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Take five minutes to learn about emergency preparedness specialists Reeves Easley-McPherson and Gregory Roddahl. “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.

Sound leadership comprises several key factors: respect for others, a spirit of innovation, and a commitment to excellence.

That is exactly the approach Reeves Easley-McPherson and Greg Roddahl took to a recent assignment, with impressive results.

“Each employee brings their own unique set of skills,” Easley-McPherson said. “So, don’t be afraid to speak up. You might know of a new way to complete a task that is safer, saves time, or saves money.”

Not only that, Roddahl said; standing in the gap to make sure operations run smoothly has its own intangible rewards.

“There’s always something not working correctly,” he said. “Finding it and fixing it before it’s needed lets me know I’m supporting the mission.”

No small part of that mission is following directives. To that end, Easley-McPherson and Roddahl considered the intent of the Department of Energy order that requires an alternate emergency operations center.

“[The order] does so as a part of a life safety and continuity-of-operations goal,” Easley-McPherson explained.

Using that order as a foundation, the men and their teams incorporated the Joint Information Center, two classrooms, and a remote workspace into the new facility in downtown Amarillo.

“I think of it as a Swiss Army knife or multifunction facility that exceeds the requirements of the DOE order,” Easley-McPherson said.

Their innovation not only created a more useful space, but will also save taxpayers some $800,000 over the life of its 5-year lease. That’s something of particular importance to Roddahl.

“Take ownership and pride in what you do,” Roddahl said. “Then, you can take satisfaction in it.”

Better efficiency and reduced cost – truly mission success!

When did you start working for CNS? If you didn’t begin in your current role, briefly describe your career progression.
Easley-McPherson: “I started working for Pantex in May 2016 in the Emergency Management Department. Growing up in Amarillo, I was surrounded by Pantex employees who were leaders in my church, in Scouting, and as neighbors. Their character and work in the community was admired. I had former Pantexans such as Marvin Willis and Paul Wagner as mentors while growing up. I am proud to be able to follow in their footsteps.”

Roddahl: “I earned my degree in environmental engineering from Texas Tech University and was looking for somewhere I could use it. I began working at Pantex in 2001. I worked for Environmental Projects and the 35-Account Testing Lab before taking a position in Emergency Management in 2010.”

Are you doing what you envisioned as a young adult? Describe how your career compares or contrasts to your expectations.
Easley-McPherson: “I started in Emergency Management in January of 2001. Since then, I have worked at the local, state, and now the federal level in this field. It is an environment of train and prepare, and then test. The drills and exercises we do test the training and preparation. If there is a miss in a drill or exercise, we step back, re-evaluate, and begin the process again. It is an exciting and dynamic career.”

Roddahl: “I obtained my degree to work as an engineer, and I’ve managed to use the skills I learned to be successful in all the roles I’ve had at Pantex. I thought I would be designing drinking-water treatment plants, and I was able to use the chemistry classes and labs to help being successful in the wet-chemistry lab. Now I’ve learned a great deal about how DOE wants their emergency management programs to be run and interacted with other sites and state programs to be successful here.”

What is your favorite aspect of your work environment?
Easley-McPherson: “At Pantex, my work and what I am able to contribute are appreciated and respected. I hear ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ from my management team often. This is a trait that most managers outside of Pantex miss¬¬—you get more from your employees with respect and a sincere ‘thanks.’”

Roddahl: “I enjoy the open-endedness of the work and the variety of tasks to accomplish. While I prefer a stable routine, I also wouldn’t like doing the same task every day forever.”

What advice or encouragement would you give to a new employee or someone considering applying for a career here?
Easley-McPherson: “Pantex is an exciting and unique place to work. In addition to our mission work, we have everything a small municipality would have, such as fire and EMS, police, waste management, transportation, food service, and utilities. Also, no two days are the same — the work is challenging and rewarding.”

Roddahl: “Pantex is a great place to work as a career, or you can move to a new job as your life situation changes.”

As an employee, what do you want to be remembered for?
Easley-McPherson: “I was always willing to help.”

Roddahl: “I’d like to be remembered for the same things I value in others: integrity, trust, and respect.”

Amarillo downtown emergency facility operational

AMARILLO, Texas – The Pantex Plant has a new Alternate Emergency Operations Center (AEOC) and Joint Information Center (JIC) in downtown Amarillo, providing a dedicated space for emergency response teams during drills, exercises, and real emergencies. When not in use as an AEOC/JIC, the space will be utilized by various Pantex departments for training.

“We are excited to utilize this new space in downtown Amarillo,” Jeff Yarbrough, Pantex site manager said. “This facility will enable our emergency response teams to work more efficiently and effectively during drills, exercises, and events.”

“The location is ideal,” said Reeves Easley-McPherson, Emergency Management specialist and AEOC/JIC building manager. “We are right at the entrance to downtown Amarillo, with easy access to both Interstate 40 and Interstate 27.”

DOE orders require the AEOC be located outside the Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) – a ten-mile radius around the plant, and the new location is well beyond the EPZ. Previously, the AEOC for the site was located near the Amarillo airport.

The AEOC is an alternate location from which Pantex coordinates information and resources to support incident management activities. The JIC is the central location where public information officials from all participating federal, state, and local agencies collocate during an actual emergency and where news media gather information and updates.

While a JIC would not typically be located in the same place as the AEOC, this new space works for both and provides classroom space for the site to use.

Having a dedicated, standalone JIC enables Pantex and NNSA Production Office (NPO) emergency responders to quickly go into operation during an emergency to provide information to the news media and public. Previously, the JIC was located at various locations within Amarillo College.

The new Pantex AEOC/JIC was first used during an emergency exercise on July 13, 2022.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, under a single contract for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. CNS member companies include Bechtel National, Inc.; Leidos, Inc.; ATK Launch Systems, Inc.; 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

First responders from Pantex Fire Department wore their gear for a very special reason this past Saturday.

The group of Pantex firefighters came together in a John C. Drummond Center stairwell to participate in a stair climb honoring the hundreds of New York City firefighters and first responders who died during the attacks on September 11, 2001.

The A-shift showed up in full gear and each firefighter climbed up to the third floor and back down 10 times. While this memorial climb may not represent the true number of flights and steps climbed by first responders on September 11 (110 flights), the Pantex firefighters completed their climb in tribute to what those brave men and women did that day.

Take 5 minutes and learn about CNS's Amanda Morgan, Pantex High Explosive Manufacturing senior manager. All views and opinions are the employees own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.

Congratulations to Pantexan Amanda Morgan who was recognized by the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce as a member of the 2022 Top 20 Under 40.

This award is given annually to area early career professionals who demonstrate professional excellence and bring value to the Amarillo business community.

Morgan got her start at Pantex as an intern while working on her undergraduate degree.

An Amarillo native, she graduated from Caprock High School and went on to receive a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Texas and a master of business administration from West Texas A&M University.

After completing a second internship with Frito Lay, Morgan started full time with Pantex.

She has worked in High Explosives Manufacturing for 16 years — the last 10 as senior manager.

Why are you mission success?
I strive every day to give my best and accomplish the job safely, securely, and with a high level of quality. I always tell everyone that works for me that product delivery on-time doesn’t count if we didn’t present our best effort or compromised safety, security, and quality. It is always worth the extra check to make sure you are giving your best work to the next level.

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?
We have a daily production meeting which helps to see how groups before/after your process are progressing and helps to understand the impact your product has on their work. It is very evident in that meeting when we are meeting our mission or when we are falling short in areas. It also helps us to have input on priorities in case they have shifted.

Are you doing what you envisioned as a young adult? If so, describe how you got here.
Not at all. My original goals were to be an accountant or a lawyer. I quickly learned during a high school accounting class that I did not want to do that job long term. It was during that time I learned about chemical engineering from my physics teacher. Definitely never thought I would be working with explosives but always knew I wanted to be more on the specialty, research side of things than full chemical plant production.

As an employee, what do you want to be remembered for?
Always helping. Whether it be helping to get the right POC, teaching someone about a process, etc., just having people know that they can come to me or ask me and get some assistance.

What work advice would you offer someone who is new to Pantex or Y-12?
Listen and take it all in. Learn from as many people as you can and be genuine with your questions and willingness to learn the mission.

What’s your favorite outside-of-work activity and why?
I still have small kids at home, so I typically don’t have a lot of time outside of their activities. When I get the chance, I enjoy reading and going to the movies.

Oak Ridge, Tenn.—Richard “Rich” Tighe became president and chief executive officer for Consolidated Nuclear Security effective Tuesday, September 6, 2022. He replaces Gene Sievers, who had served as CNS's acting president and CEO since July.

Tighe assumes leadership for both of the National Nuclear Security Administration production plants under CNS's contract: the Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Sievers returns to his singular role as the Y-12 site manager, and Colby Yeary will continue to serve as CNS's chief operating officer.

Tighe (pronounced “tie”) joins CNS after nearly four years as president and general manager of National Aerospace Solutions, the Bechtel-led test operations and sustainment contractor for the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex at Arnold Air Force Base near Tullahoma, Tenn. Before serving in that position, Tighe led business development for Bechtel’s Nuclear, Security, and Environmental global business unit, which included work with the Departments of Energy, Defense, and Homeland Security; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; commercial nuclear power; and governments of U.S. allies. He was elected a Bechtel principal vice president in 2016.

He previously worked for nearly a decade at the Nevada Test Site (now known as the Nevada National Security Site), where his duties included conducting nuclear defense and national security science work, managing a diverse construction and technical portfolio to support multiple government agencies, and leading a department in the site’s remote sensing laboratory.

“Rich’s experience in nuclear safety, high-hazard projects, explosives test and evaluation, conduct of operations, and nuclear emergency response, added to the outstanding performance of NAS while performing critical ground-testing of military and commercial aerospace systems, make him an excellent fit for his new role with CNS,” said Dena Volovar, general manager of Bechtel’s Nuclear, Decommissioning, and Environmental Group.

Tighe holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Loras College in Iowa and a Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the University of Notre Dame. Upon completion of his doctorate, he worked for two years as a postdoctoral fellow in the nuclear science division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

“My career in the national security field has helped prepare me for this important and exciting role and I’m eager to get to work and help the patriots at Pantex and Y-12 continue to deliver on the important national security mission the nation trusts us to perform,” Tighe said.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, under a single contract for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. CNS member companies include Bechtel National, Inc.; Leidos, Inc.; ATK Launch Systems, Inc.; 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
Todd Jacobson
Communications
Office (865) 574.9077

todd.jacobson@pxy12.doe.gov

The temperature may not feel like it, but summer is winding down. More than 50 interns at Pantex and Y-12 recently wrapped up their two month work experience with an Intern Expo. A few share what lessons they learned and memories they take with them.

Steven Keosouvanh, West Texas A&M University, major: computer information systems and business analytics

What surprised you the most during your internship at Pantex or Y-12?
I was surprised at how happy each organization is to improve their workers so they can grow to be better and find their passions. I have heard so many stories of people starting in one place and pursuing their careers start to finish here and stories of people who became passionate in a different area of work then changing careers all while at CNS.

What event or task did you enjoy the most during your time?
For me, I enjoyed building workflow process with my intern team. It was great to have an intern team that was so motivated and collaborated so well together. I don’t think we could have completed our task alone if it weren’t for everyone’s motivation and the support system we had in Project Controls.

Why should today’s college students consider Pantex and Y-12 ?
The mission we have here is important, and Pantex and Y-12 are great places to work for those with experience and those who are new. It is built into the core philosophy of the company to embrace both ends of the experience spectrum.

What is some work advice you learned from a veteran employee?
Be clear when speaking to people and make it as unambiguous as possible so people can see my vision. I hope to take this advice and make an impact using technology and data driven thinking in my career.

Jonas Rivero, West Texas A&M University, major: mechanical engineering

What surprised you the most during your internship at Pantex or Y-12?
My biggest surprise during this internship was having the encouragement to ask any question and having coworkers and supervisors open to answering all of those questions. I felt comfortable reaching out to anybody without feeling like I was going to annoy someone, and I knew they encouraged asking more questions.

What event or task did you enjoy the most during your time?
I most enjoyed the tours provided to us through the internship. I had various tours and saw some very impressive things that I was very grateful to see.

Why should today’s college students consider Pantex and Y-12 ?
I think there is a very high importance for college students to consider a field that supports the mission because there are various opportunities. From having the opportunity to further your educational studies to moving on to another role within the plant, the opportunities are endless, and you have an important task no matter what role you have.

What is some work advice you learned from a veteran employee?
A big piece of advice I received from a veteran employee was that there are a lot of knowledgeable people here, and you can learn something from everyone. I really listened to that advice and have really listened to what anybody who I encountered had to say. I’ve learned a lot of things that you can say I wouldn’t have learned in school, and I’m grateful I was able to experience this.

Serée Sturdivant, Texas Tech University, major: chemical engineering

What surprised you the most during your internship at Pantex or Y-12?
The thing that surprised me the most during my internship was the people. How nice and knowledgeable everyone was, how willing everyone was to help me get started and help me connect academic knowledge with industry needs and applications, and just how much I genuinely enjoyed working with my department. Everyone I reached out to wanted to help me however they could and taught me so much about where I fit in to the mission. I could not have asked for a better group of people to work/interact with!

What event or task did you enjoy the most during your time?
During my internship, I most enjoyed getting to design an advanced chemical reactor/chemical processing system for one of my projects. It was a true design project and pushed me to the limits of my current knowledge and capabilities, which allowed me to push beyond those limits and learn so much more.

Why should today’s college students consider Pantex and Y-12 ?
It is important that college students consider a field that supports the Pantex and Y-12 mission because the mission is integral to our continued safety and freedom as a country. There are so many different paths within Pantex/Y-12 — no matter what major you are or what your interests are, there is a place for you! You do your best work and are most happy/fulfilled in the work that you do when you are passionate about the mission your work supports.

What is some work advice you learned from a veteran employee?
Some work advice I learned from a veteran employee was more by what he did than what he said. My manager, Steve Velarde in Mission Engineering, tackled every problem that arose with patience, knowledge, and understanding. He always had solutions to issues that arose along the processes of the two projects that I was working on and gave me a completely different perspective on how to lead with direction while allowing maximum creativity and learning. I want to simulate his work/leadership style while I begin my career.

Delaine Stiltner, Tennessee Technological University, major: civil engineering

What surprised you the most during your internship at Pantex or Y-12?
The initial shock of the security aspects of the job were a bit surprising at first. Security at Y-12 is one of the reasons this job is so unique.

What event or task did you enjoy the most during your time?
I enjoyed getting to work on several different projects this summer. I feel that I have grown significantly and have learned so much over the short time span of my internship. My favorite part about my job was getting to meet so many great people and working with different types of engineers!

Why should today’s college students consider Pantex and Y-12?
Working at Pantex and Y-12 helps provide a service to our community and our country while allowing yourself to grow in a supportive and family driven environment.

What is some work advice you learned from a veteran employee?
Some of the best advice I learned was to always ask questions and make sure you document everything!

Pantex employees designated more than $100k for local organizations in 2022

AMARILLO, Texas – Fourteen Panhandle non-profits received a total of $107,100 from the Consolidated Nuclear Security (CNS) Community Investment Fund at a ceremony August 24.

Now in its seventh year, the fund has awarded a cumulative $1.07 million in grants to 64 nonprofits in the Texas Panhandle.

The Community Investment Fund is a partnership between CNS, the managing and operating contractor of the Pantex Plant, and the Amarillo Area Foundation.

Kenny Steward speaks at the CNS Community Investment Grant Ceremony held at Pantex August 24

“Pantex is invested in our community, and our partnership with the Amarillo Area Foundation supports local growth and development,” said Pantex Community Investment Advisory Committee Chair Ryan Johnston. “This year marks a significant milestone in giving from CNS, and we are pleased to announce new grants to 14 nonprofits that provide wonderful support to our community.”

“This support means that the variety of nonprofits that serve residents in the priority target areas of basic needs of food, clothing and shelter; children, youth and families; community development; education; and health and wellness are improving our community holistically with CNS funding,” said Sarah Griffin, Amarillo Area Foundation Grants Program Officer. “Over $1 million in grant distributions demonstrates a sincere care for the people who are living, working, and serving in this often-underserved area of our great state of Texas.”

This year’s recipients are:

• Eveline’s Sunshine Cottage - $10,000 to support the ESC Program equipping at-risk women through basic needs and education
• Faith City Mission - $7,600 to provide for basic needs for the homeless
• Martha’s Home - $10,000 to support the Present Needs Future Success Program with basic needs and education for clients
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Amarillo - $8,500 to support the Share a Night Program
• Downtown Women’s Center - $10,000 to support the DWC’s Recovery Program
• High Plains Food Bank - $7,500 to support Kids Café
• Amarillo Area CASA - $10,000 for travel support for visiting foster children
• Cactus Cares Foundation - $5,000 to support the P.O.W.E.R. Program (Protein Outreach with Educational Resources)
• Make-A-Wish North Texas - $5,500 to provide for wish granting in the Texas Panhandle
• Guyon Saunders Resource Center - $10,000 to provide for the Helping the Homeless Program
• Texas Ramp Project - $5,500 to support the Amarillo Ramp Project
• The Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center - $5,000 to support technology upgrades
• Family Support Services - $10,000 to support the Overcoming Barriers Program
• Pampa’s Tribute to Woody Guthrie - $2,500 for an updated sound system

CNS first met with the Amarillo Area Foundation in 2014 to create an innovative and effective method for contributing to the community in a way that would also better engage Pantex employees. Continued conversations led to creation of the Pantex Community Investment Fund in 2015.

“We are honored to be part of the Panhandle community and, as we pass $1 million in giving since the Community Investment Fund began, we are proud of the many ways the fund has made a difference in the lives of our neighbors thanks to the hard work of our non-profit partners,” said Jason Bohne, CNS senior director of Communications.

“Community contributions of this magnitude have a tremendous ripple effect in the lives of countless Texas Panhandle residents,” Griffin said. “We are truly grateful for this partnership as this combined effort is what leads to change and community improvement.”

Pantex employees who serve on the Community Investment Fund committee are chosen to serve two-year terms to represent their colleagues. Eleven employees participated in 2022.

“By far, my favorite part about the Amarillo Area Foundation’s partnership with CNS was working with the Pantex employees on the Grant Advisory Committee and its leadership,” Griffin said. “Each year, the committee does a thorough and thoughtful job as they recommend funding nonprofits who are benefiting the Texas Panhandle community.”

CNS Community Investment Grant Recipients are pictured following the grant ceremony

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC operates the Pantex Plant, located in Amarillo, Texas, and the Y-12 National Security Complex, located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, under a single contract for the U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration. CNS member companies include Bechtel National, Inc.; Leidos, Inc.; ATK Launch Systems, Inc.; 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

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 National Nuclear Security Administration’s security awards. The results were recently announced by NNSA's Associate Administrator and Chief of Defense Nuclear Security Jeff Johnson, and three of the four awards went to either Consolidated Nuclear Security or NNSA Production Office employees. A ceremony was recently held for those receiving the honors.

These awards recognize employees whose contributions to NNSA represent excellence and dedication to our national nuclear security.

Byron Logan, Pantex Plant, NNSA Security Manager of the Year

Pantex’s Byron Logan, who was named NNSA Security Manager of the Year. Logan is responsible for Safeguards and Security Performance Testing, Self Assessments, and Issues Management.

Logan is responsible for Safeguards and Security Performance Testing, Self Assessments, and Issues Management. In 2021, under his leadership, the Office of Enterprise Assessments completed a successful multi topic assessment of the Pantex S&S program. Working within COVID-19 federal restrictions and safety measures implemented, the Office of Enterprise Assessments completed force on force testing and 16 integrated performance tests. His performance assurance program covers performance testing, self assessments, and issues management for all S&S topical areas: Protective Force, Physical Protection, Material Control and Accountability, Information Protection, Personnel Security, and Program Management Operations.

The Y-12 Nuclear Material Control and Accountability team

The Y-12 Nuclear Material Control and Accountability Team, NNSA's Security Team of the Year.

The Y-12 Nuclear Material Control and Accountability team has made positive contributions to national security by successfully and aggressively working to increase productivity and quality gains. This team successfully reduced inventory time and operational downtime, improved performance testing through 3-D printing and medical isotope data collection, initiated enhancements in reporting automation, and much more. The team’s collaborative efforts allowed them to exceed the previous reporting timeframe for final inventory to Nuclear Materials Management and Safeguards System.

John Fromberger, NNSA Production Office, NNSA Bradley A. Peterson Federal Security Professional of the Year

Roxanne Van Veghten, NPO assistant manager for Safeguards and Security, presents John Fromberger his award.

Fromberger, the NPO Protection Program Management federal program manager, has worked to strengthen relationships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to effectively carry out responses to emergency operations and events on site. Fromberger coordinated with multiple agencies to conduct a complex “Fresh Pursuit” exercise that ensures effective response to potential large scale events.

One of the New Employee Orientation classes during 2022 at Y-12’s New Hope Center.

Starting any new job is overwhelming, but starting work at a nuclear weapons production site is even more so. Human Resources and Communications led an effort to improve the onboarding experience for new hires at Pantex and Y‑12, with substantial engagement from other organizations. The goal was to create an onboarding experience that empowers employees with a clear understanding of our mission and enables them to contribute to our mission more quickly.

The enhanced orientation program acquaints new employees with goal‑setting, provides intensive employee training with presentations about both sites, and connects each new hire to an organizational ambassador from his or her business area. By the end of orientation, new employees have a deeper understanding of their individual roles in achieving the mission. They also have a clearer organizational picture, familiarity with the Pantex and Y‑12 strategic plans, and continued support through the connection and relationship built with their organizational ambassador.

As an organizational ambassador, Leslie Mathews of Y‑12 Production Operations provides one‑on‑one support to new employees during their first 90 days of employment (and often longer). “I hired in almost 15 years ago,” she said. “I did not get all of this information on day one. It takes lots of time to understand the magnitude of what we do, but with the onboarding structure, new hires have the opportunity to learn so much at the very beginning.”

“The engagement of senior leaders and organizational ambassadors in onboarding has been a game-changer,” said Senior Director of Communications Jason Bohne. “New employees are not only learning how they connect with the mission but are also gaining perspective on our priorities and beginning to build a network of people who can help them be successful in the short term and throughout their careers. Welcoming them and giving them the tools to succeed helps make us all successful.”

Making sure new employees are introduced to how they fit in our national security mission falls to Recruitment and Placement Specialists Zuleyma Carruba-Rogel and Jay Aspray.

“We’re always asking ourselves, ‘Is this the best that we can be?’ That constant reflection and adjustment lets us know we’re on the path to success,” Carruba-Rogel said. “When we see and experience the community that new hires are creating; when they respond to content and tell us they feel welcome; or when they talk about what a great experience onboarding was for them — that’s when we get to reap the fruit of those labors.”

Pantex Deputy Site Manager Kenny Steward said, “In our sites’ histories, we have rarely had to compete with a broad range of employers to attract talent to Pantex and Y‑12. Orientation is one of the opportunities we have to show new employees that they made the right choice and have joined a team they can be proud of for the rest of their careers. It’s our new employees’ introduction to life and culture in a high‑hazard, nuclear production environment, allowing us to set the stage for tying each employee to our critical nuclear deterrent mission and ensuring they know the dramatic value they add to the important work done at our sites.”

Take 5 minutes and learn about CNS’s Richard Dumas (left) and Samuel Sturkie (right), Pantex production technicians. All views and opinions are the employees’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of CNS.

The Pantex Production Optimization (PPO) effort was commissioned to lead and establish a path forward to deliver and maximize our production throughout this year and into the future. Since its launch, the PPO team has made significant progress in tackling actions to maximize the current weapons workload deliverables. In a recent CNS Connect from Chief Operating Officer Colby Yeary, he said, “We’ve gone from having significant concerns regarding our ability to deliver to reinstating customer confidence and demonstrating that our processes will help us continue to deliver in the future.”

A large part of the progress is attributed to the work of the production technicians, the employees who do the actual hands-on work to ensure the nuclear deterrent is safe, secure, and effective. Production technicians have a wide variety of responsibilities, including assembling/disassembling nuclear weapons, testing components associated with the stockpile, keeping accurate records, operating equipment, performing repairs, and more. Pantex has made it a priority to hire more than 200 PTs by fall 2022 to improve production output and deliver planned future weapons work.

Samuel Sturkie and Richard Dumas are two production technicians representing opposite ends of the nuclear security experience spectrum. Sturkie has worked with Pantex for 16 years, while Dumas is relatively new to Pantex with 18 months of experience serving as a production technician. Prior to employment with Pantex, Sturkie was a machine operator at a local Amarillo container board facility. Dumas had spent a couple years working on the road building gas plants, and many years managing a local family-owned BBQ restaurant in Amarillo. Both provide a unique perspective to what it means to be a Pantexan and be part of the PPO efforts.

What daily task lets you know you’re helping achieve the CNS mission?

Dumas: I think a great thing is getting to meet some of the pilots that use the things we create here at Pantex and see that they are excited about what we are accomplishing here. They come in and thank us, when we should be thanking them for putting their lives at risk by doing what they are doing. We get to go home every day and spend time with friends and family. I believe all service members past and present need to be thanked.

Sturkie: I would say stand up/stand down is the greatest indicator. It’s like a real-time report of how all the pieces are fitting together and what page everybody is on.

As an employee, what do you want to be remembered for?

Dumas: I wouldn’t really say that I want to be remembered for anything specific; I believe that if you come to work and put forth your best effort and teamwork that it will show on its own when you are gone.

Sturkie: Probably my packaging skills. I want someone to look at a MKQ (Mark Quality) part and say, “the guy who packaged this part really cared.”

Are you doing what you envisioned as a young adult?

Dumas: I never imagined I would have an opportunity to work here at Pantex, but things work in mysterious ways. And hope that I can make it another 20 years and retire here in Amarillo.

Sturkie: Yes, ever since I wrote a research paper on nuclear winter in high school, I became interested in doing something in the nuclear field. My dad worked at Pantex for almost 30 years, so growing up I always wanted to work at the place that my dad worked.

What work advice would you offer someone who is new to Pantex?

Dumas: I would say be patient. You aren’t going to know and pick up everything the second you walk in the door. And for new PTs, trust in your team as in your trainers. Senior PTs, trust your core team guys. Most of these guys have been here a while and are very knowledgeable about what we are doing; if you have questions ask them. This is probably a very different job than what a lot of us came from, and it takes some adjusting. But these guys are very helpful at helping you when needed.

Sturkie: If you have a new idea or a different way of doing things, don’t be shy; bring it up.

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

Dumas: I enjoy golfing, cooking, and traveling. These are all things that make me happy. Golf for the outside fresh air, cooking for an inside or out (BBQ), and traveling get to see a lot of history all over.

Sturkie: I would have to say playing video games. They help me relax and recharge my batteries, so I can come back to work refreshed.