Newsletter: July/August 2007 Newsletter

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July VSRA General Membership Meeting

Our guest speaker at the July General Membership meeting will be The Honorable Stephen Potts, Chairman of the Board for the Ethics Resource Center (ERC). As the oldest non-profit in the United States devoted to organizational ethics, ERC advances understanding of the practices that promote ethical conduct, through research, measurement of ethics and compliance program effectiveness in individual organizations, and the development of white papers and educational resources based on overall findings. ERC also sponsors character development programs for educational institutions, and a Fellows Program for corporate ethics officers and academics who engage in practical research that addresses emerging issues in corporations.
 
In July 2004, Stephen D. Potts became Chairman of the Ethics Resource Center Board of Directors. Previously, he had served as Chairman of the ERC Fellows Program. Prior to assuming the Chairmanship of the Fellows Program, Mr. Potts was actively involved in the program as a Senior Fellow, representing the United States Office of Government Ethics.
 
Mr. Potts was appointed Director of the US Office of Government Ethics by both President Bush and Clinton. He served two-five year terms, beginning in 1990. Prior to that time, Mr. Potts was a Partner at Shaw, Pittman, Potts & Trowbridge, one of Washington's largest law firms, from 1961 until 1990. He also held the position of Vice President of Cherokee Life Insurance Company from 1959 to 1961, and was an Associate Attorney at Farris, Evans & Evans in Nashville, Tennessee from 1957 to 1959. In addition, Mr. Potts served as a 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Judge Advocate General's Corps.
 
Recently, Mr. Potts was selected to serve internationally on the Ethics Education Task Force of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Steering Committee on Engineering Ethics of the National Academy of Engineering, and the Blue Ribbon Commission on Conflict of Interest Policy of the National Institutes of Health. In addition, he has served on the board of a number of companies and non-profits, including the US Olympic Committee and the US Tennis Association and is a past president of the Washington Tennis and Education Foundation. A competitive tennis player all of his life, he takes greatest pride in having won with his son Dek five national and one international father-son championships.
 
Mr. Potts is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Vanderbilt University and received his L.L.B. from Vanderbilt Law School, where he was an editor of the law review.
 
If you would like to receive more information about ERC and our services, please complete our information request form or contact us by email at ethics@ethics.org or by telephone at 202-737-2258.

Changes to August and September General Membership Meetings

There will not be a General Membership meeting in August.  The VSRF golf tournament will be held on our usual meeting date.

We are pleased to hold our September General Membership/Annual Meeting in conjunction with the American Society of Naval Engineers Fleet Maintenance Symposium 2007 (FMS'07).  The meeting will be held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, and all VSRA members are invited to tour the FMS'07 exhibit hall for free.  Plenty of free parking is available.  Our guest speaker will be Mr. Sean Connaughton, Administrator, Maritime Administration. This will be a great opportunity to network and find out the latest efforts in support of maintaining our maritime fleet.

2007 VSRF Junior and Senior Ship Repair Tradesmen of the Year

The awardees of the 1st Annual Virginia Ship Repair Foundation Ship Repair Tradesmen of the Year Award represent the best of more than 30,000 workers in Hampton Roads who work every day towards one mission: keeping the fleet on line. They are truly the “The Strength Behind the Fleet.” The award honors one trade worker from each of two categories. The categories are: Junior with less than five years of experience, and Senior with more than five years of experience. VSRF received nineteen applications from nine companies.  Winners were judged on their level of expertise, leadership qualities, safety records and quality of work.
 
The 2007 Junior Tradesman of the Year is Edward A. Depietro, an employee of BAE Ship Systems, Norfolk Ship Repair.  Edward is in his third year as a Marine Electrical Apprentice and already holds an Associate’s Degree in Computer Science from Old Dominion University. As a junior member of the team, he has demonstrated a dedication and willingness to succeed that has already resulted in being appointed a lead installer on projects. Edward shows strong leadership potential by actively role modeling positive attitudes for co-workers and young workers entering the field. He also serves in the Army Reserves.
 
 The 2007 Senior Tradesman of the Year is Clarence Frango of Tecnico, Corp.  Clarence is a 1st Class Pipefitter Specialist and is known by clients and co-workers as one of the most respected experts in Naval vessel pipefitting.  His experience has led to new innovations in design and processes, in fact he often makes his own tools to fit the needs of a project. Above all, he has always taken on the responsibility of teaching others what he knows from experience. In fact, he designed a new training area to give entry level pipe workers an opportunity to try new techniques and build their skills.  While Clarence’s work ethic and skills are impressive, he has also served as a positive role model for other workers because everyone knows how committed he is to his family and their success.
 
We congratulate these fine craftsmen and their families.

Virginia Honors BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair for Career Education Excellence

BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair, in partnership with Tidewater Community College, won a 2007 Creating Excellence, Regional Business and Industry Partnership Community College Award, given by the Virginia Department of Education - Office of Career and Technical Education.
 
The annual award honors a business for “exceptional and exemplary contributions to career and technical education in the Commonwealth of Virginia.” The Department of Education honored winners in five Creating Excellence categories at a June 18 luncheon in Richmond that featured comments by Secretary of Education Thomas R. Morris.
 
Tidewater Community College’s (TCC) Workforce Development office nominated Norfolk Ship Repair for the award, citing the company’s collaborative work to identify 10 occupations for journeyman craft trades in ship repair and creation of a successful four-year apprenticeship program. Outstanding results included a rise in the course completion rate from 50 percent to 87 percent, expansion to 71 students in the program and the launch of two new classes – Introduction to Ship Systems and Introduction to Computer Applications.  
 
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the Commonwealth and TCC for our efforts to build a pipeline of the next generation of shipyard workers,” said Bill Clifford, president, BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair. “It’s one of the most critical challenges we face in our industry. At BAE Systems, we’re making a concerted effort to invest in those who are committed to making ship repair a career – it’s the right thing to do.” Norfolk Ship Repair, as the largest private-sector shipyard in South Hampton Roads, which includes the cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Suffolk, employs over 1100 full-time workers. The average age is 49. 
 
The Norfolk Ship Repair – TCC partnership has allowed the company to more fully service the training needs of its employees, offering applicants ten credit courses and one non-credit course over fiscal year 2006-2007.   Over the same time period, the company conducted placement tests on 157 apprentice applicants, the results of which were analyzed to recruit students more likely to be successful in the program. For those first-year apprentices selected for the program, Norfolk Ship Repair used regimented evaluations and targeted training to improve their basic skills, ensuring they can achieve the highest levels of success.
 
Theresa Bryant, TCC’s vice president for workforce development, commented on the importance of ongoing cooperation with industry, “TCC’s partnership with BAE Systems – which is part of a critical industry for our region’s economy – provides a model of how collaborative education can serve workforce needs.”
 
Tidewater Community College, which serves the South Hampton Roads area of Virginia, is the second largest of the 23 community colleges in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and enrolls more than 38,000 students annually. It ranks among the 50 fastest-growing large community colleges.
 

AFCEA-USNI Summary, By Joe Yurso, QED Systems, Inc.

If you did not attend the new AFCEA-USNI (Armed Forces Communications and Electroincs Association - United States Naval Institute) conference and exposition on 19- 21 June 2007 you missed a great opportunity. The good news is this show will return every year for the next five years and perhaps beyond.
 
The first annual Transformation Warfare conference and exposition was held 19-21 June 2007 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. This new event offered on the East Coast is a companion to the popular AFCEA-USNI West Conference, held each year in San Diego, CA.
Transformation Warfare builds on the success of the past Transformation TechNet and Joint Warfare Conferences, providing a premier venue for engaging the warriors and industry leaders who are shaping the nation's military strategies and war fighting platforms.
 
Some of the highlights of the conference featured speakers with first hand experience in Afghanistan and Iraq. For example one of the luncheon speakers was General John P. Abizaid, USA (retired), former Commander, U.S. Central Command. Admiral Gary Roughead, Commander Fleet Forces Command, was a luncheon speaker. This was a well-balanced conference and exposition. For additional information, the Naval Institute website continues to carry some of the event highlights.
 
The theme “Reconstituting and Reinventing the Force” was a great way to initiate this new series. The local chapters of AFCEA Hampton Roads and Tidewater participated in this co-sponsored AFCEA International and U.S. Naval Institute event.

MEGA RUST Summary by Warren Kennedy, Earl Industries, LLC

The MEGA RUST Marine Coatings and Corrosion Conference, an annual event that began in 2005, was held the week of June 11-15, 2007 in San Diego, CA. The conference brings together government, military, owners, operators, shipyards, research facilities, and coatings manufacturers and suppliers to discuss issues pertinent to the preservation industries. The conference combines six other annual conferences/meetings: U.S. Navy and Industry Corrosion Technology Exchange, Fleet Corrosion Symposium, National Shipbuilding Research Programs SP-3 Meeting, Submarine Preservation Conference, Naval Shipyard Coating Group Meeting, and the U.S.C.G. Coatings and Corrosion Tiger Team Meeting.
   
The merging of these conferences/meetings into one provides a forum for the Fleet and industry to present their needs in the areas of preservation, highlight new and innovative preservation technologies and present successful applications of new products. It provides an opportunity to present new and ongoing research and development projects, new methods for preservation of materials, environmentally compliant processes, and lessons learned. The conference also helps develop and maintain an infrastructure to provide essential feedback between government and industry that will facilitate the transfer of technologies presently available and focus on partnership opportunities.
           
All attendees had the opportunity to discover new products by visiting over 100 Exhibits in the Exhibition Hall. Additionally, attendees learned about innovative technologies to reduce costs, benefit from excellent networking opportunities with leading corrosion control companies and military personnel, and updated their knowledge of preservation technology solutions by attending panel discussions and over 60 technical presentations. Formal training was also available by attending one of the coatings or corrosion control courses.
 
The Conference was dedicated to a wide range of subject matter, but the primary focus of discussion to follow is the Fleet Corrosion Symposium portion of the conference which was chaired by Mr. Dale Hirschman, COMUSFLTFORCOM and Mr. Beau Brinckerhoff, NAVSEA 05P23. Presentations ranged from current preservation and corrosion issues and preservation assessments to new technologies and innovations on the horizon. There still remains the concern that the cost of corrosion control for U.S Navy ships is high and consumes approximately 20-25% of the Fleet budget. Reducing the cost continues to be a significant priority. Also, achieving full service life of coatings is one of keys to extending dry docking periodicity. The CNO continues to strive for a 313 ship Navy by extending the life of ships in service and investigating how savings at all levels of ship overhaul, ship repair maintenance, and Navy personnel can be achieved. Keeping this in perspective, during this past year, there were several MEGA RUST government/industry working groups looking at issues with the goal of reducing the cost of preservation. These Working Groups(Graduated Quality Assurance, Paint Warranties and Navy Preservation Cost/Technical) provided presentations and group reports that included recommendations for cost savings and continued improvements. These presentations and Executive Group actions are included on the National Treatment Center website www.NSTCenter.com. This site is the authoritative web site for U.S. Navy coatings and corrosion control. 
 
Based on presentations and discussions at the conference, four new working groups were established. These groups will again be structured with the government and industry being joint and equal partners. Lean principles and methodologies are applied for all working groups. The new Working Groups (WG) are as follows:
 
Paint/Structures MRG WG
Heavy Metals WG
Global Cost of Corrosion WG
“Just do it” WG
 
Each working group is expected to have a life of one year and participation by all
segments will be solicited. If interested visit the web site and click on the MEGA RUST icon. Also on the web site there will be a suggestion box established and a success stories
section developed to better distribute information across government and industry.
 
For detailed information on corrosion control and preservation and to review all the happenings from MEGARUST 2007 visit the web site @ www.NSTCenter.com . Remember, the conference is an annual event and rotates between Louisville, KY; Norfolk, VA; and San Diego, CA, with the 2008 conference to be held August 17-21 in Louisville, KY.

Proper Hydration Could Save Your Life, Submitted By Phil Smith, BAE Systems

It’s Hot: Hydrate!
 
Proper hydration is part of an overall safety strategy.
With the onset of summer, it’s time to start preparing for the hot days ahead and how they affect employees. Difficult, strenuous work conditions can impact the health and well-being of your employees anytime. When the ambient temperature combines with humidity and work load, it drastically affects the body’s ability to cool itself. This can cause physical and mental fatigue, heat cramps, heat exhaustion and life-threatening heat stroke.

There are numerous factors that play into a person’s tolerance for heat stress, many of which are not part of the textbook formula for employee exposure. Besides all the obvious factors mentioned above, the employee’s health, current hydration levels, overall health and acclimation all play important roles in assessing an employee’s ability to safely work under heat stress conditions.
 
The right beverage
So while a broad approach is required to protect employees, one important element of heat stress protection is picking the right thirst quencher. Before doing that, however, there are some factors to consider. The same drink supplied to one employee may be detrimental to another. For example, an employee needing a drink that will replenish his body’s salt levels might do well with a high-sodium beverage, whereas an employee working in the same area who has high blood pressure would not want to consume large amounts of a high-salt drink. Similarly, a diabetic employee would not want a drink with high levels of sugar.

Keeping hydrated
The natural choice for hydration is water. It hydrates better than any other liquid, both before and during exercise or work activity. Water is obviously less expensive than thirst drinks. You need to drink 12-16 ounces of water for every hour of work, and more in extreme heat stress situations. That can add up to a lot of water! Drinking that much water becomes burdensome, and the water becomes bland. Many find it hard to continue aggressive hydration. This is where thirst quenchers can help.

To maintain comfort and health when working in a hot environment, people need to replace both the water and electrolytes they lose through sweating. Electrolytes increase the efficiency of the body’s cooling mechanisms. Both muscle tissue and neurons are considered electric tissues of the body. Muscles and neurons are activated by electrolyte activity.

Without sufficient levels of these key electrolytes, muscle weakness or severe muscle contractions or cramps may occur. Electrolytes are important because they are what your cells (especially nerve, heart, muscle) use to maintain proper electrical balances in the body. For example, when you exercise heavily or work in a heat stress environment, you lose electrolytes in your sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your body fluids constant.

Thirst quenchers
Sometimes called sports drinks, thirst quenchers don’t hydrate better than water, but you are more likely to drink larger volumes, which leads to better hydration. Thirst quenchers are designed to maximize fluid absorption and enhance performance by delivering carbohydrates and electrolytes, the most crucial of which is sodium.
 
To choose the right thirst quenchers for your workers you must evaluate the levels of heat stress, the condition of your employees, and the actual amount of hydration you are going to be able to achieve. Ultimately, your best hydration strategy is going to be a well-planned mix between plenty of water and just the right amount of a thirst quencher that meets your electrolyte and carbohydrate needs.
 

VSRA - Tapping the Emerging Workforce

In the 2006-2007 school year, 21 volunteers from 10 VSRA member companies volunteered at 17 Hampton Roads school career days. These volunteers reached more than 3100 students in grades K-12. Companies who participated last year were: Auxiliary Systems, BAE, Colonna's, Earl Industries, Main Industries, Marine Chemist, MHI, Metro Machine, Tecnico, and Valco Piping.

Join us this year as we reach out to more schools in our communities to build the ship repair image - and encourage these future workers to achieve the critical thinking skills they need to be expert trades workers. Please contact the VSRA office to sign up by calling 233-7034 or emailing us at admin@virginiashiprepair.org. With your help, we can all make the future brighter for our industry!

Summit on Environmental Leadership for Hampton Roads

VSRA, in partnership with other business associations, is hosting a half-day summit on environmental leadership for the Hampton Roads business community. This event is being sponsored in part by BAE Systems and Earl Industries, and is designed to give leaders the opportunity to find out what Hampton Roads companies are doing to steward positive environmental impacts in their course of business.

Of specific interest to the ship repair community is the keynote speaker, Dr. John Katers of the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. Dr. Katers is familiar with ship builder and repair issues because he has worked in the center of the Great Lakes shipping industry. Dr. Katers will present a profit focused approach to finding environmental impact areas.

In addition, the Little Creek environmental reclamation team will be presenting some of the strategies they have deployed to reduce pollution and recapture water quality in their water areas. Join us September 26th, 2007 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Please make your reservations on-line at www.virginiashiprepair.org. Cost is $45.00 per person for VSRA members, $55.00 for non-members.

VSRF 21st Annual Golf Tournament

When: Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Where: Bayville Golf Club.
 
The golfer slots are filled. However, you can get recognition for your company through sponsorship opportunities or door prizes. Because the proceeds will benefit VSRF, donations are tax deductible.

The Virginia Ship Repair Foundation’s mission is to attract more qualified workers into the industry, and help ship repair companies improve the qualifications of existing workers.
 
For additional information, contact either Leigh Kennedy (lkennedy@earl-ind.com or 757-215-2550) or Josephine Anderson (janderson@virginiashiprepair.org or 757-233-7034).

Make checks payable to VSRF (Virginia Ship Repair Foundation). Mail payments to: VSRA, 150 Boush St., Ste 802, Norfolk, VA 23510.

Educational Opportunities

We are pleased to offer the following classes:
Emergency First Responder/First Aid/CPR/AED Responder Certification
Instructional Partnership by VSRA and AMSEC
Location Sponsored by AMSEC, Tecnico Corp. and United Coatings Corp.
COST: $95.00 VSRA members; $115.00 Non VSRA members
DATE: July 26, 2007, 7:30am - 4:30pm
LOCATION: United Coatings Corp., 650 Chautauqua Avenue, Portsmouth, VA 23707
or
DATES: August 15 and October 10, 2007, 7:30am - 4:30pm
Location: Tecnico, 831 Industrial Ave., Chesapeake, VA 23324
or
DATES: September 19, November 14, and December 19, 2007, 7:30am - 4:30pm
Location: AMSEC, 816 Greenbrier Circle, Chesapeake, VA 23320
or
Emergency First Responders ~ OSHA Approved/Internationally Accepted
*This certification is a step beyond the Red Cross certification and is more oriented to industrial environments*

Standards of Conduct Seminar
Sponsored by VSRA Contracts Committee
COST: $50.00 VSRA members; $125.00 non VSRA members
DATE: July 24, 2007, 8:00 to 11:30 am, registration begins at 7:30 am.
LOCATION: Nauticus, The Living Sea Theatre (3rd Floor)
This seminar includes a distinguished panel of government and industry experts who will answer questions after their presentation. This is an excellent opportunity for government contractors to meet their requirement for annual ethics training.
 
Summit on Environmental Leadership for Hampton Roads
Sponsored by VSRA and Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce
COST: $45.00 VSRA Members; $55.00 non VSRA Members 
DATE: September 26, 2007, 8:00 to 11:00 am
LOCATION:  Holiday Inn Executive Center
 
NAVSEA Basic Paint Inspector Training (NBPI)
Sponsored by VSRA and course approved by NAVSEA
Location sponsored by MARMC
COST: $495.00 VSRA members; $649.00 Non VSRA members; $250.00 Certification Test Fee (Submitted to SSPC)
DATE: September 17-21, December 3-7, 2007, 7:00am - 5:00pm
LOCATION: MARMC Building LF-18, Norfolk Naval Base
Attendance is limited to 25 applicants for each course. NBPI now accepts experienced as well as entry-level students, with two levels of certification. Due to changes with the SSPC, all documents related to this course need to be submitted to VSRA two weeks before the first day of class.
 
NAVSEA Cableway Training and Certification Course
Instructional Partnership by VSRA and AMSEC
Location sponsored by Earl Industries, LLC
COST: $585.00 VSRA Members; $675.00 Non-VSRA Members
DATE: August 20-24, 2007 8:00am – 4:00pm
LOCATION: Earl Industries Training Room, 3128 Victory Blvd., Portsmouth, VA 23702
Attendance is limited to 20 applicants. This course delivers 35+ hours of lecture, hand-on lab work and text-based assignments over a five day period. A score of 70% or higher on the comprehensive exam is required for successful completion. The course covers all NAVSEA requirements and skill sets in depth. Upon successful completion of this course, the attendee will receive a NAVSEA Cableway Certification Card.
 
 
If you would like to register for a training class, please do so at www.virginiashiprepair.org. If you would like to receive additional information on training classes, please contact Ann Howell via e-mail (ahowell@VirginiaShipRepair.org) or by phone at (757) 233-7034.

Committee Update

Quality Assurance Committee – July 12, 2007
1.         The issue of the delinquency rate of contractor audit of subcontractors was discussed, and it was impressed upon those present that a concerted effort be made to bring the audit process up to date.
2.         Auditor Training class was held on June 27, 2007 which covered the VSRA Subcontractor Audit Program.
3.         Several VSRA members are to attend the SSRAC meeting to be held on July 17 – July 20. Any proposed changes to Standard Items will be posted and a general notification will be sent out by Mike Dunn.
 
Safety and Environmental – No July Minutes
 
Human Resources – June 6, 2007
1.         Jerry Bridges, Executive Director of the Virginia Port Authority, is eager to become involved in encouraging young people to pursue ship repair careers.
2.         Ethics seminar to be held on July 24, 2007 and email to be sent to all HR representatives concerning details of seminar.
3.         Discussion held concerning age discrimination issues, employee retention, and employer’s responsibilities towards Army National Guard Members under USERRA.
 
Contracts – June 7, 2007
1.         Ms. Terri Wolfley, Senior Vice President, Bank of America, was guest speaker and spoke on the topic “Using Government Contracts as Collateral”. A presentation portfolio was passed out to committee members and is currently posted with the June 2007 minutes.
2.         It was mentioned that a good resource for members in the contracts field is an online link for the: DII/Defense Industry Initiative. The service requires a membership and the link can be found at www.dii.org.
3.         The committee was informed that the Coast Guard is currently using the GSA schedule to include drydocking availabilities. For general schedule question POC is Teresa Hill (817) 574-2451 (teresa.hill@gsa.gov. More info can be found at www.gsalibrary.gsa.gov.
 
Security – No July Minutes
 
Worker’s Compensation – No Meeting Minutes