START!
24 NOBODY GETS HURT TODAY: SAFETY FIRST!
12
26 JOIN THE AMERICA'S
SHIPYARD TEAM: NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD IS HIRING!
27 CONGRATULATIONS NNSY SAILORS OF THE YEAR!
6 NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD 28 CFRAM FRAUD SCHEME PILOTS SUPPLY SUPPORT UNIT ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE CORPORATION
AWARENESS: LEAKING BID DATA AND BID RIGGING
8 NNSY VET-ERG CONTINUES
14
TRADITION DELIVERING U.S. FLAGS TO LOCAL FUNERAL HOME IN HONOR OF FLAG DAY
10 CHART YOUR NAVAL
CAREER: WAYPOINTS IS HERE AT NNSY
11 JULY IS NATIONAL INNOVATION MONTH
12 SHIPYARD SPOTLIGHT: ALLYSON CROSS
14 OUR YARD HISTORY: THE PRESIDENT INSPECTS
16 NNSY CELEBRATES CLEAN THE BAY DAY
18 NSS-SY WINS AND
GRAPHIC BY COLE FRASER
20 BZ100 RECOGNITIONS 23 UPCOMING EVENTS AT
AMERICA'S SHIPYARD: JULY 2022
2 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
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SHIPYARD COMMANDER Capt. Dianna Wolfson EXECUTIVE OFFICER Capt. Todd Nichols COMMAND MASTER CHIEF CMDCM Brent Blalock EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (CODE 1100) Brad Crosby ACTING PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER Michael Brayshaw SERVICE TO THE FLEET EDITOR Kristi Britt PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF Troy Miller, Erica Miranda, Marcus Robbins, Curtis Steward VISUAL INFORMATION DIRECTOR Jason Scarborough VISUAL INFORMATION STAFF Marisa Berkey, Danny DeAngelis, Justin Debraux, Cole Fraser, Lorenzo Raines, Shelby West EMAIL THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE nnsy_pao@us.navy.mil EMPLOYEE INFORMATION HOTLINE (757) 396-9551
VOLUME 85 • NUMBER 07
Service to the Fleet
NNSY DISCIPLINARY CORNER During the month of May, the command issued numerous actions. The following are examples and associated behaviors: 2 Letters of Cautions: (supervisor) 8 Suspensions: (supervisor) Conduct; disrespectful conduct, use of Performance; failure to perform insulting language. (non-supervisor) supervisor duties. Attendance; Conduct; misused government unauthorized absence and failure to resources to manipulate ETA times. follow proper leave procedures. (nonsupervisor) Attendance; unauthorized 2 Letter of Reprimands: (supervisor) absence, failure to follow proper leave Conduct; failure to carry out instruction procedures, and leaving assigned job of a manager. Attendance; leaving and shipyard premises during working assigned job and shipyard during hours without proper permission working hours without proper causing work stoppage. Security; authorization. being in possession of a camera phone inside the CIA. Conduct; having 3 Removals: (non-supervisor) a verbal altercation with another Intoxicant; Testing positive on a random employee, threatening to inflict bodily drug test. Attendance; falsifying time injury, and racial comments. and attendance, unauthorized absence, and failure to follow proper leave 4 Indefinite Suspensions: (nonprocedures. Safety; failure to wear supervisor) Security; failure to meet a PPE as required. condition of employment. 1 Resignation: (non-supervisor) Attendance; unexcused tardiness and unauthorized absences.
3 Terminations: (non-supervisor) Conduct; inappropriate behavior and conduct in the workplace and failure to comply with a direct order of a supervisor.
SHIPYARD TRIVIA BY MARCUS W. ROBBINS • SHIPYARD HISTORIAN
FRAUD, WASTE & ABUSE HOTLINE (757) 396-7971 SERVICE TO THE FLEET is a Department of Defense publication and is authorized for members of the DoD. Contents of Service to the Fleet are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the DoD, or Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Service to the Fleet is published monthly. Submissions are due on the 10th of each month. The public affairs staff reserves the right to edit submissions for content and brevity.
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Building 30 constructed in the early 1840s functioned as a timber shed for dry storage of ship building lumber and supplies until it caught fire in the early 1880s. In 1896, an original linen shipyard station map labels Building 30 as a saw mill. The building continued in this role for approximately three decades. At the beginning of World War II, Building 30 housed the public works surveyors, a public works drawing room, and various Supply Department offices.
From the 1950s to 1983, the Production Hull Design Branch and the Supply Department shared Building 30 until the Supply Department was relocated to the newly constructed Building 1500.
After total renovation inside and out a few years ago, Building 30 has set the bar high as an excellent 21st century workspace. From 1983 to present, Building 30 has been home to various shipboard design functions under NNSY Code 200.
JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 3
From the Commander, Capt. Dianna Wolfson: Summer 2022—Already Off To a Bustling Start!
4 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
Hello, America’s Shipyard! While the season change was officially June 21, it feels we were already off to a bustling summer well before that, beginning with participating in Portsmouth’s first full Memorial Day Parade since 2019. It was a true honor to host as grand marshal, showing our shipyard pride to the community with our marching Sailors, VET-ERG members, USS ALABAMA (BB60) float, and Navy Region Mid-Atlantic Fire and Emergency Services (NRMA F&ES). Many of you saw the news of the fire on Spirit of Norfolk last month and the response at Naval Station Norfolk, which included support from our NRMA F&ES, Fleet Maintenance Submarines (FMB) and NNSY’s Emergency Response Organization. The Spirit of Norfolk had more than 100 individuals onboard when the fire broke out, some as young as kindergarteners, with everyone rescued and resulting in no injury. Over the next four days our team members supported firefighting, emergency medical services, and incident command support on a very difficult operation. While it’s the type of job we hope we never get with a large shipboard fire, and unique in regards to our supporting a civilian ship, our members sprang into action as ONE TEAM with the other responders in an around-the-clock effort working to contain and extinguish the fire and support recovery. Thank you to all who supported this highly visible and significant response! In the past several weeks we have been working corrective actions with concerns identified in our May NAVSEA Inspector General (IG) Command Inspection, which evaluated our compliance to policies in 19 key areas such as cybersecurity, diversity and inclusion, environmental programs, human resources and security. Overall, we received an overall rating of satisfactory! In our outbrief, the lead inspector noted this is a different shipyard compared to NNSY’s last inspection back in 2019, due to our success in improving compliance and overall culture. I appreciate the work of the IG team and everyone in our shipyard who
assisted with this major endeavor. Many of you helped by driving us to a bestin-class 32% IG survey participation rate! For comparison, our last survey participation was 3% in 2019. But here’s why that number really matters, because so many of you provided us valuable perspective on where we need to improve, including areas such as IT, security, and transparency in hiring, retention efforts, and discipline and accountability. We hear you and know continued heavy lifting is required. We are getting after these critical areas. These survey results also tell me we haven’t done enough to communicate what we’ve accomplished over the past year within our Strategic Framework, and more importantly, shown you these efforts. You gave us the Get Real feedback; now we must Get Better. I don’t have all the answers yet that addresses each area of concern, but I will share solutions with you as we develop them. We will be communicating our ongoing improvements, such as the IT initiatives to upgrade our shipyard computers, getting government-issued smartphones in the hands of our supervisors, and drafting a hiring process instruction to improve transparency. Many of you also relayed that we still have work to do in Building a Better Culture, and I will share our next steps in the near future. Related to these efforts, the shipyard’s Department Head Group (DHG) recently conducted a Strategic Framework Offsite Meeting at the Dry Dock Club. We aligned on focus areas of improving command communications down to the deckplate and investing in our human capital strategy (which includes issues such as hiring, accountability and workforce development - many of the same issues you shared in the survey). We also assessed our progress in the framework pillars. It was important to self-assess our actions over the last year so we can self-correct and continue our vector change up! I had an important opportunity a few weeks back to participate in a virtual meeting with members of the House of Representatives Shipyard Caucus, along with NAVSEA leadership and the Commanding Officers of the three other
public shipyards. These bipartisan Congressional members want to support our shipyards and better understand our concerns, which include ensuring competitive pay for Wage Grade employees and the congressional support needed for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP). We know pay has not kept pace with inflation, and steps are needed in our government to get this resolved. Know that our NAVSEA leaders and I are advocating on your behalf to get you competitive pay and modern facilities and equipment. I hope you all have a great 4th of July holiday and make the rest of the summer fun, relaxing and safe! Whether at work, at home, or on vacation, be aware of the hazards and know how to mitigate them. #wegotthis
Capt. Dianna Wolfson Commander, Norfolk Naval Shipyard
GIVE BLOOD SAVE LIVES
Norfolk Naval Shipyard is continuing its fight on the emergency blood shortage and we need your help to deliver blood supplies to those in need. Here's a list of upcoming blood drives coming to the shipyard. All blood drives are held in the Bldg. 1500 Lobby from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 11 - 12 September 20 - 21 December 12 - 13 Walk-ins are welcome! Appointments can be made at https://www.militarydonor.com/ For more information, please contact Melanie Prescott at melanie. prescott@navy.mil or go to https:// www.militaryblood.dod.mil/
NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD PILOTS SUPPLY SUPPORT UNIT ESTABLISHMENT FOR THE CORPORATION STORY BY KRISTI BRITT • PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST PHOTOS BY SHELBY WEST AND DANNY DEANGELIS • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHERS
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) is leading the charge in piloting the Supply Sustainment Unit (SSU), which is being stood up to standardize the processes and practices of material acquisition not only at America’s Shipyard but to also leverage across the corporation. Representatives across various codes came together to map the end-to-end process of bringing material into the shipyard from start to finish. With the support of Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) and the other shipyards, the team was able to determine how the material needed was identified, purchased, acquired, and placed within the hands of the customer at the shipyard – working to Lean the processes in place and determine the future of supply. “I think the event overall was an awesome experience,” said Code 500 Supply Officer Capt. Mark Garrigus. “We took it from the beginning where the technical specifications are developed largely in engineering. From there, this team mapped out every single way we could acquire material – taking each action and breaking it down step by step.” “This level of detailed mapping had never been done before in the non-nuclear side at the shipyard and it was important for us to have subject matter experts in the room who work material every day and know every single challenge and barrier that stands in the way,” said Code 500 SSU Lead Carolyn Parish. 6 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
“It’s really been a unique experience and very eye-opening for everyone and seeing everyone come together as a team.” The event was broken into two main phases: phase one focused on the timeline of purchasing material to it coming to the shipyard, and phase two on its arrival to getting it into the hands of the customer. The events were facilitated by process improvement team members who helped everyone in the mapping and reaching their final goals. “We got to see a lot of the hardships everyone deals with day-to-day in terms of acquisitions,” said Code 520.2 Materials Manager Stephen Holly. “We’re all on different sides of the spectrum and we don’t always get to see what’s going on across the board. We’ve been able to share our experiences and see where everyone is coming from.” Code 610.2 Nate Wheeler added, “Understanding each code and organization's process is what helps us a lot. Everyone talked about how they do things, what happens if we don’t do that, is the end user going to understand, is everything that identifies that equipment in the contract. We want to make sure the shipyard purchases the right material, equipment, and assets so the ships can move out of here on time.” “This event helped us see the reality of what we endure in the material field and shows us that we needed to establish these processes and better communicate with each other,” said
Code 990 Keyon Waters. “We had to Get Real to Get Better now everything is more transparent. It makes us able to attack the real issues and solve what’s really happening together.” Code 500 Process Improvement and Facilitation Team Member Jessica Roberts said, “I definitely think this event was a huge success. Getting to see these different groups come together and tackle these obstacles head-on together was amazing. They all saw their similarities and differences and were able to break down any walls they may have unconsciously had previously. They were able to develop these connections and it really opens the door for a successful future for material.” Shipyard Commander Capt. Dianna Wolfson said, “I’m so impressed by everyone’s efforts in making this happen. It’s really an example of One Team coming together to serve our One Mission – your efforts directly tie into our mission here at NNSY to deliver on time, every time, everywhere to protect America as well as the goal of NSS-SY, to ensure timely deliveries back to the Fleet.” Capt. Garrigus said, “We’ve been able to take everyone’s hard work and share it across the naval enterprise and are working now to corporately align on standardized processes and practices. We’re coming towards the end of this journey and are very excited for the future. Together, we’re training the processes and building back the skillsets in our workforce
to optimally better the throughput of the material for the mechanic. Our North Star is 100 percent material on time at the place and need of our mechanics. With the SSU and all the efforts put into this project, we’re working on making this happen.” The SSU team was recently featured in an episode of America’s Shipyard, a video series to celebrate the hard work and achievements of those at NNSY who met the mission and provided service to the fleet. Check out the video on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbHoRBJkjfM; Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NorfolkNavalShipyard1/ videos/349927077286290/, and DVIDS at https://www. dvidshub.net/video/847862/americas-shipyard-episodeten. This series will be an ongoing effort and new episodes will be premiering soon. Stay tuned to NNSY’s social media platforms for the next episode. If you have an idea that should be recognized for a future episode, please email NNSY_PAO@ us.navy.mil and provide a detailed response of who or what we should recognize and why.
JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 7
NNSY VET-ERG Continues Tradition Delivering U.S. Flags to Local Funeral Home in Honor of Flag Day STORY BY KRISTI BRITT • PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST PHOTOS BY DANNY DEANGELIS • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHER Six years ago, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) Veteran Employee Readiness Group (VET-ERG) began their partnership with Sturtevant Funeral Home, donating old or worn U.S. Flags from the workforce and community. Hundreds of flags have been delivered to Sturtevant as part of their Retire Your Flag Program, where the flags are draped over fallen veterans at the time of cremation to honor their service and commitment to our nation. This year the team collected 137 U.S. flags, which were presented to Sturtevant during a ceremony held June 13. “One of our former VET-ERG Presidents, Mr. Rick Nelson, started and led this program until his retirement in 2019,” said VET-ERG Information and Awareness Officer Nicholas Boyle. “Since then, I have done my best to continue to lead this endeavor and reach out to NNSY coworkers and the public through email and social media, and have always received a heartwarming response from the community for providing this service of properly retiring worn US Flags, and paying respect to our veterans. In keeping this event ongoing, we are able to strengthen our ties with the community.” The VET-ERG began this endeavor and coordinates its annual delivery to coincide with Flag Day, a time-honored holiday first established in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson to celebrate the anniversary of the adoption of the Stars and Stripes – the U.S. Flag. Throughout the year, the VET-ERG invites fellow shipyarders and the community to donate any unserviceable or worn flags to the cause. “It is important that the VET-ERG try to coordinate the collection and presentation of flags to coincide with Flag Day as best as possible, to pay respect to Old Glory, a faithful comrade who has accompanied each of us, and every 8 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
service member before us, to battlefields and stations in virtually every corner of the globe for more than two centuries,” said Boyle. “Old Glory has guided and comforted countless numbers of our comrades in arms through the best and the worst of times.” “The Flag of the United States of America serves as a living piece of history and waves throughout our communities. The involvement and support of our community with this endeavor has been amazing and a critical piece to this initiative,” said VET-ERG President Josh Wannemacher. “I believe the significance of Flag Day varies with each VET-ERG member. However, we all share the common bond that when we began our federal service by taking an oath under the American Flag as well as supporting our Army Veterans in celebration of the U.S. Army’s birthday.” The team invited NNSY Shipyard Commander, Capt. Dianna Wolfson to help celebrate this momentous achievement as they turned over the flags to Robie Gardner who represented Sturtevant Funeral Home. Among those donated is one of the last American flags to be flown at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico, donated by NAVSEA 04X Laboratory Quality and Accreditation Office (Code 1563) Chemist and Deputy Director Dr. William Edward Corl. Dr. Corl was provided the flag in 2004 while serving as part of the transition team responsible for ensuring the closure was in accordance with Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) regulations and has flown it at his home ever since. “During its time, this was one of the flags that flew high above the installation and was able to continue its service at my home,” said Dr. Corl. “I feel this initiative is a fitting way to honor this flag history and our fallen veterans – I’m honored to provide this to the Retire Your Flag Program.”
“It’s a privilege to partner with Norfolk Naval Shipyard once again this year,” said Gardner. “We’re so grateful by the support for our Retire Your Flag Program from the VET-ERG, the shipyard, and the community and thank all of you for helping to honor our fallen.” The NNSY VET-ERG supports members of the NNSY workforce who are military veterans of all branches of service and other supporters of our nation’s veterans through a system of comprehensive activities and outreach programs. “The VET-ERG provides the opportunity for employees with a shared interest to interact with each other and to inform our members of the available resources provided to our veteran and military communities. We achieve this by providing a variety of guest speakers and information at our monthly meetings which also includes the strategic planning for the 11 annual events our group hosts or supports,” said Wannemacher. “Our leading initiative
focuses on disseminating veteran related resources and information throughout the shipyard with an added emphasis on our waterfront members. Through an increase in communication the hope is that our group continues to grow not only in membership but with an increase of involvement at the NNSY and community events.” The team meets the second Thursday of every month at 8 a.m. in Bldg. M-32 First Floor Conference Room and is welcoming any who wish to show their support. For more information, email the VET-ERG Officer Group at NNSY_VET-ERG@flankspeed.onmicrosoft. us. Learn more about the Retire Your Flag program at https://www. sturtevantfuneralhome.com/retire-yourflag/retire-your-flag. To learn more about Flag Day, visit https://www.history.navy. mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/ education/additional-activities/flag-day. html/. JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 9
CHART YOUR NAVAL CAREER: WAYPOINTS IS HERE TO NNSY STORY BY KRISTI BRITT • PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST PHOTOS BY SHELBY WEST • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHER
On a naval vessel, the Sailors chart their course through the seas, determining their route to make it to their destination safely and successfully – with understanding of what challenges they may need to overcome to best reach their goal. At Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and across the naval enterprise, the same approach is being taken with the new learning management system (LMS) Waypoints, allowing the employee to chart out a course for their own career success. Waypoints is a Navy-branded cloud-based commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) system that is being implemented through a partnership between Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP), the naval shipyards, and regional maintenance centers. “The naval shipyards are working to transform the way we manage and develop our people,” said Shelly Simpson, NNSY’s Waypoints Deployment Coordinator. “With Waypoints, we are moving towards a modernized software tool which will centralize learning, development, certifications, skill assessments, and career planning into a one-stop shop. Employees can securely log in with an easy single sign-on with their government-issued Common Access Card and gain access to the tools they need to take control of their learning management and career development.” Once logged in, employees will have access to a plethora of tools at their disposal, including a personalized list of their completed or in-progress trainings, what trainings are required or recommended for completion, as well as a catalog of Navy specific courses growing daily. Waypoints has also integrated with LinkedIn Learning, providing access to all users with over 13,000 professionally developed, high quality, on-demand courses on a vast variety of subjects. In addition, employees can also use the Individual Development Plan capability to set their goals to advance their career 10 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
and strategize with their supervisor through an automated process. Platforms and processes managed by the naval shipyards will be stood down over time - with Waypoints eventually replacing ATMS, IDP Tools (SharePoint and TWMS) and SF-182 Routing in Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). NNSY’s Waypoints Implementation Team has been hard at work with gearing up for the launch across the shipyard. Launched June 15, shipyard employees can now dive into Waypoints at https://don.csod.com and explore its different features, testing out the online training functionalities. During this Phase I implementation, users will be able to access Department of the Navy (DoN) mandatory training, development plans, and the LinkedIn Learning catalog. As the team continues to work towards the Phase II and Phase III implementations later this year, users can expect to see training programs including Command University, Fiber Optics, and Project Management Fundamentals as well as certifications and more. The Implementation Team is working weekly to provide training opportunities and certification workshops for all users interested - providing the help needed as NNSY progresses into the future of career development for America’s Shipyard. Weekly update meetings are held every Wednesday at 9 to 10 a.m. via Microsoft Teams. For more information or to sign up for a future session, contact Shelly Simpson at shelly.a.simpson2.civ@us.navy.mil or email NNSYWaypointsDivisionAdmins@us.navy.mil. Check out the Waypoints promotional video developed by NAVSUP on milTube today and see what awaits in this new system: https://www.milsuite.mil/video/watch/ video/52899. It’s time to take off with Waypoints – let’s chart your Naval Career today.
JULY IS
NATIONAL INNOVATION MONTH Continuous Process Improvement and Innovation is at the forefront at America's Shipyard - our workforce developing new ways we can service our Navy's Fleet. Some of these innovations include prototyping new technologies, additive manufacturing, robotics, unmanned aerial and remotely operated vehicles, cold spray, and more! Have an idea for a way to innovate the way we do business? The NNSY Technology and Innovation Lab launched the REAL Ideas Program with the desire to create a space where shipyard workers can submit and implement new ideas and technology to improve safety, cost, productivity, and quality of executed projects at NNSY. The program team collaborates with shipyard workers in understanding their needs, researching what’s available, and breaking down barriers to bring together the folks that can help develop and deploy the ideas. The end goal is to either secure the desired process or technology, or develop it to fit the needs of the requestor. For more information or to put in a request, contact the NNSY T&I Lab at 757-396-7180 or email the REAL Ideas program at NNSY_ REALIdeas@navy.mil.
SHIPYARD SPOTLIGHT: ALLYSON CROSS
STORY BY KRISTI BRITT • PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST PHOTOS BY DANNY DEANGELIS • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHER
Allyson Cross had reached the glass ceiling in her career with the State of Virginia when she set her sights on something new to challenge her in her path to success. She looked to her father Anthony Cross, a Shop 56 Zone Manager at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), and learned there were opportunities available in the NNSY Apprenticeship Program to learn a trade and build a career on the waterfront. Intrigued in being able to learn a trade and receive on-the-job training, she applied for the program and entered the workforce in 2017 as a Shop 89 Fabric Worker Apprentice. After graduating at the top of her class in 2021, Cross is now a Fabric Worker Mechanic and an inspiration to many within her shop and across the shipyard. “I learned from my dad that the shipyard was a great place to work, providing its workers great benefits and a place to build your career,” said Cross. “Once I was accepted into the apprenticeship, I was very interested in the fabric worker trade. It’s really an art form and I fell in love with it. It’s a skillset from the sewing to the sealing we do – and it’s so interesting to be able to decipher fabrication notes and blueprints and create something whole from pieces of fabric. I love it here!” Cross noted that Shop 89 has always been a great place to work, her fellow mechanics, supervisors, and work leaders all contributing to the mission of the shipyard. “Everyone here has played a part in helping to build not only my career but the 12 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
careers of others within the shop,” she said. “Coming through the apprenticeship, if I ever had questions or needed assistance, I had an entire team ready to jump in and lend a hand. We have so much talent here, from our more seasoned mechanics to our new apprentices, and everyone brings something to the table.” During her time within the apprenticeship, Cross had to overcome many challenges – one of the greatest being the COVID-19 pandemic. With restrictions and barriers in place for the safety of the workforce, many of the apprentices had to step into leadership roles to help bridge the gap in the workforce. For Cross, she said she gladly stepped up as much as possible to help America’s Shipyard. “We have a mission to service our fleet and I wanted to do whatever I could to do that,” said Cross. “It was a time of uncertainty during the pandemic, but we had wonderful support from our mentors and fellow mechanics to help us every step of the way. Together we were able to overcome - it’s truly a testament to my fellow shipyarders – we’re a team.” Cross graduated the program in 2021 with a 3.923 GPA, which earned her an early promotion. She was the class valedictorian, a role she was humbled to accept. “I’ve always been someone who did everything behind the scenes so it was something new for me to be in the spotlight in that way,” said Cross. “Just like with this opportunity, it’s really nice to be recognized for your
hard work. I’m so thankful and I really want to thank everyone who helped me to get to where I am today.” During her time at America’s Shipyard, Cross has been an influence to her fellow workers, noted for her hard work and dedication to the mission as well as her willingness to help those around her. Refueling Sail Loft Supervisor Tiara ColonEstrada was Cross’s apprentice supervisor during her time in the program and has been able to see her grow in her career. “Allyson is an outstanding employee and every single one of us are very proud of her and her accomplishments,” said ColonEstrada. When asked what advice she would want to share to those apprentices coming into the shipyard and beginning their career path, Cross said, “one of the biggest things I’ve learned is that it’s important not to get discouraged by the bad days. Mistakes happen and it’s important to own those mistakes and learn from them. Don’t let those mistakes deter you from growing. We have a saying here in our shop – ‘You’re a great mechanic when you can fix your mistakes.’ The bad days are the days that are really going to shape you and mold you into what kind of mechanic you’ll be. Keep going, ask for help when you need it, learn from those around you - that’s the key for growing in your career. Keep moving forward.” Check out Cross' valedictorian speech here: https://www. dvidshub.net/video/825472/apprentice-graduation-class2021-valedictorian-allyson-crosss-message-her-fellowgraduates.
FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT Allyson Cross 1. She classifies herself as a "foodie" she loves to cook and eat new recipes whenever possible. 2. She loves to travel to new areas. 3. She's a big cartoon and animation enthusiast. 4. She's a proud dog mom to a threeyear-old pitbull. 5. She loves to spend time with her family. JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 13
OurTheYard History: President Inspects STORY BY MARCUS W. ROBBINS • SHIPYARD HISTORIAN PHOTOS FROM THE SHIPYARD ARCHIVES
This month we observe the 82nd anniversary of President Roosevelt's historic visit when he came to inspect the shipyard’s ongoing expansion efforts on July 29, 1940, arriving at Berth 5 in Wetslip 1 (just to the north end of Building 31) aboard the yacht Potomac. Accompanying the Commander-in-Chief were new Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, Senate Military Committee Chairman Samuel Sheppard, Secretary of Commerce Harry Hopkins, and Representative Carl Vinson, Chariman of the House Naval Affairs Committee. His naval aide was Captain Daniel J. Callaghan, who was later killed serving as an admiral in the Battle of Guadalcanal, and for whom the shipyard gymnasium Callaghan Center would be named. The president, who had visited the yard during World War I when he was Assistant Secretary of the Navy, commented to Rear Admiral Simons on "the splendid work being done, not only to facilitate new construction but also repair work." He recalled the yard as being "one of the most important we had" during World War I. Rear Admiral Simon's report to the President is quoted 14 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
herewith for the general picture it gives of the Navy Yard at the time of the July 1940 inspection: "Mr. President, since September, 1939, we have expanded, I estimate, some fifty million of money in preparing to do our share in meeting this national emergency. These expenditures are rapidly increasing in volume. Since last September this Navy Yard has increased its force of regular labor by 50 percent. Since last September, this Navy Yard has added to its resources about eighteen million dollars worth of buildings, tools, docks, and equipment. Since last September, the requirements of this Navy Yard have caused to be built and contracted for over two thousand new homes for its workers, about ten million dollars' worth of houses. Since last September, we have exhausted the various brackets of skilled labor, and have resorted to intensive training by apprentice and helper systems; we have trebled our allowed
number of trainees since September and I belive we will soon have to double the number we have." The President's tour of the Yard viewed major improvements, such as: • Construction and equipment of the newly built Pier 5 • Construction and extension to the Foundry, Building 172 • Construction and extension to the Structural Shop, Building 163 • Construction of Turret Shop, Building 262 • The erection of the 350-ton Hammerhead Crane • Construction of the Sub-Assembly Shop, Building 261 • Construction of the new storehouse, Building 276 • Addition to the Machine Shop, Building 171 • Construction of the Shipbuilding Dock, Dry Dock 8 • Miscellaneous projects by Yard Labor and WPA
• Machine tools, equipment and cranes, etc. The above reference to September 1939 ties to the formal start date of World War II on September 1, 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. On July 19, 1940, President Roosevelt signed the Two-Ocean Navy Act after it passed Congress. It called for a 72 percent increase in naval capacity providing 257 new ships, including seven aircraft carriers, and 15,000 planes. Both the Norfolk Navy Yard's industrial plant and employees rose to meet the tremendous challenges of World War II on the shores of the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth, Virginia. It was with pride that Shipyard Commander Rear Admiral Simons could share with the thirty-second President of the United States his personal witness to those same efforts on July 29, 1940.
JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 15
NNSY CELEBRATES CLEAN THE BAY DAY
Twenty-five volunteers from Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) came together for Clean the Bay Day June 3, gathering 450 pounds of trash along St. Julien’s Creek’s shoreline. “I appreciate all of our volunteers giving their time and enthusiasm during this event,” said Natural Resources Manager Hayley Becker. “This event couldn’t happen without each and every one of you. Together, we’ve helped make a difference in our community!” Organized by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and local partners, Clean the Bay Day is an annual event that engages more than 3,000 volunteers across nearly 200 sites across Virginia (land and sea), removing litter and debris across roughly 250 miles of the shoreline. Since it began in 1989, more than 165,000 volunteers have removed approximately 7.17 million pounds of debris from more than 8,250 miles of shoreline. (Photos by Danny DeAngelis, NNSY Photographer)
Celebrating NNSY's Commitment to Naval Sustainment System-Shipyards
During a recent visit to Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), Naval Sea System Command’s (NAVSEA) Executive Director Giao Phan awarded the Civilian Service Commendation Medal to NNSY’s Naval Sustainment System – Shipyards (NSS-SY) Champion Brittney S. Wright for her professional achievement in the superior performance of her duties during service as the NAVSEA Transformation Office (NTO) Pillar Liaison from September 2021 to March 2022. Wright demonstrated exemplary dedication and performance as a key interface with multiple NSSSY pillars, helping define and guide metric-driven deliverables that are contributing to reductions in ship availability durations. She effectively provided guidance and recommendations to Senior Executive Service (SES) personnel regarding the health and performance of NSSSY initiatives within her portfolio. She often provided key insights from the shipyard perspective to ensure pillar initiatives were piloted in a way that provided the highest likelihood of success to improve maintenance. She was a major contributor to standing up the NTO, defining the Pillar Liaison role, and setting the maintenance community on a path to deliver on time, every time. By her energy, enthusiasm, and passion for promoting transformation, she reflected credit upon herself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Congratulations Brittney on a job well-done and for your outstanding efforts in support of NSS-SY! (Photo by Danny DeAngelis, NNSY Photographer) 18 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
Congratulations Jessica Hamby! She was recently recognized by Vice Chief of Naval Operations William Lescher for her outstanding leadership, engagement, and dedication to the Naval Sustainment System – Shipyards (NSS-SY) program as displayed through her efforts as Shop 31 Supervisor for pump overhaul work at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. She has led her team through the bulk of the pump workload on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), Fiscal Year 2021 Phased Incremental Availability period, all while keeping management and the project team adequately updated on job status and issues, as required. Through this, Shop 31 experienced positive trends in metrics, most notably in turnaround time, ontime starts, and completions. In addition to the work improvements, her management has noticed marked increase in work team morale, due to her engagement, direction, and care for her people. "Your individual efforts in this work are remarkable," said VCNO Lescher. "You not only provide world-class technical expertise, but you do so in a highly professional manner. Bravo Zulu and thank you for your tremendous efforts." (Photo by Danny DeAngelis, NNSY Photographer)
BRAVO ZULU, AMERICA'S SHIPYARD
Capt. Dianna Wolfson has handed out numerous BZ100 awards as Norfolk Naval Shipyard's Commander. The BZ100 awards are to recognize achievements and superior efforts. BZ stands for Bravo Zulu which is a traditional signal conveyed from one ship to another with flags that means "well done." To view or download your BZ100 photo, visit NNSY's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/norfolknavalshipyard1/. Photos by Shelby West, NNSY Photographer 20 • JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET
BRAVO ZULU, AMERICA'S SHIPYARD
BRAVO ZULU, AMERICA'S SHIPYARD 22 • JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET
JULY 2022 UPCOMING EVENTS at AMERICA’S SHIPYARD
MARK your CALENDAR
JULY 1, 5, 22
NAVY ICA PROGRAM ID CARD OFFICES CLOSED Due to government mandated budget cuts, the Navy Identification Card Administration (ICA) program ID Card Offices will be closed for services on this date.
JULY 4
INDEPENDENCE DAY (HOLIDAY)
JULY 5
HISPANIC ERG MONTHLY MEETING Teleconference, 10 to 11 a.m. • Call in at 1-301-909-7356, access code is 40140687. For more information, contact Ivonne Jacome at ivonne.jacome@navy.mil.
and share examples of IDP conversations. Seating availability is first come, first serve. For more information, contact the NNSY career counselors at NNSY_WFD@navy. mil or visit https://webcentral.nnsy.navy. mil/Departments/C900/C900CU/WD/ Individual%20Development%20Plans%20 IDP/Home.aspx.
JULY 13
STEM ERG MONTHLY MEETING Teleconference, 10 to 11 a.m. • Call in at 1-301-909-7356, access code is 40140687. For more information, contact Erica Miranda at erica.s.miranda2.civ@us.navy. mil.
JULY 13
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES (IWD) ERG MONTHLY MEETING Teleconference, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. • Call in at 1-301-909-7356, access code is 40140687. For more information, contact Daniel Freeh at daniel.freeh.civ@us.navy.mil.
FLTHRO TRAINING: REASONABLE ACCOMODATIONS Teleconference, 11:20 a.m. to 12 p.m. • This course will provide an overview of Reasonable Accommodations program and discuss ways to manage disabilities in the workplace. Register today by emailing germaine.harris@navy.mil.
JULY 11-12
JULY 14
JULY 5
BLOOD DRIVE Bldg. 1500 lobby, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. • There is an urgent need for blood, including Type O. Walk-ins are accepted. Appointments can be made at https://www. militarydonor.com. For more information, please contact Melanie Prescott at melanie.prescott@navy.mil or go to www. militaryblood.dod.mil.
JULY 12
LGBTQ+ ERG MONTHLY MEETING Teleconference, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. • Call in at 1-301-909-7356, access code is 40140687. For more information, contact Ronisha Ford at ronisha.l.ford.civ@us.navy.mil.
JULY 13
INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN BRIEFING Bldg. 1500 Command Briefing Room, 8:30 to 10:15 a.m. • NNSY is conducting an Individual Development Plan (IDP) briefing for all civilian personnel. In NNSY’s effort to support workforce development and the revitalization of IDPs, the NNSY workforce development (WFD) career counselors will be explaining the purpose of an IDP, provide understanding of the six step IDP process,
VETERANS ERG MONTHLY MEETING Bldg. M-32, 1st Fl., VTC Conference Rm., 8 to 9 a.m. • To join virtually in MSTeams, call 1-410-874-6751. To learn more about the VET-ERG, email the VET-ERG Officer group at NNSY_VET-ERG@flankspeed. onmicrosoft.us.
JULY 14
FEDERAL WOMEN'S PROGRAM MONTHLY MEETING Teleconference, 3 to 4 p.m. • Call in at 1-301909-7356, access code is 40140687. For more information, contact Aiya Williams at aiya.l.williams.civ@us.navy.mil.
JULY 18
NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE ERG MONTHLY MEETING Teleconference, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. • Call in at 1-301-909-7356, access code is 40140687. For more information, contact Camille Sorenson at camille.b.sorenson.civ@ us.navy.mil.
JULY 19
CUSTOMER PROCUREMENT TRAINING Dry Dock Club, 9 to 11 a.m. • This training is open to those who work with the contracting
department and would like further knowledge on the subject of procurement packages. For more information and to schedule a training session, contact Brandi Monroe at brandi.n.monroe.civ@us.navy. mil.
JULY 21
AFRICAN AMERICAN ERG MONTHLY MEETING Teleconference, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. • Call in at 1-301-909-7356, access code is 40140687. For more information, contact Michael Taylor at michael.taylor144.civ@us.navy. mil.
JULY 23
NNSY JOB FAIR Chesapeake Conference Center, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. • NNSY will be hiring for various positions on site. Check out Page 26 for more information. Remember to bring multiple copies of your resume!
JULY 25
ASIAN PACIFIC ERG MONTHLY MEETING Teleconference, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. • Call in at 1-301-909-7356, access code is 40140687. For more information, contact Donna Apuya at marydonnalieze.apuya.civ@ us.navy.mil.
JULY 27
SMALL BUSINESS TRAINING FOR TECHNICAL PERSONNEL Dry Dock Club, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. • The purpose of this training is to provide understanding of the role of the Small Business Administration (SBA), SBA Procurement Center Representative (PCR) and Small Business Deputy in the procurement process. For more information, please contact Nicole Jackson-Heard at nicole.m.jacksonheard.civ@us.navy.mil.
JULY 28
FLTHRO TRAINING: WORKERS COMPENSATION Teleconference, 11:20 a.m. to 12 p.m. • This course will provide an overview of the Workers’ Compensation program, discuss how to file a claim for work-related injuries or occupational diseases and benefits associated with on the job injuries. Register today by emailing germaine.harris@navy. mil.
Weekly updates available on the NNSY Facebook page. To include a special event on the weekly JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 23 calendar, send an email to NNSY_PAO@us.navy.mil.
+ NOBODY GETS HURT TODAY:
SAFETY FIRST!
And the winner for best safety performance during calendar year 2021 goes to . . . Shop 98! Leading the safety charge not only for the Lifting and Handling Department (Code 700) but the entire shipyard, Shop 98 had a 23 percent decrease in injuries during the year, the largest reduction of injury and illness rates across all shops, and no lost workdays in 2021. This great trend is due to continual improvement and maintenance of facilities and work areas, increased management engagement at the job sites, and ensuring a ONE TEAM mindset within the shop with teammates looking out for one another. NNSY Operations Officer Commander Lawrence Brandon presented the flag May 19 and congratulated the shop on this great achievement. Shop 98 dominated 2021 in safety performance, earning the monthly flag four times for January, April, June and July. Congratulations! (Photos by Shelby West, NNSY Photographer.)
24 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022
Inside Machine, earning the green . . . safety flag that is! Congratulations to NNSY’s Inside Machine Shop (Shop 31), winner of the January 2022 Safety Flag! The shop had zero injuries or lost workday cases in January. Shop 31 prioritizes safety awareness through strong participation in safety meetings, encouraging employees to elevate any safety concerns, and creating a family-like atmosphere inside Building 171. During the presentation Robert Markham, Paul Harvey, and Kim Silver were each recognized with certificates of appreciation for their efforts in contributing to a safer workplace. Shop 31 is continuing to build on its safety record, being awarded the safety flag in November 2021. (Photos by Shelby West, NNSY Photographer.)
JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 25
JOIN THE AMERICA'S SHIPYARD TEAM: NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD IS HIRING!
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), an equal opportunity employer in Hampton Roads, has full time job opportunities available for production skill trades and more. The shipyard is currently hosting monthly job fairs to provide all interested applicants with opportunities to speak with the various codes and hiring officials, provide their resumes, and interview for positions within the Federal Government. The upcoming job fairs will be July 23, August 17, September 21, and October 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Chesapeake Conference Center. Why apply? Not only can you build a lasting career as you work in the trade of your choice, you also receive benefits such as federal employees health benefits, dental and vision insurance, annual and sick leave four hours EACH per pay period (with increases spanning your career); life insurance; and Thrift Savings Plan coverage with government matching up to 3%. In addition, interested applicants may be eligible for a signing bonus up to $5,000 for the below WG positions to support NNSY; Charleston, SC; Kings Bay, GA; and Philadelphia, PA. Trades hiring include: Marine Machinery Mechanics, Machinists, Machine Tool Operators, Welders, Riggers, Electricians, Pipefitters, A/C Equipment Technicians, Shipfitters, Shipwrights, and more! All interested applicants must be a U.S. citizen and be able to pass a government pre-employment screening process. Job opportunities for America's Shipyard are also available at USAJOBS.gov. (Photos by Danny DeAngelis, NNSY Photographer)
CONGRATULATIONS NNSY SAILORS OF THE YEAR!
Norfolk Naval Shipyard recently recognized Fleet Maintenance Submarines Leading Petty Officer, MMA1 Cole Elliott as NNSY’s Sailor of the Year; Fleet Maintenance Submarines Shop 99, MM2 Cassandra Lynne Collazo as NNSY’s blue Jacket of the Year; and SURGEMAIN Leading Petty Officer, YN1 Adriana Guerrero as NNSY’s Junior Sailor of the Year. MMA1 Elliott recently joined four other finalists in the Washington Navy Yard for the 2021 NAVSEA Sailor of the Year Award Ceremony. “Being able to meet and compete with the best of the best NAVSEA has to offer is not just something I will always cherish and remember, but it was also an opportunity to add them to my network so that we can help and support each other in making our Sailors and our Navy the best it can be,” said Elliott. Vice Admiral Bill Galinis, Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Ms. Giao Phan, Executive Director, NAVSEA, and CMDCM(SW/AW) Justin Gray, Command Master Chief, NAVSEA were among those present who congratulated MMA1 Elliott on a job well-done! (U.S. Navy Photos by Laura Lakeway; Troy Miller - Public Affairs Specialist)
JULY 2022 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 27
C-FRAM FRAUD SCHEME AWARENESS JULY EDITION: LEAKING BID DATA AND BID RIGGING
Defined as Contracting or Other Personnel Involved in the Process, Sharing Information to Help a Favored Bidder Formulate a Proposal
GOVERNMENT EXAMPLE
DOD EXAMPLE
Former State Department Employee Sentenced to Prison for Honest Services Fraud: On April 8, 2022, May Salehi, a former State Department (DoS) employee, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for conspiring to commit honest services fraud by providing confidential inside bidding information to a Government contractor. Salehi was also ordered to forfeit $60,000 and pay a $500,000 fine. In 2016, DoS solicited bids for a construction project at the U.S. Consulate in Bermuda. Six companies submitted sealed bids, including Montage Inc. (Montage). In September 2016, DoS gave the five technically acceptable bidders, including Montage, the chance to re-bid. During the two-day decision period, Montage contacted Salehi for confidential inside bidding information about the bids. Salehi told Montage that their bid was lowest by about $1 million and in return, Montage told Salehi that she would receive 1% of the contract value if Montage won. Montage increased its bid by near $1 million, and in the revised bid, lied as to the reason it had increased, falsely claiming that "an arithmetic error" was found. Montage was awarded the project, and in the months that followed, Montage paid Salehi a total of $60,000 in kickbacks.
Three Men Indicated for Rigging Bids and Defrauding the U.S. Military: A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three men with conspiring to rig bids for customized promotional products to the U.S. Army and charging two of them with conspiring to defraud the U.S. Per court documents, Lawrence O'Brien, Bruce LaRoche, and Thomas Dailey conspired to eliminate competition among their companies and secure sales for a prearranged winner. To carry out this scheme, they exchanged their company's bid templates and submitted bids to military customers on each other's behalf. The indictment also alleges that LaRoche participated in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. by creating shell companies, then submitting sham bids from those companies. The bids appeared to be competitive, despite the fact that all of the bids were drafted by the co-conspirators and the companies were owned or controlled by LaRoche. The indictment also alleges that O'Brien participated in a conspiracy with his own set of shell companies. All three men are charged with violating the Sherman Antitrust Act with a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. LaRoche and O'Brien each face separate charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
INDICATORS (RED FLAGS) Government employee socializes or accepts gifts and favors from the suspect bidder; Poor internal controls on bidding procedures; Correspondence or other indications exist that contractors exchanged pricing information; fictitious companies; phandom vendor bidding
LEARN MORE TODAY Check out the C-FRAM site on WebCentral under C100CE for more information. Need to report fraud? Contact the NNSY Hotline today at 757-396-7971 or NNSY_IG_HOTLINE@navy.mil.
28 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • JULY 2022