News

The week of October 14 was an impressive one for CNS as more than 572 employees from Pantex and Y-12 were recognized with a 2018 Defense Programs Award of Excellence.

At Y-12, Site Manager Bill Tindal, NPO Deputy Manager Teresa Robbins, and NNSA’s Dr. Mark Suriano, assistant deputy administrator for Stockpile Management, congratulated the winners at an October 15 event. At Pantex, Site Manager Todd Ailes, Deputy Manager for the NNSA Production Office at Pantex and Y-12 Bill Eckroade, NNSA Acting Assistant Deputy Administrator for Stockpile Management John Evans, and Manager of Stockpile Programs Colby Yeary honored the winners at an October 17 event.

Tindal said, “I want to thank each of you for all your hard work, your dedication, and your commitment to the mission. Our country is safer because of what you do.”

Evans said, “It’s really important that we get out and we see the work this complex can do. Here at Pantex it’s nothing short of amazing. That plaque on the wall that all roads come to Pantex that’s true. The important thing though is the capabilities that are embodied in you all allow for the weapons to go out of Pantex. Without your expertise and dedication and devotion to your jobs those weapons don’t go out of Pantex, they don’t go come back for repairs and they don’t leave in a way that they can be part of the deterrent.”

The DP Award of Excellence, established in 1982, recognizes individual and team accomplishments from across the nuclear weapons complex in support of NNSA’s nuclear weapons program.

AMARILLO, Texas- The recent Hispanic Heritage Luncheon was the scene for the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s announcement for its 2019 award winners. They include the Man and Woman of the Year, Young Rising Star, and Business Community Service.

Pantex’s Milton Guerrero, a nuclear procurement engineer, was named 2019 Hispanic Man of the Year. His role in the Pantex Outreach and Leadership Organization (POLO) leadership, and work in the community are what Milton believes lead to his nomination by friends and co-workers.

“When I got the phone call and was notified that I was nominated and won the award I was surprised. It was something I truly did not expect to win. It was a little bit of everything that I do that got me nominated. From volunteering with POLO at different events, to my overall involvement in the community, along with trying to be a solid resource/co-worker for those here at work.”

Milton added that he grew up in the area, the very neighborhood where the Wesley Community Center is located, and where the luncheon was held. He says he is both honored and humbled by the recognition.

“The award is what I consider a great honor and a milestone. More importantly, it was an opportunity to meet with other community leaders and see where there is a need for people, such as myself, to help out. I feel that it is important for professionals to take an interest in speaking with students about their future career paths and we can’t forget that the youth in our community are our future leaders.

Other winners include Helen Burton as 2019 Woman of the Year, Amarillo High School senior Oscar Elizondo garnered the Rising Star award, and Tyson Foods received the award for Business Community Service.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) 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. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on the absolute priorities of safety, security, quality, mission delivery and cost efficiency.

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
Stephen.Myers@pantex.doe.gov

Congratulations to the Pantex Fire Department Cook Team who took home bragging rights at two recent competitions.

They placed first in corporate brisket at this year’s Amarillo Chamber of Commerce Barbeque. The popular event took place in the streets of downtown Amarillo near the chamber building in September. CNS Chief Operating Officer and Chamber President Michelle Reichert and CNS Senior Director for Communications Jason Bohne also participated as barbeque judges. Among the other barbeque dishes the PFD created, they made pulled pork Frito pies that CNS volunteers handed out to the public when they visited the booth.

The team also won as overall grand champions of the Canyon Chamber Chowdown BBQ Cook-off on October 4. The team was comprised of barbeque masters and teammates, David Stewart, Kevin Payne, Kyle Butler, Scott Johnson, Matthew Ladd, Justin Baker, Brenda Graham and Jeremy Baker. They competed against 37 other teams and received 2nd place in brisket, 2nd place in pork, and 3rd place in ribs earning them the grand champion title.

CNS employees were recognized with awards from NNSA’s Office of Safety, Infrastructure, and Operations – or NA-50 – for the exceptional accomplishments made in support of NA-50 efforts to achieve the NNSA mission. At the September 10 Pantex event, Bill Eckroade, Pantex deputy manager for the NNSA Production Office, and NA-50 Associate Administrator Jim McConnell honored employees who worked on the projects. At Y-12 on the same day, NPO Manager Geoff Beausoleil, Y-12 Site Manager Bill Tindal, and Senior Director of Infrastructure Programs Steve Laggis handed out the awards.

“Each of our sites have old infrastructure, and that adds substantial challenges in the workforce and keeping our operations efficient, reliable, and safe,” Eckroade said. “As I’ve seen people trying to manage that infrastructure, you see workers using innovation persistence and sometimes sheer determination for making old infrastructure work to achieve the mission we’ve been assigned. But, the good news is that in recent years, we have seen enhanced allocations of resources to help us with our infrastructure.”

McConnell said Pantex is a good example of the forefront of what NA-50 does considering the combined safety implications of the site and the large amount aging infrastructure. “My job is to help you succeed, and your success is the thing that I then get to feed back into the system to allow people to bring us even more opportunities and more resources, so that the success you did in 2018 turns into the things you’re doing right now,” he said. “It was great seeing all the great work you do here.”

At Y-12, Laggis thanked team members for demonstrating excellence in “doing the right things to the right infrastructure in the right way.”

Tindal told the honorees, “Your insistence on excellence, your tenacity in doing the job right, and your understanding that teamwork is often the best solution on a project, has been recognized by NNSA as the best of the best across the enterprise in 2018.”

Beausoleil’s comments echoed those of McConnell in that CNS’s work has brought success. “Your work in revitalizing our infrastructure will help support missions for years to come. You have my sincere gratitude and congratulations,” he said.

Laggis ended the program by saying each of the winning teams were important ingredients in the success of CNS. “Without your great work,” he said, “we could not reach our goals and complete our mission.”

A combined CNS Enterprise Fire Department Team represented Pantex and Y-12 at the 2019 Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) Challenge held at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) recently.

The combined team did an outstanding job representing both sites and were voted by the other teams and operators in the competition as winners of the Sportsmanship Award. This award recognizes a team that embodies the values of working as a team, working with other teams, and being willing to step up wherever a need arises.

“The CNS Enterprise FD Team did an excellent job. It was rewarding to see how they came together the first day operating as one team in the events,” Doug Trout, CNS Senior Director, Enterprise Emergency Services said. “The planning beforehand and collaboration by the team was evident in all of the events. They have ideas for training to take back and are looking forward to next year. This was an excellent event.”

The HAZMAT Challenge has been hosted by the Emergency Management Division of LANL for the past 22 years, and HAZMAT teams network with one another, practice technical skills, and learn new HAZMAT techniques under realistic conditions in a safe environment.

During the Challenge, vehicles, trucks, tankers, and rail cars are used in some of the props to mimic real-life hazardous material situations. Past Challenge scenarios have included drug laboratory or chemical hazard identification, manipulation of complex valve configurations to stop leaks, confined space rescue, compressed gas leaks, a leaking rail car dome, pressurized drum opening, stinger operation responding to damaged tanker trailer, and damming/diking exercise from an overturned tanker.

Lyle Cary, Vice President of Safeguards, Security, and Emergency Services added, “The training value and relationships built during these events strengthens capability across the Nuclear Security Enterprise, and because of the number of teams from federal, state, and municipal departments, it strengthens the Nation”.

Representing Pantex were Firefighters John Sappington, Daniel Sholder, and Cody Steever, and Fire Captains Mark Campbell and Chad Zarbock.

Representing Y-12 were Firefighters Chris Altman, Scot Rose, and Craig Shaver, and Fire Captains Jeremy Maiden and Jim Arnold.

A combined CNS Enterprise Fire Department Team represented Pantex and Y-12 at the 2019 Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) Challenge held at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) recently.

The combined team did an outstanding job representing both sites and were voted by the other teams and operators in the competition as winners of the Sportsmanship Award. This award recognizes a team that embodies the values of working as a team, working with other teams, and being willing to step up wherever a need arises.

“The CNS Enterprise FD Team did an excellent job. It was rewarding to see how they came together the first day operating as one team in the events,” Doug Trout, CNS Senior Director, Enterprise Emergency Services said. “The planning beforehand and collaboration by the team was evident in all of the events. They have ideas for training to take back and are looking forward to next year. This was an excellent event.”

The HAZMAT Challenge has been hosted by the Emergency Management Division of LANL for the past 22 years, and HAZMAT teams network with one another, practice technical skills, and learn new HAZMAT techniques under realistic conditions in a safe environment.

During the Challenge, vehicles, trucks, tankers, and rail cars are used in some of the props to mimic real-life hazardous material situations. Past Challenge scenarios have included drug laboratory or chemical hazard identification, manipulation of complex valve configurations to stop leaks, confined space rescue, compressed gas leaks, a leaking rail car dome, pressurized drum opening, stinger operation responding to damaged tanker trailer, and damming/diking exercise from an overturned tanker.

Lyle Cary, Vice President of Safeguards, Security, and Emergency Services added, “The training value and relationships built during these events strengthens capability across the Nuclear Security Enterprise, and because of the number of teams from federal, state, and municipal departments, it strengthens the Nation”.

Representing Pantex were Firefighters John Sappington, Daniel Sholder, and Cody Steever, and Fire Captains Mark Campbell and Chad Zarbock.

Representing Y-12 were Firefighters Chris Altman, Scot Rose, and Craig Shaver, and Fire Captains Jeremy Maiden and Jim Arnold.

Pantex Plant’s Emergency Management Department will conduct an emergency exercise on October 9. During this exercise, people in the vicinity of Pantex may observe emergency personnel simulating response activities as part of the exercise.

Emergency exercises test the ability of emergency personnel to respond quickly and effectively to emergency situations, and ensure the public, Pantex employees and the environment would be protected in the event of an actual emergency.

Again, you may observe response personnel simulating response activities as part of the exercise, If you observe suspicious activity before October 8 or after October 9, please report your observations to 477-5000.

Members of the Pantex Honor Guard visited Y-12 in June to train their fellow firefighters.

“We received approval to form an honor guard, and we decided who better to train us than our fellow coworkers,” Y-12 Assistant Fire Chief Mari-Kaye Monday said. “Pantex’s Honor Guard was established in 2011.”

Three Pantex members conducted a week of training with the 10 members of the newly formed Y-12 Fire Department Honor Guard.

“We wanted to ensure we were ready to serve as a color guard or perform a variety of events, such as opening ceremonies, parades, and funeral services for fallen fire and emergency services members,” she said.

Monday said their team has worked for years to establish an honor guard within the Y-12 Fire Department. “It is the mission of the fire service honor guard to exemplify honor, respect, and dignity while embracing fire service tradition. We’re continuing the pursuit of excellence by establishing the honor guard, and the Y-12 Fire Department is striving to exhibit pride, professionalism, and teamwork to represent CNS.”

AMARILLO, Texas – A major maintenance and repair project has just begun at Pantex, with road construction that will focus on resurfacing almost 19 miles of roads at Pantex, along with 29,000 square feet of parking lots.

Work will take place across almost every area at the plant. An average of 25 semi-trucks loads a day will carry 58,000 tons of road materials over the course of the project.

Besides the scale of the project, what makes this project unique is the use of the Pantex Mentor-Protégé program, the first of its kind at Pantex for CNS, which operates the plant for The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. The program seeks to foster long-term business relationships between small, disadvantaged business entities and DOE prime contractors, and to increase the overall number of small businesses that receive DOE prime and subcontracts.

SAMES (Saul and Samuel Maldonado Engineering and Surveying) out of McAllen, with more than 300 federal projects already completed, will support the Pantex mission by providing surveying and engineering expertise, and in turn, CNS will offer guidance on business management and development.

Michelle Reichert, CNS chief operating officer said, “We value small businesses; partnering with them is essential for us to accomplish our important mission for the nation. I’m excited to see how this relationship will further our infrastructure revitalization efforts.”

“This agreement is mutually beneficial,” said Ryan Johnston, who manages the CNS small business program at Pantex. “SAMES will provide the unique surveying and engineering expertise we need, while gaining the skills necessary to compete for larger DOE subcontracts.”

When possible, resurfacing of the roads and parking lots will take place during the weekend to reduce disruptions for employees. The project is expected to be finished in October of this year.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) 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. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on the absolute priorities of safety, security, quality, mission delivery and cost efficiency.

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
Stephen.Myers@pantex.doe.gov

AMARILLO, Texas – Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC, has expanded its Fellows Program, adding two employees to its group of technical experts. The additions to the program include one employee from each CNS site: the Pantex Plant’s Neil Koone and the Y-12 National Security Complex’s John Prazniak.

Koone was chosen as a new Electromagnetics Fellow, while Prazniak is a Uranium Fellow; he replaces Glenn Pfennigworth, who retired.

The addition of Koone and Prazniak brings the number of CNS fellows to five. The program recognizes technical staff members who have achieved status as a national or international expert in their field. Each fellow serves a renewable two-year term acting as the technical expert in their competency area and will be a mentor to other staff.

The program began in fiscal year 2017, offering highly qualified CNS engineers and scientists the opportunity to focus on future technologies. The program allows the fellows to pursue greater professional growth while helping to ensure CNS’s technical success by focusing on visionary and transformative technologies.

The fellows are chosen by a committee comprising leaders from across CNS. Fellowships are available in each of the CNS core competencies: metallurgy, uranium chemistry, lithium/special nuclear material, explosives, advanced manufacturing, component analysis/surveillance, electromagnetic effects, and nonproliferation.

Koone has more than 17 years of experience at Pantex. He began his career as a physics professor in the University System of Georgia and also taught at the University of Texas at Tyler and worked at Bell Helicopter-Textron Inc. His main focus at Pantex is in lightning protection.

Prazniak is currently supporting the deployment of uranium purification methods through electrorefining and has worked on uranium processing in Oak Ridge for 40 years, first at the Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant. He came to Y-12 in 1985 and helped restart Y-12’s enriched uranium recovery system.

Lorelei Woods (Pantex Component Analysis/Surveillance), Vincent Lamberti (Y-12 Component Analysis/Surveillance), and Alan Moore (Metallurgy) were selected in 2017 and are serving the second year of their fellowships. They may apply to have their terms extended.

“The enduring success of our sites relies on our ability to enhance technology and innovation, specifically in our core capabilities, and the CNS Fellows Program will ensure we remain a leader in technology innovation,” CNS Fellows Program Manager Ashley Stowe said.

Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC (CNS) 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. Pantex and Y-12 are key facilities in the U.S. Nuclear Security Enterprise, and CNS performs its work with a focus on the absolute priorities of safety, security, quality, mission delivery and cost efficiency.

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
Stephen.Myers@pantex.doe.gov