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For nearly 40 years, Pantex employee Wade B. has been among those forming the protective line that protects the plant 24 hours per day, and he has not lost focus on the importance of what he does each day.

Wade grew up on a farm near Stratford, Texas, and when he was considering his career path as a younger man, a family member suggested Pantex as an option. His job duties vary widely, but they all come down to protecting the plant and everything within it. The highly trained force is dedicated to providing the highest level of protection possible.

Most of them are members of the Pantex Guards Union, which was established July 2, 1953, and thus is celebrating its seventieth anniversary. The PGU acts as the exclusive collective bargaining agent for all safeguards and security division protective force personnel below the rank of lieutenant employed at Pantex. It represents all its members in negotiations, agreements, and grievances, and it protects and promotes the interests of its members.

“Although I wasn’t here 70 years ago, I felt a leading to continue the legacy prior union representatives had started,” Wade said. “I have always had an opinion on most issues but never believed in complaining in the background. I have always been willing to support, defend, and promote my opinion and therefore believe you shouldn’t just complain about issues but bring forward solutions.”

In pursuit of that belief, Wade has served the union in a variety of roles, up to and including business agent and as a lead negotiator for three collective bargaining agreement negotiations. He is currently a steward, senior trustee, and negotiating committee member.

What daily task (specific meeting, report, etc.) lets you know you’re helping achieve the CNS mission? How/why does that task let you know you’re working toward the mission?
Every day I work security, and knowing that unauthorized personnel and controlled articles have not entered the plant and therefore plant operations can proceed safely and securely lets me know I’m helping the mission. And I know any emergency is responded to quickly and adjudicated properly.

How does patriotism factor into your life? Did your level of patriotism change after working at Pantex?
I have always been patriotic, even at a young age. I believe in the success of our great nation and want to protect our constitution and God-given liberty. After working here and realizing the strategic importance and one-of-a-kind mission we have, my patriotism even expanded and my yearning to protect our country became increasingly important.

As an employee, what do you want to be remembered for?
Serving and educating others to help them succeed.

What’s your favorite outside-of-work activity and why?
Elk hunting in the Rocky Mountains, because whether or not I punch my tag, I get my batteries recharged (mind decompressed and refocused – putting life in proper perspective) just being in the splendor and beauty of God’s creation.

Take five minutes to learn about Production Planning & Controls’ Ed D. “I Am Mission Success” profiles share how each employee feels tied to the Pantex and/or Y-12 mission. All views and opinions are the employees’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.

People are the heart of CNS: Everything that happens at Pantex rests with the mindset, attitudes, and actions of the people who work here. Those committed to personal and professional excellence not only succeed in their own careers—they encourage and inspire others to do so as well.

Longtime Pantexan Ed D. is such a person.

Ed connects problems with solutions in his characteristic calm joviality. He enjoys turning daunting challenges into mutually beneficial resolutions.

“Problem solving, along with a unique ability to work together with dignity and respect are my strengths,” he said. “They are extremely important to me. I strive to bring professionalism, patience, and good communication skills to work every day.”

Ed described finding great fulfillment in making the connections that alleviate potential conflict between individuals or teams.

“Interfacing with many departments and assisting with resolving issues on a daily basis is an accomplishing feeling and provides [me] a duty-oriented satisfaction,” he said.

Nowhere is this trait more on display than during a daily problem-solving, escalation and tracking meeting Ed facilitates. Team after team reports their successes and challenges to their Pantex colleagues. Ed manages the issues, demonstrating a keen instinct for when to remain in the background and let individuals talk through their projects’ needs and when someone might need a gentle word of appreciation.

“Facilitating the [meeting] allows me the opportunity to address, help solve and mitigate challenges on a daily basis,” he said.

Day after day, Ed addresses those challenges head-on and, day after day, he rewards his colleagues’ diligence with the same words of encouragement: “Thank you so much for the privilege of your time, and have a blessed day.”

What advice or encouragement would you give a new employee or someone considering applying for a career here?
“Pantex provides unlimited paths to learn and grow life’s strategies for success.”

In what way are you mission success?
“I strive to be vigilant, cognizant, and responsive to the expectations of the company.”

What would your coworkers be most surprised to learn about you?
“Most coworkers don’t know that I am the organist at the church I attend every Sunday.”

What’s your top bucket list item, and why?
“My bucket list item is to go on a cruise next year.”

What’s your favorite outside-of-work activity, and why?
“My favorite outside activities include working with my church and spending time with my siblings, children, and grandchildren.”

Pantex’s Tek F. is seen working on the SLM 280 Metal 3D printer

In the past few years, additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3-dimensional printing, has shown record growth with more than $18 billion in U.S. sales last year, according to Fortune Business Insights. Major industries, including automotive, construction, health, along with sites within the federal government, are incorporating 3D applications.

AM is unique in the fact it creates a part by adding material onto a surface instead of the more conventional method of subtractive manufacturing, where the process begins with a larger piece of material and the “subtracts” what is not needed to complete the final part.

There are a wide variety of methods and materials on the open market available for 3D printing. The most common process is fused deposition modeling, which heats a single plastic filament and builds the final item up a layer at a time. Digital light processing uses liquid resin that cures using ultraviolet light. Other printing methods include selective laser sintering, which melts a layer of powdered material with a high-powered laser; selective laser melting, which is specifically for metal printing capabilities; and poly jet printing for polymers only. CNS is currently working with vendors to add different on-site printing methods, since off-the-shelf printers do not meet its stringent requirements.

“Additive manufacturing impacts mission success by being able to create parts that would be very difficult to machine with an accelerated timeline,” said Pantex Engineer Wright S.. “For mission deliverables we have the capability to design and produce parts with greater flexibility than traditional manufacturing.”

At Pantex, 3D printing is primarily used to deliver mission-critical parts for the firing site, internally within the high explosives manufacturing group, as well as completing special requests site-wide. But there is a learning curve.

“Most of this difficulty can be attributed to how new to industrial use additive manufacturing is, especially when compared to subtractive manufacturing. Our second hurdle is encouraging a growth mindset. More groups are starting to add small scale 3D printers into their work areas for sample printing. After that, it will be encouraging the workforce to adapt to and utilize 3D printing wherever possible in our mission-critical production environment,” said Wright.

Maybe it’s her infectious laugh, her kind and helping spirit, or her dedication to producing quality work for more than a decade, but Pantexan Chantal J. is a popular face inside and outside the office.

Chantal is one of the hard-working engineers at the plant who, for more than a decade, has worked to make sure the mission moves smoothly and safely. She got her foot in the door while in college and seeking an internship to gain experience.

“I found out about Pantex through a friend and applied for a co-op position,” she said. “During the co-op, I found that I loved Amarillo and loved working for Pantex and wanted to stay.”

That was in 2011, and shortly after that she was hired as an engineer. Nearly a decade later, she says she loves the challenge of her work.

Her work has been recognized with various excellence awards over the years.

If she’s not at work, one of the most common places to find Chantal is at her many volunteering pursuits.

She has supported the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering since 2011 and is currently the co-coordinator of the local chapter. The group works to support students in underrepresented groups and inspire them to explore engineering. Each year, the chapter hosts egg drop, catapult, and other STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) competitions and participates in community activities like the EPIC Success career fair and Pantex’s Introduce a Girl to Engineering.

She also serves as vice president and coordinates events for her sorority and volunteers at the High Plains Food Bank and with the Northside Toy Drive.

Are you doing what you envisioned as a young adult? If so, describe how you got here.

I always envisioned myself doing something related to architecture or STEM but never envisioned myself working at a one-of-a-kind government facility like Pantex. I also never envisioned myself getting a master’s of fire protection engineering before working at Pantex.

Pantex opened doors by helping me jump-start my career in architectural engineering and helped me further my education with their reimbursement program. I’ve been able to utilize everything I’ve learned from Day 1 and strengthen my skills in design.

Never would I have imaged that I would be doing the work that I’m doing now, while working with such great people.

What is your favorite aspect about your work environment? How does that aspect make you know the mission is being met?

My favorite aspect about my work environment is being able to meet and work with new people and learn about the different groups on-site. Working with different groups helps me realize that we all play a big role in helping with the mission, no matter the size of the project.

What CNS principle drives you to be successful?

I believe “Safety, Security, Zero Defects” and “Deliver as Promised” all play a part in design.

What is one thing your coworkers would be surprised to know about you?

My coworkers sometimes get surprised when they find out I have a first degree black belt in tae kwon do and a yellow belt in jujitsu.

What’s your favorite outside-of-work activity and why?

One of my favorite outside-of-work activities is hanging out with my pup. She’s always by my side and always keeping me going.

Construction continues day and night on the High Explosives Science and Engineering (HESE) facility.

Under a beautiful West Texas starry sky, crews recently placed the first of three 2-foot-thick concrete mat slabs at the High Explosives Science and Engineering (HESE) project’s HE Lab Building. The milestone required 10 concrete trucks to make more than 86 trips to the site.

“In my 16 years at the plant, I have never placed this much concrete,” Project Manager Chris Howard said about the 869 cubic yards of concrete.

The effort was originally planned for a May evening to take advantage of cooler night weather but was delayed three weeks due to historic Texas Panhandle rainfall. When the weather dried up, the steadfast construction support cast of Security, Safety, Construction Management, Quality, and Engineering pulled an all-nighter with design engineering firm Burns & McDonnell and subcontractor Hensel Phelps.

S. Kemp, subcontract technical representative, said great attitudes and participative decision-making made this placement a success, and he’s excited for the future.

“We continue to gain momentum and mesh together as a unit,” he said.

The team compiled lessons learned to apply to future concrete placements, as the project is expected to use more than 11,751 cubic yards of concrete.

When complete, the HESE will replace 15 obsolete facilities at Pantex, the average age of which is 68 years old. It will support the Pantex HE Center of Excellence for Manufacturing mission for NNSA by providing laboratory space, classified and unclassified office and meeting areas, and a shower and change-out area for HE Operations personnel all in closer proximity to HE manufacturing operations.

The project is expected to use more than 11,751 cubic yards of concrete

The milestone required 10 concrete trucks to make more than 86 trips to the site

NNSA Associate Administrator and Chief for the Office of Defense Nuclear Security Lewis "Lew" Monroe, center, was at Pantex to celebrate NNSA Security Professional of the Year Timothy Alvarado, right, and Contractor Security Professional of the Year Steven Zuniga Thursday, July 20, 2023

The Pantex Plant and the Y-12 National Security Complex, which are managed and operated by Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS), along with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Production Office (NPO), were honored with all four of the annual NNSA security awards. The following personnel and team were honored:

• Timothy Alvarado, NPO (Pantex) – NNSA Bradley A. Peterson Federal Security Professional of the Year;
• Steven Zuniga, CNS (Pantex) – NNSA Bradley A. Peterson Contractor Security Professional of the Year;
• Major Courtney Coker, CNS (Y-12) Safeguards and Security – NNSA Security Manager of the Year; and
• Y-12 Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS) Team – NNSA Security Team of the Year.

NNSA Associate Administrator and Chief for the Office of Defense Nuclear Security (DNS) Lewis “Lew” Monroe told those assembled at an awards ceremony that he appreciated being where the work was getting done. “You are knocking it out the park,” he said. “There’s no way DNS would have the success it does without what you do every day.”

“This is a very well-deserved honor and recognition for our CNS and NPO security professionals who work to protect our vital national security assets at both the Pantex Plant and Y-12,” said Teresa Robbins, NPO manager. “It’s great to take some time to celebrate the exceptional work you perform protecting this site.”

“I am so proud of the security teams at both sites,” said Kristy McWilliams, CNS Vice President of Safeguards, Security, and Emergency Services. “The individuals honored with these awards are quite simply the best of the best and I congratulate each and every one of them. Their leadership, hard work, professionalism, and willingness to work as a cohesive team are to be commended.”

NNSA Associate Administrator and Chief for the Office of Defense Nuclear Security Lewis "Lew" Monroe, left, was at Pantex to celebrate NNSA Security Professional of the Year Steven Zuniga Thursday, July 20, 2023. Pictured left to right are Lew Monroe, Kristy McWilliams, Vice President, Safeguards, Security and Emergency Services, Steve Zuniga, Timothy Alvarado, Roxanne VanVeghten, Assistant Manager, Safeguards and Security, and Jason Armstrong, NPO Manager, Pantex.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. Bechtel National, Inc. is the lead member of CNS; minority members include Leidos, Inc.; ATK Launch Systems, LLC; and SOC LLC. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on performance excellence and the imperatives of safety, security, zero defects, and delivery as promised.

For more information on each site, visit www.pantex.energy.gov or www.y12.doe.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, X or LinkedIn. Follow Y-12 on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

CONTACT
Steve Myers
Communications
Office (806) 573.0490
Cell (806) 236.2826

Stephen.Myers@pantex.doe.gov

Take 5 minutes to learn about Russell Daniel, Project Management senior director at Pantex. All views and opinions are the employee’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.

Russell Daniel, senior director for Pantex Project Management, said the people are what he missed most about the Texas Panhandle.

“After 15 different moves, and no matter where I went – I can’t find a better group of people than those in the Panhandle,” Daniel said.

The Tulia, Texas, native graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and served 10 years in the U.S. Marine Corps.

He amassed a wealth of experience from across the Department of Energy on projects in Hanford, Washington, and at the Savannah River Site. He also spent time at Pantex leading Engineering and Facility and Design Engineering in the early 2000s.

Now back at Pantex for a second time, Daniel says leading with a focus on the people is driving mission success.

“From my time in the Marine Corps and in positions across the DOE complex, I know it is critical for leaders to support their teams and allow them to make decisions and take actions to execute the work,” Daniel said.

He and the Project Management team are transforming the landscape of the Pantex site through a multimillion-dollar portfolio of new construction and recapitalization projects.

How does patriotism factor into your life? Did your level of patriotism change after working at Pantex?
Patriotism and the need to do what was required for my country was always there. Coming to Pantex the first time gave me a chance to see how the site supports the overall national security mission. Returning to Pantex is truly the ability to get back to what are we doing to protect the United States and provide overall security that ties back to the early days I had in the military.

What one thing would your coworkers be surprised to know about you?
For the last seven years, I have run the chains for the U.S. Navy home football games including the Army-Navy game every other year. My Naval Academy roommate was part of the chain gang when I moved to Virginia, and he asked me to join the chain gang. It’s a neat spot to watch the game, and I only had one major mistake on national TV.

Ambulance loaned to replace city’s tornado-damaged vehicle

Members of the Pantex Fire Department hand over the keys to the loaned ambulance to the City of Perryton.

AMARILLO, Texas – On June 15th, the town of Perryton was hit by an EF-3 tornado, killing three people, injuring more than 120 residents, and causing millions of dollars in damage to homes and local businesses, including the Perryton Fire Department/Emergency Medical Services (EMS) station.

That night, Pantex received a call from Carson County officials, asking if emergency assistance could be sent to Perryton.

“We received the request a few hours after the tornado had hit,” said Pantex Fire Chief Mike Brock. “Even though Perryton is not in our mutual aid area, the request came from one of our mutual aid partners, and we responded with an ambulance. If able, we are always happy to assist when needed in any of our Panhandle area communities.”

Recently, Pantex emergency officials learned that Perryton’s tornado-damaged ambulance, is considered unusable. So, Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) reached out to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Production Office (NPO), to determine if additional assistance for Perryton could be provided.

The Pantex ambulance dispatched to Perryton the night of the tornado had just replaced an older ambulance, which was scheduled to be excessed. CNS and NPO agreed to loan Perryton the excessed ambulance for up to a year through an Agreement in Principle with the state of Texas.

“Pantex began sending help the night of the tornado and continued by sending a damage assessment team to assist in the following days,” said Jason Armstrong, NNSA Production Office Pantex Manager. “When the question was raised about further assistance by getting an ambulance to them, everyone involved--from headquarters to the firefighters who dropped the ambulance off -- never wavered in their commitment to help out neighbors across the region.”

The formal paperwork was completed and transfer of the loaned ambulance took place on June 28.

A Pantex ambulance has been loaned to Perryton to assist its EMS team following the June 15 tornado.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. Bechtel National, Inc. is the lead member of CNS; minority members include Leidos, Inc.; ATK Launch Systems, LLC; and SOC LLC. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on performance excellence and the imperatives of safety, security, zero defects, and delivery as promised.

For more information on each site, visit www.pantex.energy.gov or www.y12.doe.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, X or LinkedIn. Follow Y-12 on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

CONTACT
Steve Myers
Communications
Office (806) 573.0490
Cell (806) 236.2826

Stephen.Myers@pantex.doe.gov

Pantex was recently honored with the Business and Leadership Council Engagement Award from Amarillo College (AC). This award was in recognition of Pantex’s diligent efforts over the past year to support a wide range of AC's Business and Leadership Councils (BLC), including manufacturing, computer information systems, engineering and physics, and chemistry.

“We are thrilled to honor Pantex with the prestigious Business and Leadership Council Engagement Award,” said Ryan Francis, Amarillo College Workforce Innovation Network coordinator. “This esteemed recognition is a testament to Pantex's active participation and unwavering commitment to engagement, as evidenced through their consistent attendance, outstanding representation at various BLCs, in addition to their valuable class visits.”

Amarillo College is ranked as the #1 college in the nation by the Aspen Institute, is a significant supplier of talent at Pantex, and the leader in university transfers for the Panhandle.

“BLCs present a vital opportunity for Pantex leadership to provide guidance and feedback to AC's programs and curriculum so that they are meeting industry needs,” said Zuleyma Carruba-Rogel, Pantex Educational Partnerships & Talent Pipeline Development recruiter.

Over the past year, Pantex has increased collaboration with AC through these BLCs to help AC design beneficial programs for students that prepare students to fill real needs at Pantex, other Nuclear Security Enterprise sites, and similar industries. Key Pantex organizations that supported the program include Operations, Mission Engineering, Infrastructure, High Explosives, and Information Solutions and Services.

“AC recognized our efforts to support and influence their programs, in addition to a range of info sessions, career fair support, classroom visits, and program events such as women in manufacturing, and new student orientation,” said Carruba-Rogel. “We certainly appreciate this recognition and look forward to our continued partnership and support.”

Amarillo, Texas — The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Office of Infrastructure recently recognized seven teams from the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The teams, made up of hundreds of employees from the NNSA Production Office (NPO) and Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS), were honored with Excellence Awards for outstanding accomplishments during Fiscal Year 2022.

“The work done by these teams, and those who support them, will further the NNSA mission for years to come,” NPO Manager Teresa Robbins said. “Their commitment to excellence and creative solutions make them among the best in the Nuclear Security Enterprise.”

From streamlining routine maintenance tasks to installing essential machines for operations and finding environmentally friendly solutions, the winning teams’ work impacts day-to-day infrastructure tasks integral to serving the nation.

“Safety, a reliable infrastructure, and efficient operations are the heartbeat of our sites,” CNS President and CEO Rich Tighe said. “These award-winning projects highlight the outstanding dedication to the safe modernization of our infrastructure and ultimately to our important national security mission.”

At Pantex, three teams were recognized with awards. One was honored for completing a planned site electrical outage with a scope impacting the largest number of production facilities and personnel the plant has ever undertaken. Another team was recognized for replacing three high-risk chillers to provide a better work environment for critical mission support areas.

The third award at Pantex went to the High Explosives Science and Engineering project construction team, worked together with an environmental project team to relocate 15,000 cubic yards of excess soil on site, saving approximately 70,000 heavy truck miles, reducing fuel consumption by 12,500 gallons and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 130 tons.

At Y-12, four groups were recognized. One team removed a contaminated legacy building without impacting the environment or putting people at risk. The team’s efforts made way for continuing innovation and construction on-site. Another team earned accolades for shrinking a maintenance backlog by 66%, ensuring continued employee safety. Additional teams recognized at Y-12 included one that proactively planned for climate change and another that successfully completed a machine maintenance program despite multiple supply chain issues.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. Bechtel National, Inc. is the lead member of CNS; minority members include Leidos, Inc.; ATK Launch Systems, LLC; and SOC LLC. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on performance excellence and the imperatives of safety, security, zero defects, and delivery as promised.

For more information on each site, visit www.pantex.energy.gov or www.y12.doe.gov. Follow Pantex on Facebook, X or LinkedIn. Follow Y-12 on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

CONTACT
Steve Myers
Communications
Office (806) 573.0490
Cell (806) 236.2826

Stephen.Myers@pantex.doe.gov

Pantex NA-90 Award Recipients

This Pantex High Explosives Science and Engineering project team relocated 15,000 cubic yards of excess soil on site, saving fuel and carbon dioxide emissions.

This group from Pantex replaced three high-risk chillers to provide a better work environment for critical mission support areas.

This Pantex group undertook the largest planned electrical site outage impacting the largest number of production facilities.