I am Mission Success: Chelsey Westfall
Chelsey Westfall helps make sure the efforts of Safeguards and Security run smoothly.
The most visible part of Pantex’s Safeguards and Security division is the team of Security Police Officers patrolling every inch of the sprawling complex. However, the department is much more – it encompasses eight divisions responsible for protecting the people, technology, and information that makes Pantex so vital to our nation’s defense.
One of the team members who makes sure the fast-paced division flies down its assigned task list like an Olympic bobsled team is administrative assistant Chelsey Westfall. She is responsible for a wide variety of tasks, from authoring letters, to organizing spreadsheets, to responding to Emergency Response Organization calls.
“With constantly changing environments, people, and technology, there is never a dull moment for me in the division office,” Westfall said.
Westfall, a native of Spearman, Texas, joined Pantex in 2015. She worked first as a shipping clerk, then joined Infrastructure before settling in Safeguards and Security in 2019.
“I never realized just how much work goes into managing the stockpile, supporting the nuclear deterrent mission, or protecting our assets until I started working at Pantex,” Westfall said. “I was overwhelmed with the depth of our mission and layers of security at Pantex. The push for safety, education, OPSEC, and being good stewards of our funding have been a constant since I started working for CNS.”
Chelsey and her husband Kirk have been married for 17 years and share four children, all of whom are frequent subjects of her hobby as a photographer. Their oldest daughter, Kayleigh, lives in Ruidoso, New Mexico; Lexi is a student at West Texas A&M University; Ian serves in the United States Marine Corps; and their youngest, Kaine, is a student at River Road High School.
What stands out to you about Pantex?
The pride and patriotism that Pantexans share and feel for their work. Most employees are keenly aware of just how important our work is to the nation, and we are very proud to be the chosen few who are entrusted with these tasks. Working for Pantex is a job you can be proud of, knowing that you’ve made a difference.
What has surprised you the most since joining CNS?
I’m most surprised by the exponential growth Pantex and Y-12 have seen in employees over the last couple of years. The mission is growing, and to accommodate that, so is our workforce. When I started, I was explicitly told that you are still considered a “new” employee until you have been at Pantex for at least 10 years. I wonder if that still holds true?
What top strength do you bring to your organization and why?
My organizational and communication skills. I build spreadsheets for nearly everything that is important in my job, and having a system to easily track information and effective ways to communicate have made our department more efficient and timelier.
What advice would you offer a newer employee about the importance of solving problems and asking questions?
I would tell a new employee that it is important to get to know “people who know people.” A vast majority of the issues I deal with day-to-day are solved by asking someone for help who knows more about the issue at hand. It is always okay to ask questions if you aren’t sure about something; CNS promotes having a questioning attitude.
What’s your favorite outside-of-work activity and why?
I have always enjoyed photography, especially sports photography. When my kids were young, I used to spend insane amounts of money on professional photos from competitions. And sometimes, there just weren’t any good photos of my kids. I thought, why don’t I just teach myself how to do that? And I did.
I did a lot of research and watched a lot of videos, and I took a lot of blurry, awful photos! I started just taking pictures of my own kids. Eventually, people started asking me to get a few shots of their kids, too. I just love the look on someone’s face when they see a photo of them doing what they love.