Yardlines, Fall 2015

Photo by Chris Oxley

FALL 2015

A

Tale ofTwo Kennedys Retired Rear Adm. Earl Yates, the first commanding officer of USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67), was once again in command of a ship bearing the name John F. Kennedy. At the pivotal moment of the historic August 22 keel-laying ceremony, he commanded Crane Operator David Rushing to lift the keel unit.

Yates’ command was the culmination of a ceremony filled with excitement and pride as shipbuilders celebrated the beginning of construction for the new John F. Kennedy (CVN 79).

Three shipbuilders played a special role during the ceremony.

“It was an honor to know that my performance helped kick off the start of the John F. Kennedy keel-laying,” said Senior Reproduction Clerk Antuan Barnes, who performed the national anthem.

The invocation was enthusiastically delivered by Welder Donald Newsome, who asked that the CVN 79 be a symbol of peace, equality and power.

Welder Leon Walston completed the honors of burning Caroline Kennedy’s initials into the steel plate.

“President Kennedy was an amazing person,” he said. “It was special for me because my family was able to be there and witness shipbuilding history.”

Nearly 51 years ago, the keel was laid for the first USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). Caroline Kennedy, daughter of President Kennedy was the sponsor then and resumes that honor today for the next-generation John F. Kennedy.

Via video, the U.S. Ambassador to Japan declared the keel “truly and fairly laid,” with more than 1,500 shipbuilders and guests looking on.

Congressman Joseph Kennedy III, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy and the second cousin of Ship’s Sponsor Caroline Kennedy, served as the keynote speaker. He encouraged the shipbuilders working on the ship named for his great uncle.

“To the workers who will toil away on this project, and have already begun, and will continue for the next seven years or so, I don’t know what else to say other than an awe-inspired, ‘Thank you.’” Kennedy said. “This is an extraordinary thing to be a part of, it’s an extraordinary honor you have bestowed upon my family, and it’s an extraordinary testament to your dedication and talent.”

Now that the event is history, shipbuilders are focusing efforts on driving safety, quality, cost and schedule improvements over Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). They are looking for efficient, innovative ways to build the carrier.

“We’re not simply looking for ways to improve,” said CVN 79 Program Director Mike Butler. “We’re looking for ways to significantly change the way the ship is built.

We’re opening the door to every employee in the shipyard to provide ideas on reducing the cost of our core (carrier) operations.”

With 546 of 1,109 units already completed, the strategy seems to be working. | By Jeremy Bustin Visit www.thefordclass.com/build to learn more about cost-reduction efforts on the Ford Class and to watch highlights from the August 22 ceremony.

Congressman Joseph Kennedy III, grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, signs the keel unit at the John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) keel-laying ceremony.

Photo by John Whalen

Q&A with the President

Matt Mulherin talks about the past, the future and staying relevant in the digital age.

Q: You’ve used the phrase “resetting the business” several times this year in communicating about reducing our workforce. What does “resetting” look like?

Mulherin: Reducing our workforce is a sad thing for us. We put a lot of energy into recruiting and hiring people, and now we’re turning that energy into finding opportunities for those we’re having to let go. I think we need to treat our shipbuilders as fairly as we can, and I hope that some of them are willing to come back because of how we treated them.

Newport News Shipbuilding has to remain a viable business. The only way to do that is to make sure the size of our workload and the size of our workforce match. So, if we have to make this painful decision, let’s figure out how to create a stronger business coming out of this valley of work, which has a definite end in 2017. Right

now, we are looking for as many opportunities as possible to be more cost-effective, and we are looking for more work outside of our gates – like at public shipyards – that allow us to retain more of our workforce during the workload valley.

Q: You recently announced the formation of a new division – Integrated Planning and Production Control. What’s the strategy behind that?

Mulherin: Up until recently, we had planning spread out across our different programs, in Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and on and on. Unless you have all those people under one leader, the plan may have worked great for one program but not so great across the entire shipyard. So, this new organization is critical to optimizing the way the shipyard functions as a whole. I’m not saying we didn’t do a

Photo by Chris Oxley

We’re also trying to create this digital shipbuilding enterprise to get more value out of the 3-D product model, especially for the people whose hands are building the ship. We are working to create digital work packages with step-by step 3-D instructions, embedded training videos, and all the information the shipbuilder needs to get the job done. There’s so much we can do to increase efficiency by integrating digital data deeper into our processes and by centralizing planning. I think we’ll get real value out of this new division as we look to the future.

Q: There is a lot of discussion right now, both in our company and at a national level, about inclusion and diversity. How important is this discussion for our company?

Mulherin: Our inclusion and diversity initiative is about surfacing the best ideas to solve the challenges we have.

How do we draw out great ideas from diverse points of view if the people who have those different ideas are afraid to speak out? We need to create a culture that not only listens but fosters that creativity and doesn’t let a good idea go.

Our employee resource groups are a place where this is already happening. We also just celebrated this year’s Model of Excellence Award winners. Those are people who had a fantastic idea and got the right support to see the idea through. I also see this happening a lot on the CiWP (Common integrated Work Package) team. They’re a diverse group of people from all areas of the shipyard, and collectively they just feed off each other. Together, they are creating a better outcome than a group who hadn’t sought out all those diverse perspectives.

Q: Newport News Shipbuilding celebrates its 130th anniversary next year. What can we learn from the first 130 years?

Mulherin: Obviously, a huge turning point in our business was embracing nuclear propulsion at its conception. What

if Newport News had decided not to build nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines? We wouldn’t be the shipyard we are today, maybe not be here at all.

The legacy that has brought us here won’t carry us for the next 130 years. We’ve got to figure out how to stay relevant. We’ve got to take these great ideas and embed them in how we do work. And that’s why inclusion and diversity are so important. We need to find those great ideas that help reinvent who we are over the next 130 years.

Q: What are your top priorities between now and 2017?

Mulherin: My top priorities continue to be safety, quality, cost and schedule, and we need to focus on reinventing ourselves. In 2017, the amount of work really picks up again. In the meantime, we have this unique opportunity to look at how we do business and come out on the other side a more innovative, more efficient company. So, this next year is really about that – preparing for a brighter future.

Interview by Peter Stern Portrait by John Whalen

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The legacy that has brought us here won’t carry us for the next 130 years. We’ve got to figure out how to stay relevant.

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good job before, but I think there’s an opportunity to do it better.

Toug her than

The latest HII “Tougher Than Steel” advertising campaign features employees from Newport News Shipbuilding, AMSEC and Continental Maritime of San Diego.

Following are excerpts from the articles profiling the campaign’s featured employees Roberto Perez, Steven Lent and Mary Claire McLaughlin.

Roberto Perez, pipe welder journeyman Perez and his fellow craftsmen at Continental Maritime of San Diego complete repair work on all types of surface vessels, from amphibious warships to aircraft carriers.

“You have to be tough to do my job because you never know what’s going to come up next,” he said. “Ships rely on us, pipelines rely on us, and they can’t have systems failing out at sea because a pipe leaks or a pipe goes bad.

Our work has to be reliable.”

As a master of 13 different weld processes, Perez arrives at work at 6 a.m. ready to fix piping in some of the ships’ tightest spaces. “Every day there’s a new challenge,” he said.

Steven Lent, team leader AMSEC’s Steven Lent and his three-man field service team maintain and repair armored vehicles for the U.S. Navy.

Their work has taken them from their shop and storage area adjacent to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, Virginia, all the way to the 120-degree heat of Djibouti and Kuwait. “Wherever these trucks and boats go,” Lent said, “our guys will follow.”

Sometimes, their work takes them to the side of a highway.

“We have to be able to get out there on the side of the road

Steel

– with traffic going by – jack up a 32,000-pound boat, and get a wheel back on that thing so they can get it to where it has to be,” Lent said. “We can even change the whole axle on the side of the road if we have to.”

Mary Claire McLaughlin, mechanical engineer At NNS, shipbuilders have depended on drawings for more than 100 years. But because of Mary Claire McLaughlin and the NNS augmented reality team, shipbuilders’ tools are about to change.

The applications McLaughlin designs help craftsmen and craftswomen see what the finished product looks like in a ship compartment – with piping installed and holes cut – so they can work to mirror the digital data.

In HII’s newest print ads and television commercials, (L to R) Roberto Perez, Steven Lent and Mary Claire McLaughlin tell why they are “Tougher Than Steel.”

For McLaughlin, the tough part of her job is marrying the engineering design and those needs. “It’s pulling the pieces together. It’s understanding the challenges and the requirements of the craftsmen and taking those requirements back to our development team to create a new augmented reality solution,” she said. And these solutions will help ships from construction to overhaul.

Visit www.huntingtoningalls.com/about/tougher to see the full articles, videos and television commercials.

November is the month of remembrance. It’s also a time to express gratitude and thanks for family, friends, health and everything else that’s meaningful to us.

With the upcoming holiday season in mind, remember the great gift our men and women in uniform give to their country – and to each one of us – and say thank you.

Less than one percent of Americans serve in the military, yet these individuals and their daily sacrifices give us our freedom.

Newport News Shipbuilding honors the 12 members of our shipbuilding family who are selflessly serving our country in the armed forces. We also send Season’s Greetings to their families who also share their sacrifice.

Andrew N. X36 Aubrey S. X43 Brittaney S. E85 Heather D. E88 Jerry P. X43 Justice T. E85 Leeana C. E85 Louis S. X43 Olga B. X33 Quinton H. X36 Selcuk N. E8 Zachary H. X43 Full names not provided for privacy.

navy veteran’s

career Comes

Full circle,

Steven Rapp had no idea that one day he would help build the types of ships he served on. Rapp joined the Navy right out of high school in 1979, inspired by his father’s Navy career.

“My father joined with his older brother at the end of the Korean War,” he recalled.

Originally from Milwaukee, Rapp served as an aviation structural mechanic on USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67). On his first deployment, he worked in the aircraft tire shop where he learned to disassemble and assemble tires for aircraft ranging from the F-14 to the H-3 helicopter.

“Serving on Kennedy was a new experience, being so far away from home,” he said.

His naval career spanned 20 years and included serving on shore and aboard carriers, such as Kennedy and USS George Washington (CVN 73).

He particularly enjoyed visiting Italy, France, Spain, Egypt and Australia, and meeting their people. “It was wonderful and eventful, especially during the Gulf War when I was stationed on the Iwo Jima (LPH 2).”

A few years after retiring, he began his career at Newport News Shipbuilding. Rapp, now a structural inspector, said, “I’m proud to be able to continue serving my country at Newport News Shipbuilding. My duty now is to build quality and safe ships for the Navy.

“I think it’s great that we’ll have a new John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). After two decades in the Navy, stationed on two ships built here, I feel as if I’ve come full circle. It’s an honor to help build ships for our Navy’s present and future men and women.”

I By Amy McDonald

Photo by Chris Oxley

PROS

Chloe Mallet and Andrea Raff at the controls of Proteus, a dual-mode submersible built by Undersea Solutions Group. Â Photo from USG

W ITH

P R OTEU S

Operating a submersible shocks the senses.

Completely underwater in an unlit tube, loaded down with scuba gear and a face mask to see the controls, you need to depend on your training and skill to drive this unique vehicle.

It might sound like a daunting task, but for Chloe Mallet and Andrea Raff at Undersea Solutions Group (USG), it was history.

Mallet, an ocean engineer, and Raff, a mechanical engineer, became the first female divers to crew and drive a dual-mode underwater vehicle (DMUV) in June when they operated the DMUV Proteus at USG, a subsidiary of Newport News Shipbuilding.

“It’s pitch-black inside, and all you can see is the computer screen and the buttons,” said Raff. “The screens light up enough for us to see one another, but that’s it. You can’t tell you’re moving forward unless the canopy doors are open, but you can feel the pitch and roll of the vehicle.”

Raff and Mallet are certified as rescue divers and underwent extensive training to prepare for their first dive with Proteus.

“We help with maintenance on Proteus, and the other divers explain aspects of the boat to us,” Mallet said.

“You learn as you go when it’s in the maintenance bay, but this was the first time ever in the water.”

Mallet and Raff are the only women on USG’s sevenperson team trained to drive the submersible. Proteus is able to operate as a manned swimmer delivery vehicle (SDV) and as an unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV). When manned by divers like Mallet and Raff, Proteus can reach depths of up to 150 feet.

For their first time out, Mallet and Raff took turns copiloting Proteus with USG Vice President Ross Lindman acting as pilot. From the test tank and into the water, the women helped Lindman drive the submersible in Florida’s Saint Andrews Bay, dipping to a depth of 25 feet.

“The opportunity to jump in is exciting,” Mallet said.

“We’ll continue training co-pilots, and then we’ll have an experienced diver with as us as a co-pilot.”

Working with Proteus is a special engineering project.

“Chloe and I definitely feel fortunate to have such a unique opportunity to dive Proteus,” Raff said. “We both love the ocean and diving, and knowing that we can combine that with our passion for engineering makes our job enjoyable.”

I By Phoebe Doty

Watch a video of Proteus in action: nns.huntingtoningalls.com/usg

Jeffrey Adelman Jessica Anderson David Baize

Kevin Bull

Vernon Eason

Robert Eason

Michael Hartenbach Roy Hawkins

Todd Estes

Christopher Evans Rodell Evans Jr

Jeremaine Hayes James Hedgepeth Lucas Hicks III

Dante Fredrick

Paul Garcia

Marcus Hills

Thomas Hines

Rodney Burch John Burleson

Christopher Gaskill Timothy Gault

Russ Hopkins

William McLaurin

Kerry Moore

David Mora

Kendall Morgan

Dennis Moss

Ralph Motley Jr

Roger Mumford II

Evan Neblett

David Roane

Michael Romanelli

Paul Ross

Nicholas Sarcone

Todd Sedler

Allen Sequoyah

Kenneth Serrano

Kevin Ritton

Martin Walsh Jr

Jeffery Watson Troy Watson

Gene Weaver Jr Lawrence Wedel Paul Wesche

Tho

Jason House

Jo

Lorna Ge

Kenyon J

William Newbern Wesley N

Walter Sharp

Jonathan Whelan Ryan Whisenant Robert Wilkins III

Adam S

Benja Willia

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James Barger

George Barry

ohn Capin Christopher Choate Julie Conley

Tyrell Beasley

Kenneth Bell

Robert Conway Jr Leslie Corsino

emmell Geoffrey Gore

Michael Greene John Gregory

Jenkins James Jones Jr

Richard Joyner Joseph Kimbel

Joel Griffen

Daniel Knoll

Newcomb William Newton Vincent Nguyen Kathleen Plucinski Kimberly Pollard

Shaw

amin amson

Allen Shelton

Marty Smith

John Somero

Luis Bonilla

Wayne Boone

Derrick Crews

Cameron Croll Matthew Davis Michael Davis Benjamin Duman

Jeffrey Halbauer

Richard Knorowski Steve Kortz

Joseph Powell

Jayston Stamper Roy Townsend III

Cardell Wilson Jr Charles Wilson Kuangcheng Wu Aaron Zurfluh

Amondo Hall

Alex Booth

Daniel Brooks

Elton Hampton II Raymond Hanson

Lisa Lindsey

Edward Brown

Terry Hargett

Robert Marcella Timothy Martin

Benjamin Price

Travis Quidera

Robert Rhodes

David Riddle

Travis Turbin

Allison Twilley

Seth Utecht

Paul Vinyard

Not pictured: Michael Gordon Jr. and Charles Pope Jr.

50

The Anniversary of Newport News Industrial

Ready to apply skills mastered in the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion Program, Newport News Shipbuilding ventured into the commercial nuclear services industry in 1965 with a new subsidiary. Fifty years since its inception, NNI draws upon its diverse capabilities and experience to meet customer needs while still possessing the agility and speed to meet customer expectations. Today, NNI provides a wide range of services and innovative products to the energy and petrochemical industries, as well as to NASA, the Department of Energy and Department of Defense.

1965 – The Nuclear Engineering and Construction Company is incorporated to design and construct commercial nuclear power plants.

1976 – NNI wins two multi-milliondollar contracts for additional nuclearrelated steel structures for the Perry Nuclear Power Plant.

1973 – Name is changed to Newport News Industrial (NNI) Corporation to reflect the company’s expansion into fossil power plants and other industrial facilities.

1981 – NNI fabricates and lifts the heaviest containment dome in the history of the nuclear construction industry at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant outside Cleveland, Ohio.

1974 – Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company awards a multi-milliondollar job to NNI to build thick-walled steel containment vessels for two nuclear power generating units.

1983 – NNI completes a first-ofits-kind project to replace the recirculation piping system in a reactor at Nine Mile Point Nuclear power plant in Oswego, New York.

1988 – NNI is the first company to receive the “Quality Vendor” award from Florida Power and Light Company based on repair/repack work at the St. Lucie Nuclear Station.

1991 – As opportunities for nuclear projects decline, NNI’s primary services become valve and pump repair, and overhaul for the power generation industry.

1995 – NNI becomes part of the newly formed Newport News Nuclear Division.

2000 – NNI moves from Oyster Point Industrial Park to its 70,000-square-foot location at 182 Enterprise Drive near Fort Eustis.

2001 – NNI completes overhaul and repair of two reactor feedwater turbines at Nebraska’s Cooper nuclear plants.

2002 – NNI completes major plant modification at Dominion Power’s Surry plant.

2009 – NNI is awarded a $9.5M subcontract for the Savannah

River Site’s Defense Waste Processing facility.

2009 – NNI delivers a 120,000-pound rolling platform to AREVA to stage equipment for the Aegis Inlay Program.

2010 – NNI is awarded a $1.8M contract for work at the Savannah River Site.

2012 –NNI is awarded subcontracts

by The Shaw Group to construct four commercial nuclear power units.

Photos illustrating Newport News Industrial’s people and projects throughout its first 50 years.

Photos from NNS photo archives

2014 – New weld management system goes online to enhance input and management of product weld and inspection data, as well as welder performance.

2015 – NNI employees celebrate their 50th anniversary and 200th product delivery for Chicago Bridge and Iron Company.

ROGER TH

Master Shipbuilders Timothy Miller, Walter Spencer, and Karl Michaelis have a combined 130 years of experience maintaining the shipyard’s critical two-way radio communications system.

Opposite page: David Roe helps to ensure the shipyard radios are available 24/7 year-round.

Photos by John Whalen

HAT The Radio Shop at Newport News Shipbuilding handles one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure: the two-way radio communications system. With 2,500 radios distributed across 30 departments, this system is essential to the operation of the company and can be used in places that may not have cell service, such as on an aircraft carrier.

Radio Shop Supervisor Christopher Kelce said, “The shipyard radios have to be available year-round 24 hours a day, seven days a week. While some equipment can be down a few days, the radio system cannot.”

From coordinating crane lifts to radiological drills and security, radios increase production capabilities and keep employees safe. One of the most important functions of the radio system is its use when responding to emergencies. Employees can use radios to call for medical care, to report fires, and in any other situation that requires immediate attention.

Of the four company pillars (Safety, Quality, Cost, Schedule), safety is a key component to troubleshooting radios. When working on radios, Master Shipbuilder Timothy Miller thinks of safety. “I always keep at the forefront of my mind that someone’s life could depend on the radio I’m working on,” he said.

The shop repairs down to the smallest component level, working with a broad spectrum of RF equipment, but there is more to the Radio Shop than repairs. Another part of the team’s job is making sure the shipyard follows guidelines set in place by the Federal Communications Commission.

The radio shop is also responsible for the maintenance of blue light emergency call boxes in various parking lots across the yard. In an emergency, the call boxes can be used to reach a dispatcher. Radios also broadcast messages to the entire shipyard through the Mass Area Communication Alert System intercoms.

In a power outage, fail-safes are in place to ensure radio system functionality. In the Communications Building, two forms of redundancy are built in to provide electrical power in any scenario: an uninterruptable power supply and a diesel generator. These fail-safes help ensure consistent radio coverage during storms, power outages and other emergencies.

With three Master Shipbuilders working in the Radio Shop, the team has over 130 years of experience with the communication system. Manager of Facilities Dave Byrum works with the team. “The radio system is going through a critical transition period,” he said. “The Master Shipbuilders want to leave a legacy of 100 percent system reliability so, as a team, they’re actively engaged in transferring their broad base of knowledge to the next generation of technicians.” | By Casey Fletcher

A Message From

QuadMed As the supervisor for the new HII Family Health Center, I’m extremely excited about the opportunity to provide exceptional health care to Newport News Shipbuilding employees and their family members!

The new center, managed and operated by QuadMed, is on track to open in the first quarter of next year.

Once the building is complete, the QuadMed project team and new health center staff will take over and begin setting up. We will bring in the medical equipment, set up the exam tables, stock the cabinets and continue to train staff. I think you will agree, once you see the finished product, the center will be a great modern-looking medical facility.

All of the center staff are employed

by QuadMed. The QuadMed medical director for our center, Dr. Dan Naumann, and I have been interviewing candidates for the center over the past few months. We are both really excited for you to meet the candidates already in the pipeline for the following areas:

to maintain or improve your health, the staff is able to collaborate with each other, and you or your family member, to choose the best plan of care. Your visit cost is only $15 – but preventive services are provided at no cost.

Some preventive Family Health Center services (provided at no cost) include: • Annual physicals and well-child exams • Health and wellness coaching • Chronic condition management (for conditions such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure) • Nutrition planning sessions for individuals or families • Blood pressure screenings • Vaccines and flu shots Dr. Naumann and I look forward to meeting more of you in the shipyard as we get closer to opening!

• Primary and sick care • Physical therapy • Health coaching and diabetes education • Laboratory and X-ray • Care coordination Having all of these areas in one building is a major benefit for you and your family. Whether you want

Rich McClelland Health Center Supervisor

QuadMed’s Rich McClelland speaks with Rufus Rawles about the new Family Health Center opening in first quarter 2016.

Photo by Ricky Thompson

SEEING

Employee Resource Groups in a Different Light Today, the shipyard’s five Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are viewed as more than just social networks. The employee-led business networks have always been an important resource for professional development and networking. Now, they are becoming another avenue for employees to contribute to the company’s success.

Newport News Shipbuilding’s ERGs offer opportunities for learning, leadership, mentoring, volunteerism, cultural enrichment and community involvement. The chartered organizations are the African American Shipbuilders Association (AASA), Hispanic Outreach and Leadership Alliance (HOLA), Shipbuilders of Huntington Ingalls Professionals Network (SHIPs Network), Veterans Employee Resource Group (VERG) and Women in Shipbuilding Enterprise (WiSE).

As inclusion and diversity at the shipyard become more aligned with the shipyard’s business objectives, the role of ERGs is evolving. NNS leaders are utilizing ERGs to provide insight and ideas on a variety of company initiatives.

“ERGs have existed primarily for the uplifting and leisure of their members. Now the company is beginning to utilize them more strategically to support the company’s initiative to incorporate inclusion and diversity into its business objectives,” said AASA President Nishon Carter.

WiSE Chairperson Britta Brown Zambrana said, “It’s a great opportunity to work with the leadership team at NNS. It also allows you to help shape the future of the company.”

HOLA’s Chairperson Oliver Aguilar has had a long history with Hispanic ERGs dating back to 2010, when the shipyard was part of Northrop Grumman. In 2011, he helped form an HOLA chapter at Ingalls Shipbuilding, and in 2013 he became a founding member of HOLA at NNS. “ERGs provide value by giving employees opportunities for professional development outside of normal funding. It also allows a way to network within the company and identify individuals who could ultimately help with work related issues,” Aguilar said. “ERGs also provide an opportunity to lead without authority and ultimately

become an influencer and change agent for company initiatives.”

Administrative Assistant Krysti Filer’s passion for WiSE began as a new hire five years ago. “WiSE made me feel welcome, allowed me to network with other members and provided me opportunities to grow in my professional and personal life,” she said. Since joining WiSE, Filer has taken on positions of increasing responsibility. She served as WiSE’s secretary 2013–2014 and she currently serves as vice chairperson.

ERGs also extend the shipyard’s brand and resources into the community. The five ERGs regularly engage in community activities ranging from Habitat to Humanity to STEM-related school activities to events that raise awareness for health and wellness.

Ebony Nickens, a metrology technician and a core member of the SHIPs Network board, was attracted to the volunteer opportunities. ”Volunteering and getting involved is so important in today’s society. It’s rewarding to help others and educate them as well.”

Already active in three of the shipyard ERGs, Marcia Stewart-Downing, a Navy veteran, formed VERG in 2012.

“I wanted to provide benefits information and awareness to veterans and their families. I also wanted to provide awareness of the unique set of skills veterans bring to an organization.”

For all the benefits ERGs offer, there are challenges.

ERG board members would like to see more employees become active participants, manage events and activities, and fill leadership positions.

“ERG board members can’t do it all,” said VERG’s Secretary Joseph Caden. We need more shipbuilders to step up and help others engage in the process. We have an awesome amount of dedication and spirit, which the company can tap into. This engagement translates into real motivated employees, who stop at nothing to perform a job well-done.” | By Gina Chew-Holman To learn how to join an NNS Employee Resource Group, visit nns.huntingtoningalls.com/employees/erg.

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE fear 2 freedom In the United States, a person is sexually assaulted every 107 seconds. That’s 293,000 victims each year, according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.

Rosemary Trible, wife of former U.S. Senator Paul Trible, who is now president of Christopher Newport University, experienced the trauma of sexual assault in 1975. Since that horrific night, Trible, has helped other victims heal and reclaim a joyful life.

In September, nearly 60 Newport News Shipbuilding employee volunteers met Trible at a warehouse near Fort Eustis. Their mission was to help Fear 2 Freedom, the notfor-profit organization Trible founded in 2011, prep care packages for sexual assault victims.

“Everyone was deeply moved with Rosemary’s story and her willingness to help others,” said Sergio Salinas, nuclear engineer. “Her enthusiasm was so contagious that every shipbuilder at the event was willing to do whatever was needed to perpetuate the cause.”

NNS employees and their family members unboxed and folded 3,000 pairs of sweatpants for the after-care packages. F2F kits include clothing, basic toiletries, personal notes of encouragement and a teddy bear. To date, Trible’s Newport News-based organization has distributed more than 9,000 F2F kits.

F2F’s mission hit especially close to home for Foreman Dee Dee Fehr. “I’ve known many people who have been affected by different types of abuse,” she said. “When something like this happens, it’s the small things in life that bring the victim joy. I know that when the victims receive their kit, they will appreciate that someone they didn’t even know thought of them before they arrived at the hospital.”

After the “We Care” service event, Trible said, “There was such compassion for victims among the shipyard employees. Their dedications to the event and cause quickly finished our volunteer project. Thank you for being the change and restoring the joy.” I By Lauren Shuck

Fear 2 Freedom Founder Rosemary Trible, front left, kicks off a Newport News Shipbuilding volunteer day September 26.

NNS volunteers spent the day prepping more than 3,000 pairs of sweatpants for care packages that will be distributed to local victims. of sexual assault. Photos by Chris Oxley

ON THE COVER

Yardlines is published quarterly for the employees of Newport News Shipbuilding.

This issue of Yardlines was produced by: Jeremy Bustin, Phoebe Doty, Casey Fletcher, Amy McDonald, Eugene Phillips, Ben Scott, LaMar Smith, Peter Stern, Lauren Shuck and Kimberly Zayakosky.

George Scott sets up a mirror for welding pipe inside the South Dakota (SSN 790) sail.

Photo by Chris Oxley

FALL 2015

Editor: Gina Chew-Holman Send change of address, comments, questions and story ideas to communications@hii-nns.com or call 757-380-2627.

nns.huntingtoningalls.com

Photo by Chris Oxley

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THEY’RE HERE! Newport News Shipbuilding license plates are now available through the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.

The new shipyard license plates may be ordered online at www.dmv.state.va.us or in person at any Virginia DMV office.

If you pre-ordered an NNS license plate and have not received it in the mail, contact Jeremy Bustin at (757) 380-4384.

Joshua Jones installs the new NNS license plate.

Photo by Chris Oxley