Coastal Compass NAVAL SURFACE WARFARE CENTER PANAMA CITY DIVISION
Work • Road • Holiday
Technical Center of Excellence for Littoral Warfare and Coastal Defense
No. 4 VOL. 11
November 2016
View from the Bridge By Commanding Officer Capt. Phillip Dawson III
Season’s Greetings, everyone: The holidays are upon us already! Halloween is behind us and Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are just around the corner. With the excitement of upcoming celebrations, let’s remember to remain safety conscious. It seems like we’re working harder every year. Thank goodness for our holidays. They afford us opportunities for rest, relaxation and recreation with our families and friends. It’s also well-earned time to recharge, so we can come back sharp and ready to support our mission spectrum at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD). That is why I ask everyone to remain safety conscious over the holidays. As part of NSWC PCD’s workforce, you are all highly-trained specialists and we need you to stay safe, because your expertise is highly counted on by our men and women in uniform. It’s exciting buying and wrapping gifts, planning special celebrations and seeing special friends and family. But it’s also easy to get caught-up in crowds of holiday shoppers, traffic jams, and some last-minute preparations, too. Let’s face it, sometimes the holidays make for hectic schedules. This is when we are most vulnerable to losing our focus on remaining safety conscious. Perhaps this Holiday Season means many of you may need to travel. Instead of
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receiving visitors from out of state, it may be your turn this year to do the long-distance traveling. The following is a checklist that has stood the test of time, and it can help reduce the travel risks that come with this time of year: • Whenever traveling, ensure that you get a good night’s sleep and start out refreshed. Between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m., fatigue strikes consistently, plus there is an increase in the number of alcohol-impaired drivers on the road. • Plan your rest stops before you begin your trip and know your route and always check for weather conditions in the area through which you are traveling. • Check your auto’s tires, brakes and lights before starting your trip. • Allow yourself plenty of travel time in both directions. If fatigue does set in, stop at a motel or rest area to get some sleep. Don’t push yourself when you know you’re getting tired just to make some extra road time. Instead, call the Command Duty Officer (CDO) or your supervisor and extend your leave; the objective is to arrive safely. • If you’re traveling north to visit friends or family, carry a container of sand mixed with rock salt in the trunk of your car. If you get stuck on ice or in snow you can sprinkle some of this mixture around the tires to provide traction. Roofing shingles also work well. • Also, make sure to have your license, registration, proof of insurance and some extra funds to use in case of emergency. If you are military, make sure to have your leave papers and phone number for the CDO. And as everyone should know, don’t drink and drive. When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces and radiators. Heated rooms dry live trees out rapidly, so be sure to keep the stand filled with water. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there were approximately 210 fires that began with Christmas trees between 2009 and 2013 in the U.S. This resulted in an average of 7 deaths, 19 injuries, and $17.5 million in direct property damage annually. For indoor and outdoor lighting, only use lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Check each set of lights for broken or cracked sockets,
frayed or bare wires, and loose connections. Throw away damaged sets. Use no more than three standard-sized sets of lights per single extension cord. Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house walls, or other firm supports to protect the lights from wind damage. Use only insulated staples to hold light strings in place, not nails nor tacks. You can run strings of lights through hooks (available at hardware stores). Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house, lights could short out and start a fire. Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to decorate trees. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals. Leaded materials are hazardous if ingested by children. Use extreme care with fire salts, which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if ingested by small children. Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use nonflammable holders and place candles where they will not be knocked down. NFPA reports there are approximately 9,300 candlerelated fires each year causing an average of 86 civilian fire deaths, 827 civilian fire injuries, and $374 million in direct property damage. If you are frying your turkey, ensure the fryer is stable and well away from any buildings and trees. And lastly, that wrapping paper that’s strewn all over the floor after everyone is finished opening presents, put it in the trash, not the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings suddenly ignite and burn intensely. Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with angel hair. Follow directions fully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays, too. Most of us are probably alert to these risks, but as excitement builds with the parties that are planned or we push ourselves to buy that special gift, the child in all of us comes out. Nobody is immune to getting excited and distracted, especially during the rush of our upcoming holiday seasons. So take a minute or two to remember these checks and balances. We hope everyone enjoys this year’s celebrations safely. Happy Holidays, NSWC PCD! ♦
Coastal Compass - November 2016
Inside This Edition
Accolades to our Sailors of the Year
View from the Bridge...........................................2 Accolades to our Sailors of the Year.................. 3 HM-15 Trains aboard NSWC PCD.................... 4 Navy Responds to Distressed Mariner.............. 5 Happy 241st Birthday U.S. Navy..........................6 Zipes Becomes International Engineer............. 7 Read this Before You Cook................................8 Reasonable Accommodation Forum................. 8 Keeping the Happy in Happy Holidays.............. 9 Around and About NSWC PCD.......................10 PCD Welcomes Korean War Veterans........... 11 Navy Tests Variable Depth Sonar Behavior....12 PCD Holds 5th Annual Industry Day...............12 Force Behind the Fleet......................................13 New MVCS Program Manager........................14 NDIA Bronze Medal Award Recipients............15
Coastal Compass - November 2016
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HM-15 Conducts Annual Training aboard NSWC PCD By Katherine Mapp, NSWC PCD Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
PANAMA CITY, Florida - Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron FIFTEEN (HM-15) conducted annual airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) training at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) for almost two weeks during October 2016. HM-15’s annual Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program (HARP) HAWKEX training is conducted at NSWC PCD where the squadron can receive technical support to equipment used in mine hunting, such as the AN/AQS-24 sonar used in conjunction with the Fleet’s MH-53E aircraft, in addition to use of the Gulf of Mexico. Traditionally, when HM-15 visits NSWC PCD, their main focus is AMCM. This year, in addition to their unit level training, they focused on a scenario that involved the combination operations of a mine countermeasures triad, consisting of AMCM, surface mine countermeasures (SMCM) and underwater mine countermeasures (UMCM). The training was developed to simulate real-world scenarios so the squadron included Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit One (EODMU1) and Six (EODMU6) and the San Diego, California homebased mine sweeper, the USS Champion (MCM 4). HM-15 Executive Officer Cmdr. Vince Spozio, said the wealth of knowledge in MCM and mine warfare that NSWC PCD encompasses is significant to HM-15’s mission set. “NSWC PCD is a great place for our squadron to conduct training. There are resident experts at NSWC PCD, both civilian and military, that provide support to HM-15. Whether it is maintaining our equipment or providing us with insight into tactics, NSWC PCD is very valuable as we move forward into deployments,” said Spozio. ”The experience gained at NSWC PCD prepares our Sailors before they deploy, so they’re getting a good trial wargame before they enter the actual operating area.” Exercises give the Fleet specific scenarios to which they respond by conducting MCM operations just as they would as if they were executing those actions in Fifth Fleet. This ensures that the Department of the Navy maintains a leading edge in warfighting technologies for national defense. Spozio said during the exercise, the HM-15 led Combined Task
PANAMA CITY, Florida — The MH-53E Sea Dragon departs the NSWC PCD flight line over St. Andrew Bay for an Airborne Mine Countermeasures mission off the coast of Panama City, Florida on Oct. 6, 2016. U.S. Navy Photo by Cmdr. Dennis C. Monagle (Released) 161018-N-PD526-001
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PANAMA CITY, Florida — Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron FIFTEEN (HM-15) gather in NSWC PCD’s Littoral Warfare Systems Facility aboard Naval Support Activity Panama City on Oct. 13, 2016. Pictured from left to right: Petty Officer Second Class Colin Imani, Lt. j.g. Xavier Scott, Lt. j.g. Daniel Schmerber, Chief Petty Officer Joshua Vanmatre, Cmdr. Vince Spozio, Petty Officer Third Class Yanina Carrero, Petty Officer Third Class Eric Salone, Lt. Renato Samano and Seaman Briana Hoffman. U.S. Navy Photo by Eddie Green (Released) 161013-N-UI581-150
Group (CTG) provided tasking to the USS Champion as it operated off the California coast. The ship’s progress was then transposed onto the water space off Panama City using a process known as geotranslating. “We want to mimic the Champion operating off the Florida coast. The ship’s crew is given specific coordinates and an area they need to sweep or look for mines,” said Spozio. “Once that is completed, we overlay the results onto the coast of Florida where HM-15 and EODMU1 are operating.” By moving toward more complex problems, the Sailors of HM-15 set up a CTG, which plans and deconflicts the operations of the combined AMCM, UMCM and SMCM mission. “Through coordination, the Sailors are working in the same geographical area and going after the same problem – mines,” said Spozio. “We make sure the MCM asset use is efficient and safely deconflicted during their combined operations.” As part of the AMCM and SMCM exercises, the USS Champion, home ported in San Diego, California called into the operations center located in Panama City, Florida with the CTG each night and reported on their operations off the coast of California. The CTG Sailors interpreted these operations reports and geotranslated them onto the scenario they faced in Panama City, Florida. In addition, EODMU1 and EODMU6 conducted underwater MCM with support from HM-15 Sailors. EODMU1 assisted by conducting sonar scanning of the seafloor with a Mk-18 unmanned underwater vehicle for mine-like targets. EODMU6 conducted “casting” exercises where they jumped from the back of MH-53Es into the water to simulate deploying and destroying of a mine the Sailors had surfaced. Spozio said as he and the Sailors end their problem set, the coordination and combination of all three sides of the MCM triad during operations is interesting and impressive. HM-15’s robust presence aboard NSWC PCD included four MH53E aircraft and 140 military personnel from all walks of life, including pilots, aircrewmen, tacticians, helicopter maintenance technicians, as well as administrative professionals. ♦
Coastal Compass - November 2016
Navy Responds to Distressed Mariner during Annual Training By Jacqui Barker, NSWC PCD Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
PANAMA CITY, Florida – During annual joint training in the Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Navy Sailors rendered emergency medical assistance to a distressed mariner Oct. 12. Sailors from Helicopter Mine Squadron (HM-15), Explosive Ordnance Mobile Units One (EODMU1) and Six (EODMU6) were in the Gulf of Mexico conducting annual Helicopter Advanced Readiness Program (HARP) Oct. 12 2016 at approximately 9:30 a.m. when Sailors were flagged down by a stranded and distressed mariner. The Sailors, from HM-15 and EODMU1 were transiting the operational area in their rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) when they were flagged down by the civilian craft. “When they approached the craft, they discovered an injured civilian and that the civilian boat had experienced a mechanical casualty and was without power,” said HM-15 Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Lt. Cmdr. Troy Kelly. “The civilian had been trouble shooting the engine when the engine cover fell down on him causing serious injury.” Two Sailors, Senior Chief Petty Officer Eric Gummersheimer and Petty Officer Second Class Sean McNamara responded to the civilian’s injuries by providing immediate medical care to his injuries, which included a broken jaw and severe lacerations on the man’s head, as well as cuts to his arms. HM-15 and EODMU1 Sailors then coordinated an ambulatory drop-off location and rapidly navigated to the rendezvous point. “Upon turning over the civilian to medical authorities, our personnel redeployed to continue on their assigned tasking,” said EODMU1 OIC, Lt. Aaron Dixon. “Without the combined efforts of our Sailors and the fortunate intercept, the man would doubtlessly have found himself in a disastrous state.” HARP training is an annual airborne mine countermeasure exercise that brings fleet assets to Panama City Beach, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to certify the squadron’s ability to meet mission requirements. HM-15 trains annually out of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division as the command provides technical support to equipment used in mine hunting, such as the Q-24A towed sonar used in conjunction with the fleet’s MH-53E aircraft.
Coastal Compass - November 2016
PANAMA CITY, Florida — From left, military contractor Jim Bass, Navy Helicopter Squadron HM-15 Petty Officer 3rd Class Catherand Burnett, Chief Petty Officer Josh Tanner and EOD Mobile Unit One Chief Petty Officer Eric Gummersheimer and Petty Officer 2nd Class Sean McNamara stand for a photo Oct. 12, 2016. The crew helped a boater who was badly injured while out on his small yacht. (With permission by the publisher). Photo by Patti Blake/The News Herald.
For 2016 HM-15 augmented their usual unit level training event by forming a Combined Task Group (CTG) command and control staff that coordinated the simultaneous efforts of Air, Surface, and Underwater Mine Countermeasures (MCM) units operating in the same water space. Through exercising their ability to man and run a CTG HM-15 stepped up the reality of the exercise to better reflect the real-world command and control challenges of combined MCM Triad operations. Units providing support to HM-15 for the exercise included EODMU1, EODMU6, and the San Diego, California home based mine sweeper USS Champion (MCM 4). the ship, however, was not physically in Panama City, Florida for the training event, rather it participated in the exercise by hunting for training shapes off the coast of California and then HM-15 in coordination with members from the Helicopter Sea Combat Weapons School Atlantic, geo-translated the ship’s efforts to reflect operations in the Gulf of Mexico. EODMU1 conducted Mk-18 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) training while in Panama City, Florida’s home ported EODMU6 conducted helicopter cast training. ♦
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Coastal Compass - November 2016
Zipes Becomes One of 300 International Systems Engineering Experts By Jacqui Barker, NSWC PCD Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
pert” status. According to INCOSE, the organization has established a multilevel professional certification program that provides a formal method for P ANAMA CITY, Florida – Naval Surface Warrecognizing the knowledge and experience of fare Center Panama City Division System Ensystems engineers, regardless of where they may gineering Competency Lead Lori Zipes earned be in their career. For Zipes, obtaining this intera prestigious and highly coveted International national certification makes sense as she leads Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE) NSWC PCD’s SE community. ESEP-level certification in September 2016. Zipes said her involvement in INCOSE began To be considered an international expert in in 2005 after she completed a Defense Acquisisystem engineering, INCOSE requires applition University (DAU) course that was taught by cants have at least 25 years of experience, or at an INCOSE fellow. least 20 years if you already hold the CSEP, or “INCOSE’s perspective on system engineerCertified Systems Engineering Professional. The ing was very different than what I had been exCSEP is the foundational level SE certification, Lori Zipes posed to at that point, and it really resonated akin to a journeyman. Zipes earned her CSEP with me. The nearest local chapter was over in in 2008. “They also look for a lot of leadership skills and efforts from the Eglin area, so most of my involvement centered around enthe expert-level applicants, and since there is no local INCOSE gaging with some of the Working Groups, because they pretty Chapter for me to reasonably engage with, I was not sure how much all are comprised of a geographically dispersed team,” I would fare in comparison to the folks that are involved with said Zipes. “We used e-mail and TelCons (telephone conferthe enormous, highly active chapters in areas like Washington ences) to get things done. I met some really smart and inspiring D.C., or Huntsville, Alabama,” said Zipes. “When I got my 25- people this way. I’m still very involved, and still meeting great year pin here at NSWC PCD, I started reconsidering. I talked to people through the organization.” By early 2008, Zipes said INCOSE completed a major revia former INCOSE president who had become a bit of a mentor for me, and he encouraged me to go for it. I remember asking sion to their handbook, which she says is the foundational basis him if he had any tips for the hour-long interview I knew was for the certification exam. The organization reached out to its part of the process. He told me, “Just be yourself.” I laughed members and requested beta testers for the new exam and Zipes volunteered. out loud and replied, “Now THAT, I can do!” “They are very serious about the exam, and they wanted a Four weeks after Zipes’ phone interview, she received a large data set of test takers from which to verify their exam cardboard envelope in the mailbox. “I was so surprised, I opened it and there was my certificate, question bank,” she said. “You really need to know your stuff.” Zipes’ exam took nine hours to complete, including two a card and lapel pin. I have to admit, there were some tears, I was so happy,” she admitted. “I’m definitely very honored to hours more than the standard certification exam because she have received this certification. So many of the ESEPs I have opted to take the Department of Defense Acquisition extension. met over the years have really inspired me and made me think a The extension exam, she said, had been developed in conjunclot about what I want to do with my SE career. I hope I can now tion with DAU. “I didn’t last all nine hours though! I think I left after about do the same for the next generation.” Zipes, an MIT graduate who has worked at NSWC PCD seven. It was a pretty crazy day, but kind of fun, since in a way, since 1991, has served as the command’s SE Competency Lead there was less pressure. I actually got to meet in person some of since 2013, but it’s not the first prestigious accomplishment of the people who I had been in Working Groups with, which was her career. In July 2008, she was the first U.S. Navy Acquisi- pretty neat,” she said. “There were also probably 200 or 300 tion employee to earn the Certified Systems Engineering Pro- of us, all big supporters of INCOSE, of course, so while it was fessional (CSEP) certification from INCOSE. In 1994, she also an exhausting day, it was also a fantastic experience for me. A graduated Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center’s six- little later, I got the news that I had passed, which was exciting! week Self Contained Breathing Apparatus, or SCUBA, class in So I finished my application and became the Navy’s first Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) with the DoD support of her work on diver tools for ship maintenance. Becoming a certified Navy SCUBA diver was “by far one of Acquisition extension July 5, 2008.” Zipes admitted that when she learned of her recent ESEP certhe coolest opportunities I have had during my career,” Zipes said. “It was so valuable to fully appreciate what my end-users tification, she earned high praise from her 14-year old daughter experienced when performing their duties using my equip- who had inquired about the certification and her mother’s emotional reaction. Once her daughter understood the deep meanment.” Zipes then moved on to support a wide variety of programs ing and impact of the prestigious certification, she exclaimed in all of the NSWC PCD technical departments, with sponsors “That’s cool,” which Zipes proudly accepts and translates as ranging from Navy and Joint Program Offices to ONR and high praise from a teenager. ♦ DARPA. She believes that her breadth of experiences from all those different programs was what helped her achieve an “Ex-
Coastal Compass - November 2016
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Open Forum Informs Workforce about Reasonable Accommodations By Katherine Mapp, NSWC PCD Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
PANAMA CITY, Florida — The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Diversity Council and Disability Employment Special Emphasis Program Manager (SEPM) Michael Rowe hosted
PANAMA CITY, Florida - Michael Rowe, NSWC PCD electrical engineer and Diversity Council special emphasis program manager for Disability Employment Awareness, hosts the 2016 National Disability Employment Month Forum Oct. 24, 2016. He addressed issues about the Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Process in the Long Glass Conference Center aboard Naval Support Activity Panama City. U.S. Navy Photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 161024-N-PD526-001
an open-forum to educate the workforce about disability employment issues and celebrate the contributions of workers with disabilities at the Naval Support Activity Panama City (NSA PC) Long Glass Conference Center. According to the Office of Personnel Management, a Reasonable Accommodation (RA) is “any change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that allows an individual with a disability to apply for a job, perform job functions, or enjoy equal access to benefits available to other individuals in the workplace.” Rowe, a NSWC PCD electrical engineer, said the goal of the event was “to highlight the RA process with a deeper dive into the process behind the scenes.” The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that federal employers provide RAs to persons with disabilities when such accommodations are needed. RAs can include, but are not limited to: • Work environment modifications • Making facilities more accessible • Job restructuring • Modified work schedules • Changing tests, training materials, or policies • Providing qualified readers or interpreters • Assistive technology accommodations The biggest take away of the event for employees was learning more about the RA process and what to expect as they proceed through the process. The forum also advised employees on Department of Navy policy for RA requests which NSWC PCD uses. ♦
Read This before You Cook Thanksgiving Dinner This Year and be Safe By U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Blogger
Did you know that the number of kitchen fires triples on Thanksgiving Day? Yes, it can happen to you. There is an average of about 1,300 kitchen fires on Thanksgiving compared to about 400 on other days, looking at the data from 2010 through 2012. It makes sense. Thanksgiving is all about gathering family and friends and cooking a big homemade meal. So now that you know about the increased fire threat, how do you cook Thanksgiving dinner safely? • Avoid loose-fitting clothing with long sleeves near ranges and ovens; • Watch children closely so they do not come into contact with cook-
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ing food or hot stovetops; and • Turn pan handles toward the back of the stove to prevent kids and others from spilling a pan’s scalding contents on themselves. If you are cooking your bird in a turkey fryer this year, do it outside only and away from your home. Away from your home means NOT inside your garage or on your porch. Since 2002, there have been more than 168 turkey-fryer related fire, burn, explosion or CO poisoning incidents, including 672 injuries and $8 million in property damage. See our turkey fryer safety tips: • Use turkey fryers outside only and away from your home. • Never use a turkey fryer in a garage or on a porch. • Do not overfill the oil in the turkey fryer. • Never leave the turkey fryer unattended. ♦
Coastal Compass - November 2016
Keeping the “Happy” in Happy Holidays By Patrick Beacom, NSWC PCD Safety & Occupational Health Specialist
PANAMA CITY, Florida — As we prepare for the holidays, remember that the beginning of the holiday season is historically a time where there is an increase in the number of mishaps and accidents. Knowing how to manage the risks associated with the holiday hazards may help keep us and our loved ones safe. One way to ensure that we enjoy the festivities, celebrations and long awaited homecomings with loved ones is to apply the steps and principles of Operational Risk Management (ORM) when confronted with the need to make a risk decision. You might argue that it is impractical to apply the five-step process of ORM everytime you encounter a hazard or risk in everyday life. There’s not enough time to develop and deploy a deliberate risk management plan. A risk management plan that asks me to: 1) Identify the Hazard, 2) Assess the Hazard, 3) Make Risk Decisions, 4) Implement Controls and 5) Supervise or monitor for effectiveness. How many of those everyday hazards or risks have you confronted before? What did you do to attend to the risk that was presented at the time? Using the four basic principles of ORM can help you determine the benefit(s) to devote some time to develop and implement a five-step risk management plan help you navigate your way through the holiday season hazards. 1. Accept risk when benefits outweigh cost 2. Accept no unnecessary risk 3. Anticipate and manage risk by planning 4. Make risk decisions It might be worth the time and effort to develop a deliberate risk management plan to address those issues that are encountered year after year. Making risk decisions in advance and implementing a risk management plan meant to minimize the potential for a negative outcome, can help reduce stress and ease your mind when you mitigate the hazards your loved ones might be exposed to. Is there a risk management process to help us deal with scenarios when time and resources are limited? Is there a process to help address the hazards linked to any change as it occurs and impacts the routine
Coastal Compass Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division Panama City, FL, 32407-7001 (850) 235-5990 DSN: 436-5990 Commanding Officer Capt. Phillip Dawson III, USN
or plan? This would be the perfect time to employ the concept of Time Critical Risk Management (TCRM). At this level, there is little or no time to make a plan. It may prove to be helpful in choosing the appropriate course of action when an unplanned event occurs during the execution of a plan or daily routine. This concept can be defined as an on-the-go mental or verbal review of the new or changing situation at hand. In a scenario of this type, the application of the five-step risk management process may be impractical and ineffective. The TCRM model compresses the fivestep ORM model to an easy to remember four-letter mnemonic aimed to increase situational awareness and improve task performance in the time critical environment: • A - Assess the Situation. What can go wrong? What is different? • B - Balance Resources. Do you have the Time/Knowledge/Personnel/ Equipment/Money to control the risk? • C - Communicate. If you can’t control the risk, stop what you are doing. Tell others exposed to the hazard/risk. Find an alternative. • D - Do and Debrief. Note the lessons learned. Were risks missed during planning? Did controls work? Update fivestep risk management model. Time critical decision making requires a unique set of skills, which must be practiced. The decisions made will depend upon the past experience(s) of the person(s) exposed to the new hazard or risk, and the availability of resources. Why It Matters: • Every federal safety, health and consumer protection agency agrees that the national accident and personal injury rate increases during the winter holiday months. • Having a risk management plan will
Coastal Compass - November 2016
Executive Officer Cmdr. Paul G. Werring Jr. Division Technical Director Edwin Stewart (SES) Public Affairs Officer
Jacqui Barker Editor and Media Liaison Dan Broadstreet
Public Affairs Specialists
Jeff Prater and Katherine Mapp
Coastal Compass is published monthly by NSWC PCD and is an authorized medium for news of general interest about employees of NSWC PCD and their work. Contents of Coastal Compass are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, the Department of Defense or Department of the Navy. Coastal Compass’ content is provided and prepared by the NSWC PCD Office of Corporate Communications. For details about submissions, contact NSWC PCD Corporate Communication Editor Dan Broadstreet at (850) 235-5990.
To contact NSWC PCD’s Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline, call: (850) 234-4462
See HAPPY, page 10 Page 9
Around and About with NSWC PCD Employees
Command Presentation for Rotary Club
Joint Unmanned Underwater Vehicle Mission
PANAMA CITY, Florida — Jeff Prater presents the Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) command overview to a combined group consisting of the Rotary Club of Lynn Haven and the Panama City Downtown Rotary Club at the Panama Country Club Oct. 26, 2016. Prater discussed NSWC PCD’s mission areas, community impact and why NSWC PCD is known as the Technical Center of Excellence for Littoral Warfare and Coastal Defense. U.S. Navy Photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 161027-N-PD526-721
PANAMA CITY, Florida — Neil Tavener, center, Senior Systems and Integration Engineer with the Australian Defence Science and Technology Group, consults with NSWC PCD engineers Jason Price (left) and Joshua Weaver (right) prior to a joint unmanned underwater vehicle mission in the Hell Bay IV Trials, sponsored by ONR, during the first-ever Unmanned Warrior. The interoperability of multinational, mixed squads of unmanned underwater, surface and air vehicle systems was demonstrated. U.S. Navy Photo (Released)
Panama City FEW Membership Drive
Annual Bunker 87 Cookout
PANAMA CITY, Florida — Federally Employed Women (FEW) Panama City Chapter members host a membership drive on Oct. 14, 2016, in the lobby of Building 110. Pictured from left to right: Angela Hawes, Heidi Lecklitner-Halvorson and Jodi Hendrix. U.S. Navy Photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 161014-N-PD526-001
PANAMA CITY, Florida — Children’s Christmas Party Committee member Annette de Sercey (left) poses for a photo with grill masters Carl Smith (center) and Dan Theriault (right) at the Bunker 87 cookout to benefit the 2016 Children’s Christmas Party on Oct. 6, 2016. U.S. Navy Photo by Katherine Mapp (Released) 161006-N-PD526-646
HAPPY
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help increase the situational awareness of the potential hazards associated with the holiday months. • Risk management efforts may not identify every potential hazard that you, your family or friends are exposed to during the holidays, but having a plan will minimize the risk and exercising caution will minimize the opportunity for exposure to the hazards. • Understanding Time Critical Risk Management, maintaining situational awareness of your environment, and exercising good judgment may just save you or a loved one from becoming another holiday statistic. ♦
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Federal Aviation Administration Alert Effective immediately: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 is prohibited on all Department of Defense owned and controlled aircraft (including PE missions) in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration and department of Transportation guidance. Boarding must be denied if a passenger is in possession of this device. For more information please refer to www.faa.gov/go/packsafe.
Coastal Compass - November 2016
Coastal Compass - November 2016
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Navy Tests Variable Depth Sonar’s Hydrodynamic Behavior By PEO LCS Public Affairs
WASHINGTON — The Navy has improved its ability to pinpoint mines following a series of sonar tests at Carderock’s David Taylor Model Basin in Bethesda, Maryland, Navy officials announced Nov. 3, 2016. The Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Systems program office along with Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock Division tested the AN/AQS-20A Variable Depth Sonar (VDS), the minehunting sonar for the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program that provides detection and classification of mines through with imaging sonars, signal processing and computer algorithms. Previously collected data indicated that the AN/AQS-20A, when towed, exhibited an off-center bias, or “sway,” when compared to its tow platform. That sway impacts the sonar’s target localization capability, its ability to determine the position of mine-
like objects detected in the water column or on the sea floor. “Testing at Carderock’s impressive basin was part of the Navy’s proactive approach to identify the root cause of this occurrence,” said Capt. Bill Guarini, PMS 406 program manager. “This new data will help us deliver improved mine-hunting capability to our Sailors.” Led by NSWC Carderock with personnel support from the Navy’s Unmanned Maritime Systems program office, NSWC Panama City Division and an industry partner, the testing investigated the hydrodynamic behavior exhibited by the AN/AQS-20A VDS when towed by various surface and semi-submersible vehicles. Data collected from the tests will help determine the root cause of the sway phenomena and improve the sonar’s detection algorithms. Based on the findings, recommendations for corrective action or further testing will be presented to the LCS program office and Naval Sea Systems Command’s engineering directorate. ♦
NSWC PCD Holds 5th Annual Industry Day at Gulf Coast Sate College By Jeff Prater, NSWC PCD Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
PANAMA CITY, Fla – The Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) conducted its 5th annual Industry Day on Nov. 2, 2016 at Gulf Coast State College. Industry Day is designed for small and large businesses currently doing business with or seeking to do business with NSWC PCD and the Navy Experimental Diving Unit (NEDU). Over 110 defense contract partners were in attendance. The goal of the annual Industry Day is to be transparent and to keep the defense contractors abreast of Warfare Center business. NSWC PCD is committed to increased competition through less sole-source procurement, pre-proposal conferences and allowance for longer bidding periods. More competition offers better buying power for the taxpayer’s money and is in the best interest of the warfighter. NSWC PCD Technical Director Ed Stewart kicked off the meeting and noted this year’s theme was more important than ever — Strengthening the Naval Team. Small Business Deputy Gerald Sorrell recapped the small business results for the year. “This is my happy slide. It illustrates that over 42 percent of our contracts were with small businesses for a total dollar amount of $80 million,” said Sorrell. “I am pleased to tell you that we exceeded our target by eight percent!” NSWC PCD and NEDU are Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) command both located aboard Naval Support Activity Panama City, Florida. NSWC PCD’s core mission areas include mine warfare, diving and life support, expeditionary and amphibious, naval special warfare and all other missions that occur in the littorals. NEDU’s mission is to develop timely, cost-effective solutions to support and improve manned operations in undersea and other extreme environments through biomedical research and independent testing and evaluation of equipment
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PANAMA CITY, Florida - NSWC Panama City Division Small Business Deputy Gerald Sorrell recapped the small business results for the year with his “happy slide,” which illustrates that over 42 percent of NSWC PCD contracts were contracted with small businesses for a total dollar amount of $80 million. U.S. Navy Photo by Jeff Prater (Released) 161102-N-EP040-003
and procedures. NAVSEA is the largest of the U.S. Navy’s five system commands and accounts for one quarter of the Navy’s entire budget. As a provider command, NAVSEA has the responsibility of efficiently directing resource sponsors into the proper mix of manpower and resources to properly equip the Fleet. ♦
Coastal Compass - November 2016
Coastal Compass - November 2016
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Coastal Compass - November 2016
Coastal Compass - November 2016
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