ALSO INSIDE: NRMD NORFOLK & SHIPYARD CLEANUP DAY
SERVICE TO THE FLEET Norfolk Naval Shipyard
"We are America's Shipyard."
May 2015
BUILDING THE FUTURE WORKFORCE: RESUME WRITING SEMINARS HELPING NNSY WORKERS MORE THAN 2,800 ATTEND CAREER FAIRS AT TCC! 80 LOCAL STUDENTS ATTEND SHIPYARD STEM DAY
FEATURE STORY
USS LA JOLLA: AN UNCONVENTIONAL DOCKING FOR THE FUTURE MTS SHIPYARD SPOTLIGHT WILL OSCAR MATHEWS BE A FUTURE MARS SETTLER?
DON'T MISS: WELLNESS CORNER & SHIPYARD INSIDER
Table of Contents
IN THIS ISSUE features:
4 THE FUTURE FOR NNSY
With your help, the desired future state of the NNSY workforce can start today.
5 NRMD NORFOLK
An overview of NRMD Norfolk.
6 SOUNDS OF SUCCESS
There is a lot going on in and around our shipyard during this time of year.
8 SHIPYARD INSIDER
Buzz and Bytes around NNSY and Hampton Roads.
10 RESUME WRITING WORKSHOP Everything from A to Z concerning USAJOBS.gov and resume writing.
12 CAREER FAIRS AT TCC
More than 2,800 people attended our career fairs at TCC in March.
14 NNSY STEM CAREER DAYS Inspiring local students to pursue careers in STEM-related fields.
16 USS LA JOLLA DOCKING
The USS La Jolla's unconventional docking was a first for the shipyard.
18 SHIPYARD SPOTLIGHT
Oscar Mathews is one of 100 finalists for a private mission to Mars.
21 FEATURED RECRUITER
Amanda Parsons - Code 220 Quality Data Analyst and shipyard recruiter.
22 SHIPYARD CLEAN-UP
Clean-up effort inspires workplace pride in NNSY employees.
COVER PHOTO BY SHAYNE HENSLEY • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHER
VOLUME 78 • NUMBER 4
Service to the Fleet
SHIPYARD COMMANDER Captain Scott Brown DEPUTY COMMANDER Captain Brian Lepine COMMAND MASTER CHIEF CMDCM (AW/SW) Michael Reese EDITOR Anna Taylor PUBLIC AFFAIRS STAFF Michael Brayshaw, Kristi Britt, April Brown, Floyd Logan, Curtis Steward CALL THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE (757) 396-9550 EMAIL THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE nfsh_nnsy_pao@navy.mil EMPLOYEE INFORMATION HOTLINE (757) 396-9551 FRAUD, WASTE & ABUSE HOTLINE (757) 396-7971 SHIPYARD RADIO ADVISORY 1630 AM 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 Department of Defense, 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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COMMAND PHILOSOPHY Our values are honor, courage, and commitment. Our mission is to safely repair U.S. naval warships to technical standards, on time, and at cost. Throughout history and into the future, our mission remains an honorable one that directly supports our nation’s security and the CNO’s three tenets: Warfighting First, Operate Forward, Be Ready. Successful execution of our mission is entirely dependent on the well-being, personal development, and personal accountability of all our people.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES WELL-BEING Your Safety, Security, Health, and Well-being are the top priority. We will personally support each other to achieve the top priority. We will invest time, effort, and money for the foundation of this priority. BRILLIANT ON THE BASICS We will invest to brilliantly execute the fundamental people programs of our business: sponsorship, indoctrination, mentoring, individual development planning, qualification, training, education, personal support, and recognition. SERVICE We serve our nation, navy, shipyard, fellow employees, communities, and families. We are personally accountable to those we serve by our actions and daily service to repair U.S. Navy warships.
From the Commander
Building Our Future in America's Shipyard
"We owe it to ourselves, our peers, and our children to understand, apply, and teach the reasons why we do what we do."
Principles guide us in a situation or a problem. For example, engineering principles include laws, such as Newton’s Laws or Maxwell’s equations, which apply to a vast array of engineering applications; allowing us to solve specific problems using principles as the foundational starting point. Principles also form the basis for models of behavior, like our core values – honor, courage, commitment. Faced with a decision, we can fall back on these principles to make the right decision. Principles are the basis for standards like maintaining safe and healthy working conditions and looking out for the well-being of ourselves and our peers. For example, the basis for hotwork ventilation standards is that we should minimize inhalation of airborne weld products to ensure our personal health and livelihood. The principle is basic safety – we all deserve
4 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • MAY 2015
to go home from work in the same physical condition that we came to work. “Brilliant on the Basics” refocuses us on the fundamentals of our business. This focus is critical as we welcome thousands of new employees over the next two years. We are establishing the future of our shipyard and we are obligated to spend our time teaching and mentoring to our high standards. “Brilliant on the Basics” is also critical as we refocus ourselves on the necessity for high standards and core principles. Whereas specific jobs and schedules change, standards and principles do not. We owe it to ourselves, our peers, and our children to understand, apply, and teach the reasons why we do what we do. In this light, Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) is leading the way in our community outreach initiatives to engage those who will build our future. We had a remarkable turnout of approximately 2,800 attendees for our two Career Fairs held in late March at Tidewater Community College. A few weeks ago we held our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Career Days across two days, expanding our shipyard showcase of career opportunities. These Career Days are a great way to engage young talent interested in rewarding careers right here in our own community. In March, NNSY participated in the Tidewater Science and Engineering Fair at Old Dominion University (ODU), the Women in STEM Day at Nauticus, and hosted 50 Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) students from Virginia Military Institute (VMI) for a shipyard tour. In April, NNSY cosponsored the Lifelong Learning STEM session at the Modeling and Simulation (MODSIM) World 2015 Convention at Virginia Beach Convention Center with over 200 students in attendance. Several of our naval officers visited VMI and spoke to 100 midshipmen about NNSY and naval engineering careers. On 2 May, NNSY employees judged at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) Competition at ODU. Thanks to all who supported these events to build our future.
Of note, April saw us dry-dock USS La Jolla (SSN-701) for her conversion into a Moored Training Ship (MTS). This unique docking was three years in the making and involved overcoming challenges not seen in NNSY’s recent past – including the use of strongbacks versus standard docking blocks and super-flooding Dry Dock 3 during a tight tide window with very tight clearances. The La Jolla project will challenge us to perform a conversion unprecedented on our waterfront. Special thanks go out to Code 250, Shop 64, Shop 72, Shop 99, Dock master Chris Adams, and our Docking Officer LT Tim Emge for the docking effort. This docking was a success because we built and executed a sound plan focused on the fundamentals. Our Service to the Fleet spotlight this month is nuclear engineer Oscar Mathews, one of the finalists to participate in a private mission to Mars. His story is fascinating and I applaud his commitment to serving a purpose greater than himself. While most of us won’t be traveling to faraway planets in the distant future, I think Oscar is a great example of the employees we have at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, who boldly head into the future with vision and valor. The future of NNSY depends on our personal development and the development of our people. Ask yourself if you are setting aside the time and resources to develop the future leaders of our shipyard and our Navy. Community outreach is one way. Learning and teaching the principles of your job is another. As stated in my Command Philosophy, successful execution of our mission is entirely dependent on the well-being, personal development, and personal accountability of our people. With your help and engagement, the future of America’s Shipyard is bright. We are Norfolk Naval Shipyard. We are America’s Shipyard.
Capt. Scott Brown Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s 107th Commander
NRMD Norfolk By Lt. Catherine Haynes • Overseas Officer
PHOTOS BY US NAVY AND MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND
N
uclear Regional Maintenance Department (NRMD) Norfolk is an industrial work center established under Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) to accomplish intermediate level nuclear maintenance on nuclear powered assets in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This includes seven submarines, five nuclear aircraft carriers, a submarine tender, visiting foreign nuclear vessels, and forward deployed submarines around the world. NRMD Norfolk operates as an off-yard project of NNSY, with office spaces located at Naval Station Norfolk. The work force consists of 67 qualified military personnel integrated with 104 experienced civilian employees made up of nuclear production, radiological control and engineering personnel. In the past year, NRMD Norfolk has completed 26 maintenance availabilities on time and under budget. It has completed 111 maintenance items successfully and provided 14 flyaway teams to various ports
for the submarine tender, USS Emory S. Land (AS-39), and other deployed assets ensuring that they remain at sea. Recent work includes a flyaway team which provided radiological and technical support for the replacement of a Nuclear Instrument Detector to the forward deployed USS Florida (SSGN-728). Preparatory valve repair work on USS La Jolla (SSN-701) was conducted prior to commencing the three year conversion to a moored training ship. NRMD Norfolk is also performing critical nuclear inspections onboard USS Montpelier (SSN-765) and USS Boise (SSN-764) within the next several months. NRMD also provides first responder Radiological Emergency Response Organization to nuclear incidents that occur at the Norfolk Naval Base and backup support to NNSY. Training for the teams is conducted several times a year to ensure that all precautions are met and handled with the safety of the public the top concern.
Top: USS Emory S Land (AS-39) transits through Apra Harbor after a port visit to Guam in July 2010. Above: USS Florida (SSGN-728) arrives for a port visit to Souda Bay in March 2010.
MAY 2015 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 5
From the Deckplate
The Sounds of Success!
"Take this is also a time we pause to honor those men and women who have died protecting the freedoms we enjoy each and every day."
6 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • MAY 2015
What’s all that noise? There is a lot going on in and around our shipyard during this time of the year. I would like to extend a hearty “welcome aboard” to CDR Maria Silsdorf, our new Code 900 Production Resources Officer. Another sound we are hearing is the beating of footsteps as we are all getting outside to enjoy some exercise in the warm weather. May is National Physical Fitness Month and for the sailors assigned to NNSY, it is time to complete our semiannual physical readiness test. Good luck to you all! I encourage everyone to take some time during your breaks or while you’re at lunch to get in a little exercise, enjoy the weather, and walk around our shipyard. Let’s make a goal for ourselves to be a little more active. We must also recognize that Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 10th. I would like to take a moment to say thank you to all the moms out there, especially my mother Shirley, my mother-in-law Shirley, and my wife Trina. Thank you for being great examples of what a mother really is, and thank you for all that you do! Monday, May 25th is Memorial Day. Some of us recognize this as the official start to the summer season with school coming to a close, vacations on
the horizon, parades, fireworks, good barbeque, and great times with friends and families. More importantly, this is also a time we pause to honor those men and women who have died protecting the freedoms we enjoy each and every day. I ask all of you to stop for one minute on Memorial Day to honor the sacrifices that have been made so we may continue to live in this great country! In closing, I would like to say thank you to all those who participated in and made NNSY’s two STEM Days such a huge success. We may never know what impact these events had on those visiting students, but in understanding what you do, I know that the work and efforts by each and everyone here in the shipyard are what make us the best of the best! Thank you. As always, it is an honor to be in the Navy and a great time to be a part of America’s Shipyard! - CMC Sends!
Mike Reese Command Master Chief
IN FINE FEATHER Health and Wellness at NNSY
Service to the Fleet’s Wellness Corner was created to engage, educate, and empower shipyard families to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.
the
RIGHT bite
National Physical Fitness and Sports Month Norfolk Naval Shipyard is supporting the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition in honor of National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. During the month of May, we challenge all adults to get 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Did you know that regular physical activity increases your chances of living a longer, healthier life? It also reduces your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and some types of cancer. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults aim for two hours and 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Moderate activity includes things like walking fast, dancing, swimming, and raking leaves. You may also do musclestrengthening activities like lifting weights and using exercises bands at least two days a week. If finding the motivation to go to the gym is difficult for you, remember there are other ways to be active. Some people like to walk on a treadmill, but others find that kind of activity boring. The key to sticking with exercise is to make it interesting and enjoyable. Love music? Take dancing lessons, sign up for an aerobics class, or walk briskly or jog and listen to your favorite tunes. If you like being with others, consider joining a group exercise class or soccer league. Enjoy the outdoors? Play catch with your dog, go hiking or rock climbing, or grab a paddle and go canoeing. If you want to be on your own, swim laps, spend an hour at the batting cage, or use an exercise video at home. If it’s too cold, too hot, rainy, icy, or snowy outside, it may be easy to feel discouraged about leaving the comfort of your couch. With a little creativity, you can be active indoors in a variety of ways. Work out with an exercise DVD, go bowling with friends, try yoga or set up your own home gym (all you need is a sturdy chair, a towel, and some weights. Soup cans or water bottles will do if you don’t have your own set of weights). Go to an indoor pool and swim laps or try water aerobics. Having an exercise buddy can be a fun way to achieve your goals. Many people say they keep active, even on days when it isn’t so easy, because they know someone else is counting on them. Making a plan together is a great way to help you both stay on track. Try to vary the types of activities you do on a daily basis. Splitting your exercise between endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility will help keep things interesting!
Baja Salmon Tacos Calories: 325 • Total Fat: 11g Protein: 24g • Sodium: 395mg Total Fiber: 4g Cholesterol: 54mg Carbohydrates: 29g
ingredients • • • • • •
12oz salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions (3 oz each) 4 (8-inch) whole-wheat tortillas 1C green cabbage 1tsp lime juice 1tsp honey ½C red onion, thinly sliced
• • • • • • • •
1 minced Jalapeno 1tsp minced fresh cilantro ½Tbsp vegetable oil 1Tbsp lime juice 2tsp chili powder ½tsp ground cumin ½tsp ground coriander ¼tsp salt
directions Preheat grill or oven broiler (with the rack 3 inches from heat source) on high temperature. Prepare taco filling by combining all ingredients. Let stand for 10–15 minutes to blend the flavors. To prepare the marinade, combine the oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, coriander, and salt in a bowl. Place salmon fillets in a flat dish with sides. Pour marinade evenly over fillets. Place salmon fillets on grill or broiler. Cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, until fish flakes easily with a fork in the thickest part (minimum internal temperature of 145 °F). Remove from the heat and set aside for 2–3 minutes. Cut into strips. To make each taco, fill one tortilla with ¾ cup filling and one salmon fillet. Tip: Try serving with a tomato cucumber salad drizzled with light vinaigrette. Find the original recipe online at: healthyeating.nhlbi.nih.gov MAY 2015 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 7
Shipyard Insider nominated for their exemplary work ethic, high standards and professionalism as recognized and nominated by NCMA Chapter members. Photo courtesy of NCMA.
» POSITIVE YARDAGE Recognizing NAVFAC On April 2, Shipyard Commander Captain Scott Brown recognized Naval Facilities, Public Works Department, Portsmouth personnel who assisted in snow removal efforts at NNSY in late February. These efforts helped enable critical work get accomplished on USS Harry S Truman (CVN75), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), and USS Maryland (SSBN-738). Captain Brown personally recognized each NAVFAC employee and provided special recognition to LCDR Matt Gunderson, NAVFAC Acquisition Division Director, for coordinating the effort. Photo by Shayne Hensley, NNSY Photographer. Lt. Ryan Conner Award Congratulations to Lt. Ryan Conner, who was presented the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal March 11 by Capt. Brown. Conner was recognized for his meritorious service and outstanding managerial skill while serving as habitability integration leader for USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) Docking Planned Incremental Availability at NNSY from August 2012 through March 2015. Photo by Tony Anderson, NNSY Photographer. Russell Egnor Award NNSY was recently honored in the 2014 Russell Egnor Navy Media Awards with a third place win in the Graphics Publication category for the comic book “The Yardbirds.” It was created as an outreach tool to be handed out during Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) events NNSY supports 8 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • MAY 2015
throughout Hampton Roads. The creator of the comic book, Public Affairs Specialist Chris Watt, who recently departed NNSY to be with his family in Utah, wanted to create something that could properly illustrate the vast amount of work being done at the shipyard and the people who get the job done. To view the comic, visit: www.slideshare.net/NNSY/ nnsy-the-yardbirds. Shop 64 Safety Flag Congratulations to NNSY’s Wood/Fabric Shop (Shop 64), winner of the January 2015 Safety Flag! Shipyard Commander Captain Scott Brown and Code 106 representatives presented the flag and congratulated the shop
March 23 in Building 369. Shop 64 last won the Safety Flag for both Jan. and Feb. 2014. Helping to earn Shop 64 this award is an emphasis on safety during pre-job briefs, increased safety inspections of work areas, and a culture of employee empowerment for reporting any safety deficiencies. At the event, Jerry Jordan and Rod Daniel were commended for their efforts contributing to a safer workplace. Photo by Shayne Hensley, NNSY Photographer. Workforce Warrior Jamie Evans from Code 106 is the NNSY Chapter Naval Civilian Manager Association’s first quarter Workforce Warrior for 2015 and was recognized with a certificate and $100 cash award. Evans is currently the Clean Air Program Manager for NNSY. She assumed this responsibility in an unplanned manner with little time to gain any sort of turnover. Her new approach has allowed the clean air program to mitigate deficiencies and areas of nonconformance that were previously unattainable. Evans has continued to participate in all additional/ voluntary capacities that present themselves, while maintaining excellent and exemplary candor, establishing a benchmark for all others to strive for. Workforce Warriors are those individuals
Capt. Simon Promotion Congratulations to Dana Simon, Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s Business and Strategic Planning Officer, who was promoted to Captain April 2! Simon has been with NNSY since July 2014, previously serving as Production Resources Officer. Simon said being at NNSY is “a great opportunity to support a greater good. The Navy has ships and Sailors out there every day who really have a tough job and everything we do helps them.” Photo by Shayne Hensley, NNSY Photographer. Mentor of the Year NNSY’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Manager Drew Holland was awarded the VPP 2015 Mentor of the Year award by VPP Region III Board of Directors on March 4. Region III covers Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Look for more information about Drew in the next issue of Service to the Fleet!
Buzz and Bytes attend for free. The STEM event brought out many enthusiastic youth who showed great interest in the demonstrations from NNSY volunteers.
» SHAPING UP Run Like a Fool 219 runners crossed the finish line for Morale Welfare and Recreation’s (MWR) Run Like A Fool 5K at Norfolk Naval Shipyard April 1. The MWR Fitness team would like to thank all its vendors that came and supported the health fair held before the race, base fire prevention, and Naval Medical Center Portsmouth for its health promotions. Also assisting the event were personnel from Coastal Riverine Group 2 and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). The top 10 finishers were Chuck Inman, Doug Nassif, Jacob Godfrey, Horace Gilchrist, Jerrimie Gordon, Pete Stolle, Yoko England, Melvin Whitehurst, Chase Sims, and Toby Worm. Photos by Luke Beasley, NNSY Photographer.
» FLY THE COOP Symbols, Ensigns, and Signals Military uniforms are a form of communication! Find out more about what they can tell you through their symbols, medals, and insignia. How have uniforms changed in the history of the Navy and Coast Guard? See selected uniform-related antiques from the museum collection, learn about deciphering uniforms through history, and craft an insignia or hat of your own! Free admission as part of the First Saturday programming series. 2 May 2015, 10am-5pm Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, Portsmouth, VA
» OUTREACH OPS TO4U Time Out 4U, Inc. is holding a community STEM symposium with engaging hands-on, real world activities and forums to expose minorities and underrepresented youth to STEM related careers. NNSY will be participating in demonstrations that infuse scientific principles and applied mathematics. 16 May 2015, 10am-2pm, Performing & Creative Arts Center, 300 Butler Farm Road, Hampton, VA Women in STEM Day On Saturday, March 14th, NNSY participated in the Women in STEM Day at Nauticus. Shipyard volunteers spoke with the young ladies in attendance about employment at NNSY, primarily those in STEM fields. More than 150 female scouts were in attendance, and NNSY sponsored 10 of those to
Cradock Little League Cradock Little League hosted Captain Scott Brown on Saturday, April 18 for its opening day ceremony. This year the league has 286 enthusiastic boys and girls who are excited about a great season of baseball and softball. Capt. Brown, who was joined by Portsmouth Mayor Kenneth Wright and Sheriff William Watson, spoke about the NNSY and Navy Core Values Honor, Courage, and Commitment and how they apply to the game. The players and parents recited an oath of sportsmanship to emphasize the importance of support, encouragement, and – most of all – having fun. Capt. Brown threw out the first softball pitch and the ball was then signed by the Biscuits (softball team) and given to Capt. Brown by AM1 Joshua Robertson, a sailor on the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69).
» GET UP AND GO Run the Jordan Bridge The Jordan Bridge Running Club departs the gym at 7am every Friday, rain or shine, for a quick jaunt up and over the Jordan Bridge. The run is about 4.7 miles, but beginners can start with a jog to the halfway mark. More advanced runners can run the length of the bridge twice for an extra two miles. The club challenges runners to go faster and further, but if walking is more your speed, feel free to join them for an easy stroll. A t-shirt will be awarded to anybody who conquers the length of the bridge 20 times! Inter-Service Soccer Tourney The 2015 Inter-Service soccer tournament hosted at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth soccer field will be held in honor or Military Appreciation Month. Registration is open until May 10th. This event is a way to show respect and appreciation to members of the Armed Services, those who are forward deployed, and especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The tournament follows FIFA Regulations. Teams may have a maximum of 15 players. The cost is $45 per team. For more information, contact: HM2 Tony Besong, tony.e.besong. mil@mail.mil, 386-785-7351. The Jordan Bridge Running Club tackles the Jordan Bridge every Friday, rain or shine!
» NOTABLE QUOTABLE “Recruiting is a rewarding experience. We’re reaching out to our future workforce in the community to let potential candidates know how they can be a part of America’s Shipyard.” - Charisse Britt, Recruiting and New Hire Coordinator MAY 2015 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 9
Diversity & Inclusion A TO Z
USAJOBS.GOV
RECORD ATTENDANCE FOR RESUME WRITING SEMINAR There wasn’t an empty seat left in the Bldg. 1500 Command Briefing Room (CBR), more than 200 shipyard employees lined in rows eager to quench their thirst for understanding. The topic of discussion: Writing a Federal Resume. Many employees were ready and willing to learn, preparing to take their lessons learned to aid them in future endeavors. Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s (NNSY) Diversity Office, Federal Women’s Program (FWP) and U.S. Fleet Forces Human Resources Office (FLTHRO) have banded together to provide opportunities and assistance to all shipyard employees on everything from A to Z concerning USAJOBS and resume writing. In 2014, resume information sessions provided by the groups were met with such support that it has become an annual opportunity shipyardwide. The first session for 2015 was held April 1. HR Specialist Lorena Bernier lead the discussion on the do’s and don’ts of preparing a resume for USAJOBS. For an hour, Bernier went into detail to make sure the shipyard employees attending were left with a vast amount of information to use at their disposal. “The session really went well and it speaks to the shipyard’s commitment to opportunities of education and awareness. The Diversity Office and Special Emphasis Programs agree with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) in its efforts to enhance USAJOBS, a first step to our support of building a Federal workforce that is talented, well-trained, and engaged in the
10 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • MAY 2015
workplace. A seminar of this type engages the workforce and the evaluations gauges what the workforce’s needs are instead of us assuming what their needs are,” said Lydia Simmons, Code 1103’s Diversity Program Director. “This is an ongoing effort to assist the workforce in career development. It’s an indication of what our needs are, especially judging from the huge attendance. We’ve received so many phone calls from people seeking help with their resumes and seeking help navigating USAJOBS. This is an educational tool we can use to help those that need it.” The second session, entitled “USAJOBS. GOV A to Z,” was held Apr. 22 in the CBR, providing an in-depth look into how someone would apply for a job as a federal employee. “The second class in the series is a detailed look on how one would apply on USAJOBS. We’re going to go step-by-step through the process and help employees navigate the site for future use,” said Bernier. The seminar covered how to create an account, build a resume in USAJOBS, and use the system specifically fitting to the person applying for jobs. To account for all shifts, the sessions will be repeated on May 6 and May 20 from 1500 to 1600 and again on June 3 and 17 from 0700 to 0800 in hopes to provide ample opportunity for all NNSY employees to be able to take advantage of the resume series. In addition, all attendees who provide an email address will be able to receive the information from the seminars electronically.
PHOTOS BY SHAYNE HENSLEY • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHER
By Kristi Britt • Public Affairs Specialist
WHAT IS USAJOBS.GOV? USAJOBS.gov is a free web-based job board enabling federal job seekers access to thousands of job opportunities across hundreds of federal agencies and organizations. As the Federal Government's official source for federal job listings and employment opportunity information, USAJOBS.gov provides a variety of opportunities. Visit www.USAJOBS.gov to get started.
TEN TIPS FOR SHOWING FEDERAL EMPLOYERS YOUR WORTH
EFFECTIVE RESUME CHECKLIST TIPS TO
1. Use words wisely. The key to a good application is getting the right information to the agency representative in a fast, readable style. 2. Keep sentences short and clear. 3. Make your message stand out. Paragraphs that are easy-to-see are more than nice – they can make or break your message. 4. Focus on outcome. What is the most important aspect of your work experience? The answer may be a surprise: the outcome. 5. Showcase your role. Did you work on your own? As part of a team? In a supervisory capacity? As a team leader? Let the agency know your role in the projects. 6. Remember – timeframes count, so be sure to address these questions: What were the dates or length of time you worked on a project or job? Did you work full-time or part-time? If part-time, what percentage of your time did you do that work? 7. Value your experience. Many experiences illuminate your significance as a candidate. For example, you may have published relevant articles in your college newspaper or a local publication. Or you may have gained valuable experience through: leadership positions, extracurricular activities, and internships. Look for transferable skills in unrelated jobs and experiences. 8. Show and tell. Telling about your experience is great but be sure to use examples, too. 9. Resist additions: You may be tempted, but please resist sending an additional package with copies of awards, publications, training certificates, letters of recommendation, lengthy job descriptions, writing samples, or a photo, unless the agency specifically requests it. 10. Illuminate your resume – don’t repeat it. When writing about your experience to describe how it matches the competencies or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) required by a job, don’t simply repeat your resume but illuminate important facts or give examples to shed new light on the breadth and scope of your experience.
1. Keep it short. The effective resume is preferably one page, two at the most. If you’ve written a novel, whittle it down to one/two pages. 2. It must be easy to read. That means the effective resume is well organized with clear headings, brief statements of responsibility, and bulleted points for achievements. 3. It must avoid overly specific professional jargon. Keep in mind that your resume is likely to be read first by someone in the HR department who may not have a clue what you’re talking about when you say “Chaired brain dump resulting in a turnkey solution to improve customer’s ROI.” Rather, talk like an earthling and state it plainly: “Boosted customer sales 20%.” 4. Curb your design enthusiasm. That means limiting your font selection to one or two. Use the traditional and popular Times New Roman if you prefer lettering with a serif, or consider Arial, Helvetica or Verdana if you prefer san serif fonts, lacking the slight projection finishing off a stroke of a letter. Go easy on the bold and the underlining. 5. The effective resume is tailored for a specific position. That may mean cranking out slight variations of your resume every day of the week to target different job postings. 6. Portray yourself as a problem solver. 7. Quantify your accomplishments with hard numbers whenever possible. 8. Don’t mention personal information. Such as whether or not you’re single or married, whether or not you have kids, whether or not your hobbies include golf or listening for extra-terrestrials with the modified ham radio in your garage. 9. Check for misspellings. Don’t ever submit a resume or post it online without doing a spell check. In fact, take it a step further and have one or two friends or colleagues proofread the resume for spelling and grammar problems. Do this because an automated spell check program will not know whether you meant to say “principle” or “principal.” Both are spelled correctly but mean totally different things. 10. Back up your qualities and strengths. Instead of creating a long (and boring) list of all your qualities (e.g., disciplined, creative, problem solver), try to connect them with real life and work experiences. In other words, you need to back these qualities and strengths up, else it will appear that you are just trying to inflate things. 11. Achievements instead of responsibilities. Resumes that include a long list of “responsibilities included…” are plain boring, and not efficient in selling yourself. Instead of listing responsibilities, describe your professional achievements. 12. No lies, please. Seems like a no brainer, but you would be amused to discover the amount of people who lie in their resumes. Apart from being wrong, most HR departments do background checks, and it might ruin your credibility for good. 13. Use action verbs. A very common advice to job seekers is to use action verbs. But what are they? Action verbs are basically verbs that will get noticed more easily, and that will clearly communicate what your experience or achievements are. Examples include managed, coached, enforced, and planned. 14. Remove your older work experiences. If you have been working for 20 years or more, there is no need to have two pages of your resume listing all your work experiences, starting with the job at a local coffee shop at the age of 17! Most experts agree that the last 15 years of your career is enough. 15. No pronouns. Your resume should not contain the pronouns “I” or “me.” That is how we normally structure sentences, but since your resume is a document about you, these pronouns are actually redundant.
SURVIVE THE SCREENING
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS CALL YOUR HUMAN RESOURCES REPRESENTATIVE. MAY 2015 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 11
More than 2,800 potential shipyard employees attended NNSY's Career fairs at the TCC Portsmouth campus on March 28th & 30th.
HUNDREDS OF HOPEFULS ATTEND NNSY CAREER FAIRS AT TCC Story and Photos by Anna Taylor • Public Affairs Specialist Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) hosted two career fairs at Tidewater Community College’s (TCC) Portsmouth Campus in March. Representatives from major departments throughout NNSY were on hand to meet with attendees and answer questions about career opportunities in the production skill trades. The shipyard is in good shape to bring on more than 1,500 new employees by the end of fiscal year 2015. Thanks largely to NNSY’s social media advertising efforts and coverage by local news channels, more than 2,800 potential shipyard employees attended the fairs. Laura Stokes of Portsmouth was excited about the prospect of
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working at NNSY. “I saw the flyer and always wanted to get into the shipyard,” she said. “I wanted to come to get all the information I could.” “Being a Virginian, you hear a lot about people working at the shipyard,” said Marrell Edmonds, also of Portsmouth. “There are so many opportunities, so I’ve always been interested in it.” In addition to the shipyard departmental representatives, two Fleet Human Resources Office (FLTHRO) Human Resources Specialists were on hand to discuss the application process and how to effectively use USAJobs.gov, the employment website
for all federal positions. career fair attendees were invited to sit through a brief resume building overview and were encouraged to ask questions at the end. "Your resume needs to represent you," Human Resources Specialist Sandra Wilkins told the group. "You may think your resume is wonderful, but if it doesn't contain information on the work you've done or support the jobs you want to apply for in detail, then...it's just a piece of paper. Your resume is a marketing tool to sell yourself." Career fairs are important to the shipyard because of the visibility they provide and the opportunity for members of the public to
get answers to questions they may not have otherwise been able to ask. “We like to educate people on the different opportunities we currently have available,” said Ryan Holland, Production Resources Department (Code 900) Production Controller and one of the career fair organizers. “We want to make sure they know how to apply for these jobs, whether it's the apprentice program, entry level helpers, engineering tech, or qualified mechanic positions.” Like many projects at the shipyard, putting together a career fair is no small task. “The shops and HRO representatives who came out did a wonderful job representing their codes and the shipyard,” said Holland. “TCC really stepped up and did what they had to do to assist us. The NNSY EARN Store helped to make sure we had what we needed and the Public Affairs Office advertised and covered the event on social media. This was a shipyardwide effort.” But Holland says the recruiting work is far from over. “We strengthened our ties in
THE GREAT HIRING PUSH OF FY-15 NNSY needs to hire more than 1,500 new employees by September 30. This will bolster NNSY’s number of employees to more than 10,000, its most employees since the early 1990s, to support an influx of fleet repair and modernization in the coming years. the Hampton Roads community, and people are excited about the opportunities we are offering. I have been contacted by some of the high schools in the area that want us to come speak with some of their graduating seniors. The Helper to Worker Program will be opening this summer and will give us another avenue to grow our workforce. The important thing is to stay visible and active in the communities and to continue promoting NNSY in a positive light.”
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FOURTH ANNUAL
STEM Career Day INSPIRES STUDENTS By ANNA TAYLOR • PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) hosted high school students from Chesapeake and Norfolk on April 14 and 16 for its fourth annual Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Career Days. The purpose of these STEM Career Days is to inspire young minds by enhancing student interest in STEM related educational opportunities and careers at NNSY. This year, students from Western Branch High School and Granby High School were invited to participate. Among the more than 80 attendees were members of Granby’s Girls in Engineering (GOE) club, a three-year-old award-winning program created to inspire girls to pursue careers in engineering. Last year, the club built an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and placed second at a regional Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) ROV competition. “We made it to the international competition,” said Deborah Marshall, Department Chair of the Career and Technical Education program at Granby. “We were the only girls there and we placed 27th out of 550 [participants].” 14 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • MAY 2015
NNSY’s STEM Days were open to students of all grade levels who currently participate in their school’s Robotics, CHROME, and/or Math and Science programs. It’s an important way for educators and NNSY employees to increase student engagement as partners in learning and development through STEM-related opportunities. “We are really interested in exposing our students to more opportunities,” said Melissa Jones, a Career Technology Education Teacher at Granby who helped arrange the field trip. “Not every child is college-bound, and we can bring kids who are considering multiple possibilities.” "The students were able to ask real-world questions and receive answers from those who work in their particular fields of interest," said Millicent Lee, a Career Counselor at Western Branch. "The students left with a realization that they could see themselves being future employees. Our students were able to hear great advice from such a competitive workforce."
PHOTOS BY TONY ANDERSON • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHER
“It’s another avenue of education,” said Marshall. “[The shipyard is] in their own backyard to offer them jobs in their own neighborhood. Not everybody when they graduate high school is ready to go to a fouryear institution, so what else is there that you can walk out of high school and do; walk into a training facility, walk into an apprentice program, walk into a job, and be successful?” Vanessa Collado is a sophomore at Granby and also the Engineering Officer for GOE. “I want to be a mechanical engineer,” she said. “I feel like that will open a lot of doors for me. Plus it’s not really common for girls to be in engineering so I want to be different.” Collado is considering the Coast Guard Academy, but wants to keep her education options open, part of the reason she thought it would be wise to attend the STEM Career Day at the shipyard. “I wanted to meet other engineers. I wanted to learn about different varieties to open up more ideas of what I want to do.” The two STEM Career Days were organized by Valerie Fulwood, NNSY’s Outreach Program Manager. “Western Branch and Granby showed a lot of interest in what we’re doing [at the shipyard],” she said. “The students asked a lot of questions. The seniors were very inquisitive about how they can move forward with college, but if not college, coming into the apprentice program.” The students were given a windshield tour of NNSY before proceeding to Building 1575 where several codes were set up with educational materials and eye-catching displays, along with the Rapid Prototype Lab, Paint Simulator, and Welding Simulator, to answer questions posed by the young potential yardbirds. “The goal is to let them know what their options are here at the shipyard and with the government,” said Fulwood. “Part of what we do is making sure we give them all the tools they need to move forward with whatever they decide to do in life. To have the STEM Career Days is just one of those tools.”
WHY IS STEM SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR KIDS? If the United States is to maintain its global leadership and competitive position, we have to motivate students to pursue careers in STEM fields. In 2009, the United States Department of Labor listed the ten most wanted employees. Eight of those employees were ones with degrees in the STEM fields: accounting, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, information sciences and systems, computer engineering, civil engineering, and economics and finance. These professionals are in charge of solving the complex problems of today’s world and ensuring its future, something demonstrated in the work we do at NNSY on a daily basis. For more information on the importance of STEM programs, visit www.ed.gov/stem or www.sciencepioneers.org.
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NNSY DRY DOCKS USS LA JOLLA FOR MOORED TRAINING SHIP CONVERSION By Michael Brayshaw • Public Affairs Specialist
Three years of planning, teamwork, and attention to detail culminated April 16 when Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) successfully dry docked USS La Jolla (SSN-701) for its conversion into a Moored Training Ship (MTS). MTSs are nuclear training platforms used to qualify new nuclear operators. La Jolla and USS San Francisco (SSN-711) will be the nextgeneration MTSs for the Nuclear Power Training Unit in Charleston, South Carolina. In unprecedented work for NNSY, La Jolla's conversion will require several hull cuts and adding new sections. To allow the hull sections to be moved in the dry dock during conversion, the dry dock build is utilizing strongbacks, a first for NNSY, vice the standard concrete and wood block build typically used. Strongbacks are typically used in the Navy for new construction. In this case, they will allow the Self Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMT) to drive under them and facilitate La Jolla’s conversion process. "We've been working on the strongbacks for about three years now," said Submarine Structural Preplanning Branch (Code 257) Lead Engineer Shane Downey. "We went up to Electric Boat (EB) and learned the process they used for analyzing their strongbacks and loading. We took that information and used it to determine a plan to analyze our strongbacks. We used EB's design as a starting point and modified it for our purposes; these strongbacks were designed by Code 250 specifically for the MTS conversion projects." NNSY Stability and Weight Control Branch (Code 253) Lead Engineer Gus Goddin said, “This is the first time, to my knowledge, that a boat in the U.S. Navy has been dry docked using strongbacks.”
PHOTOS BY SHAYNE HENSLEY • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHER
Ensuring the strongbacks worked as designed required a “mountain of calculations” for Devon Mitchell of NNSY’s Submarine Structural Preplanning Branch (Code 257), who changed divisions in Code 250 to specifically support this project. “I have been on this project since the beginning, and my capacity was to perform all of the finite element analysis engineering support required to determine whether the strongback build would carry the applied loads safely, and to modify and reanalyze the build and its components as constraints and conditions changed throughout the evolution of the project,” said Mitchell. Code 253’s personnel worked with the dockmaster, docking officer, and La Jolla project team to create a strategy to safely and successfully dock the La Jolla. Code 253’s Sam Taylor said this strategy hinged on “the boat had to be sitting as high in the water as possible without creating an unstable buoyancy condition” while heading into dock—a particularly unique challenge for a docking at NNSY.
The strategy included significant weight removal pierside prior to docking, providing additional elevation for the boat. Goddin said, “We did a lot of things on this boat that we don’t normally do. We pulled the propeller pierside to make the boat lighter. We pulled 40,000 pounds of material, lightened up as many of the liquid loads as we possibly could; it was far from a typical 688 [class availability going into drydock].” In addition, La Jolla was lightened by delaying the installation of the standard lead package until after the docking evolution. Finally, the dock was “superflooded” three feet above the river level during the breasting over of the ship on top of the strongbacks. All of these strategies together saved nearly 4.5 feet and allowed a final clearance over the build of 1.25 feet, a three-inch margin above the minimum required. “Coupled with the aggressive efforts to make the boat lighter, that allowed us to safely breast over the strongback build,” said Goddin. Commending the vital contribution of Code 250 personnel, La Jolla Project Superintendent Chrystal Brady said, “All of our structural engineers and naval architects have been at the forefront of this effort, from the design of the strongbacks to the calculations to prove that we could achieve our unprecedented draft at NNSY needed to dock.” She added, “As a shipyard, we had our first meeting to plan this event three years ago and to see that plan executed so flawlessly was amazing to watch. On behalf of the project team, I want to sincerely thank everyone who played a part!” Shipyard Commander Captain Scott Brown commended the docking effort as “a significant achievement with a newer build type using strongbacks versus blocks, superflooding the dock, a tight tide window, and tight clearances. This was a tremendous team effort three years in the making from design to docking.” (Lt. Matt Washko, USS Albany Zone Manager and Ship Safety Officer, also contributed to this report) MAY 2015 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 17
SHIPYARD SPOTLIGHT 16 THINGS YOU DIDN'T
Oscar Mathews
KNOW ABOUT
Oscar
1. My favorite colors are Corvette blue and Mars red. 2. If I had a superpower, it would be to travel wherever I want. 3. Right now, my favorite movie is Interstellar. 4. I'm a Leo. 5. My favorite TV show of all time is Star Trek: the Next Generation. 6. The most played song on my iPod is probably by Muse or maybe Nirvana. 7. I’m a lapsed trumpet player. I also dabbled in violin, piano, and guitar. 8. My favorite food is Paella. 9. My favorite place to visit is Lake Lucerne in Switzerland. It’s outrageously beautiful. 10. I’m a little embarrassed to admit I love Star Trek. 11. I’ve always wanted to be an astronaut. 12. My celebrity crush is either Kiera Knightley or Natalie Portman. 13. My motto is “Never give up.” 14. My least favorite chore is folding my clothes. 15. If they make a movie about my life, Tom Cruise would play me. 16. In four words, I’m driven, passionate, impatient, and visionary.
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A Mission of Optimism By ANNA TAYLOR • PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST Oscar Mathews is a Navy Lieutenant Commander, an Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. student, and an aspiring Martian. His dream is to be one of the first 24 humans to colonize Mars, a seemingly far-fetched fantasy that may actually be possible as early as 2026, thanks to an organization called Mars One. Mars One is a not-for-profit foundation with the goal of establishing a permanent human settlement on Mars. The first unmanned mission is scheduled to depart in 2020, followed by the first four-person crews two years later. More than 200,000 people began the application for the training program, a number that has been whittled down to 100 through a measured selection process and will be reduced to 24 later this year. So what inspires a man to trade his home on the banks of the Nansemond River for the faraway isolation of a cold alien planet? The dream began when he was a child. Mathews, a Nuclear Engineer in the Nuclear Engineering and Planning Department’s Reactor Support Branch (Code 2310.1), was born in Madrid, Spain, and moved to Texas when he was five. At the age of 18, Mathews was naturalized an American citizen, allowing a future in the U.S. Armed Forces. His family’s military tradition kindled his passion for aviation, but
Mathews gives most of the credit to a certain TV show for fostering his love of space. “My dad worked on aircraft and my granddad was in the Air Force as well,” he said. “We always went to air shows, I was always around jets, but I got interested in space through Star Trek. I loved the idea of being able to fly anywhere, just punch in the coordinates and go.” That same love of adventure and freedom led him to earn his private pilot’s license and SCUBA certification. Mathews graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2004 and served in the military for five years. In 2011, once Mathews had completed his master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, he attended a career fair where NAVSEA was recruiting, and after being convinced that submarines are a lot like spacecraft, he found himself starting work at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY). In 2013, Mathews “felt a call back to service,” and joined the Navy Reserves to further his experience in aerospace. Mars One’s plans were publicly announced in 2012. “When it first came out, it made sense to me,” said Mathews. “Everybody’s been talking about going to Mars soon, yet it’s always been 50 years away. One reason NASA’s plan continuously gets
NNSY NUCLEAR ENGINEER AMONG 100 FINALISTS FOR MARS MISSION
pushed back is because they are trying to transport the people they send to Mars back to Earth. You absolutely do not need to do that. You don’t need the heroes to come back for the parades and handshaking. If humans want to go somewhere and spend hundreds of billions of dollars to do it, then we should go to the surface where the important science is, and stay there.” Coming back to Earth is the most expensive part of a mission. By eliminating the return trip, Mars One will cut the cost, danger, and radiation exposure by more than half. Despite support from notable ambassadors – including an astronaut, Nobel Prize laureate, and former NASA Chief Technologist – Mars One has been greeted with more skepticism than support. “It’s natural that a lot of criticism and doubt is going to come out of the woodwork,” said Mathews, who was himself initially doubtful of the mission’s feasibility. After completing his own research, those early uncertainties gave way to intrigue followed by full-blown conviction that a trip to Mars is possible within 10 years. “It’s healthy to have an amount of good faith critical review, but it’s the pessimism, it’s the people who needlessly carry doubt, those who perhaps don’t understand space as well as they
claim. It’s frustrating, but you’re always going to have people who don’t feel exploration is a human imperative. In my opinion, the survival of the human species depends on our ability to go to places we haven’t been and to find the science to help us survive and thrive in those places.” Mathews, who speaks about space exploration with passionate inflection, compares Mars One’s mission to the formation of the Jamestown colony. “[The founders] had so much trouble getting funding. People laughed at it. Not many understood why people would want to go to the wilderness when London was such a great place to be. Had those early explorers not left, had there not been that exploratory spirit, then we likely wouldn’t be sitting here talking about how great America is—at least not in English.” Unmanned missions to the red planet are fairly restricted in their scientific gains relative to the contributions that could be made by people. Opportunity, a Mars Exploration Rover that has been on the surface since 2004, travelled only 26 miles in the last 11 years, even though it’s the fastest rover. “We invest much in these rovers, but they are really limited in what they can do compared to
humans,” said Mathews. “If we had humans on the surface, not only can you immediately confirm what the rover is sensing, you could actually go to specific places, take samples at thousands of locations, and travel for hundreds of kilometers.” The greatest hurdle is not the technology or the engineering; it’s finding the right kind of people to settle a new planet. Mars One is looking for a balance of genders and a diverse mix of geographic origins, ethnicities, backgrounds, and professional specialties of the selectees. “I think my engineering background will help, and the preparation I have from the shipyard will help. So who knows, maybe on Mars we’ll eventually need to design new shielding or analyze contamination, and I’ll be the guy.” There are resources on Mars like gold and platinum, and the settlers will have to resist the urge to repeat history. “When Spain went to Mexico, the conquistadors were there to take advantage of the local people and local resources,” said Mathews. “They had no respect for the environment. It was a colonial mindset where only Spain benefitted. And we can’t do that.” (continued on next page...)
colonists Who are the Mars 100 Round Three candidates? There are 50 men and 50 women who successfully passed the second round. The candidates come from all around the world, namely 39 from the Americas, 31 from Europe, 16 from Asia, 7 from Africa, and 7 from Oceania. To learn more about the "Mars 100," visit www.mars-one.com.
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”
THE MARS ONE
There have to be people, at critical moments in human history, who understand the risks and understand that it could end up killing them but who still want to leave and test themselves against the odds. - Oscar Mathews (continued from previous page...) Mathews made it through the last round of cuts early this year and is among the remaining 100 finalists, (including only 33 Americans). Once the field is narrowed down to 24, the candidates will be tested on their technical skills, resourcefulness, creativity, resilience to isolation, and teamwork; if Mathews is chosen, he will have to dedicate the next eight or more years of his life to training for the mission. “If you’re in the space station and there’s a critical breakdown, you’re getting on the Soyuz capsule and you’re coming back. You have the ability to come back, and you know that in the back of your head. If you’re on Mars, you need people who understand that in the worst case scenario, you are on your own. You can’t go back to Earth. So psychologically, what are you going to do? You are not just going to give up.” The settlers will be taught to fill cavities and mend broken bones. They will find out if they can tolerate another person’s body odor in a confined space and whether or not they have the mental capacity to stave off boredom during a long, monotonous journey. “You can make the argument that a submarine crew would be the perfect group to send to Mars,” said Mathews. “They can deal with loneliness, emergencies, and highly stressful situations. You know they’re doing it for the mission and not the personal gain. There are plenty of easier things to do in life than to be underwater for three to six months, and that’s exactly who Mars One wants.” Mathews was recently accepted at Old Dominion University to begin work on a Ph.D. in Space Radiation Shielding. “It could also be applied to habitat shielding on the surface [of Mars],” said Mathews. “What that does is reduce the amount of solar protons and other highmass ions that the human body gets exposed to on the trip to Mars, and then once you get there, instead of having to find a natural crater or having to dig a trench or depression
and then cover the habitat with regolith, you can just have it land in any location and build or deploy a habitat radiation shield using superconducting magnets.” Mathews has also proposed various plans to create revenue to support the settlement on the surface of Mars; one of which eliminates the need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars delivering rovers [from Earth]. The settlers could make them using a 3-D printer and materials they already have (plus a little assistance from Earth to procure sensors and high tech items). “Batteries, circuit traces, chassis…we can make all that. Then you can either sell it or lease it, so if a university has 20 or 30 interested students, they can pay to go explore an area and take samples by the hour. The rover would eventually pay for itself. And then you get young people, young engineers, scientists, and mathematicians at high schools and universities around the world excited about doing something only NASA could have done before.” Adjusting to life on a new rock may be a challenge at first, but that’s part of the appeal for Mathews. “If we’re going to Mars, the idea is to study it without changing it too much. We don’t try to make Colorado like Florida. It’s enjoyable because it’s so different. And if we try to make Mars like Earth, you destroy what Mars is, and you lose the romance of going to this really alien place. ” If Mathews is not one of the 24 Mars One settlers, his life will certainly go on, and he will continue to be an outspoken advocate for space exploration. He’s got the support of his family and an understanding girlfriend who would be sad if he left. “There’s plenty to discover and experience on Earth,” he says. “The point for me is that I would like to see humans on another planet within our lifetimes, so we have a backup of human culture and inspire a new generation of explorers. There have to be people, at critical moments in human history, who understand the risks and understand that it could end up killing them but who still want to leave and test themselves against the odds.” ■
Featured Recruiter
Q: How did you hear about NNSY? A: I found the position being advertised on the ODU Career Link website. Q: How did you get involved with recruiting at NNSY? A: I’ve been involved for two years. I ended up getting involved because of the Pathways Program. One of my many duties on the job is being the Pathways Coordinator for Code 200.
AMANDA PARSONS
Amanda Parsons is a Quality Data Analyst in Code 220’s Process Control Division. She joined NNSY’s workforce three years ago, coming in as a Pathways student before being converted full-time a year later. Interview and Photo by Kristi Britt • Public Affairs Specialist. Q: Where are you originally from? A: I am from Chesapeake. I went to Old Dominion University (ODU) where I received my degree in Communications with a minor in Journalism.
Q: What is your favorite part about recruiting? A: I enjoy getting to talk to the people. I’m a very people-person so I enjoy getting to meet all the new students and share with them what the shipyard can offer. By speaking with the students, I’m hopefully helping to build the next generation of shipyard employees. Q: What advice would you give someone coming to a Career Fair? A: Just make sure you’re prepared before coming out to see us. Be sure to have your resume ready and be prepared to talk to our people and have a lot of questions to ask us. We’re here to answer any and all questions presented to us and to help the students in any way we can. Q: What do you like to do after hours? A: After work, I enjoy relaxing with friends and family.
MAY 2015 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 21
PHOTOS BY SHAYNE HENSLEY • NNSY PHOTOGRAPHER
Shipyard Clean-up Effort Inspires Workplace Pride By KRISTI BRITT • PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
The sun peeled up along the horizon of Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) on March 18, with employees from every corner of the yard gathering up their supplies to make “America’s Shipyard” the best it’s ever been. Brooms, trash bags, shovels, rags; all types of cleaning supplies were provided to the workers as everyone banded together for the shipyard-wide clean-up day. Shops and codes of all types took to their facilities and to the streets, sharing in the responsibility to clean their shipyard. As part of Shipyard Commander Captain Scott Brown’s Command Philosophy, the employee’s safety, health and well-being are the top priority. It’s everyone’s responsibility to support each other to achieve this goal and the yard invests time, effort and money for the foundation of this priority. In order to have a safe shipyard, it must be clean and functional. The shipyard clean-up day provides the time to capture all corners of the yard in giving it the proper care it so rightly deserves. Capt. Brown toured the shipyard along with NNSY Facilities (Code 900F) Director Tim Spitler and Production Resource Officer (Code 900) Cdr. Maria Silsdorf to witness firsthand the hard work and dedication the employees put into cleaning their facilities. The group praised the
efforts of the employees and talked with them as they worked, hearing about their jobs and their ideas on how the shipyard could improve. Cdr. Silsdorf stated, “I think it’s an opportunity to bring people together for a common purpose. It’s a dedicated time to help improve our work environment. When you get everyone together doing it together, there’s a sense of camaraderie to go do that. Everyone’s out here doing the same thing at the same time for the common purpose. It’s a way to draw everyone together to improve the appearance of the shipyard. We address the clutter together and it improves the environment and how the facility looks. In general, I think people are happier now. They can walk around and there is a physical difference in the shipyard because of their actions.” All across the yard, employees took up their brooms and mops and various other cleaning utensils to make their shipyard the cleanest workplace. There were rows of smiles from the workforce, personnel taking the time to enjoy working alongside each other for a common goal. “The way the shipyard looks, that’s a first impression when people are coming through the gate. When everything is clean and in
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY REMINDERS Pedestrians are reminded that Stevens Street inside the CIA (west side of Buildings 171 & 268) remains closed to all foot traffic. Please follow all pedestrian detour safety signage due to impacts of ongoing waterfront work. You can avoid possible injury by following these basic guidelines: • • • • •
• order, it gives the people the impression that we do a great job here which we do anyway. When it looks better, people feel better about their job and like to come to work. It’s a great thing,” said Mike Reynolds, Code 392.2. Code 300’s Dave Tomlinson added, “We have a lot of activities coming into the shipyard. It’s the impression we give to ourselves and outside activities. A clean workspace makes you feel good and instills a little bit of pride in your workplace. If you have a bad day, you still have a clean place to work in so it makes all the difference.” To close out the shipyard-wide cleanup day, Capt. Brown held an all-hands to commend the shipyard workers of their success in achieving a safe, clean and functional work environment due to their efforts. He also shared the command priorities in the coming months, including the hiring push and the results of the command climate survey. Capt. Brown said, “We’re taking pride back in the shipyard. I think it looks really good. Thanks for that. Keep pressing forward.” “We’re going to make America’s Shipyard as clean as we can make it and continue to keep it clean,” said Spitler. “I want to thank you all for what you’ve done and continue to do. What we’ve done continues to help us fix ships and serve our country.”
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Use crosswalks, where available. Cross at corners, intersections, and lighted areas. When sidewalks are unavailable, pedestrians must walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible. Pedestrians must obey traffic signals and/or traffic officers Before crossing, stop at the curb, edge of the road, or corner. Look both ways, left, right, and left again. Then, if it’s clear, begin crossing and look for slipping and tripping hazards. Watch for on-coming vehicles. Don’t ever assume the driver sees you. Try to make eye contact with drivers.
Remember as a pedestrian you need to make smart choices so you can go home to your loved ones every day.
MAY 2015 • SERVICE TO THE FLEET • 23
MEMORIAL DAY • May 25, 2015 • Honoring America's Heroes