Y-12 Blog
Take 5 minutes to learn about Eric G., a welder at the Uranium Processing Facility. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Since 1952, the Ingalls Apprentice School has provided the Navy shipbuilding industry more than 4,000 graduates. One of those graduates is Eric G., a quietly confident, seasoned welder at Y‑12’s UPF site.
Eric enrolled in welding school at the age of 19 and began his career in Virginia, building aircraft carriers and honing his skills to build the nation’s most powerful defense ships.
“I have worked on several aircraft carriers in my life, and knowing that what I’ve built has provided security to the men and women on them has been an honor,” he said.
Now, the 61‑year-old is using his career knowledge and experience in welding, steelworking, boilermaking, and electrical work in his current role as an electrical welder at UPF. This brings his profession full‑circle while keeping the mission of national security as his constant North Star.
“I believe in our national security,” Eric said. “I know how critical this project is. You come here and see what’s going on and you feel like life is truly a circle.”
Eric is a self‑proclaimed “family man,” speaking proudly about his children and grandchildren, as well as his extended family who served in the military. “Everything has a purpose, and if you’ve got military family members, like I have, I feel like I am doing my part for their safety and security.”
Why are you mission success?
“I believe in our national security. I can see the big picture and I work hard to get the job done.”
What is the greatest strength you bring to your organization?
“I am a self‑starter. I stay busy by learning the things I don’t know, so I can be of greater help to the project. Because I have been on the side of building the subs, I can see the whole picture of what we are doing here and understand what that means to our national security.”
Why is teamwork an important aspect when working at Y‑12?
“Teamwork is very important. You have to have a common goal and the right chemistry on a team. Otherwise, you won’t get anything done.”
What stands out to you about UPF?
“They go above and beyond to make sure it’s safe. You are able to see the project take shape and it is neat to see the progress. It is hard work though.”
All Pantex and Y-12 employees have a story about how they got to CNS, but only a few can say the journey included working with a sitting U.S. president. Eight employees who had that experience shared the similarities between the two entities and detailed their duties with the commanders-in-chief.
Garcia B.
Garcia worked for the White House Communications Agency (WHCA) during three presidential terms: Obama, Trump, and Biden. As part of the communications team, he was an audiovisual technician and White House Television (WHTV) director.
Garcia said his White House experience prepared him well for his latest role at Pantex. “Being at the White House allowed me to work with people from a variety of backgrounds with varying personalities, ranging from senior staff members to interns to foreign dignitaries. Learning how to communicate effectively with personnel enabled me to adapt to the different personalities in the civilian sector,” he said.
Jeff C.
President George W. Bush was commander in chief during Jeff’s tenure as a member of the Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), commonly known as the Presidential Helicopter Squadron.
“I served as the quality assurance (QA) chief and trip leader, where I led the QA division that ensured that HMX-1 executive flight detachment assets for presidential/chief executive and White House transport were properly inspected and maintained for maximum safety and on-call availability with a 100% mission success rate,” he said.
Jeff’s time with the squadron helped prepare him for his work at Y-12 as an engineering advisor.
“The high level of responsibility I was accustomed to for ensuring the safety and mission success of presidential support missions made transitioning into a nuclear environment much easier,” he said.
Linda F.
Linda began her career in the White House when she was 19 as a member of the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence. After 3 years, she moved to the Office of Administration and served as the administrative assistant to the deputy director of administration in the West Wing, along with President Ronald Reagan’s senior staff.
Linda said her time at the White House “was an exciting job” and instilled a very strong work ethic in her at a young age, which she’s still grateful for. “Every day brought new challenges and new solutions,” she said. “Anyone working there tried to do their very best every single day.”
She still uses the same work ethic she developed from her time at the White House as she faces new challenges every day in helping to maintain all the equipment and facilities at Y-12.
Brenda G.
Brenda also worked for WHTV. She flew on Air Force One (AF-1) during President Obama’s tenure and was tasked with recording any briefings the president might give.
“WHCA prepared me for this role [at Y-12] by perfecting my attention to detail and organization skills. There were zero errors allowed at WHCA. The world has to see and hear the president without incident. I had to ensure the right people got to the right place at the right time in order for this to happen,” she said. “At CNS, it’s the same principles and work ethic: doing the task the right way, the right time, every time.”
Joe H.
There are not many CNS employees who can say they ate chocolate chip cookies baked by Nancy Reagan, wife of President Ronald Reagan. However, Joe can make that claim, as it is one of his fondest memories working with the Reagan/George H. W. Bush administration during his time with the WHCA from 1984 to 1988.
“It was a special duty to get assigned to WHCA,” Joe said. ““I was in my early 20s, so all of this was really cool to me. I got to travel the world and work at the White House — way cool!”
Joe noted that President Reagan was just like “one of us.” There was no Wi-Fi or internet connection during this time, so Reagan enjoyed simple pleasures like walking or riding horseback on his ranch and trimming trees.
“Whether you’re military, a federal employee, or a contractor, we are all serving a greater mission,” Joe said. Pantex and Y-12 call upon employees who are dedicated to the values of supporting our nation in order to meet our nuclear deterrent mission. To Joe, that is precisely the similarity between working with a president/at the White House and for CNS — the sense of duty to support a higher calling.
Greg K.
Greg worked with the Trump and Biden administrations as part of the Presidential Support Squadron, Air Force Security Forces.
“My role was to provide direction and guidance to the Security Forces personnel and ensure the safety and security of Air Force One and its support complex,” he said.
Greg came to Pantex through the DOD SkillBridge Program.
“My previous role prepared me to work at Pantex by allowing me to understand the importance of national security, from the lowest to highest level, and has allowed me to understand Pantex’s role in ensuring the safety of the nation,” he said.
Matt P.
Matt worked at the White House during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He was on the travel advance team, setting up and running events globally.
“I would travel anywhere from 1 week to 3 weeks in advance of the president to coordinate and set up event sites, including sound amplification, media displays, staging, lighting, national television and radio press feeds, the president’s podium and presidential seal,” he said.
Matt also came to Y-12 through the DOD SkillBridge Program.
“The tenets of ‘A Learning Organization’ are just as applicable. ‘Set High Standards’ is one that sticks out to me,” he said. “We had a standard at the White House called ‘Presidential Quality.’ It is the best of everything, and it was the lowest standard everyone had to meet. Anything less was a failure.”
Michael V.
Michael worked as a uniformed officer with the U.S. Secret Service, where he controlled and maintained access and security for the White House, the Treasury Department, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and the New Executive Office Building during President Trump’s administration.
He said, “The Secret Service prepared me for Y-12 by training me to control access and maintain security. I think Y-12 and the White House are pretty comparable as far as the job goes that I perform.”
Take 5 minutes to learn about Christian G., of Production Integration. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Christian G. came to Tennessee in 2023 with his family and little more than “hopes and dreams.”
That’s how he describes his family’s decision to travel halfway around the world for his internship at Y‑12.
While finishing a tour in Japan in 2023, Christian and his wife decided it was time to separate from military life and start the next phase of their lives. That began by connecting to the U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge Program, which provides internships for transitioning military personnel.
When he received approval to start reaching out to companies, he knew what he wanted to do. “I wanted to remain in, or adjacent to, the nuclear power industry,” he said.
A native of Florida, Christian joined the Navy out of high school as a machinist mate in the Naval Nuclear Power Program. “Thanks for the fuel, Y‑12,” he said, chuckling. Y‑12 provides feedstock for the Nuclear Navy’s reactors.
Now at the other end of his Navy career, his knowledge of nuclear energy caught the attention of Steve P., Y‑12 Quality Modernization Program manager. At the time, the Analytical Chemistry Organization (ACO) was in the midst of a modernization. Steve wanted Christian to help with that transition.
It turned out to be a great decision.
“Christian’s dedication and results‑oriented actions, have been impressive,” said Steve.
Others noticed his skills and professionalism.
“Keep in mind, this was a new program being stood up at a time when ACO was having difficulty keeping the facility up to support mission,” said Hollie L., director of the Depleted Uranium, Manufacturing, and Quality Modernization Program. “It was a chaotic time, but Christian walked right into the fire, drinking from a fire hose, and was an immense help to Steve,” she said.
Amy W., senior director of Analytical Chemistry, added, “His Navy background certainly gives him a perspective on the high‑level mission of Y‑12; he is already leading discussions on mission needs for ACO. His most‑often used words, no matter who he is talking to, are ‘What can I do?’, ‘How can I help?’, ‘Would you like me to handle that?’”
Christian’s SkillBridge internship ended in August 2023. The following month, he left the Navy and accepted a job in Production Integration at Y‑12. “It’s been an extremely enriching opportunity as I’ve transitioned from military life into the civilian sector,” he said. “It’s also exciting to be able to continue serving my country through a new arm of our nation’s defense.”
Why are you mission success?
I have a results‑oriented mind‑set of get the job done right. This is in part from my upbringing and also my time in the Naval Nuclear Power Program. I immerse myself in the mission of my group and look for ways to make it better, faster, and more effective.
What is the greatest strength you bring to your organization?
I ask why we do things the way we do and where can we improve. What will make my organization’s mission easier to accomplish? With that questioning attitude, I push to overcome the inevitable unfavorable answers. I encourage those around me to continue moving through the challenges we face.
As an employee, how do you want to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as someone who helped Y‑12 transition into the next phase of production capabilities.
Why is teamwork an important aspect when working at Y‑12?
The combined efforts of all groups within Y‑12 propel us to mission success. Combining the ingenuity and passion from each individual ensures every activity is executed to the highest level of quality.
Take 5 minutes to learn about Brandi Reagan, recruiter for Mission Engineering. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Brandi Reagan has an eye for future talent. As a recruiter for CNS Mission Engineering, Reagan is responsible for the recruitment and placement of top engineering talent — which she does through developing recruitment strategies based on programs’ needs. She also works with program leaders to forecast and plan for the engineering pipeline.
Recruiting in the engineering field is highly competitive, and open positions often require unique skills and experience, often making finding the right recruit challenging. Reagan attributes her success in fueling the engineering pipeline with top talent to the overall team mentality in the Mission Engineering organization. She explained that managers in Mission Engineering often look out for each other, and if one hiring manager sees a top candidate that isn’t a fit for their open role, they proactively alert other hiring managers of the candidate’s availability. Ultimately, Recruiting and Mission Engineering work together to ensure CNS will not fail in delivering the mission, and mission success begins with finding and hiring the best people.
Due to her continued success, Reagan was recently awarded the title “Recruiter of the Year” by the University of Tennessee’s Center for Career Development and Academic Exploration. Nominated by the University of Tennessee, Regan worked closely with UT’s Employer Advisory Board and continues to advocate for CNS as an employer of choice as well as engage with future talent to enable pipeline development.
Reagan links her success in recruitment to her previous sales leadership experience and sales knowledge. “Recruiting is sales, full stop,” she explained. “Knowing where to find candidates, introducing them to an opportunity, and then sharing my excitement about the company and overcoming any initial concerns, that is where I thrive.”
Why are you mission success?
I feel this mission in my bones. I want to find the best and help them understand why CNS is the place to be to make a difference. I think I can speak for all Pantex and Y‑12 recruiters when I say we appreciate our role in the mission. We understand that our hiring managers’ time is valuable, so anything we can do to decrease our time to hire, find the right talent, and support the organization, we will do it.
What has surprised you the most since joining CNS?
The comradery from everyone in various departments at all levels. Everyone I’ve encountered is always willing to jump in and help. There’s definitely a “Goonies never say die” attitude, and we pull together to make things happen. The appreciation I’m shown for what I consider is just doing my job still takes me by surprise.
What is your favorite aspect about your work environment? How does that aspect make you know the mission is being met?
The people I get to work with in both HR and Mission Engineering are why I wake up excited to go to work. We help each other, show grace when needed, and pitch in to ensure we do not fail. We meet the mission because there are no other options.
How have your problem‑solving skills grown as you’ve developed as an employee?
Staying creative and using critical thinking skills to see the problem as a whole and not just the portion I’m addressing, that has definitely sharpened while I’ve been here. Also, I think having a questioning attitude helps.
Who in your life has inspired you the most and why?
That has to be my nannie, aka grandmother. She was a homemaker, but she still kept herself educated with politics, sports, the economy. She didn’t let her circumstances limit her to what she wanted to learn. She was a strong Appalachian woman, and no one was going to tell her how to think.
Take 5 minutes to learn about Sean L., Y-12 Nuclear Maintenance Services director. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.
Sean L. brings experience as both an engineer and a naval officer to his job at Y-12.
Unlike for some people, Mondays don’t get him down.
“I love them,” he said. “Mondays are what set the pace for the entire week. If you have a great Monday, you will have a great week.”
He spends his work weeks as the director of Y-12 Nuclear Maintenance Services, which has a large presence on the site.
“We have about 440 people in this organization,” he said. “We pretty much do everything, everywhere. We are practically in all of the facilities in the valley. We maintain various machinery and equipment, perform new machine demos, revive older pieces, and install new technology. We make sure everything is operational and mission-ready to support the work.”
Sean has hit the ground running since he arrived at Y-12 in October of 2023. Before that, he was at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions in South Carolina, where he was manager of Quality Assurance and Assessments and NNSA Operations and Programs. He was also the manager for the Savannah River Tritium Enterprise, which is a part of the Nuclear Security Enterprise.
Although the work he did at Savannah River was important, it was much different than the scope of tasks at Y-12.
“It’s the complexity of the work and the integration of all of the missions in one location,” he said. “This was very surprising to me. When I was at Savannah River, it was about environmental management. It was cleanup-based. Coming from there to here is like going from junior high to college.”
Sean also brings to Y-12 his experience as an engineer, a naval officer, and a subject-matter expert in nuclear propulsion plant operation, construction maintenance, regulatory compliance oversight, quality assurance, and project management.
“I came into a great situation,” he said. “It doesn’t always happen that way. This group I work with is high-functioning and dedicated to achieving mission excellence. Every day, this team reels off win after win.”
Leading people is his passion. He added, “But it’s not just about me leading them but also about learning from them, and hopefully they are learning something from me. This creates a place where we can all grow and succeed.”
How has working for CNS changed or reinforced your thoughts on our mission (nuclear deterrence, managing the stockpile, etc.)?
Working here has definitely reinforced my confidence in the state of our stockpile. At Y-12, I see the people are going in the same direction. They are not sitting on the sidelines saying, ‘This isn’t my job,’ if something needs to done. I never knew before I got into the DOE system how many people have to come together to support the nation’s stockpile.
Why is it important we hold ourselves accountable in our daily tasks?
We have to own the things we do. We are accountable to ourselves and our production customers. When it comes down to it, we are accountable to the nation. We don’t have an opportunity to not get it right. We don’t work at Chick-fil-A––if you forget to put a pickle on a sandwich, it’s not that big of a deal. If we forget something here, that’s a bad day.
What is one thing your coworkers would be surprised to know about you?
I raise miniature goats. I love them. I have a little farm with a couple dozen of them. They are cute little guys. Can’t have a bad day when you’re outside with the goats.
What’s your top bucket list item and why?
I want to go to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee on my motorcycle. That would be really cool. I used to do a lot of bike trips. I’ve ridden several thousand miles in a month. One of longest trips was from Newport News, Virginia to New York.
What work advice would you offer someone who is new to Pantex or Y-12?
Listen and always seek to understand [the situation, other perspectives, etc.] when there is a problem or an issue. That way, you can participate in the solution. Also, be open to the idea that there is a better way sometimes, and compromise isn’t failure. You might think you have the right answer, but you have to be open to alternative solutions.