JUN - Bath Iron Works
JUN - Bath Iron Works
JUN - Bath Iron Works
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
BIW NEWS<br />
June<br />
2009<br />
Wayne E. Meyer<br />
(DDG 108) Sea Trials<br />
(see back page)<br />
INSIDE<br />
From the Helm - 2<br />
Performance - 3<br />
SECNAV Visit - 3<br />
Facility Facelifts - 4<br />
5 Star Compliance - 4<br />
Wellness and Benefits - 5<br />
Retirees - 5<br />
Investing in Kids - 6<br />
Performance Incentive - 6<br />
Help! - 7<br />
From the Fleet - 8<br />
DDG 109 Christening - 8<br />
Engineering Excellence - 9<br />
Manufacturing Excellence - 9<br />
Service Anniversaries - 10<br />
Lunch for a Cause - 10<br />
Summer Interns - 11<br />
New Hires - 11<br />
DDG 108 Sea Trials - 12
From the Helm<br />
Jeff Geiger, President, <strong>Bath</strong> <strong>Iron</strong> <strong>Works</strong><br />
The first half of 2009 is history and now is a good time to<br />
review our game plan to see if we need to make second<br />
half adjustments. However, the shipbuilding league<br />
doesn’t give us much of a half-time “break.”<br />
We began the year with a lot of uncertainty and speculation<br />
about defense budgets and programs but there were indications<br />
our future would become more predictable if we maintained<br />
strong performance. The game plan was to keep doing what<br />
we had been doing and give every key decision maker a reason<br />
to look to BIW to play a pivotal role in fulfilling the Navy’s<br />
need for ships. By virtually all measures, you executed that<br />
game plan in a near-flawless manner, as evidenced by the<br />
attention that we have been receiving.<br />
In April, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research,<br />
Development and Acquisition, Sean Stackley, came for a visit<br />
and update on our DDG 1000 progress. We were underway<br />
with full-rate production by then and he expressed confidence<br />
in our ability to build DDG 1000 like a follow ship and change<br />
the long held paradigm about lead ships and the problems they<br />
typically experience.<br />
That visit was shortly followed by one from U. S. Coast<br />
Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen and Senator Susan<br />
Collins. Admiral Allen was clearly impressed with what he<br />
observed, especially your energy and enthusiasm. We look<br />
forward to his next visit and hope to see some members of<br />
his senior staff in the near future.<br />
About a week after that, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates<br />
announced his recommendation to construct all three DDG<br />
1000 ships at BIW and to restart the DDG 51 production line<br />
at both BIW and Northrop Grumman—a decision that was<br />
good for shipbuilding, the Navy and the country. While<br />
Congress must still act, this helps us to see ahead more accurately<br />
than we have been able for a long time. On May 22,<br />
about a month after his announcement, the SECDEF came<br />
to see for himself what BIW was doing, and then expressed<br />
confidence in us when he told reporters after the visit that<br />
he felt “there is plenty of money in the budget to keep BIW<br />
busy for years to come.”<br />
The beginning of this month brought with it the hard<br />
reality that the work load downturn between DDG 51 and<br />
DDG 1000 programs that we had been anticipating had<br />
arrived and with it, a period of temporary layoffs before<br />
DDG 1000 production would represent a significant part of<br />
our work. We’ve already experienced some of these layoffs.<br />
However, your successes to date have made today’s situation<br />
far less severe than it might have been. We will continue<br />
attempts to minimize the impact to individuals and families.<br />
On June 9–12, we had a successful super trial on WAYNE<br />
E. MEYER (DDG 108) which was followed by a visit to the<br />
shipyard from the new Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus<br />
who was accompanied by Senator Olympia Snowe and<br />
Peter Tupper (D81).<br />
Representative Chellie Pingree. He is the second consecutive<br />
SECNAV whose first visit to a shipyard shortly after being<br />
sworn into office was to BIW. Like those who preceded him,<br />
SECNAV Mabus was also impressed by what he saw and heard.<br />
By the time your read this, the Maine Maritime Museum<br />
will have awarded its 2009 Mariner of the Year Award to the<br />
Shipbuilders of BIW—past, present and future. I hope you<br />
were able to attend the festivities at the museum with your<br />
friends and family. It’s a great honor for all of us to be recognized<br />
in this manner which is, in large part, an expression of<br />
appreciation by the communities within which we live for the<br />
contributions, both inside and outside of the shipyard, that<br />
our employees make. I was very proud to have been part of<br />
the celebration.<br />
As we break the huddle to start the second half of the year,<br />
our momentum is good. We are doing the right things and we<br />
must hang tough as we push through the current transition<br />
from DDG 51 to DDG 1000. Our game plan remains solid—<br />
we need to keep executing like the professionals we are.<br />
As you celebrate our nation’s birthday with family and<br />
friends, take a moment to reflect on the fact that freedom isn’t<br />
free. Remember our troops who will spend this July 4 in places<br />
far away from their families and friends and, if you see someone<br />
who is on active duty or a veteran, please say thank you. Happy<br />
Independence Day.<br />
“TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE”<br />
2 | June 2009 | BIW NEWS
Performance May 2009<br />
RECORDABLE INJURIES<br />
Cumulative Through May 2009<br />
20<br />
15<br />
10<br />
5<br />
0<br />
12.2<br />
Improvement<br />
Target<br />
13.3<br />
Actual<br />
LOST-TIME INJURIES<br />
Cumulative Through May 2009<br />
10<br />
8<br />
6<br />
4<br />
2<br />
0<br />
Improvement<br />
Target<br />
Actual<br />
Note: As of January 2009, safety statistics are reported as rates to align with other safety reporting<br />
within the shipyard.<br />
3.8<br />
3.2<br />
BIW NEWS<br />
BIW NEWS is published monthly by the<br />
Communications Department (D94) of<br />
<strong>Bath</strong> <strong>Iron</strong> <strong>Works</strong> and is produced internally<br />
in the BIW Print Shop. Photos by<br />
Mike Nutter unless otherwise noted.<br />
The primary objectives of BIW NEWS<br />
are to recognize the service, accomplishments,<br />
innovation and contributions<br />
of our employees and to provide information<br />
on matters that are of interest to<br />
our workforce.<br />
Comments and suggestions are<br />
welcome and should be forwarded to<br />
Dixie Stedman at Mail Stop 1210 or<br />
by e-mail at dixie.stedman@biw.com.<br />
Environmental<br />
Year to date (YTD) progress toward achieving<br />
our environmental performance goals under<br />
the Maine DEP STEP UP and other environmental<br />
programs is displayed as follows:<br />
Equal to or better than YTD goal<br />
Above YTD goal, improved<br />
from prior year<br />
Above YTD goal, not improved<br />
from prior year<br />
SECNAV Mabus at BIW<br />
The Honorable Ray Mabus, Secretary<br />
of the Navy, took office in mid-May<br />
and was at BIW on June 15, 2009, as<br />
part of a tour of northern New England to<br />
familiarize himself with the construction,<br />
operation and maintenance of the U.S. Navy<br />
fleet. While in Maine, he was accompanied<br />
by Senator Olympia Snowe and Congresswoman<br />
Chellie Pingree.<br />
During a brief media availability following<br />
a tour of the shipyard, Secretary Mabus<br />
told the press that this was his first visit outside<br />
Washington after taking the job. When<br />
asked about the significance of <strong>Bath</strong> <strong>Iron</strong><br />
<strong>Works</strong>, he replied that it is very important to<br />
the country to have competing shipyards, a<br />
strong industrial base and a trained work<br />
force. “For us to have the ships that we<br />
need to defend the interest of our nation,<br />
we have to have capacity …. This is a very,<br />
very impressive facility.”<br />
Cumulative Through May 2009<br />
Solid Waste<br />
Hazardous Waste<br />
Energy Costs<br />
Facility/Shift<br />
Information Call Line<br />
Toll free information on facility status,<br />
work shift delays, and cancellations<br />
1-866-630-BATH<br />
(1-866-630-2284)<br />
L to r: Congresswoman Pingree, Secretary Mabus, Senator Snowe and Jeff Geiger.<br />
BIW NEWS | June 2009 | 3
Facility Facelift<br />
In addition to some of the newest<br />
parts of the shipyard, the main shipyard<br />
also contains some of our oldest<br />
buildings. Facilities is currently paying<br />
attention to some of these areas and the<br />
results are noticeable.<br />
Dan Nadeau (D10), Director of<br />
Facilities, took a critical look around<br />
earlier this year and asked his staff to do<br />
the same. Armed with cameras, they<br />
looked at BIW from Washington Street<br />
to see what neighbors and visitors see as<br />
they approach. They went up on the<br />
Sagadahoc Bridge to see what tourists<br />
see, and they drove over to Arrowsic to<br />
see what BIW looks like from the other<br />
side of the river.<br />
What they saw were surroundings<br />
that didn’t quite match the world class<br />
capabilities of our work force. Dan said,<br />
“With that awareness, I asked everyone to<br />
work toward a future state of the facility,<br />
one which will reflect the professionalism<br />
of our work force and the pride that we<br />
have in what we build.”<br />
Mainers like to hold onto things<br />
because we never know when we might<br />
need that particular “thing.” But within<br />
the shipyard, we probably have held onto<br />
a little too much over the years.<br />
5 Star<br />
Compliance<br />
The 5-Star Compliance Program<br />
includes compliance training,<br />
correction, and ongoing oversight<br />
designed to improve our regulatory<br />
compliance and ensure everyone’s safety<br />
on the job.<br />
The goal for each work area, noted<br />
on the left side of the chart, is to earn<br />
and maintain certification in all five<br />
categories shown at the top.<br />
Status is reported by colored symbols<br />
as explained in the legend. An area may<br />
be in compliance (green), involved in the<br />
assessment process (yellow), preparing<br />
for assessment (gray), or it may have<br />
failed to maintain its certification (red).<br />
North Stores’ improved exterior and entrance area.<br />
Dan said, “Lean manufacturing has<br />
taught us to standardize our approach<br />
to housekeeping using the 5S system—<br />
sort, set in order, shine, standardize and<br />
sustain—to evaluate what has to be<br />
there, remove what is not essential, and<br />
organize what remains in a way that is<br />
most useful to the people who use it.”<br />
For example, applying 5S thinking to<br />
a stash of fire extinguishers dating from<br />
the FFG days made for an easy answer—<br />
the items were properly disposed of.<br />
Other areas were also evaluated using<br />
5S principles, resulting in cleaner, safer<br />
work spaces or common areas which<br />
were further improved by a coat of fresh<br />
paint, usually white.<br />
<strong>JUN</strong>E 9, 2009<br />
LLTF/Hyde South<br />
ABC Plat<br />
H 503 (DDG 108)<br />
H 504 (DDG 109)<br />
Rigging/Carpenter/South Hyde Shops<br />
P0II/Ultra hall<br />
EBMF<br />
Hardings<br />
ACE/CW<br />
<strong>Bath</strong> Warehouses<br />
Blast I, II, III<br />
Aluminum Shop<br />
Assembly Building<br />
Panel Line<br />
5-Skids<br />
Machine/Intake-Uptake/Strut shops<br />
Facilities<br />
Industrial cleaning consultants were<br />
asked to evaluate our processes. As a<br />
result, new equipment was purchased<br />
which eases the burden on cleaners and<br />
training was provided to ensure correct<br />
operation. Cleaning products were evaluated<br />
and four green-certified products<br />
have now replaced about twenty previously<br />
in use. In recent years, every aspect<br />
of cleaning industrial facilities has<br />
improved, including the performance<br />
and ease of each task, and the recent<br />
efforts of Dan and his staff incorporated<br />
a number of custodial upgrades.<br />
(Continued on pg. 5)<br />
Electrical<br />
Machine<br />
Guarding<br />
Fall<br />
Protection<br />
Fire, Health,<br />
Safety<br />
Housekeeping<br />
4 | June 2009 | BIW NEWS<br />
Compliant Engaged in Assessment Preparing for Assessment Lost Star
Wellness and Benefits<br />
Keep Movin’ is BAAAACK<br />
Better health is the best reward for a<br />
healthy lifestyle but keeping track of<br />
your activity could reward you with a<br />
great prize this summer. BIW Benefits and<br />
the Wellness Team is bringing Keep Movin’<br />
back as a 2-month activity program for<br />
BIW employees and families. You don’t<br />
need to register—just track your physical<br />
activity each day and record it on the<br />
activity card. Record at least 15 hours each<br />
month and you are eligible for the prizes.<br />
Program flyers and activity cards will be<br />
mailed to your home at the end of June.<br />
Start recording your activity on July 6 and<br />
continue until August 30. You can get<br />
additional activity cards during lunch<br />
and before/after shift. Find your wellness<br />
team member or location below:<br />
• Main Yard—Benefits Help Desk and<br />
Employee Store<br />
• CW—Hazel Baise<br />
• EBMF—Deena Bennett<br />
• Hardings—Jean Barnes<br />
• James—Phil Coyne, Hazel Meserve,<br />
Bill Shumaker<br />
• BIP—Gerry Pepin<br />
• CROF—Jessica Giancola, Nancy<br />
Larsen, Linda Wood<br />
Return the completed activity card to<br />
one of these locations by September 8 and<br />
you will be eligible for one of 10 prizes valued<br />
at $50 (5 for a family member, 5 for a<br />
BIW employee) and a Building Healthy<br />
Ways water bottle (limit 2 per household).<br />
BHWRemindsYou<br />
DVDS OF LUNCHTIME TALKS AVAILABLE<br />
Grand prizes for BIW employees<br />
There are two $250 value grand prize drawings.<br />
One is for a BIW employee who:<br />
(1) meets the minimum activity requirements<br />
and<br />
(2) recruits a family member or coworker—someone<br />
who has not participated<br />
in the past—to participate<br />
in Keep Movin’ and who meets the<br />
minimum activity requirement.<br />
The more recruits you get, the more<br />
chances you have at the grand prize<br />
(one entry per recruit).<br />
The second grand prize is for a BIW<br />
employee who participates in Keep Movin’<br />
for the first time and meets the minimum<br />
activity requirements.<br />
Already active? Great—Keep Movin’!<br />
Record your activity to be eligible for the $50<br />
value prize drawings and a water bottle.<br />
Make Keep Movin’ more fun by forming a<br />
team and walk at lunch or compete against<br />
another crew, team or co-workers and see<br />
who can get the most recruits or the most<br />
activity hours.<br />
If you haven’t participated in Keep<br />
Movin’ in the past, now is a good time to<br />
start because new participants are entered in<br />
the special grand prize drawing valued at<br />
$250. If it has been awhile since you have<br />
been active, talk with your doctor about<br />
your plans for physical activity.<br />
If you have questions about the program<br />
call the Benefits Help Desk at ext. 2527,<br />
email buildinghealthyways@gdbiw.com or<br />
contact your wellness team member.<br />
This spring, Building Healthy Ways and Mid Coast Hospital’s Department of Physical<br />
Therapy presented a series of Lunch Time Active Health Talks geared towards increasing<br />
activity levels and reducing injuries. Topics included: 1) Good Nutrition; 2) Sports<br />
Nutrition and Exercise Physiology; 3) Strength Training and Associated Injuries; 4)<br />
Speed, Endurance and Associated Injuries; 5) Motivation, Goal Setting and Planning<br />
a Race; and 6) Golf Talk.<br />
DVD’s of the series are available. If you haven’t already obtained one, you can<br />
request a copy by email. Just click the Lunch Time Active Health Talk Series button<br />
on the BIW Intranet home page or call the Benefits Help Desk at ext. 2527.<br />
May 2009<br />
Retirees<br />
Dept.<br />
Name<br />
24-00 Sharon A. Patterson<br />
34 Years, 8 Months<br />
Program Manager, Materials<br />
26-01 Joseph E. Miller<br />
32 Years, 2 Months<br />
Corporal<br />
27-00 Paul E. Cote<br />
15 Years, 1 Month<br />
Preservation Tech III<br />
50-00 Charles E. Thompson Jr.<br />
26 Year, 6 Months<br />
Shipfitter III<br />
81-00 Edward M. Eaton<br />
21 Years, 8 Months<br />
Material Clerk III<br />
86-00 Michael T. Hayes<br />
26 Years, 10 Months<br />
Technician III, Engineering<br />
86-00 James C. Kerner<br />
20 Years, 7 Months<br />
Technician III, Engineering<br />
86-00 Arthur W. Tomer<br />
20 Years, 2 Months<br />
Designer, 1st Class<br />
87-00 Craig L. Whitman Jr.<br />
31 Years, 9 Months<br />
Engineer III, Project<br />
Facelift (from pg. 4)<br />
Other aspects of progress are underway,<br />
including a systematic review and<br />
repair of all roofing surfaces, siding<br />
repairs and a variety of initiatives to<br />
assess and optimize energy use. Most<br />
improvements undertaken by Facilities<br />
in the last six months have or will<br />
result in cost savings over time, but<br />
the safety aspects of the changes are<br />
immediately beneficial.<br />
Lean Manufacturing tells us that<br />
junk gets in everyone’s way and dirt<br />
compromises quality; we are happier<br />
in a clean, well-kept environment and<br />
more inclined to work with greater care<br />
and attention. Stay tuned as Dan and<br />
his folks continue to work towards<br />
their future state vision.<br />
BIW NEWS | June 2009 | 5
Investing in Kids<br />
Big Brothers Big Sisters of<br />
<strong>Bath</strong>/Brunswick (BBBS/BB)<br />
recently held its annual Volunteer<br />
Appreciation Dinner at the Holiday Inn<br />
at <strong>Bath</strong>. The dinner is an opportunity<br />
for staff, Board members, business and<br />
community partners, and Community<br />
Program Bigs (Big Brother/Sister) and<br />
Littles (Little Brother/Sister) to join<br />
together in recognition of those who<br />
support the agency.<br />
BBBS presented this year’s award for<br />
Business Partner of the Year to <strong>Bath</strong><br />
<strong>Iron</strong> <strong>Works</strong>. Jeff Geiger accepted the<br />
award which is presented annually to a<br />
business that has provided support to<br />
the agency within the three categories<br />
of volunteerism, fundraising event participation,<br />
and financial contribution.<br />
Connie Hartley, BBBS Director said,<br />
“For over ten years, BIW employees<br />
and their family members have exemplified<br />
and shined in all three of these<br />
areas and contributed to our agency’s<br />
success.”<br />
Numerous BIW employees participated<br />
in this year’s annual Bowl For<br />
Kids Sake (BFKS) fundraiser, including<br />
nine teams from CROF which raised a<br />
total of $3,600, and five teams from the<br />
James building which raised another<br />
$2,500. Connie said, “We want to recognize<br />
and thank Hazel Meserve (D86)<br />
BBBS Supporters with Connie Hartley, BBBS Director (shown second from left), include, l to r: Bob<br />
Gamache, Eric London and Jeff Geiger.<br />
for her leadership in recruiting and organizing<br />
bowling teams at James as well as for<br />
organizing many fundraisers over the years<br />
in support of our programs.”<br />
BBBS also recognized John Upham<br />
(D19) for sharing his technical theater<br />
expertise and contributing his valuable<br />
time in support of their June fundraising<br />
event, “The Big Show.<br />
BBBS has both Community and Schoolbased<br />
programs where young people are<br />
matched with volunteer mentors who agree<br />
to meet regularly and serve as a role model<br />
and friend. Currently serving in one or<br />
both of these programs are BIW Bigs<br />
Rick Grover (D06), Ken Severy (D40), Bob<br />
Gamache, and Eric London (both D87)<br />
who regularly provide time and friendship<br />
to some special young people. In addition,<br />
Donna Day (D90) recently concluded a<br />
4-year match with her little sister as part<br />
of the Community-based program.<br />
Connie Hartley, BBBS Director, said,<br />
“Committed business partners and volunteers<br />
are the heart of Big Brothers Big<br />
Sisters of <strong>Bath</strong>/Brunswick and our agency<br />
could not be more appreciative of the dedication<br />
and support that <strong>Bath</strong> <strong>Iron</strong> <strong>Works</strong><br />
has shown us. Thank you so much for your<br />
many contributions over the years.”<br />
Performance<br />
Incentive<br />
Three data points per hull are shown<br />
in the Performance Incentive chart:<br />
Cumulative Performance to Date<br />
(solid column); Future Performance<br />
Required to Achieve Level 1 Goal (blue bar);<br />
and Future Performance Required to<br />
Achieve Level 2 Goal (black bar).<br />
Performance Required values change<br />
month to month to reflect performance<br />
during the period.<br />
Performance incentives are paid to all<br />
eligible employees at sailaway. These<br />
planned dates are shown to the right.<br />
Payout amounts for all hulls can be found<br />
in BIW Bulletin 09-07A, available on the<br />
BIW Intranet. Contact your supervisor for<br />
more information.<br />
<strong>JUN</strong>E 7, 2009<br />
Cost Performance Index<br />
150.0%<br />
125.0%<br />
100.0%<br />
75.0%<br />
*<br />
50.0% Wayne E. Meyer Jason Dunham Spruance Michael Murphy<br />
Hull 503<br />
Hull 504<br />
Hull 505<br />
Hull 506<br />
SAILAWAY<br />
—<br />
Aug ’09<br />
May ’10<br />
Dec ’10<br />
Feb ’11<br />
Cumulative Performance<br />
—<br />
Lev 1 Future Perf Req’d—<br />
Lev 2 Future Perf Req’d<br />
Performance Required value exceeds the scale of the chart.<br />
*<br />
6 | June 2009 | BIW NEWS
Help! Call 2222 *<br />
Members of BIW’s Fire and Emergency crews are shown l to r: Dave Witas, Tim Lee, Don<br />
Fournier, Dale Prior, Bob McNally, Owen Cunningham, Jeremy Best, Larry Call, Dick Jarrett, Norm<br />
Edwards, Marty Maxwell and Jeff Rumney.<br />
On a Friday in late May, the BIW<br />
Emergency crew was called to assist<br />
a DDG 108 sailor who became ill<br />
during an onboard training session. An<br />
ambulance was quickly dispatched with<br />
Larry Call, Richard Jarrett, Dale Prior and<br />
Dan Sutton (all 2602) providing assistance.<br />
Dan said, “The sailor experienced a medical<br />
problem but chose to walk off the ship. We<br />
transported her to the hospital and it turned<br />
out to be a routine call.”<br />
What was out of the ordinary is that<br />
Dan Obie (D86) a BIW instructor conducting<br />
the training, took a few minutes to<br />
send Dan Sutton a note thanking the Fire<br />
Department for what they do, and are prepared<br />
to do, at all times. He said, “While<br />
the shipboard production and supervisory<br />
personnel reacted very impressively in prepping<br />
the ship for egress and contacting your<br />
people, I am again grateful for the presence<br />
of the BIW Rescue Team that we have here.”<br />
Dan Sutton said, “Our ability to provide<br />
a first rate response comes from training.<br />
Our primary first responders are our five<br />
fire inspectors, those individuals mentioned<br />
earlier plus Don Hill (D2602) on second<br />
shift. Also, Fire Chief Dave Witas (D2602)<br />
and all members of our fire brigade are<br />
cross-trained and frequently step in and<br />
provide high quality assistance.”<br />
Dan explained that the department<br />
answers on average, about 3 calls a week<br />
related to injuries or medical conditions.<br />
“We send two or three people on each call<br />
and can be anywhere in the shipyard in<br />
about 3-5 minutes. In a serious situation<br />
like a potential cardiac arrest, we call in a<br />
paramedic from the <strong>Bath</strong> Fire Department<br />
because they can administer beta blocking<br />
medications on site, rather than after the<br />
patient arrives at an emergency room.”<br />
When asked if they have used the<br />
Automated External Defribrillators within<br />
the shipyard, Dan said, “We have an AED<br />
unit onboard our emergency vehicle and<br />
we have actually used it twice. One of those<br />
individuals is back to work and the other is<br />
on medical leave. Both benefitted from our<br />
getting to them quickly and having the right<br />
equipment available.”<br />
Dan continued, “If the call in May had<br />
required that we remove the sailor from an<br />
interior area of the ship using the techniques<br />
of an assisted removal, we were prepared<br />
to do that. Many of us have confined<br />
space and high angle rescue training which<br />
is absolutely essential if an incident occurs<br />
in some of the tight areas onboard ship and<br />
in the shipyard. We can also call on both<br />
the <strong>Bath</strong> and Brunswick Fire Departments<br />
for assistance.” It is worth noting that the<br />
Brunswick Fire Department is the first<br />
responder for an emergency at any of our<br />
Brunswick facilities.<br />
What is a routine call for our fire<br />
department emergency crew is never<br />
routine for the person in distress. Dan<br />
Obie reflected that thought when he said,<br />
“I am familiar with the sense of safety and<br />
reassurance that I know this young sailor<br />
experienced today when your people<br />
arrived on the scene.”<br />
His words also echo what we all feel<br />
when reminded that we are supported by a<br />
top notch crew of emergency responders.<br />
“Please pass my thanks to your organization<br />
for their action today, in the years past, and<br />
tomorrow. Though they arrive and leave<br />
and we go about our business, often without<br />
even a thank you to them, it’s good to<br />
know they are there.”<br />
*In an Emergency<br />
Fire or Medical<br />
Situation<br />
<strong>Bath</strong><br />
call ext. 2222<br />
Hardings and Mallett<br />
Park (EBMF)<br />
call 1-222<br />
CROF, James (SSSC),<br />
BIP or Bisson’s<br />
call 9-911<br />
BIW NEWS | June 2009 | 7
From the Fleet and the Field<br />
Seaward-Bound on a <strong>Bath</strong>-built Ship<br />
On May 22, 2009, Nathaniel<br />
Bishop, stepson of Greg<br />
Bridgman (D20) graduated<br />
from the U.S. Naval Academy at<br />
Annapolis, Maryland. President<br />
Obama shook the hands of every graduating<br />
midshipman, all 1,000+ of them.<br />
What next for a young man who has<br />
already accomplished a great deal? His<br />
parents say that he passed the SEAL<br />
screening and had quite a bit of pressure<br />
from fellow mids to go in that<br />
direction. However, he felt that his<br />
ultimate goal was to be a good leader,<br />
and his advisers suggested that the best<br />
place to learn about leadership is as a<br />
surface warfare officer because SWOs<br />
deal with such a wide spectrum of<br />
issues. Taking that advice, he was<br />
accepted and then the midshipmen<br />
SWO candidates were able to select a<br />
ship based on their class<br />
rank. For a variety of reasons,<br />
Ensign Bishop chose<br />
the <strong>Bath</strong>-built USS Fitzgerald<br />
(DDG 62) now homeported<br />
in Japan. His reporting<br />
orders from the ship included<br />
an encouraging greeting:<br />
“You will absolutely love<br />
your tour aboard the “Fightn’<br />
Fitz.”<br />
Nathaniel’s reaction to<br />
his assignment? “Pretty<br />
cool, eh?”<br />
Ensign Bishop receives<br />
congratulations from<br />
President Obama in the<br />
photo at right. Photo<br />
courtesy of Greg<br />
Bridgman.<br />
DDG 109 Christening is August 1, 2009<br />
Summer is a busy<br />
time of year, but<br />
sometimes beaches<br />
and barbecues can take a<br />
back seat. Please highlight<br />
Saturday, August 1,<br />
2009 on your calendars—<br />
the day that <strong>Bath</strong> <strong>Iron</strong><br />
<strong>Works</strong> will host the<br />
christening of Jason<br />
Dunham (DDG 109),<br />
the latest Arleigh Burke<br />
class AEGIS destroyer<br />
and the thirty-second of<br />
these remarkable ships<br />
built at BIW.<br />
DDG 109 is named<br />
for a heroic young Marine<br />
who made the ultimate<br />
sacrifice for his country, Cpl Jason L.<br />
Dunham of the United States Marine Corps.<br />
Jason Dunham is a recipient of the nation’s<br />
most distinguished award, the Congressional<br />
Medal of Honor. While serving with the 3rd<br />
Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment in<br />
DDG 109 Ship Sponsor, Deb Dunham<br />
Iraq’s Anbar Province in<br />
April 2004, Jason saved the<br />
lives of several of his platoon<br />
colleagues by smothering<br />
the blast of a grenade<br />
dropped by an insurgent<br />
who was involved in a scuffle<br />
at a vehicle checkpoint<br />
near Karabilah.<br />
Gravely wounded, Cpl<br />
Dunham was evacuated to<br />
the United States and died<br />
on April 22, 2004 at the<br />
National Naval Medical<br />
Center in Bethesda,<br />
Maryland. He is buried in<br />
his hometown of Scio, New<br />
York.<br />
His mother, Deb<br />
Dunham, is the ship’s Sponsor and will be<br />
assisted by her daughter and Jason’s sister,<br />
Katelyn Dunham, as Maid of Honor. Many<br />
Dunham family members and friends from<br />
their hometown in upstate New York will be<br />
in <strong>Bath</strong> to honor Jason. We expect that<br />
many of his USMC brothers in arms will<br />
attend, including members of his unit. If<br />
you would like to learn more, Jason’s story is<br />
told in the book The Gift of Valor by Michael<br />
M. Phillips.<br />
The event will have a noticeable Marine<br />
Corps presence including a Marine Color<br />
Guard. We are expecting many distinguished<br />
guests and a turn-out of Marines,<br />
other Medal of Honor recipients and Iraq<br />
theater veterans. Come and join the celebrations<br />
of another great BIW-built ship<br />
and show your appreciation for the people<br />
who make this country great.<br />
The formal program of this christening<br />
will begin at 10:00 AM, one hour earlier than<br />
recent christening events. BIW employees<br />
and accompanied family members will be<br />
able to tour some of the manufacturing<br />
facilities and Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108)<br />
between 7:30 and 9:30 AM before the ceremony.<br />
We are hoping for great summer<br />
weather, so bring sunscreen. In addition<br />
to the usual fare, the 11:00 AM post-event<br />
reception will also include ice cream.<br />
8 | June 2009 | BIW NEWS
Engineering Excellence<br />
Manufacturing Excellence<br />
The 5th Annual General Dynamics<br />
Manufacturing Symposium was held<br />
April 15-16, 2009 in Tampa, Florida<br />
and once again recognized improvement<br />
activities occurring throughout GD. The<br />
BIW Ultra Enterprise Team received the<br />
BIW award for manufacturing excellence.<br />
This team is comprised of over 50 people<br />
drawn from Manufacturing, Engineering,<br />
Design, Planning, Scheduling and Facilities<br />
who were recognized for their achievement<br />
in planning, building and bringing the<br />
Ultra Hall concept on line.<br />
With our first Ultra Unit now part of<br />
DDG 109 on the Land Level Transfer<br />
Facility (LLTF), this group has exceeded<br />
their initial target for moving work scope<br />
from LLTF to Ultra and allowed us to set<br />
new goals associated with Ultra capability.<br />
With major advances in safety, quality<br />
and schedule being confirmed, the Ultra<br />
Hall is proving its value to current ship con-<br />
Brent Moulton (D40) received a<br />
General Dynamics Engineering<br />
Excellence Award at the 11th Annual<br />
GD Engineering Excellence and Innovation<br />
Awards Conference and Banquet which was<br />
held in Washington, D.C. on April 30, 2009.<br />
These awards recognize top achievements<br />
in technological performance by<br />
General Dynamics employees. The<br />
Engineering award is given for significant<br />
engineering project accomplishment with<br />
direct and positive impact on design and<br />
/or production quality, schedule, or cost.<br />
Brent is the lead electrical engineer for<br />
the power generation equipment that supplies<br />
combat systems aboard the Arleigh<br />
Burke DDG 51 Class of destroyers and he<br />
received this recognition for his leadership<br />
and skill in resolving issues associated with<br />
the 400Hz power system.<br />
The first solid state fault protection system<br />
and the first solid state automatic bus<br />
transfer device for a 400 Hz system were<br />
installed on DDG 104 to address combat<br />
system failure problems.<br />
When the newly installed system<br />
experienced multiple failures and the Navy<br />
expressed concern, Brent immersed himself<br />
in the problem, redesigned the vendor<br />
hardware and coded changes into 20 microprocessors.<br />
He then developed and executed<br />
a rigorous test and activation plan at the<br />
vendor facility that essentially eliminated<br />
any technical issues with the system, resulting<br />
in a near flawless shipboard installation<br />
and activation. His efforts resulted in a<br />
400Hz power system that is much more<br />
robust and survivable than ever before<br />
aboard a surface combatant.<br />
tracts while allowing us to apply the lessons<br />
learned of late stage DDGs to DDG 1000<br />
planning.<br />
Jeff Geiger, Chairman of the GD Manufacturing<br />
Council, stated in his introduction<br />
to council participants, “A tremendous<br />
asset of our corporation and the council<br />
GD Engineering Excellence and Innovation<br />
Awards. Shown l to r: Jeff Geiger, Michael<br />
Bolon, Brent Moulton, Jay Johnson and<br />
Chris Waaler.<br />
At the conference, opening remarks<br />
were provided by Michael Bolon, senior<br />
vice president, Land Systems and chairman<br />
of the Engineering and Technology<br />
Council. Jay Johnson, GD Board of<br />
Directors Vice Chairman presented the<br />
awards.<br />
GD Manufacturing<br />
Symposium. Shown l to<br />
r: Jeff Geiger, Mark<br />
Lamarre, Ray Robishaw,<br />
Kevin Flanagan, Nick<br />
Chabraja (GD Chairman<br />
and CEO), David<br />
Heebner (GD Marine<br />
President), Jim Favreau<br />
and Matt Reid.<br />
construct is the ability to draw upon and<br />
leverage the knowledge and skill of our<br />
innovators and implementers.” The<br />
BIW Ultra Enterprise Team is an outstanding<br />
example of innovation and<br />
implementation.<br />
BIW NEWS | June 2009 | 9
May 2009<br />
Service Anniversaries<br />
Dept. Name<br />
Dept. Name<br />
Dept. Name<br />
Dept. Name<br />
40 Years<br />
40 Morse, Edward Winslow<br />
35 Years<br />
07 Dubois, Denis Gerald<br />
11 Hyson, Richard Dana<br />
15 Dubois, Fernand Gerard<br />
17 Dersham, Alvin Clifton<br />
17 Patrick, Chandler Arthur<br />
20 Newman, Jeffrey Condon<br />
32 Bilodeau Jr, Raymond Dominique<br />
40 Benner, Larry Michael<br />
43 Hiscock, Ronald Ellery<br />
50 Picard, Raymond Marcel<br />
81 Brewer, Bruce Wayne<br />
81 Kramarz, Gary Stanley<br />
81 Perkins, Harold Andrew<br />
86 Sprague, Stephen Robert<br />
93 Wood, Keith Wayne<br />
30 Years<br />
10 Blair, Alric Charles<br />
11 Barrett, Paul Anthony<br />
15 Bickford, Keith Michael<br />
15 Pelletier, Donald P<br />
17 Dickey, Michael Alan<br />
19 Beedy, Scott Roger<br />
19 Burk, Gary Robert<br />
20 Brodeur, Cindy Lou<br />
20 Hutchinson, Janis<br />
20 Norton, Michael Allan<br />
20 Peavey, Elizabeth Anne<br />
20 Stufflebeam, Michael Dwayne<br />
20 Welch, Kevin Robert<br />
20 Williams, Timothy Carl<br />
26 Call Jr, Lawrence Melvin<br />
26 Winslow, Jerry Lee<br />
29 Wheeler, Michael Carlton<br />
32 Labbe, David Joseph<br />
40 Snell, Gary Alan<br />
45 Feltis, Timothy Lewis<br />
66 Donohue Jr, Joseph Patrick<br />
81 Nichols, Clay Arnold<br />
87 Dunton, William Alfred<br />
91 Cloutier, Leo Theophile<br />
25 Years<br />
86 Murphy, Anne Elizabeth<br />
87 Gosselin, Richard Jean<br />
20 Years<br />
06 Jacobs, Phil Royce<br />
10 Bouffard, Norman Roger<br />
15 Baum, Robert Francis<br />
15 Belanger III, Joseph<br />
15 Hall, Lee Alan<br />
15 Loranger, Gerard Norman<br />
15 Potter, Bryan Lee<br />
15 Stevenson Jr, Vernon Arthur<br />
17 Dubois, Charles<br />
19 Cassidy, Steven James<br />
19 Cote, Rodney Roland<br />
19 Rumney, Jeffrey William<br />
19 Schafer Jr, Donald William<br />
19 Wheeler, Christopher Chase<br />
19 Yannayon, Neil Robert<br />
20 Combs, Stacey Lee<br />
20 Dostie, James Dean<br />
20 Hendron, George Elmer<br />
27 Buma, Diane Lea<br />
27 Darling, Joseph William<br />
27 Jacques, Terry Michael<br />
27 McBride, Mark Stephen<br />
27 Morin, Dwayne Albert<br />
27 Nadeau, Normand Richard<br />
27 Nichols, Wayne Elmer<br />
27 Rines, Douglas Alfred<br />
27 Smiley Jr, Selden Clarence<br />
30 Frost, Terry William<br />
30 Oliver, Christopher Douglas<br />
30 Vallee, Steven Roy<br />
30 Whitmore, Eric Edward<br />
32 Lemont, Daren John<br />
40 Blanchette, Steven Roger<br />
40 Clavette, Daniel William<br />
40 Hartzell, Richard William<br />
40 Merrill, Clinton Parker<br />
40 Poitras, Mark Stephen<br />
40 Sheldon, Timothy Merle<br />
45 Small, Elaine Gail<br />
50 Kaler, Clinton Dana<br />
50 Lepage, Douglas Jason<br />
50 Marquis, Roger Cyrille<br />
66 Evans, Timothy Wayne<br />
81 Heikkinen, Robert Glenn<br />
84 Cantara, Jeffrey Charles<br />
86 Chamberlain, Thomas Merrill<br />
86 Goodine, Michael James<br />
86 Sweeney, Gary Lynn<br />
87 Cavers II, William James<br />
87 Neron, Coreen Rebecca<br />
15 Years<br />
13 Dickinson, Vincent<br />
10 Years<br />
40 Dunham-Fitzmaurice, Anne Alicia<br />
40 Howard, Murray Allen<br />
40 Record, Scott Karl<br />
86 Colombraro, John Vincent<br />
Lunch for a Cause<br />
On May 21, 2009, truly a picnicworthy<br />
day, most of North Stores<br />
emptied out for a Red Sox and hot<br />
dog-themed lunch which benefitted the<br />
work of the Good Shepherd Food Bank in<br />
Lewiston (serving hunger prevention programs<br />
throughout Maine). This was the<br />
latest of a series of D40 North Stores lunch<br />
events designed for participants to have fun<br />
while creating non-traditional working<br />
groups across their four disciplines of hull,<br />
electrical, mechanical and systems integration.<br />
Led by Christie Kelley (D40),each<br />
group decides on a theme, identifies a<br />
charity and executes the event. Christie<br />
said, “Lunches are an easy draw because<br />
socializing around food is very appealing.”<br />
The D40 program is several years old<br />
and generates an activity about three times<br />
a year. Christie decided to create a crossdepartment<br />
management group for the May<br />
10 | June 2009 | BIW NEWS<br />
event and they, in turn, decided to invite<br />
everyone who works in the building, including<br />
Engineering, Procurement, the DDG<br />
1000 program and CSC.<br />
The organizers decided that with spring<br />
officially here, a baseball theme would be<br />
fun. They also selected a charitable group<br />
to benefit from the event.<br />
In addition to some mighty tasty dogs,<br />
there were raffles for a variety of baseballrelated<br />
items, from player cards to homemade<br />
apple pie. There were a few carnivaltype<br />
events, such as Velocity, where Dan<br />
Cote (D26) borrowed a radar gun from the<br />
<strong>Bath</strong> Police and Russ Hoffman (D40)<br />
clocked some fast, fast balls. Russ said,<br />
“After careful analysis, we decided that it<br />
was better to time the speed from behind<br />
the pitcher rather than facing the ball. That<br />
settled, we were very impressed with the<br />
pitching abilities of some of our engineering<br />
Chow line duty included Russ Hoffman (center)<br />
and Laurie Murphy (back to camera).<br />
staff.” Elliot Cumming (D46) organized a<br />
trivia game called the Manager’s Challenge<br />
which quizzed contestants on their beloved<br />
Red Sox players.<br />
How is the program going overall? “Very<br />
well,” said Christie. “It has proven an effective<br />
way for our people to work together<br />
and we have raised money for some very<br />
good local charities. This last event generated<br />
a sizeable donation to Good Shepherd<br />
after expenses and people especially like<br />
that part.”
Summer Interns<br />
Today’s Summer Intern Program is<br />
the result of some focused thinking<br />
about the purpose of a short term<br />
professional job experience. More than a<br />
summer job program, the structured<br />
Summer Intern Program began several<br />
years ago by targeting the types of students<br />
that we are interested in hiring longer-term.<br />
BIW promotes the Summer Intern Program<br />
when recruiting at on-campus job fairs during<br />
the school year but it is not the only<br />
means of advertisement. All interested<br />
individuals are directed to apply online and<br />
are evaluated equally for the program.<br />
Initially, only a handful of internships<br />
were offered, but last summer, about twenty<br />
interns worked in engineering, procurement<br />
and labor relations. The 35-member 2009<br />
intern group arrived in May and has disbursed<br />
to assignments in 12 different areas<br />
of the shipyard. They came to BIW from<br />
Maine colleges and universities as well as<br />
schools in Utah, Virginia, Georgia,<br />
Michigan, New York and New England.<br />
All are either college seniors or returning<br />
for graduate study this fall.<br />
Interns attended both regular orientation<br />
and an enhanced Intern Open House<br />
where they were greeted by their direct<br />
supervisors, heard about BIW from a few<br />
members of our senior staff, toured the<br />
shipyard and became acquainted with one<br />
another. The next day, they reported to a<br />
work site that many had previewed the day<br />
before and to a boss that they had spoken<br />
with several times by then. According to<br />
Mike Ross, HR Employment Manager, “By<br />
Day 3 we hope that we eased each intern<br />
into their job without any first day jitters.”<br />
Building on previous areas of success,<br />
weekly education sessions are planned where<br />
different aspects of the business are<br />
explained. This year, the interns are invited<br />
to several social events organized to provide<br />
opportunities for learning and networking<br />
outside work. For example, in mid-June, the<br />
group had lunch at Spinney’s in Phippsburg<br />
and watched Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108)<br />
pass Fort Popham in transit to sea trials.<br />
The program concludes in August with a<br />
program where each intern presents an<br />
overview of their summer job, their accomplishments<br />
and observations.<br />
Also new this year is a mentoring program<br />
where a group of employees are asked<br />
to meet with several interns at least twice<br />
during the summer to chat, answer questions<br />
and offer an example of what contributed to<br />
their (the mentor’s) success within the company.<br />
By design, the mentor comes from a<br />
different background than the intern and a<br />
manufacturing employee, for example, might<br />
be paired with a finance intern to offer yet<br />
another viewpoint of the shipyard.<br />
A good program evolves over time. For<br />
example, Mike mentioned that, “This year,<br />
we asked BIW employees if they had available<br />
rooms or apartments that students<br />
might rent for the summer. We got the word<br />
out late, yet several interns connected with<br />
housing because of it. Another year,<br />
we’ll identify those options earlier.”<br />
At the end of the summer, some<br />
interns may receive job offers for the<br />
following year. These offers are subject<br />
to availability of work and basically subject<br />
to either party changing their mind.<br />
However, “It has proven valuable,” said<br />
Mike, “because if a mutual, longer-term<br />
employment interest has taken place<br />
between BIW and the student over the<br />
summer, our offer demonstrates that<br />
interest more compellingly than our<br />
parting words might and the intern<br />
returns to their last year of school ahead<br />
of the curve in terms of determining<br />
what they will do upon graduation.”<br />
Mike continued, “The program gives<br />
both the company and the intern what<br />
amounts to a summer-long job interview.<br />
These offers are not confining—<br />
a student has a chance to change their<br />
mind and so do we, yet many of these<br />
end-of-summer offers result in successful<br />
hires.”<br />
The summer interns who arrived in<br />
May are listed in the Welcome area<br />
below with a double asterisk. Others<br />
include Bridget Buehrle, Andrew<br />
Crouse, David Gross and Mark Malo<br />
(all D40), Alan Shirfan (D52) and Sarah<br />
Vakiner (D84).<br />
Note: See photo on back cover.<br />
Welcome<br />
The following employees joined BIW during May 2009. Please welcome them.<br />
Name Dept. Name Dept. Name Dept.<br />
Bailey, Stephen Wade ** 4000<br />
Bernard, Edward Reed ** 0200<br />
Berube, Travis Reeves ** 2400<br />
Blackman, Andrew Michael ** 4000<br />
Brosnan, Daniel Francis ** 4000<br />
Conner, Jason Michael ** 9500<br />
Doll, Brian David ** 4000<br />
Dorr, Luke Everett 8400<br />
Dunn Jr, Marshall Aubrey * 5000<br />
Dyer, Hailey Alice ** 8200<br />
Evans, Nicholas James 0600<br />
Goldis, Jason Shimon ** 8400<br />
Hiler, Jonathan Douglas ** 5400<br />
Hiles, Brenda Lucille * 1100<br />
Jensen, Brian Scott ** 9000<br />
Kim, Jay Hyun ** 8600<br />
Kruse, Diane Mary ** 8400<br />
Larkin, Jo-Ellen 4505<br />
Leffler, Cathryn Leigh ** 4000<br />
Lemont, Michael Richard ** 0200<br />
London, Scott Kenneth ** 4900<br />
MacKellar, Andrew D. * 4000<br />
Mackin, Conor Francis ** 4000<br />
Marshall, Andrew Sankey ** 8700<br />
McKenney, Thomas Abbott ** 4000<br />
Miller, Joshua Aaron ** 8600<br />
Moskevitz, Andrew Philip ** 4000<br />
Parker, William Joseph4000<br />
Pratt, Curtis Austin ** 5200<br />
Pratt, Susan Ann 4505<br />
Roy, Jane Leigh 4505<br />
Smith Jr, Richard L * 4000<br />
Stewart, Patrick Crumley 2400<br />
StPierre, Jade Renee ** 8700<br />
Strandbygaard, Thomas J. ** 4000<br />
Terry, Roger Dennis ** 4000<br />
Trottier, Timothy Glenn ** 8400<br />
Warsame, Mohamed O. ** 4000<br />
Worster, Alison Anne ** 5100<br />
York, Bryan William ** 2400<br />
* Returning Employee ** Summer Intern<br />
BIW NEWS | June 2009 | 11
700 Washington Street<br />
<strong>Bath</strong>, ME 04530<br />
PRSRT STD<br />
U.S. POSTAGE PAID<br />
BATH, MAINE<br />
04530<br />
PERMIT NO. 31<br />
DDG 108 Sea Trials<br />
Sea trials of Wayne E. Meyer (DDG<br />
108), BIW’s 31st AEGIS destroyer and<br />
the one named for RADM Wayne E.<br />
Meyer, known as the Father of AEGIS, took<br />
place in early June. Upon the ship’s return,<br />
the focus quickly switched from a ship<br />
at sea to a ship awaiting a visit by the SEC-<br />
NAV, Ray Mabus, which took place three<br />
days later. (See story page 3).<br />
Work now turns to completing remaining<br />
construction and trial-related work<br />
in anticipation of turning the ship over<br />
to CDR Nick Sarap and the officers and<br />
crew of DDG 108. The ship is scheduled<br />
to deliver in a few weeks and to depart in<br />
early fall for an October commissioning<br />
in Philadelphia.<br />
BIW summer interns observed DDG 108 as it<br />
passed Fort Popham en route to sea trials.<br />
(See related story on page 11).