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Meet Ralph Eubanks, metrology technician in the dimensional lab at Pantex. He is one of the Pantex team of metrology specialists who works to exceed customers’ requirements and expectations. His primary role is to calibrate cutters (milling bits) that are used in the various machining operations throughout Pantex.

Ralph Eubanks works as a technician in the dimensional lab in Pantex’s Metrology group.

Pantexan Maria Holt was the first intern-to-employee in the SkillBridge intern program, a partnership of the Department of Defense and CNS. After 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, Holt now works at Pantex in Environmental Compliance.

More than two years ago, Pantex and Y-12 began a partnership with the Department of Defense SkillBridge internship program to help service members transition to civilian employment by spending their final six months of active duty as interns. SkillBridge interns complete a specialized training program that fits their background and career goals, as well as the partnering organization’s goals.

Since March 2020, Pantex and Y-12 have hosted 31 SkillBridge interns, and 25 of them have transitioned to full-time employment. Another 11 are currently completing internships, with nine more scheduled to begin interning soon.

Emily Graber, director of Engagement, Inclusion, and Performance, is the program manager for CNS's SkillBridge. She said partnering with DOD on the program builds the sites’ capabilities. CNS can tap into a talent pool of transitioning service members to recruit not just interns but employees who understand the foundation of CNS imperatives and values.

“The program is a wonderful opportunity for service members to easily transition into a new norm of life after their commitment to our nation during their time with DOD,” Graber said. “It is an honor to see the success of our partnership with DOD and each and every SkillBridge intern as they continue their service to our nation in a slightly different capacity.”

Maria Holt at Pantex was the first SkillBridge intern to transition to full-time employment through the CNS program. She retired from the U.S. Air Force in August 2020 after 20 years of service in bioenvironmental engineering. By then, she had already completed her internship and was hired by Pantex Environmental Compliance as an environmental science specialist.

The goal of SkillBridge is to ensure that service members have employment set up well in advance of their military departure. Holt said her transition process began two years before she left the military. She selected Pantex for its proximity to her hometown of Dumas, Texas, where her husband is a police officer, as well as for its patriotic mission.

“It’s been a good transition,” Holt said. “DOD and DOE are similar in how they manage, so I still apply the ideals of teamwork and completed staff work. I just don’t have to wear a uniform anymore.”

After spending 29 years in the U.S. Army, Jay Aspray is now the recruiter for all SkillBridge interns at Pantex and Y-12. Aspray said he was able to quickly align his vast military experience to the Y-12 mission.

“The benefits of the program are significant in that it allowed me to be fully operational by the time my internship was complete, so I could immediately begin providing Y-12 with meaningful and impactful work once I was hired full time,” he said.

John Toliver III spent 14 years in the U.S. Army before deciding to take another path, becoming one of the first three SkillBridge interns. He is now the program manager for U.S. Special Operations and Interagency Partnerships. He said learning the language and culture of Y-12 reminds him of learning to speak Arabic to better understand the culture of his partner forces.

“Learning the language and culture of the NSE, CNS, and Y-12 is priceless as I join this dynamic team,” Toliver said. “The internship helped me determine that CNS was a right fit for me and my family and that I was a right fit for CNS.”

Due to the nature of the work done at Pantex, severe weather, especially area lightning strikes, will halt production. To monitor weather conditions, Pantex subscribes to two lightning-detection networks for cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground strikes.

One of those lightning-detection networks is Earth Networks, which has lightning-detection systems located all over the United States. Pantex added additional lightning-detection sensors that include weather stations to the four corners of the Texas Panhandle. The cities of Texline (northwest), Follett (northeast), Friona (southwest), and Childress (southeast) were selected to meet that need.

These four new weather stations update every 30 seconds, and new photos from an HD SkyCam are updated every 15 minutes to a webpage that local schools can embed on their websites. The weather data can be used by the students and teachers at the respective schools to teach lessons such as basic meteorology, mathematical skills, and of course, earth science. It can also be a vital component in the schools’ use of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) in the classroom.

“I looked into these weather stations, the equipment they use, the range of the lightning-detection sensors, and how easy they are to deploy and use. I found that the equipment used is identical to the 250+ SchoolNet sites that I installed more than 20 years ago at a local TV station,” said Pantex Meteorologist Steve Kersh. “When we contacted the superintendents of the four schools to see if they were interested in helping us, they jumped at the idea, and it was approved quickly. I see this as a way to promote Pantex, to increase the sensitivity and reliability of the lightning network, and to give the schools a way to teach their students about the weather, math, and science.”

Kersh and Electromagnetics employee Wayne Blodgett visited each site and got the new equipment installed and working perfectly. The equipment is placed on top of the schools with the SkyCam pointed toward the horizon.

In Texline, Superintendent Terrell Jones was excited about the new weather station and sent Kersh an email once it was up and running. “I love the new station,” he said. “It is instant and has lots of very good information.”

The Texas Panhandle covers approximately 25,600 square miles (more than the state of West Virginia with 24,230 square miles), and weather conditions across that large an area can vary greatly. Pinpointing weather to one small area is very beneficial to people in that location. And that’s why Pantex allows public access to these sites as anyone with an internet connection can monitor local weather. There have already been reports that farmers and ranchers are using the local data to assist them with their livestock, along with preparing and maintaining crops.

Finally, it helps Pantex and many area students interested in STEM. By expanding the number of lightning sensors, and in turn, the stations, the effectiveness, range, and quality of the lightning data monitored and reported continues to increase. Going forward, all eyes are on the SkyCams and the possibility of adding more sites to gather weather data.

Check out the websites below.

• Texline ISD
• Follett ISD
• Childress ISD
• Friona ISD

A $10,000 donation to AmTech Career Academy by Pantex is furthering the site’s relationship with the school and will support the academy’s E-Sports and Robotics programs.

Kenny Steward, Pantex Deputy Site Manager, learned a bit about ESports from students during a recent visit.

AmTech is a state-of-the-art facility that serves students in Amarillo Independent School District in grades 9 to 12.

Engagement with the school helps CNS promote career opportunities for area students and may serve as a talent pipeline for hiring into Pantex careers, which is something that’s also being explored with other area high schools.

Assisting with mock interviews and advising senior engineering projects are just a few ways Pantexans are already engaged on the volunteer front.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration announced today that it is canceling its November 2020 contract solicitation for management and operation of the Pantex Plant and Y-12 National Security Complex and terminating the contract award announced in November 2021 for the two sites. NNSA intends to hold two new competitions for separate contracts to manage each site.

Read the full press release on the NNSA website.

Melissa Spence, a member of the Pantex Metrology group, is of several technicians who
calibrate on-site electronics.

The Pantex Metrology Department works daily to provide leadership and excellence in the science of measurement and its application in support of national security interests. Victor Cardoza and Melissa Spence are Metrology technicians in the electronics lab at Pantex. They and their coworkers calibrate all electronics used throughout the plant.

Victor Cardoza is a member of Pantex Metrology.

Pantex volunteers made a difference for four community members with ramps built for the Texas Ramp Project during the 2022 United Way Day of Caring

On April 29, Pantexans participated in the United Way Day of Caring. Teams built four ramps for individuals needing assistance getting in and out of their homes. The Day of Caring is a community-wide event and an opportunity for volunteers to make a real difference. CNS donated $4,000 to sponsor the projects.

Pantex Acting Deputy Site Manager Kenny Steward said, “As one of the largest employers in the Amarillo area, we have a responsibility to support our friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens in our local communities. We are honored to give back, whether through financial contributions or sweat investments, to those in need.”

There are Pantex employees who participated in Day of Caring because they feel it is important to give back to the community for personal reasons too. Alexi Khashan, section manager with Pantex Infrastructure, said, “My mother received a ramp from Texas Ramp Project, and it is important to me to be able to give back to the community.”

Instructor Brad Immel teaches a Conduct of Operations class to new production technicians in the Pantex Nuclear Incident Response Program facility.

Training is implementing creative solutions to serve Production’s significant personnel needs as it increases throughput as part of the Pantex Production Optimization effort.

“People are our most important piece of the puzzle. They enable us deliver the mission,” said Scott Elliott, Weapons Training senior manager. “We train those who put their hands directly on the units. This puts Weapons Training directly in the path of ensuring product is delivered in a quality and timely manner.”

Humans Resources is hiring more than 200 production technicians and other production support by the end of September. Those essential new hires are creating a challenge for Organization Development and Training.

To meet immediate needs, Training had to first realign the existing Weapon Training instructor and training schedule to support the most urgent programs.

“We implemented a visual status board in our training area that keeps everyone appraised of what is happening in the training bays to make sure that any scheduling conflicts affecting trainers, students, tooling, and materials can be addressed,” Elliott said. Some trainers have been taking on new roles in prioritized training classes.

Space was another issue, considering the need for social distancing, as well as available computers for new hires to complete computer-based training courses. Places such as the John C. Drummond Center auditorium and the Nuclear Incident Response Program facility are now being used to train production technicians.

Training also submitted and was approved for a Federal Acquisition Regulations deviation that allows Pantex to train on overtime, if necessary, to maintain critical program deliverables.

Elliot said the challenges taught him that there are always going be unforeseen issues and that teamwork ensures these issues are addressed.

“It takes diligence to constantly challenge yourself and your organization about our understanding of the future needs,” Elliot said. “This means we need to regularly discuss our role in the production chain and how can we ensure it stays on the proper path.”

Production technicians work on training in the JCDC auditorium.

Administrative professional Renea Dosher won the Pantex Jackie Kelly Award for 2022. With her is Deputy Chief Information Officer Rick Day, who co-nominated her with Chief Information Officer Joe Harris.

For most organizations, the group’s administrative professional is both a nexus of knowledge and the glue that holds all the parts together. They keep coworkers and their bosses on track, informed, reminded, and supported. These professionals do their complex jobs while dealing with deadlines, interruptions, and — over the past two years — all the challenges presented by the pandemic.

Nearly 100 administrative professionals work at Pantex and Y-12, helping to keep the sites’ missions running smoothly. One such stellar administrative professional was Jackie Kelly, who was known at Y-12 for meeting challenges, including the cancer that eventually ended her life. In 2017, the Jackie Kelly Award was established in her memory to recognize one outstanding administrative professional at each site.

A panel of five judges from both sites scored the nomination forms with the names and organizations redacted to ensure fairness.

The 2022 Jackie Kelly Award winners are Renea Dosher at Pantex and Melanie Fleury at Y-12.

Renea Dosher, Pantex
Dosher, senior administrative support for Information Solutions and Services, has worked at Pantex for more than six years. She said going the extra mile and striving for excellence are the keys to success.

“This role is about providing dedicated support with the best results,” she said. “It’s important to uphold accountability, professionalism, and accuracy in all tasks. The end result is not only a reflection of me, but the IS&S organization, CNS, and our mission.”

She was nominated by Chief Information Officer Joe Harris and Deputy Chief Information Officer Rick Day, noting her reputation for delivering high quality products.

“Renea has strong interpersonal skills and works equally well with technical employees and all levels of management. Her role requires that she interact with a wide mix of employees all day, every day,” they wrote in nominating Dosher.

“Renea is the ‘go to’ person for a wide range of business operation needs and will find the answers if she does not already know them,” the nomination continued. “She is a committed team player who frequently works extended hours to support deliverables and her fellow teammates.”

Dosher said the rewards of her job come from her coworkers.

“I am proud to work with some of the best people,” she said. “Their motivation, support, mentorship, and encouragement to seek out new challenges is rewarding. There is always an opportunity to learn and grow.”

Melanie Fleury, Y-12

Jackie Kelly Award winner for Y-12 Melanie Fleury poses with her plaque.

Fleury, administrative support for Mission Systems & Integration, chose to leave the workforce for eight years to care for her special-needs son. Hearing of a job posting in administrative support led to her joining Y-12.

Now, just six months later, Fleury is the Jackie Kelly Award winner at Y-12. The director she works for, Will Farmer, said in her nomination that, “Ms. Melanie displays a caring attitude by doing the small things that make a person feel confident in their own success.”

“She has become a vital part of our Mission Systems & Integration family,” Farmer wrote. “With her dedication, conscientiousness, caring, and can do attitude, Ms. Melanie has made a huge positive impact to our team. We’re truly fortunate to have her.”

Fleury said she’s the one who feels fortunate to have been blessed with the position.

My team are the most comradery minded and hard working individuals. They’ve embraced me immediately, taught me the ropes, and encouraged me along the way,” she said. “The atmosphere of Mission Systems & Integration encompasses my core values of integrity, excellence, teamwork, so it has been effortless for me to buy in to our mission.

“Things I always try to provide my team with is my time and attention. I want them to feel valued, welcomed, and appreciated. I want them to know I am happy to assist and eager to help. Everyone is important to me, no matter their title, because they are important to me as a person,” she said.

Congratulations to Renea Dosher and Melanie Fleury, who represent the legacy of Jackie Kelly.

Fire departments are usually known for their bright red engines, but the Pantex Fire Department has recently gone green. They traded their gasoline power tools and portable power sources for battery-operated alternatives.

“Things change, and in our profession it is important to adapt,” said Scott Johnson, Pantex Fire Department battalion chief. “We are always looking for different ways to improve that are environmentally friendly, ergonomic, and economic.”

Battery-operated rescue extrication equipment, lights, and cutting saws are underutilized in the fire service, but are gaining popularity. They were once hard to find and more expensive, but now are becoming more compatible and available. The Pantex Fire Department is proud to be part of the growing number of departments using battery-operated power sources for firefighting tools and equipment.

The new tools are more sustainable because they do not rely on the use of fossil fuels. With fewer parts to maintain like exhaust ports, carburetors, air filters, mufflers, and spark plugs, they require less maintenance and are more dependable. They help to prevent firefighters from inhaling harmful vapors and carbon emissions produced while the equipment runs, as well as the off gassing of fuel vapors from the equipment being stored in closed compartments on the fire apparatus. The tools also eliminate the fuel waste that could result from improperly mixing gas and oil.

“If given the choice now, I wouldn’t go back to gas-powered tools,” said Jeremy Baker, Pantex Fire Department captain. “These need way less maintenance and are performing just as well.”

Pantex Fire Department personnel evaluated the tools in a training session with the vendor and found that their faster deployment allows them to work more efficiently. The battery-operated tools are lighter and also provide an increased level of safety. Once the operator removes their finger from the tool’s trigger, the machine turns off, instead of idling like their gas-powered counterparts. This reduces noise that may impact a firefighter’s hearing.

Pantex firefighters weighed the pros and cons of gas-powered and battery-operated tools. Refilling gas-powered equipment is often messy and can easily lead to fuel spills that could contaminate a firefighter’s personal protective equipment or the environment. Other risks include oil evaporating into the air as a volatile organic compound that could lead to a potential health risk for firefighters.

Although the benefits of battery-powered tools were clear, and they are certainly the environmentally friendly option, they do come with their own unique challenges. Batteries do not last forever, so charging them in the field can be difficult. Batteries are often heavy; it is unrealistic to assume that operators will carry the backup batteries with them. If the tool battery dies, firefighters may have to return to the truck to replace the battery prior to finishing the task.

“I’m old school, so we didn’t have anything very environmentally-friendly,” said Robert Napp, assistant chief for operations. “These zero-emission tools are a drastic change from what I’m used to, and it’s cool to see how much things have changed.”

New tool designs and more robust battery lifespans have allowed the Pantex Fire Department firefighters an opportunity to do their part to help reduce the effects of greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the environment, while keeping the safety and ergonomics of firefighters in mind.