Newsletter: May/June 2011 Newsletter

Our guest speaker for the May General Membership Meeting is Rear Admiral James A. Murdoch, Director of Fleet Maintenance, U.S. Fleet Forces. Rear Admiral Murdoch reported as director of Fleet Maintenance for U.S. Fleet Forces Command in August 2010.

Since becoming a member of the Acquisition Professional Corps, he served as assistant program manager for Modernization (PMS 312E) in Program Executive Office, Aircraft Carriers; project manager for Naval Surface Fire Support in Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems; major program manager, Surface Weapons & Launchers (IWS 3.0) in Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems; and major program manager for the Littoral Combat Ship in Program Executive Office, Ships.

His career as a Surface Warfare officer included assignments in USS Virginia (CGN 38); USS Capodanno (FF 1093); USS California (CGN 36); USS Trenton (LPD 14); and PCU Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). He served on the staffs of Nuclear Power School; Atlantic Fleet Nuclear Propulsion Examining Board; and Commander, Amphibious Group Two. He is an NROTC graduate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and graduated with distinction from the Naval War College.

His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.

Our invited speaker for the June General Membership Meeting is Admiral John C. Harvey, Jr., Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

 

Born and raised in Baltimore, Md., Adm. John C. Harvey was commissioned from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1973 and immediately commenced training in the Navy’s Nuclear Propulsion program.

Adm. Harvey has served at sea aboard USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Bainbridge (CGN 25), USS McInerney (FFG 8), as reactor officer aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and as executive officer on USS Long Beach (CGN 9). He commanded USS David R Ray (DD 971), USS Cape St. George (CG 71) and Cruiser-Destroyer Group Eight/Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group. He has deployed to the North and South Atlantic; the Mediterranean, Baltic and Red seas; the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and the Persian Gulf.

Ashore, he served three tours at the Bureau of Naval Personnel in a variety of billets including surface nuclear officer detailer, CGN/CVN placement officer, surface nuclear program manager in N13, legislative adviser to chief of naval personnel (CNP), executive assistant to CNP and as director, Total Force Programming and Manpower Management Division (OPNAV N12). He has also served as the senior military assistant to the under secretary of defense (Policy), and on the Navy staff as deputy for Warfare Integration (OPNAV N7F). Most recently, he served as the 54th chief of naval personnel/OPNAV N1 and as the director, Navy staff (OPNAV).

Harvey assumed command of U.S. Fleet Forces Command in July 2009.

Harvey’s education includes Phillips Exeter Academy, 1969; U.S. Naval Academy, Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, 1973; Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government Master’s degree in Public Administration, 1988.

Our guest speakers for the April General Membership Meeting were Ms. B.J. Harrington of the Sentara Foundation and Mr. Chris Cannon, RN, Director of the Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance Service for Sentara, who updated us on this important service and the status of their acquisition of a replacement helicopter. Sentara is a non-profit corporation. Their three top goals are to be part of the top 100 health care providers, to transform health care in the region, and to pursue growth.

 

Sentara Healthcare operates Nightingale using a 23-year-old helicopter to service Hampton Roads and northeastern North Carolina. Since its inception in February 1982, the Nightingale Regional Air Ambulance Service has assisted more than 17,000 patients within a 125-mile radius of Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

 

The Sentara service provides rapid transport of the critically ill or injured from a scene of an accident or incident, or from one medical facility to another facility with more specialized critical care capabilities.  However, Nightingale is not just for trauma patients. In fact, about 55 percent of Nightingale flights involve such cases as critically ill cardiac patients flown from community hospitals to the highly specialized Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk.

Nightingale is equipped with high-tech cardiac and pulmonary equipment including an intra-aortic balloon pump and a sophisticated 12-lead EKG monitor, helping the flight nurse and paramedic provide state-of-the-art care in flight.  Crews are available to respond 24 hours a day.

At the April meeting, the Board of Directors approved two new member companies. This brings our total membership to 200 member companies. The new companies are GBS Group and Marine Inspections of Tidewater, which is rejoining.

The GBS Group offers a variety of technical consulting and engineering services to meet your needs, with a specialty in reliability and maintenance engineering, enabling technology designs and applications, software development, and business and change management. We serve large commercial and public sector clients including the U.S. Navy, Amtrak, Boeing, and the U.S. Coast Guard, among others. Please visit their website at www.thegbsgroup.us.

Marine Inspections of Tidewater has been providing the services of a marine chemist for almost thirty years. 

John Budnick of Tecnico Corporation received the First Quarter Safety Award. Mr. Budnick’s suggestion was the manufacture/installation of a valved piping cap for systems, such as CHT, likely to have hydrogen sulfide hazards. The cap will limit the possible escape of toxic vapors and still allow for air sampling via a ball valve. Congratulations John!

By Chris Abel

 

On April 6, 2011, approximately three dozen human resources (HR) professionals attended VSRA’s annual HR Seminar in Virginia Beach.  Presentations included employment law attorney Chris Abel addressing practical and legal issues surrounding the increasing use of social media in the workplace and the potential pitfalls concerning employer monitoring of employees’ electronic communications. HR consultant Victoria McCoy spoke about strategic evaluation and planning issues, and HR consultant John DiDio’s made a presentation on compliance with federal Affirmative Action and other OFCCP requirements. 

 

This year’s seminar was the third such event presented by the Association’s HR Committee in recent years and, based on the positive reception by and feedback from its attendees, the Committee is already looking forward to an even better Seminar in 2012.  In the meantime, member companies are encouraged to have their HR professionals join the VSRA HR Committee at its regular meetings, held on the first Wednesday of each month at 11 AM in Troutman Sanders’ Norfolk Office.   Contact Committee Chair Chris Abel (at chris.abel@troutmansanders.com) for more details.

Hunter B. Andrews Middle School of Hampton, took first place in this 5^th year of this event. The submissions by the students were well thought out and innovative. The Andrews team’s Gator Design included green energy and a “Gator Jammer” security system. The second place team was a Home School pair from the Virginia Air and Space Center program. The two-man team created an impressive design of a bow thruster with multiple energy source options.  The third place team, Blair Middle School of Norfolk, was a two-time place winner and their design of a Hydroelectric Engine Impulse Turbine was impressive. 

 

Our thanks go out to all of the technical advisors, judges, volunteers and above all our funding sponsors: Ameri-Force, Marine Chemist Service and Epsilon Systems.

 

Our judges were Susan Lowthian (AMSEC LLC), Philip Jiannine (W&O Supply), Buck Hodges (Auxiliary Systems), John Munford (Riggins Company), Terry Stead ( Tecnico Corp.), David Spinazzola, (Metropolitan Labs), Tom Clark (Mariner’s Museum), and Mickey Boyer (UHP Projects). The technical advisors were Scott Keheley (Earl Manufacturing), Matthew Bennett (Earl Industries), Jarrett Bailey (Earl Manufacturing), Greg Ebel (BAE Systems), Ron Burkhardt (Epsilon Systems), David Politte (Riggins Company), Jeffrey Greene (Oceaneering Int’l), Richard Sobocinski (Colonna’s Shipyard), Lee Scarbrow (Tecnico Corp.), Ted Ansell (Tecnico Corp.), Sheila Ellis (Huntington Ingalls), and Jay Matthews (BAE Systems).  The volunteers were Frank Jemmison (W&O Supply), Mickey Boyer (UHP Projects), and Colleen Becker (Marine Chemist Service).

During the 2011 National Ship Repair Industry Conference, representatives from VSRA learned of a program being pursued by the Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium (GSSC) to develop a national standards training system for shipbuilding and repair apprentice and technical school education. Mike Torrech of American Marine Holdings and Michelle Tomaszewski of VSRA attended a briefing in Biloxi, MS to explore partnership potential for VSRA companies in this endeavor. The program is being developed with National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), a non-profit institution founded by the Construction Industry’s Standards Program initiated by top Construction firms in the nation. GSSC and NCCER have already developed dacums (developing a curriculum) to be used for ship welding, maritime electrician and pipefitting occupations. The VSRA Board of Directors is currently analyzing the feasibility of partnering on the project.

VSRA has an extensive array of DVDs and hard copy materials to use for your in-house training.  This is a great benefit of membership! Companies pick them up at the VSRA office at no cost. Offerings include several Safety areas (asbestos, scaffolding, pollution, lead and more), workplace violence, practical math and more! View the current selection list at http://www.virginiashiprepair.org/research.asp

WHEN:           June 6-9, 2011

WHERE:         The Ted Constant Convocation Center

 

Mega Rust is an annual event that began in June 2005 and rotates among several locations to reach a broader audience and to best meet the needs of the U.S. Navy. Mega Rust combines five annual meetings and conferences:

U.S. Navy and Industry Corrosion Technology Exchange, "Rust" Conference

Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command's Fleet Corrosion Control Forum

Naval Shipyard Coatings Group Meeting

USCG Coatings & Corrosion Control Tiger Team Meeting

U.S. Navy Submarine Preservation Conference

 

This conference brings together government, military, owners, operators, shipyards, research facilities, and coatings manufacturers and suppliers to discuss issues pertinent to the preservation industry.

 

The goals of the conference are to:

Present the Fleet and industry's needs in areas of preservation,

Highlight new and innovative preservation technologies/methods, successful applications of new products, research and development, preservation of materials, environmentally compliant processes and lessons learned,

Develop and maintain an infrastructure to provide essential feedback loops between the Fleet and industry that will facilitate the transfer of technologies presently available,

Focus on partnership opportunities between the Fleet and industry and  

Provide training opportunities to Fleet and industry

 

For additional information on the conference, registration, sponsorship or exhibiting, please go to

http://www.navalengineers.org/events/individualeventwebsites/MegaRust/Pages/ASNELandingPage.aspx .

WHEN:           June 14-16, 2011

WHERE:         Joint Expeditionary Base, Little Creek-Fort Story

 

The Multi-Agency Craft Conference (MACC) provides a forum for open exchange and discussion about boats and craft between Government agencies and the maritime community.  The primary focus is the dialog between the DoD and other Government agencies on common issues unique to boats and craft in their service.  The types of craft discussed range from Army & Navy service craft, Navy and Coast Guard patrol boats, to Naval Special Warfare and Marine Corps combatant craft.  Craft types include RIB's, patrol and insertion craft, landing craft, utility craft and special purpose craft.

The conference serves as a way to capitalize on the joint nature of today's military environment.  No service can afford to re-learn lessons that another service has already solved, whether it pertains to operations and tactics, an equipment solution, maintenance practices, or evaluating and implementing new technology.  Each organization has a valuable corporate background that can greatly assist other activities.  The conference leverages larger returns from the combined efforts of the relatively small boat communities in each service.  Within each service, boats and craft remain low on the funding priority list and the conference helps prevent different agencies from expending funds solving a common problem.

Industry participants are a vital part of the MACC.  Industry participants are not treated simply as exhibitors, but rather as attendees and their participation in the discussions is encouraged.

For additional information on the conference, registration or sponsorship, please go to

Country Club. 1800-1900 Registration and Social Hour, 1900-20000 Dinner, 2000-2100 Awards Program. There is no guest speaker for this program 

 

 

 

The committee met April 11 to put together the April/May newsletter. The committee meets the second Monday of the month at 1:00 p.m. at QED Systems, Inc. at 4646 N. Witchduck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23455.

 

The committee met in April and discussed the status of the budget and how it impacts maintenance and modernization in the port. No legislation has been passed to provide relief to the Executive Compensation requirement. The committee discussed whether or not it was possible to gain access to the Navy’s trade training audio visuals. Tommy Seitz reported on the MSMO Summit recently held in Texas. The committee meets the first Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m. in the Troutman Sanders conference room, 150 Main Street, 16th Floor, Norfolk, VA 23510.

 

The committee did not meet in April, as it only meets on odd-numbered months. At the March meeting, the committee discussed the NSRP Environmental seminar BAE Systems will be hosting in June. Larry Brittain from HEAPACO has volunteered to be the co-chairman of the committee. Brian Gensler spoke on the recent USCG/EPA facility spill response exercises. Recent DEQ inspections have placed a greater emphasis on Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans. The committee meets on odd-numbered months on the second Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707.

 

 

 

The committee met in April. The VSRA Safety Orientation seems very successful. The First Quarter Safety Suggestion Award Winner was selected. The committee was briefed on the status of the Safety Seminar planning. The committee discussed hearing protection that has built-in communication capabilities, shipboard ventilation methods, and a fall-protection harness that has integral PFD or allows the wearing of brand-compatible PFDs with it. The committee meets the second Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Training Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707.

                                                                                                

At the April meeting, the committee discussed the brown bag webinar sessions available from NCMS Hampton Roads and the Carolina Chapters. The next Defense Security Service (DSS) survey of Personnel Security Investigation Requirements Projections is scheduled to deploy on March 31. The committee was told that updates on the Contractor Verification System (CVS) are visible within 24-48 hours from the time the spreadsheets are received. The committee meets the second Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m. in the United Coatings Corp. Conference Room, 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707.