Y-12 Blog
The Tennessee Veterans Business Association Dinner was held on January 28, 2019. CNS was a sponsor table. Attendees included Brian Arrington, Lisa Copeland, Amy Wilson, and Bill Tindal. Guest speaker was Oliver North.
Pantex and the Y-12 National Security Complex were recently named veteran-friendly employers. The Texas Workforce Commission and Texas Veterans Commission honored Pantex with the distinction in 2018, and the Tennessee Veterans Business Association recognized Y-12 in January. Together, Pantex and Y-12 employ more than 1,800 veterans.
Veterans serve in a range of roles at the sites, everything from security police officers to machinists to weapons assembly/disassembly operators to engineers. “Working at Y-12 has allowed me to continue my service to the nation in a meaningful way,” said Tom Tress, who served as a helicopter mechanic in the Marine Corps and is now a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt working on process improvement initiatives at the site. “I believe strongly in our nuclear deterrence mission.”
Sherry Philyaw, retired senior chief petty officer who now manages infrastructure assessments and corrective actions at Pantex, finds continuity in her military and Pantex careers through the structure and formality of processes. “To assure the dependability of every single one of our products, we have to follow procedures and policies, just like in the Navy,” she said. “We check and double check everything. Our customer has to know without a doubt that the product we deliver will be exactly what they are expecting.”
In addition to veterans, Pantex and Y-12 employ active-duty Reserve and National Guardsmen and women who are often deployed on tours of duty around the world.
“Military service builds skills that are very valuable to employers,” said Heather Freeman, Pantex Human Resources site manager. “Veterans have training in leadership, teamwork, loyalty, decision making, and technical skills. They have real-life experience, work well under pressure, are responsible, have a strong work ethic, and can interact with a variety of people. It is a great investment for both employers and those who have served our country.”
Moreover, since July 2014, Consolidated Nuclear Security, the managing contractor of Pantex and
Production personnel now have additive manufacturing machines in their areas to help produce fixtures for Y‑12 Operations.
Additive manufacturing isn’t new to CNS, but three new machines recently found their home in a Y-12 production facility, and that location is new.
Susan Baker of Fabrication Operations said, “These machines provide a great opportunity for our employees to learn how this technology works and how we can apply it to optimize design and fabrication of tooling and fixtures.”
These newest machines are the first for Y-12 Production personnel to use and will be able to produce fixtures and support items for more widespread use in Y-12 Operations. A fourth machine, with a larger build volume, will be soon operational. Two similar machines already are in operation in an Engineering laboratory for prototypes and demonstrations.
Congratulations to our new security police officers! The class boasted an outstanding average of 95 percent on weapons qualifications.
Congratulations to the newest Y‑12 Security Police Officers.
Y-12 graduated its newest Tactical Response Force I class in November. These Protective Force members completed standard basic training for the DOE Security Police Officer upon entry into the DOE/NNSA Protective Force community. The training focuses on individual and team tactical combat skills necessary to protect safeguards and security interests.
Central Training Facility Manager Dave Fritz said, “The class of 14 successfully completed the eight‑week paramilitary force course that included classroom training and extensive practical application in areas such as handgun and rifle manipulation, close‑quarters battle, and a tactical obstacle course.”
The new SPOs also attended Y-12–specific training that included routine and emergency vehicle operations, tactical causality care, officer survival, and surveillance/reconnaissance.
“These SPOs will receive several weeks of on‑site and on‑the‑job training when they report to Y-12 for duty,” Fritz said. “The class boasted an overall 95 percent average on weapons qualifications, which is well above of the required DOE 70 percent minimum.”
Congratulations to Katie Roberts, who was recently named part of Knox.biz’s 2018 class of 40 under 40.
Katie Roberts, of Y-12’s Supply Chain Management was recently named one of Knox.biz magazine’s 40 Under 40 honorees and will be recognized at an awards ceremony in January.
An early career leader, Roberts is already making her mark on CNS and the community through professional accomplishments and service work.
Roberts said she finds the recognition humbling and a reason to further improve Y-12 operations. “My goal is to leave the site better than I found it,” she said. “That can be an improved process, building teamwork and trust, delivering better customer service, you name it.”
As the site’s Materials Management manager, she developed and implemented a new Supply Chain Shipping, Receiving, and Order Fulfillment center to establish a cradle to grave materials management capability. This project allows CNS to operate more like Amazon — rapid delivery and tracking of materials and user friendly customer support.
Along with her professional accomplishments, Roberts was recognized for her dedication to the community, including her role on the CNS Community Investment Advisory Committee.
Skip Skelton, who heads Supply Chain Management and nominated Roberts, said what sets her apart is her willingness to take on challenging projects and her ability to work well with others. “Katie’s ability to establish and grow relationships — with her employees as well as internal and external customers — fosters an environment that not only achieves results but also improves employee motivation and morale,” he said.
Construction and Projects Management received an award active participation in safety and injury-free work. Monica Lewis, Construction, accepts the award on behalf of the organization from Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal.
Construction recently celebrated more than two million work hours without a lost-time injury. That’s a pretty impressive achievement for the more than three hundred people representing 11 crafts.
“We have very good craftspeople in Construction, professionals who know their jobs, know how to do dangerous work safely, and how to help others do that work safely. Those who are more senior take care of the newer ones. It’s a requirement of all our crafts: we all look out for each other,” said Monica Lewis, Craft Safety Team Lead.
Lewis indicated the four-person team’s work begins at 6:30 a.m. as they make the rounds of active projects. They deliver personal protective equipment and walk down the sites looking for hazards. “We interact with the craft on the job to see if they have any issues we can help get resolved, and, if there are concerns, we take them to management if we cannot resolve the issues. Management is very supportive of the craft safety team.”
The team credits a sense of family among crews, good safety practices and programs and a strong Y-12 Construction safety culture for the impressive safety record. The workers concur, noting that there are no stupid questions and crediting the safety tem with helping them work safely.
The continuous focus on safety can be a bit of an adjustment for some. “It’s just a different culture,” said Lewis. “Then they work here and it becomes natural.”
That “natural culture” produced more than two million hours of safe work for Construction. Lewis concluded, “We did it ‘cause we care about each other. No one wants to see someone get hurt.”
For more information about how Construction works safely, watch this brief video.
Construction celebrates more than two million work hours without a lost-time injury.