SSC Charleston innovates for the warfighter · SSC Charleston innovates for the warfighter SSC Charleston innovates for the warfighter

SSC Charlestoninnovates

for thewarfighter

SSC Charlestoninnovates

for thewarfighter

The Chip Scale Atomic Clockinnovation team, front row,from left, George Lunney,Robert Miller, Charles “Everett” Dantzlerand Joseph Torres; back row, Dr. StephenJarrett, Robert Czarniecki and SteveRichards . Not pictured are James Polk,David Monahan and Andrew Kinard.See story on page 30. Photo by Harold Senn.

The ChronicleWinter 2007 3

Captain’s Call .................................... 4From the Executive Director ............... 5Common Submarine Radio Room .....12Cold War Heroes .................................16‘Geo-enabling’ Kosovo camp ............20Celebrating Cultural Diversity ............28Supporting joint interoperability .........36Rear Adm. Bachmann visits Code 80 .....38SSC Charleston bicyclists on a roll .....43CVN-71 inspires respect, pride ..........47SSC Charleston hosts VIPs ...............52The final word .................................54

10 The Night CrewSSC Charleston team takes its expertise tothe warfighter.

24 Fair winds and following seasEnd of fiscal year brings greener pastures toretiring federal civilian employees.

30 InnovatorsProgram offers opportunities to thosewilling to think outside the box.

On the cover

Page 11

InsideInsideWinter 2007 Vol. 13, No. 1

Naval Reserve Lt. j.g.Stephanie Dudley, (CEC),who as a civilian worksin Code 614, usesLightSpeed to communi-cate. LightSpeed was thesubject of one of SSCCharleston’s 13 FY06 in-novation program teams.See story on page 30.Photo by Harold Senn

Commanding Officer ..... Captain Red HooverExecutive Director ..................... James Ward

The Chronicle is a quarterly publication de-signed for SPAWAR Systems Center, Charles-ton employees. Its purpose is to inform, educate,entertain and generate new ideas. An official pub-lication, The Chronicle is printed using appro-priated funds in compliance with Document Au-tomation and Production Service regulations.Contents of The Chronicle are not necessarilythe official views of, or endorsed by, the U.S.Government, the Department of Defense, theU.S. Navy or SSC Charleston.

To view The Chronicle online, visitwww.sscc.spawar.navy.mil and click “AboutUs.”

P.O. Box 190022North Charleston, SC 29419-9022

TheTheTheTheTheTheTheTheTheThe

ChronicleChronicle

SSC Charleston’s MissionTo provide knowledge superiority to naval and

joint warfighters and peacekeepers through the de-velopment, acquisition and life cycle support of effec-tive, integrated Command, Control, Communications,Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Recon-naissance (C4ISR) systems.

Editor .......................................... Susan PiedfortPhotographer ................................ Harold SennSpecial thanks to Mary Olmstead and StephanieStewart for their editorial assistance.

The Chronicle4 Winter 2007

Continued on page 38

In the last few months I have enjoyed seeing first-handhow we are innovating and leading the way in affordablereadiness and customer satisfaction here at SSC Charles-ton.

One area in which we continue to mature is in our role asIn Service Engineering Agent (ISEA). The conclusionsdrawn from our recent ISEA survey will be instrumental inour continuous effort at process improvement, and I amthankful to those who gave us input through the survey.Further, the collaboration between our ISEA Next team andthe NAVSEA Warfare Center’s Next Generation In-ServiceEngineering (NGISE) working group has resulted in a shar-ing of ideas and strategies that will enable the right readinessto the fleet at the right cost.

Our folks are working across the systems commands tofind innovative solutions to challenges we will face 20 yearsdown the road, including provisioning a “virtual ISEA pres-ence” through smart boxes that will enable remote monitor-ing, self-correcting systems and automated prognostics.These capabilities will be a great investment by optimizingshipboard manning levels and eliminating the need for a tech-nician to physically visit a ship, submarine or shore activity.

Lt. Cmdr. Dean Barsaleau’s participation in the SurfaceWarfare Enterprise (SWE) Technical Assistance Barrier Re-moval Team (BRT) effort is another example of our teamingwith our stakeholders to find innovative solutions to exist-ing and future challenges. This effort will enhance collabo-ration among the Regional Maintenance Centers (RMCs),Distance Support (DS) centers and ISEAs, while eliminat-ing waste and variation in the entire technical assist pro-cess.

We are also challenged with the CNO priority ofesstablishing a C4ISR “Single Fleet Driven Readiness” met-ric. This is no easy task, so we need everyones’ ideas andsupport as we work with the NNFE team to establish theC4ISR fleet readiness metrics.

One mechanism that will communicate the status of tech-nical assists across the Navy is the Remedy database that isupdated any time technical assistance is provided. When anissue is turned over to the ISEA from the RMC, the ISEAcan see the history of the problem in this database. This

tracking method allows us to identify redundancies andbring increased visibility to long-term issues. If you areproviding fleet technical assistance and not using Remedy,now is the time to get on board.

All of these efforts will allow us to remain a leader insupporting operations, maintenance, upgrades and mod-ernization of our C4ISR systems — capabilities that arevital to the warfighter today and tomorrow. I am proud ofour folks’ contributions to these teams. Look for morenews of their efforts in upcoming editions of The Chronicle.

Another significant success in enabling future warfighterreadiness came in September with the Open Architecture/FORCEnet (AO/Fn) experimentation demonstration. A teamled by Ken Ballard is playing an integral role in improvinginteroperability across the various domains, which use dif-ferent “languages” for various tactical and operational sys-tems. For example, a surface craft may be tracking a con-tact of interest that is not seen on the situational awarenessdisplay of a nearby submarine, preventing them from shar-ing resources during an interdiction.

Using a hybrid of two different data models, the teamcreated a Web-based network that successfully broughttogether data from across these different domains. Duringthe OA/Fn experimentation demonstration, SSC Charles-ton was the first node to do this successfully over theglobal information grid (GIG). Providing a two-way ex-change in this distributed environment between combatsystems and C4ISR can result in reduced infrastructureon ships, less training, and reduced manning.

By successfully improving interoperability across thevarious domains, the team provided great insight into thearchitectural aspects of this evolutionary process. For moreinformation on the AO/Fn experimentation demonstration,see their story on page 27.

As we continue to meet our mission objectives of deliv-ering and supporting fully integrated, interoperable infor-mation technology systems and software to our custom-ers, I want to stress the importance of following soundsystems engineering practices. This goes beyond what we


From the desk of

James D. WardJames D. WardJames D. WardJames D. WardJames D. WardExecutive Director

CAO ... it’s about innovationand stewardship

Continued on next page

CAO — you might have heard of it recently. CAO isshort for Competency Aligned Organization. It redirects or-ganizations away from their traditional vertical orientationand in its place deploys a network of teams across the en-terprise. In doing so, CAO retools the way collaboration isapplied in solving problems and capitalizes on all competen-cies wherever they exist. It also helps apply resources in amore targeted, evidence-based and cost-effective manner.

How will competency alignment affect our organizationalcharts? What does it mean to you? What are we trying tofix? Why is your Executive Director spending so muchtime in San Diego working on this CAO initiative? Thoseare some of the questions I have been asked recently.

Being competency aligned is not about organizationalchange as defined by shuffling the deck chairs. It’s aboutinnovation and stewardship, and creating a better opera-tional culture for our employees and customers. It’s aboutcreating customer value through a shared mission by pull-ing together employees who transcend individual compe-tencies, professions, client bases and capability areas.

And it’s about connecting Team SPAWAR differently tocreate more value. CAO will retool the way we collaborateand develop ourselves across Team SPAWAR to producemore capability at a lower cost. This is so important to usthat we are going to be very purposeful in how we go aboutimplementing competency alignment.

This cross-teaming capability is necessary to respond tothe needs of the Naval NETWAR FORCEnet Enterprise(NNFE) and with the Navy Undersea, Surface, Aviationand Expeditionary Enterprises to satisfy the demand signalfrom the Type Commanders to achieve mission success.Quite simply, the money needed to operate old, verticallyaligned organizational silos is gone.

In the business environment, the book value of a com-pany is based on quantitative factors such as profits, debts,assets and liabilities. The market value of a company isbased on its book value plus intangible factors, such asintellectual property, which the market believes are indica-tors of potential success.

In my opinion, Team SPAWAR is undervalued by themarket. Our value is not well understood. Why do I believe

this? Primarily, because we have not fully told our story orexploited the value from two of our greatest intangibles –our workforce competency and our diverse client base.Our diverse C4ISR client base is a valuable resource that isuntapped in respect to producing a net effect. The value ofcross-client interaction in a like domain is not being ex-ploited. For example, our major technical departments havedifferent clients and sponsors in the medical communitythat are all individually trying to solve the medical chal-lenges of our warfighters through information technologysolutions.

Pulling our folks and potentially their sponsors into acommunity of interest, or mission area team as NAVAIRwould call it, would give them and us a completely differ-ent awareness that would enable alignment of resources onthe commonalities. Such cross-boundary interaction through-out the SPAWAR claimancy would increase our ability todevelop and harvest innovative and relevant solutions, whilealigning our resources to deliver capabilities and services toall of our customers and lower their individual costs.

Another example is the work we are doing across TeamSPAWAR with operations centers. We are individually work-ing on Homeland Security Operations Centers (HSOCs),Navy Regional Operations Centers (NROCs), secure NavyOperations Centers (NOCs) and Maritime Headquarters withMaritime Operations Center (MHQ/MOC). By leveragingand accessing these multiple clients in this same commandcenter domain, we have the potential to increase individualcapability, increase interoperability across the domain andreduce cost. There is untapped value here in this area thatwe haven’t taken advantage of. This Mission Area Team(MAT)/Community of Interest (COI) interaction is the keyto increasing our market value over our book value.

A competency-aligned organization is about aligning ca-pabilities with competencies differently than they have beenaligned in the past. Do we have to move all these like projectsto a single code to accomplish this? I hope not, since weare at an organizational maturity that will enable us to bringour individual contributions to the table without having toposture on who is in charge!


SSC Charleston’s Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy(SCN) Program and Joint Threat Warning System (JTWS)Program have been formally appraised at CMMI® MaturityLevel 3, becoming the second and third SPAWAR projectsto reach this crucial milestone.

Both projects underwent rigorous formal “Class A” Stan-dard CMMI® Appraisal Method for Process Improvement(SCAMPI) appraisals from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3. The apprais-

SCN, JTWS projects reach CMMI® Maturity Level 3

From the Executive Director


als were led by a Software Engineering Institute (SEI)-au-thorized Lead Appraiser.

“Congratulations, I know how much work this is,” saidMike Kutch, Director of Engineering Operations (Code 09K),during the Final Findings presentation. “Everyone deservesa hand, and we’re still shooting for a Command-level ap-praisal in April.”

Continued from previous pageThe beauty of the CAO concept is that it is scalable. For

instance, the work we are doing here with the medical com-munity is also relevant to ongoing efforts at the Aviationand Surface Enterprises. Collaborating with them will re-sult in a better outcome for customers and the warfightercollectively. Team SPAWAR has the potential to becomethe force multiplier that the Department of theNavy needs us to become.

A CAO construct will blur the lines be-tween organizational entities. As interactionoccurs, relationships and interdependencieswill form. We are doing this to a degreenow, but we need to do it more. We areseeing the value of this cross-boundaryinteraction with our branch heads. Pro-viding the opportunity for branch heads toget together on a regular basis has greatly increased thelevel of interaction across our organizational entities andhas produced the kind of benefits a CAO offers. No cus-tomer pays for these branch head meetings, but many ofour customers are already reaping the benefits of the inter-action that is occurring at these gatherings and the innova-tive thinking that results.

I have principally witnessed innovation occurring in twoenvironments, one in which you assemble a group of di-verse competencies together and assign a challenge, andsecondly, when there is such a scarcity of resources thatyou are forced to innovate. Not having all the resourcesyou need forces you to be innovative and to find a solution.The Department of the Navy needs more of these innova-tive capabilities at lower cost.

Eventually, you get to the place where, if I have three orfour people and a job from a customer, and I need a fewextra people, and a certain business unit has some peoplethat are not fully employed, I can tap into that expertise.And I can do it seamlessly and invisibly, if you will, to thecustomer. Now we’re not there yet. We have many thingsthat have to be sorted out. Competency alignment will al-low us to locate shortfalls and excesses in skills, distributethem efficiently, and achieve a balance to meet customerrequirements.

Years ago, one of my sons decided he wanted a motor-

cycle with a sidecar. His mother and I immediately vetoedthis idea for a variety of reasons. Limited budgets aside, hewas only 11 years old. Well, unbeknownst to us, he wan-dered off to the garage and began to tinker. Later that day,we were in the front yard chatting with a neighbor whenour garage door opened. We turned to see our son pedalingout on this contraption that consisted of his bicycle, a clothes

hamper he had attached to the bicycle rear axle, anda skateboard he had attached to the bottom of

the hamper.He had his little brother stuffed in the

hamper for the first test run of his make-shift sidecar, and both boys smiled gleefullyas they rolled down the driveway. They werethe envy of all the neighborhood kids. Wehad to make him dismantle that thing for

safety reasons of course, but I must admit, Ireally admired his innovative thinking.

In today’s fiscally constrained environment, the defensebudget is not adequate for all of its requirements. And it’snot going to get any better. So all of us are going to have touse all our creativity, that technical initiative and innovation,to try and find places in which we can contribute to, andsustain, the readiness of our forces for less money.

We have to be responsive to our customers, all of ourcustomers. That doesn’t mean that we give up our techni-cal integrity and provide the answer that somebody wantsto hear, as opposed to the answer that’s correct. It meansthat we are responsive to the demands of the customers, toproduce the results that are technically correct and of highquality. That’s what people are paying us to do, that’s ourstewardship role.

We are in the midst of the beginning of the operation ofa CAO-type organization. I’d be the last person to tell youthat I thought we had it all figured out and that everythingwas okay, just running along and things are all in great shape.I think that, like any change, it has positives and negatives.But much of how we make it work depends on the peoplethat are trying to make it work. The ultimate vision is thatwe can work seamlessly across Team SPAWAR.

The future belongs to those willing to transform bound-aries. Better yet, folks willing to innovate are postured to betomorrow’s leaders.


‘Grand Lady of NAVELEX London’ passesSSC Charleston personnel were sad-

dened to learn of the death of ClaraGold Sept. 15 in England. She was 88.Those visiting the SSC Charleston Lon-don office since 1970 were most likelywelcomed by “Miss Gold,” as she pre-ferred to be called. Known as the “Lon-don office icon,” she had more than53 years of federal service.

Born in New York to parents ofEastern European descent who hademigrated to the U.S., shemoved to London with her fam-ily as a young girl. During theGerman bombing of Londonfrom 1940 to 1944, Miss Goldwas a volunteer air raid warden.In 1944 she joined the U.S.Women’s Army Corps (WACs)in the same building at 7 NorthAudley Street in London at whichshe later worked for 43 years.

Assigned to an Army photog-raphy unit during the war, MissGold went to Paris shortly afterthe city’s liberation, moving eastwith her unit and was eventuallystationed in Germany. In 1947Miss Gold began her civil ser-vice career in Germany. Return-ing to the U.S. in 1954 aboard atroop ship, she stayed briefly inCalifornia before returning to En-gland to help care for her sickmother.

She resumed her federal servicecareer, and in 1957 she worked for Na-val Facilities Engineering Command attheir London office. She also workedfor the Office of Naval Research inLondon.

An SSC Charleston plank owner,Miss Gold joined the Naval ElectronicSystems Command (NAVELEX)Portsmouth family at the London of-fice in 1970. As an office assistant forCode 632, Fleet Site Support BranchLondon for 30 years, she trained andsupported eight officers-in-charge andseven residents-in-charge. She retiredAug. 31, 2000.

Many who worked with Miss Goldin England are currently with SSCCharleston and industry partners in thearea. Mike Turner of Science Applica-tions International Corporation (SAIC)recalled countless conversations withher. “During her service in the Armyshe had the thankless task of handlingmany of the photographs taken of theconcentration camps,” Turner said.“She was learning first-hand of the

atrocities that were taking place at thattime.”

Mark Rodgers of Code 822,worked with Miss Gold for six years.He added, “She was of European Jew-ish descent and was examining evi-dence proving that her relatives in main-land Europe were being deported andkilled. Imagine having to keep thatknowledge a secret from your familyand friends while serving in the U.S.military stationed in England.”

Bill Richardson of Scientific Re-search Corporation worked with MissGold in the London office from 1992to 1998 and called her “an inspirationto us all.” Her mental sharpness, he

said, was amazing. “If you took some-thing from her desk, she could tell. Sheran a tight ship. She was very attunedto current events,” said Richardson.

“She read every issue of the Lon-don Times and Stars and Stripes,”Rodgers added, “and occasionally Iwould notice she redlined errors ingrammar or punctuation.”

Despite living most of her life in En-gland, Miss Gold was all American,

with no British accent. “Sheworked with Americans everyday. She would remind people shewas an American,” Richardsonnoted. She was also claustropho-bic, a result of being forced intothe subway “tubes” during theLondon bombings. “Even in her80s, she’d walk down fourflights and get the mail, thencarry it back up,” he said.

J.P. Keane, head of the Lon-don office, attended Miss Gold’smemorial service Sept. 21 in Lon-don, speaking on behalf of all whoworked with her. “She was a re-markable lady,” he said. “Even af-ter retirement, she’d come to ouroffice most Tuesdays for a chat,always walking up the fourflights of stairs.”

Jim Andrewski of Code 57first met Miss Gold in 1976. “I

went to pick up my mail and she toldme the mail would be put out after shesorted it and put it in the proper mailslots, and not to bother her anymore,”he recalled. Over the next 30 years theybecame good friends. Until returningto the U.S. earlier this year, he and hisBritish wife Cheryl were among MissGold’s best friends and met with herregularly.

Andrewski noted that the same yearthe Navy closed the headquarters build-ing at #7 North Audley, “we also lost along-time resident of that building. I andall those who knew Clara will truly missher. How wonderful it was to have ClaraGold touch our lives.”

- Susan Piedfort

Photo provided by Jim Andrewski

Bill Richardson assists during a presentation to MissGold in 2000.


Iraq Night CrewIraq Night CrewIraq Night CrewIraq Night CrewIraq Night Crew

An SSC Charleston/industrypartner team is working withMarines in theater to performfinal conversions and installa-tions on Up-Armored Humvees(UAH) that have been modifiedwith C4I equipment to help savewarfighters’ lives.

SSC Charleston teamtakes its expertiseto the warfighter

The Night Crew -- Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Callahan, Staff Sgt. JasonDizon, Staff Sgt. Gregory Risen, Staff Sgt. Angel Caraballo, StaffSgt. Jason Keys, Sgt. Thomas Soto, Sgt. Ganna Patten, Sgt. Jef-frey Perez, Sgt. Dwayne Richards, Kristan Bailey, Henry Palmer,John Brenner, Omar Coley, Albert Washington, Alex Harleyand Matthew Sabback -- comes out during the day for a photoop.

Around the WorldAround the World


At left, Omar Coley loads and tests C4ISR sys-tems on a Humvee. Above, Kristan Bailey, sec-ond from right, poses with Master Gunnery Sgt.Giertz, Capt. Dickson and Maj. Gonzales fromthe Marine Corps Systems Command. Picturedbelow is a night crew work area.

In July of last year the Marine Corps Systems Com-mand asked SSC Charleston to modify the Up-ArmoredHumvees with a variety of special C4I and weapons equip-ment. SPAWARriors have extensive experience in the inte-gration and fielding of Marine mobile radio communica-tions and tactical data radio sets, sensors and the variousSIGINT systems involved. A team of Code 616 personneland several industry partners has been performing the in-stallations of the C4ISR systems on the Humvees (M1114s).

Because of emerging technology in the area of counterimprovised explosive devices (CIED), the UAH modifica-tions on the Humvees allow for future upgrades. The radioinstalls done at SSC Charleston will also facilitate futureupgrades without vehicle modification, allowing upgradesto be fielded directly to Marines.

The Marine Corps Systems Command recently requestedSSC Charleston support for the final conversion and instal-lation effort on the vehicles that have been shipped to the



Above, a collection of “cans”served as home away from homefor the night crew. At middle left,living conditions inside the cans,and above, a scorpion whoshared the desert living space.At left, Martial Arts InstructorSgt. Thomas Soto gives hands-on training to Staff Sgt. GregoryT. Risen on a knife disarmingtechnique and a shoulder throw.


Above, an Iraqiplane that had beenburied in the sandoffered a chancefor some patrioticgraffiti. At left,Kristan Baileyleaves his mark onthe plane. Picturedbelow is the Ma-rine Corps SystemsCommand com-pound.

war theater. Kristan Bailey of Code 632 returned recentlyfrom Iraq, and industry partners from Eagan, McAllisterAssociates, Inc., are still working there. With temperaturesreaching 115 degrees during the day, the team does muchof their work at night. Working far from home and in aus-tere conditions, the team is motivated by testimonials fromtroops who credit the improved vehicles with saving theirlives, according to Bailey.

“We worked together as a team to get this equipment tothem as quickly as possible,” he said. “We want ourwarfighters to have everything they need to protect themas they carry out their missions.”

Continued from page 9


U.S. submarinescruise the world’soceans unseen, the ulti-mate stealth weapon.

Among the Los Ange-les (SSN-688), Virginia(SSN-774), Seawolf(SSN-21) and Ohio(SSGN-726) submarineclasses, missions varyfrom antisubmarine war-fare, antisurface warfare andspecial operations to intelligence,surveillance and reconnaissance. Com-munications requirements and system configurations alsovary from boat to boat.

The need arose to develop a Common Submarine RadioRoom (CSRR) that is standard across all submarine classesand allows full access to the Navy’s FORCEnet to integratewarriors, sensors, networks, command and control, plat-forms and weapons into a networked, distributed combatforce. Submarines require secure, strategic communica-tions and must be able to receive large data file transfers,and to receive and transmit video, voice, facsimile and im-agery while operating with combined and joint forces in thelittoral regions.

The emphasis in CSRR is the word “common,” and thechallenge of designing, installing, testing and maintainingthe “Common” Submarine Radio Room is a formidable one.Because of an established tradition of success in submarinecommunications going back to predecessor commands Na-val Electronic Systems Engineering Center Charleston andthe Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance In-Service Engineering Center, East Coast Division, SSCCharleston was the obvious choice to team with other agen-cies to take on the formidable CSRR challenge.

Code 53’s long standing history of doing submarine in-stallation and testing on SSN-688 class submarines and thesuccess SSC Charleston had with the complete shipboard(LPD/CVN) RCS integration within the secure Integrationand Test Area (ITA) made the Submarine Integration Pro-

CommonSubmarineRadioRoom

SSC CharlestonSSC CharlestonSSC CharlestonSSC CharlestonSSC Charlestonfinds efficienciesfinds efficienciesfinds efficienciesfinds efficienciesfinds efficiencies

in cost, in cost, in cost, in cost, in cost,integration,integration,integration,integration,integration,

delivery and delivery and delivery and delivery and delivery andinstallationinstallationinstallationinstallationinstallation

gram Office’s (SPAWARPMW-770, PEO C4I andSpace) choice for CSRRan easy one. TomAdams is credited withstarting the CSRR

standup in Charlestonas the previous pro-gram manager. Now

Code 53’s DavidBednarczyk heads up

both the Submarine Com-munications Support System

(SCSS) and CSRR programs asthe Submarine Communications Program Manager.

PMW-770 is the CSRR lead, and development was ac-complished prior to the reorganization of PEO under PMW-173.

Partners include the Naval Undersea Warfare Center(NUWC) in Newport, R.I., serving as the technical designagent, and Lockheed Martin Tactical Systems, which de-veloped the control and monitoring (C&M) software. SSCSan Diego developed the system requirements definitionand performs software development oversight. SSCCharleston’s role is the production integration, acceptancetesting, configuration and installation of equipment on thesubmarines.

“Code 532 has alteration installation teams (AITs) whichgo on board and rip out the existing IR2. The racks arebrought to Charleston, stripped, refurbished and put to-gether with the new requirements,” explained Bednarczyk.Code 531 provides most of the subject matter experts(SMEs), training instructors and logistic support for CSRR.

Once SSC Charleston receives the “brains” of the sys-tem -- the C&M software from Lockheed Martin -- thehard drives are built and the components integrated into theracks. There follows a multitiered testing program of eachrack. Multiple racks are then integrated and tested using asimulation-stimulation (SIM-STIM) interface, which savestime and cost. Once fully tested, the shipset is disassembledand shipped to the boat. The AIT works 12-hour days in-



The Common Submarine Ra-dio Room integrates warriors,sensors, networks, commandand control, platforms andweapons into a networked, dis-tributed combat force.

Team members in the Corporate Production Facility utilizea mobile appliance emulating the submarine hull curvaturewhich allows them to run and test the 300+ cables involved.

Photo provided

stalling the new room on board the submarine, then there iscomplete operational over-the-air and end-to-end testing.With the system up and fully operational, the SSC Charles-ton team’s job is still not done. SSC Charleston personnelembark to train the crews at sea. In addition, familiarizationcourses are held at the Trident Training Facility (TTF) andsupported by SSC Charleston and fleet personnel to teachsubmarine crews the operation and capability of their newCSRR.

After more than five years of effort, the team recentlycelebrated a successful Seawolf class operational test readi-ness review and a program review that lets the team goforward with four more CSRR procurements.

“SSC Charleston has continued to demonstrate how tosmoothly conduct installations in difficult shipyard envi-ronments, stay out of the critical path, and do higher qual-ity work at lower cost than the competition,” said Capt.Jerry Nies, PMW-770 program manager, in a recent note tothe entire CSRR team, adding that Charleston’s productionand installation work for the Ohio class is going so wellthat it is being used as a template for the rest of the Navy.

Code 53 is credited with organizing the effort and layingthe groundwork for the program. The Corporate Produc-tion Facility, under the C4ISR Acquisition, Engineering andIntegration (CAEI) Division (Code 09C1), is the site for theCSRR system integration. A government/contractor teamtracks every step of the process, and the CSRR sectionoften leverages with SSC Charleston key players involvedwith the Naval Modular Automated Communications Sys-tem (NAVMACS)/SubSMS, extremely high frequency(EHF), DMR test facility, SATCOM labs and the GlobalBroadcast Service (GBS) to improve service and lower cost.

According to Bruce Edmund, CSRR project managerfor SSC Charleston, the Charleston team has greatly im-proved the processes involved with CSRR and saved theNavy lots of money. Previously, there were several organi-zations doing procurement of CSRR equipment, which made

it extremely labor intensive to procure, track and ensureon-time deliveries to meet critical installation schedules. “RoyLindsay, who provides government oversight of our indus-try partner for production and integration efforts, briefedthe program office proposing that Charleston do all equip-ment procurements required to build CSRR,” Edmund said.“Now SSC Charleston does all those procurements. Theprogram has one government agency now to monitor andget real-time feedback on vendors meeting required deliv-eries for integration into CSRR,” he added.

The local CSRR team designed and built a mobile appli-ance which mimics the submarine hull curvature, allowing


Continued from page 13CSRR

SSC Charleston is playing a vital role in bringing submarines, such as USSMichigan pictured above, into the network centric communications architec-ture.

U.S. Navy photo

them to emulate cable runs and identify interference issuesbefore installation. During final testing, the CSRR is oper-ated as it would be on the submarine with all 300+ cablesconnected rack-to-rack overhead. This verifies proper op-eration of the equipment and also saves time and dollars.

Two-dimensional rack mock-ups allow cable and con-nector testing, verifying cable integrity. “We can put thecomponents inside the mock up, program an automatic cabletester and test 383 cables in less than half the time it re-quired before,” Edmund said. The Charleston team also in-stalled electronic auxiliary fresh water (EAFW) loops in themock-ups to ensure the cooling systems in each rack workproperly before installation, accomplishing another key testevent in the process. SSC Charleston’s highly successfulefforts with preinstallation and check out and SIM-STIMof CSRR resulted in PMW-770 eliminating follow-on testrequirements at another test facility, saving up to $1 millionper shipset.

“The bill payer made the decision. SSC Charleston’s testprogram developed for CSRR more than fulfilled the testrequirements prior to delivery to the submarines,” saidEdmund, “and the ‘Big Navy’ is seeing the savings now.They can’t afford to continue doing business the way itwas done during the Cold War era. SSC Charleston hasproven it can be done cheaper and faster and we can de-liver a quality product to the fleet.” Representatives fromthe Navy surface community have been looking closely atCharleston’s innovative production and E2E testing usingSIM-STIM. They have visited the Corporate ProductionFacility, Edmund said, and are very interested in the CSRRinitiatives.

The Charleston team also streamlined delivery of theCSRR suites to the warfighter. The complete CSRR suiteincluding cables and installation material is collected, inven-toried, and shipped as a unit via 20-footCONEX containers. Shipping as a uniteliminates the possibility of missing itemsand minimizes the manpower needed torequest, track and receive individual com-ponents from various locations. Shipsetsgo from Charleston to pierside anywherein the U.S in three to five days.

“Finding better ways to do businessand streamlining processes have gotten alot of folks’ attention,” said Edmund, whoserved in and worked on submarines for28 years. “Captain (Richard) Nicklas(PMS-398) was amazed watching deliv-ery of the first SSGN CSRR producedand tested by SSC Charleston,” he said.Completing testing only a week and a halfbefore, the system was packed and

shipped across country to Puget Naval Shipyard inBremerton, Wash., in four days and placed pierside by thesubmarine. Eighteen racks of equipment were loaded ontoUSS Ohio in three days.

Originally, the CSRR suite loaded on the USS Ohio wasslated for the second SSGN CSRR installation. At NAVSEA’srequest, priorities were shifted in order to deliver the Charles-ton CSRR suite ahead of schedule. Charleston’s ability toimprovise and adapt in order to overcome the potential de-lays posed by late delivery of the first CSRR shipset byanother agency added to the overall USS Ohio success story.

“SPAWAR Charleston saved the SSGN conversion pro-gram, with innovation and determination,” Nicklas said.

While there are numerous key Charleston personnel with-out whom success may not have been possible, Daniel Broth-ers, CSRR assistant program manager at PMW-770, praisedSSC Charleston’s Bednarczyk and his team for their effortson the Seawolf-class CSRR. “The team has made a signifi-cant improvement in the systems over a short period oftime,” Brothers said.

In recognition of some individual achievements, Broth-ers started an initiative to name each CSRR suite (e.g., USSMichigan SSGN 727 will be named the “Edmund Room.”)

“We continually develop, advocate and finely tune aneffective partnership with the various government agenciesand industry partners,” Bednarczyk said. “The team con-cept and unselfish dedication by all has contributed greatlyto CSRR’s success.”

Through the CSRR effort, SSC Charleston helps bringthe submarine into the network centric communicationsarchitecture that will give a new level of precision and per-sistent offensive power to the maritime warfighter.

- Susan Piedfort, Chronicle Editor


ENIGMA:A solution in search of a problem

An enigma is defined as something hidden or difficult tounderstand.The Space and Naval Warfare SystemsCommand’s Washington, D.C.-based ENIGMA (ENterpriseInformation Assurance Global Multidisciplined Associates)program is “a solution in search of the problem.”

Massive global networking makes the United States theworld’s most vulnerable target for information warfare.ENIGMA is a program created to identify and resolve theinformation assurance and security challenges facing thefederal government today. It provides the means to imme-diately assess potential cyber vulnerabilities and exposureto attack.

The ENIGMA team was conceptualized and formed atthe General Services Administration in 2000. SSC Charles-ton championed the ENIGMA program in October of2001.This prompted the implementation of INFOSEC vul-nerability assessment services under ENIGMA, which usesthe INFOSEC Assessment Methodology (IAM) developedby the National Security Agency (NSA) as the standard forconducting assessments throughout the federal government.The IAM examines the customer’s mission, organization,security policies and programs, information systems andthe threat to these systems, with the goal determining vul-nerabilities and recommend effective, low cost counter-measures.

The team is made up of a group of technical experts withmore than 100 years of combined experience in informationassurance and communication security. The strength of theSPAWAR ENIGMA team is in its “trusted neutral” relation-ships and partnerships with its customers. The definition of“trusted neutral” is an impartial, reliable, trustworthy andauthoritative IT source; i.e., government employees work-ing for the government.

The ENIGMA program manages six areas of informa-tion assurance: security planning, risk assessment and vul-nerability assessment, contingency planning, certification andaccreditation, and information assurance security educationand training.

ENIGMA program customers include the Navy, Mari-time Prepositioning Future Force, NAVSEA, USNS Mercy,USNS Comfort, Littoral Combat Ship, SPAWAR NCRAPEX, BUMED, Army, PEO Soldier, Defense LogisticsAgency, DoD – Joint Chiefs of Staff, Department of State,Department of Interior, Bureau of Census, Department ofTreasury, Custom Service, Postal Service, National LaborRelations Board, Department of Justice (FBI) and the Na-tional Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.

For more information on the ENIGMA program, contactProgram Manager Suzanne Gonzalez at (202) 685-1665, orby email at [email protected].

The ENIGMA team is, fromleft, front row, Angela Cham-bers, Raymond Jacob,Russell Briggs, SuzanneGonzalez, Manuel Dennis,Terrence Richburg, ReginaGray; back row, GregVanTuyle, Ross Kim, RoyJohnson, Joseph Brown,John Griffiths, ChristineMeyers and Dr. DavidLitwack .

Photo by Harold Senn


H e r o e sH e r o e sH e r o e sH e r o e sH e r o e sC o l d W a rC o l d W a rC o l d W a rC o l d W a rC o l d W a r

H e r o e sH e r o e sH e r o e sH e r o e sH e r o e sDale Richardson Jr., has a special appreciation for Ameri-

can servicemembers who keep and have kept our nation’sfreedom today and in the past. He served during the firstGulf War, has been a SPAWARrior since he started workingat NAVELEXSYSENGCEN in Washington, D.C., in 1975and through his current work in Code 533’s shore commu-nications branch of platform communications engineering,he helps support today’s warfighter.

But the biggest reason for Richardson’s appreciation is aman he never met, a man who never even knew he existed– his father.

Air Force Maj. Dale Richardson Sr., was killed during asecret 1956 Alaska air mission. No one survived the air-plane crash that took the lives of the 11-man crew, and nodefinite cause for the crash was ever determined. Next ofkin were told the aircraft was on a routine weather mission.It was the Cold War era, and the need for secrecy wasparamount.

Above, Doug and Brenda Wolters ad-mire the plaque honoring the GoldenHeart crew. The plaque and photos wereaffixed to the recently unearthed tailsection of the plane, left.

Andrea Richardson Stowers, sister of Dale Jr., was sevenwhen her dad died. Another sister, Janet, was six. “Bubba”(Dale Jr.) was born five months after the crash. Stowersremembers when she and her mother met her father’s cas-ket at Union Station that two others were rolled in besidehis for burial at Arlington National Cemetery. She wonderedabout the other two men who had shared her father’s lasthour. Her quest for answers consumed nearly 50 years.

Working from her father’s brittle, yellowed flight recordsand mission assignments, Stowers searched for the fami-lies of the other crewmen. Last spring she found two: theson of First Lt. William Wolters Jr., and the elderly motherof Airman Second Class Melvin O. Lindsey.

Recently two other unrelated events — the declassifica-tion of documents relating to the accident and the meltingof glacial ice in Alaska – have brought closure to the fami-lies of what was known as the Golden Heart crew. As theirfathers had worked together 50 years ago, Stowers and

Photos provided


On. Aug. 31, 1956, 11 men lifted off the runway ofEielson Air Force Base, just outside Fairbanks, Alaska,in a WB-50D Superfortress (tail number 49-315). Theywere assigned to the 58th Weather ReconnaissanceSquadron (WRS), 7th Weather Wing, Air Weather Ser-vice. The propeller-driven bomber was equipped forlong-range weather reconnaissance missions with high-altitude atmospheric samplers, Doppler radar, weatherradar and a bomb-bay fuel tank for extended range.

On board were Copilot Maj. Dale Richardson; Capt. Leonard Chapman Jr., of Charleston, S.C.; Capt. Everett Dyson; First Lt. William Wolters, Jr., weatherobserver; Second Lt. William Faustlin; Master Sgt. Fred Gregg Jr.; Tech Sgt. Richard Brown; Staff Sgt. Ronald Ragland; Airman Second Class Melvin Lindsey,radio operator; Airman Second Class Elijah Spencerand Airman Third Class Douglas Maxon.

For reasons unknown, approximately one hour intothe flight, the aircraft crashed on an island in the SusitnaRiver, about 35 miles northwest of Elmendorf Air ForceBase. The wing hit the ground first and the rest of theplane came apart, leaving the tail section some distancefrom the main wreckage. There were no survivors.

Family members were told the aircraft crashed dur-ing a routine weather reconnaissance mission. Declas-sified documents have revealed the actual mission ofGolden Heart was to fly thousands of miles west overthe northern Pacific Ocean to penetrate radioactiveclouds “hot” from Soviet nuclear testing, gather falloutsamples and return to Alaska with evidence of Russia’sweapons capabilities.

The final flightof Golden Heart

The aircraft was christened “Golden Heart” in honorof Fairbanks, known as the golden heart of Alaska.

Photo courtesy the National Museum of the Air Force


Doug Wolters teamed up to find the missing remains of theaircraft and bring to light the heroic service of their fathers.

Thanks to precise coordinates from an accident reportStowers found and Wolters’ experience in reading maps asa geologist, the crumpled tail section of the plane was foundin July when a glacier had melted back to expose it for thefirst time in decades. In August Wolters and his wife Brendawent to the site where the WB-50B’s tail section is embed-ded in the sandy river bottom soil.

A memorial service at the site featured the reading of aeulogy written by Stowers. To the plane Wolters attached aplaque and laminated photos of William Wolders holding hisinfant son, and of Richardson at the cockpit controls. Theeulogy, copies of Richardson’s letters, pictures of B-50 flightcommanders and engineers, and of Golden Heart beingchristened at Eilson were all sealed in a safety deposit boxand buried at the site.

“My father died when I was a baby and I have alwayswanted to know how and where he died,” Wolters said.“For a very long time, I couldn’t find anyone who couldeven tell me where the wreckage was located.”

Ironically, both Wolters and Stowers suffer from a spi-nal degenerative disease which made going to Alaska im-possible for Stowers. Wolters made the trip against doctor’sorders. After the ceremony at the crash site, Wolters wroteto Stowers, “…we had a perfect day and had you in ourhearts…. I was able to reach my mother via satellite phoneand we shared a few tender moments together which wasvery unique and special. She was sitting by the phone forfour hours hoping to hear from us! She’s like a little girltoday and I think she feels like she’s that young bride wholost her husband 50 years ago.”

Stowers’ quest brought her closer not only to Doug andBrenda Wolters, but also to an elderly retired beauty salon

The tail section of the plane, located some distance from themain wreckage, was found in July when glacial ice had meltedenough to expose it after 50 years.

Photo provided


MMMMMaaaaaj. j. j. j. j. DDDDDale ale ale ale ale RRRRRicicicicicharharharharhardsondsondsondsondsonCold WCold WCold WCold WCold War Herar Herar Herar Herar Herooooo

Born Jan. 11, 1908, in Parker, S.D.,Dale Richardson traced his ancestryto County Cork, Ireland. Orphaned atage four when his father died, he wasadopted by Mr. and Mrs. FrankRichardson of Wood, S.D., andmoved to Los Angeles, Calif., as a boy.He had always wanted to fly and be-fore joining the Air Force in 1943, hewas a stunt pilot for Howard Hughes,a detective in Fullerton, Calif., and acivilian flight instructor training mili-tary pilots all over the U.S. and SouthPacific. Most of his Air Force careerinvolved classified missions. Heserved at the Mercury Nevada testrange during atomic tests, and wasan “A-bomb watcher” at the BikiniAtoll atomic test site. The aviator hadalready survived two plane crashes.One crash was on Bikini Island when his plane lost allpower during a test of the effects of an atomic electro-magnetic pulse on aircraft. The pulse caused a total sys-tem failure on the plane, resulting in the crash.

After marrying Minnie Lee in 1948 he left the AirForce and worked in the Office of Strategic Intelligencein Washington to spend more time at home with hisyoung family. In February of 1956 he returned to activeduty and, after training in Florida, went to Alaska. At thetime of his death, he had been assigned to the 58thWeather Reconnaissance Squadron for three months as

part of the secret “Hot Cloud” sam-pling project. His aircraft was equippedwith a “bug catcher” which collectedatomic particles from the clouds overweapon test sites. These were analyzedby the U.S. to monitor Russian atomicprogram activity.

Before taking off in Golden Heart,Richardson had written a letter tellinghis seven-year-old daughter Andrea notto worry, that he was “... far, far up inthe sky many, many miles away in abig airplane watching and guarding andready to do battle so that you and allthe other children at home may sleepin peace and safety.”

Richardson had moved his familyfrom Arlington, Va., to Alaska just twoweeks before the fateful flight. Beforethe Aug. 31st mission — unaware that

his wife was pregnant with the son they had both hopedfor — he worried about his newly transplanted family,which was still unpacking in their new home. Accordingto his daughter, he also felt uneasy about the mission.

Andrea had curled up at the bottom of the stairs think-ing her dad wouldn’t leave if he had to step over her.“He stopped to scoop me into his arms, holding me tightlyto his chest as he whispered his premonition that thisflight was doomed,” she said.

Because of the inherent danger of their business, air-men routinely took out multiple insurance policies be-

fore a mission, only to cancel themupon their successful return.Richardson took out many insur-ance policies. He canceled some,but a good number were still ineffect at the time of his death.

“I always wondered how mymom kept three houses and didn’twork,” said Dale Richardson Jr.Though Dale Richardson Sr.,couldn’t tell his family the natureof his missions, this Cold Warhero’s careful planning ensured hisfamily — including a son henever knew — was well takencare of long after his death.

The famous photo from National Geographic of A-bomb watchers showsRichardson, fifth from right, during atomic testing on the Bikini Atoll. Thisearned Richardson the designation “Brother Pig” from the Grand Council,Exclusive Order of Guinea Pigs, Kwajalein, Marshall Islands, on April 24,1946 for “subjecting his body to the rigors attendant to atom bombs....”

U.S. Air Force Photo

Richardson, seen here as a sec-ond lieutenant flight instructor,circa 1944.



owner from Alexandria, Va., who Stowers now describesas “a second mother.” While looking through family me-mentoes, Stowers found an obituary and photo of a hand-some African-American man in an Air Force uniform --Melvin O. Lindsay. The obituary noted he was from Alex-andria, Va. Last year when Stowers returned to Alexandriato live, she made fliers with the photo and put them all overOld Towne. Several people remembered the young man’smother.

Now 88, Thedessa Weaver still remembers how unhappyshe was when her only child Melvin enlisted in the Air Forceagainst her wishes. Then 17, Melvin had long dreamed offollowing in the footsteps of the Tuskegee Airmen. Weaverhad no idea that he was flying dangerous, secret missionson the other side of the world.

Stowers recalled that her dad had received all the appro-priate military honors, including a flyover, at his funeral in1956. This was not so for the young man in the third cas-ket that arrived with her dad’s at Union Station. “Melvindidn’t get that, and I wanted to see that he did,” Stowerssaid. “I also wanted Mother Weaver to be here to see thathappen.”

After nearly five decades Stowers found an advocatefor her cause in Virginia Delegate David Englin. In Marchhe sponsored a resolution through the Virginia State As-sembly honoring the life and work of Airman Lindsey.

On a rainy Saturday exactly 50 years and two days afterthe crash that took their lives, the Golden Heart crew washonored during a memorial service at the amphitheater atArlington National Cemetery. Virginia Governor TimothyKaine said in a letter read during the service, “The rise ofCommunism and the strength of the Soviet Union was avery real threat to the security of the United States, andthese men served on the front lines of the Cold War.... They

Cold War heroes died unable to tell their loved ones why they served andwhy they took such great risks.”

Weaver, now living with a relative in North Carolina,was especially touched by the service. “I just want every-one to know how grateful I am and how much I appreciateAndrea [Stowers] thinking so much about my child,” shetold a local reporter. “He was a good boy who never gaveme a bit of trouble. I still have his letters and I think abouthim every day.”

Wolters bought bowls carved from a willow tree in Wil-low, Alaska, the town closest to the site of the plane crash.He filled the bowls with sand from the crash site and apiece of driftwood, and gave the other families these bowlsas a remembrance.

The Sept. 2nd service brought some closure to the GoldenHeart families, but also honored the sacrifices of Cold Warveterans who, because they served in secrecy and silence,have no memorials or plaques on the National Mall as doveterans of America’s other wars.

“The veterans I found in my search for what happenedand for other survivors are proud of the vows of silencethey have kept for over five decades,” Stowers said. “Evenwith the Cold War long over and the passage of half a cen-tury, the extraordinary contribution they made at that criti-cal time in America’s history has gone, for the most part,unacknowledged,” said Stowers. Her book, Cold War Or-phan, will chronicle the lives of her father and the men whodied with him and will highlight their contribution.

The Cold War heroes’ service is especially fitting today,the Golden Heart family members believe, as men and womenare fighting a global war on terrorism. They, like Maj. DaleRichardson Sr., are making an extraordinary contributionat a critical time in America’s history.

Though he did not live to see the end of the Cold War orthe son he had always wanted, Richardson fulfilled a lastwish he made to his little girl over 50 years ago -- helpingensure all the little children here at home sleep in peace andsafety.


Son and FatherDale Richardson Jr., left, pictured speak-ing at the Sept. 2 memorial service for ColdWar heroes at the Arlington National Cem-etery amphitheater, bears a strong resem-blance to the father he never met. DaleRichardson Sr., at right, is pictured in aservice photo.


Thanks to the work of SPAWARriorsin Europe, the Army has established bet-ter control of resources and real prop-erty for its peacekeeping operations inKosovo.

During FY05 personnel from theExpeditionary Support Office (ESO) ofHeadquarters, U.S. Army Europe(USAREUR) recognized a need to getbetter control of resources and realproperty dedicated to the U.S. Army’sefforts in peacekeeping operations inKosovo.

The Army has had a presence inKosovo since 1997, when then Presi-dent Bill Clinton ordered the U.S. mili-tary to intervene in what could havebeen an effort by Serbian forces to“ethnically cleanse” the southern por-tion of Kosovo of indigenous ethnicallyAlbanian inhabitants. A U.N. authorizedpresence was established at various lo-cations, one of which was CampBondsteel, Kosovo. “Operation JointGuardian” has continued ever sinceunder a U.N. mandate, and the forwardoperating sites such as Camp Bondsteelhave been managed by ESO fromHeidelberg, Germany.

Operationally, Camp Bondsteel isone of the largest bases established bythe U.S. Army since Vietnam. Initiallyestablished in July 1999, it has grown

to resemble a full-fledged military in-stallation. Bondsteel is located on roll-ing hills and farmland near the city ofFerizaj/Urosevac.

U.S. forces entered Kosovo in June1999 following NATO Operation AlliedForce. Since then, military officialsworked to rapidly improve servicemembers’ quality of life. At the outset,planners wanted to use the lessonslearned in Bosnia and convinced deci-sion makers to reach a base-camp“endstate” as quickly as possible.

Because of uncertainty about theBosnian mission’s duration, when theArmy moved across the Sava Riverinto Bosnia in 1995, soldiers werehoused first in tents – in the winter!Only years later were they moved tobase camps to live in semipermanentSoutheast Asia (SEA) huts, using a the-ater-of-operations design that firstmade its debut in Vietnam. There arecurrently about 250 SEA huts for liv-ing quarters and offices. The buildingshave five living areas that house up tosix soldiers each.

SSC Charleston was tasked in lateFY05 to provide a “geo-enabling” ca-pability to the USAREUR “Red Book”– the “Base Camp Bible” for managingthe Kosovo bases. Army civilian JosephBost had seen examples of “one base

one map” at an Air Force installationand thought this technology would notonly enhance day-to-day operations atCamp Bondsteel, but also provide thecapability to manage the base towardits eventual endstate. As the lead man-ager in Balkans Contingency Opera-tions for HQ USAREUR, Bost’s job isto coordinate support for bases likeCamp Bondsteel. He knew that suchgeo-enabling would establish the pro-cesses and technology that could bedeployed in other future Army contin-gency operations, while adding a com-bat capability that didn’t currently ex-ist in the Army inventory.

The original problem set had beencharacterized as “building cars one carat a time” – not the most efficient wayof doing things. At the beginning of theproject, there was no centralized ca-pability to enhance and exploit manage-ment of engineering resource and de-sign data in forward operating sites(FOS). No effective method existed forsharing geospatial and visualization bestpractices between USAREUR units.The USAREUR FOS information op-erations were “product-based” andtherefore data were created, managedand disseminated in an ad hoc approachwhich varied significantly from FOSto FOS. Standard USAREUR datasets

‘Geo-enabling’ Army base in KosovoCamp Bondsteel has grown to resemble a full-fledged mili-tary installation, encompassing 955 acres with a 7-mile outer

perimeter. Bondsteel is located on rolling hills and farmlandnear the city of Ferizaj/Urosevac.


for Camp Bondsteel were incompleteand did not meet USAREUR FOS data-centric operational requirements. It wasrecognized that if a repeatable processcould be established, then otherUSAREUR units could benefit from ef-forts to standardize the design, imple-mentation and visualization of FOS en-gineering data solutions. SPAWAR per-sonnel began with interviews atUSAREUR HQ to ensure the unique ef-fort was understood by staff and sothere was no duplication of effort.

Datasets from multiple sources werequickly gathered, conflated (merged ina geospatial sense) and evaluated formission enhancement potential.Among these were imagery from com-mercial and National Geospatial-Intel-ligence Agency (NGA) sources, vec-tor data from open sources and finallycomputer-aided design and drafting(CADD) data from Kellogg Brown andRoot (KBR), the Army prime contrac-tor for services at Camp Bondsteel.The data varied in formats, projections,scales and accuracy.

A huge piece of the task was evalu-ating the current state of the data andcreating a uniform data model in whichto implement an overall GIS visualiza-tion capability for the Camp Bondsteelstaff. With feedback from the staff, aSIPRnet site was set up to demonstratethe visualization potential for CampBondsteel and to generate user feed-back.

The overall mapping effort focuseson information critical to Army deci-sion makers during day-to-day man-agement of a base camp. The intentwas to generate georeferenced site in-formation in a common data frame-work consisting of imagery and mapfeatures organized by layer, and to fur-nish an integrated framework to storeand access expeditionary site planningdata provided in a relevant time frame.Another goal was to provide the con-text, processes and, most importantly,a standard data model that could bereused in future expeditionary efforts.

USAREUR had for several yearsbeen working to establish a commongeospatial data model that would in-clude urban level data not currentlysupplied by NGA, through the estab-lishment of the Theater Geospatial Da-tabase. It was quickly realized by staffthat the Expeditionary Geospatial DataCollection (EGDC), as the Balkans GISeffort became known, could very eas-ily help define the tactics, techniques,and procedures and processes for ur-ban data collection for future Armyendeavors, including the very difficultissue of merging different data stan-dards into one functional model.

The EGDC project was based onbuilding a strategy (brainstorming theproject goals); organizing (organizingand chartering a team); building the map(collecting the available data); sharingthe map (deploying the prototype sys-tem); integrating the map (using the

prototype to solicit new requirements);exploiting the map (supporting theCamp Bondsteel user community); andsustaining the map (keeping the datacurrent).

In the past year, the SPAWAR teamhas progressed to “Sharing the Map.”In September 2006 SPAWAR person-nel deployed to Camp Bondsteel for theinitial equipment installation and train-ing of local nationals employed by theArmy in the basics of GIS. The initialuser community was to be located inthe Public Works Office, but the pres-ence of the equipment quickly gener-ated interest in other areas of the base,including the real estate and environ-mental engineering offices.

Future efforts will be drawn fromand be dependent upon requirementsgathered as a result of the initial train-ing and deployment. Far from being thetypical DoD big system development,the EGDC effort will continue basedon available funding and utility as de-termined by the user community atCamp Bondsteel and USAREUR. If theeffort proves itself as hoped, it will pro-vide the Army in Europe with a meansof better managing base campsthroughout the AOR utilizing GIS tech-nology. It may also help better definethe lifecycle of base camps in general– an issue being worked by the JointOperational Engineering Board (JOEB)at the Pentagon.

- Dr. (Lt.Col.) Michael L. Thomas,Code 572

Remains of a Serbian tank at Camp Bondsteel.

Local nationals employed by the Army are trained onthe basics of GIS as part of the ExpeditionaryGeospatial Data Collection (EGDC) project.

Photos provided


Chief of Staff Bob Kappler retires

What’s been the most rewarding aspect of your work atSSC Charleston?

Without question, the most rewarding aspect has beenthe opportunity to work with so many incredibly talentedand dedicated people, and close behind that, I would put theopportunity to be a part of something as significant andsuccessful as this command.

What’s been the most rewarding aspect of your entirefederal career?

Throughout my entire federal career, from the beginningat White Sands Missile Range to the end here at SSC Charles-ton, I’ve been fortunate to have always been a part of some-thing of which I could be proud. I’ve always had the plea-sure of feeling good about telling people what I do.

Q&AWho has had the most positive impact on your career,

and how?I know it will sound trite, but I have to say my father. He

taught me from an early age the importance of working hard,of always giving that extra measure and being someone oth-ers would want as an employee. He also taught me to beconsiderate of the feelings of others and earn their trust.

What do you think the more “seasoned” federal em-ployees can do to help the new generation of employees?

Is that what I am, “seasoned”? Probably the best thingwe can do is get out of their way! If I were to offer them anyadvice, it would be to take pride in your work, enjoy yourlife, and recognize that someday you will be old and some-one will be asking you questions like these.

Kapplerism: “Learnhow to think and howto learn.” With that inmind, we offer a ...

SSC Charleston Chief of Staff Bob Kappler retired at theend of September, bringing to an end a career of significancespanning 44 years and 11 months.

A Missouri native, Kappler graduated from the Universityof Missouri in 1961 with a bachelor of science degree inelectrical engineering. He began his government career laterthat same year as a missile systems test engineer with theU.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command at White SandsMissile Range in New Mexico. During missile test firings,he worked from ground station rooftops where directionalantennas were used to track missiles in flight and recovertelemetry data from on-board sensors. Kappler then analyzedthis data to determine missile performance.

One of his major contributions at White Sands, knownas “the most instrumented 400 square miles of real estatein the world,” was the design of a range timingsynchronization system. While a master clock distributedrange timing to the ground stations scattered throughoutthe range, the signal reached the various stations at differenttimes, and synchronization was not exact. Using a portableatomic clock and measuring in milliseconds, Kapplerdetermined the delay time for the signal at each station. Hethen designed a unique digital range timing synchronizationsystem which compensated for the different travel timesof timing signals to each location.

After earning a master’s degree in business administration,Kappler accepted a position at the Pentagon, and movedhis family more than 1,700 miles to Washington, D.C., over

the Thanksgiving weekend of 1971. He served as the ArmyTEMPEST program manager on the staff of the AssistantChief of Staff for Force Development, Office of SignalSecurity and Electronic Warfare, for three years. In thiscapacity he worked with teams all over the world to surveydata processing equipment and ensure adequate protectionagainst compromising signal emanations. In 1974 hetransferred to the Naval Electronic Systems SecurityEngineering Center (NESSEC) in Washington as the Navy’sTEMPEST field survey program manager.

He found the TEMPEST work to be as rewarding asthat at White Sands. “I felt I was really doing somethingimportant,” he said. “I was part of something much biggerthan myself.” As Rear Adm. Michael Bachmann,commander of SPAWARSYSCOM, noted in a letterhighlighting Kappler’s valuable contributions to thecountry’s defense, some of the cryptographic equipmentKappler provided to the fleet during his time at NESSEC isstill being used on Navy ships today.

In 1982 Kappler became executive director of NESSECin Washington, serving as the senior civilian of thecommand and principal advisor to the commanding officer.The 1993 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) decisionbrought together four East Coast engineering centers —Kappler’s NESSEC in Washington, and those in Charleston,S.C.; Portsmouth, Va.; and St. Inigoes, Md. — to form theNaval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center,In-Service Engineering, East Coast Division (NISE East)


in Charleston. In 1994 Kappler was selected as its chief ofstaff. He spent a year going back and forth to Washington,working out of Building T-1 off and on for two weeks at atime, during the critical period in which the four centerswere combined.

Since each center had its own special area of expertise,proud traditions, unique business methods and followingof satisfied customers, Kappler explained, the process ofcombining them had great potential for failure. “We madesome mistakes early on, but we overcame them and workedtogether in a positive way to create something here thathas been successful beyond anyone’s wildest expectations,”he said. The 1995 BRAC decision merged the NavalCommand, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center into itsparent command, SPAWARSYSCOM, and NISE Eastbecame SSC Charleston. Today Kappler considers the 24combined years as NESSEC executive director and as SSCCharleston chief of staff his most rewarding, both “dreamjobs I was very fortunate to have,” he said.

A retirement luncheon held in Kappler’s honor Sept. 21was attended by more than 160 well wishers, filling theRedbank Club ballroom to near capacity. Letters from U.S.Congressmen, Navy personnel -- and even from Kappler’spersonal hero Chickenman -- were interspersed with tributesfrom many who worked with and for him through theyears.

Noting his mixed feelings on the chief of staff’sretirement, SSC Charleston Commanding Officer Capt. RedHoover said, “James and I will no longer be able to say,‘Ask Mr. Kappler to take care of that.’

“You have been SSC Charleston’s ambassador, orator,moderator, representative, humorist and master ofceremonies for both official and unofficial functions,”Hoover said. He praised Kappler’s counsel to the BusinessBoard and the Executive Council, and his representation ofthe command on boards such as the Human ResourcesService Center-Southeast Region Customer Advisory Boardand the Greater Charleston Federal Executive Association,for which he served as president for two terms.

In his farewell remarks, Kappler said he couldn’t havefound a better place than SSC Charleston to complete hiscareer. “What we have created together here in theLowcountry is truly remarkable,” he said. One of his dutiesas chief of staff was to accompany important visitors oncommand tours and briefs by the CO, ED and variousproject engineers. “What an experience!” he said. “To seeand hear the enthusiasm, commitment and professionalismexhibited by our folks was inspiring and amazing. I wishedthen, and I wish now, that every employee of the commandwould have the opportunity to take those tours and hearthose presentations. I think most would be dumbfoundedto realize the magnitude of this thing of which they are apart.

“I doubt that anyone in this command, with the possibleexception of the CO and ED, really understands the fullrange, variety and importance of the work being performedby our people. Or, for that matter, the astonishing skill anddedication of the people doing that work,” he continued.

Kappler praised the degree to which SSC Charlestonemployees retain their motivation, particularly those in thesupport codes who work without the positive emotionalfeedback from visiting dignitaries or outside customers.

“No crowds cheer them, no dignitaries shake their hands... yet they continue to process the payroll, stock thesupplies, deliver the mail and keep the command operating.In my opinion they are heroes as much if not more than theproject engineer who is able to bask in the customer’s praiseof his or her success, and I am proud to have served withthem,” he said.

Noting the many who have helped him along the way,Kappler thanked his wife Sue first. “We’ve been marriedfor 42 years,” he pointed out, “and if I want to try for 43then she’s at the top of the list.” In retirement he’ll spendmore time with her, their three grown children and theirgrandchildren. The biggest challenge he faces now, he said,is cleaning out his garage. He will also devote a portion ofhis retirement years, he added, to combating “this society’sirrational fixation on starting things before 10 a.m.”

Reflecting on a career which began in measurements ofmilliseconds and continued for 45 dedicated years, Kapplersaid he will miss the people the most. “I will miss thefriendships, the daily contact with talented and caringpeople,” he said, “and the strong sense of purpose ourwork gives us.”


Bob Kapplerwields the“GrammarHammer”honoring hiseditorialexpertise, one ofmany gifts hewas presentedduring aretirementluncheon in hishonor.



Ann Howell retired Sept. 30 with more than 32 years offederal civilian service. Howell, who began her civil servicecareer in Norfolk, Va., as a clerk-typist, ended her federalcareer as a small and disadvantaged business specialist atSSC Charleston.

During a retirement luncheon held at the Redbank ClubSept. 27, Howell was praised for the “meteoric rise of smallbusiness participation in contracting opportunities” at SSCCharleston. Her expert counsel to small and disadvantagedbusinesses enabled them to gain access into the world ofgovernment contracts. This effort resulted in a broad baseof quality supplies of material and services for the Navy.

In addition to numerous performance awards and lettersof appreciation, Howell has been honored with the 2005Department of the Navy’s Small Business Specialist of theYear, the 2005 Small Business Administration LeadershipAward, and a 2006 under Secretary of Defense SustainedSuperior Performance Award.

In September 2004 SSC Charleston was awarded thefirst-ever Outstanding Compliance Review award, whichwas attributed in great part to Howell’s leadership. The awardnoted Howell’s vigilance and dedication that resulted in ap-proximately 46 percent of SSC Charleston’s prime con-tract awards going to small and small disadvantaged busi-nesses, amounting to approximately $1.5 billion in contracts.

Howell retires with32 years of service

During the luncheon, Susan Burrows, director ofSPAWARSYSCOM Small Business Programs, made a pre-sentation to Howell from SPAWAR headquarters in recog-nition of Howell’s significant contributions in support ofthe Team SPAWAR Small Business Programs.

In her remarks, Howell thanked the members of her team,and said SSC Charleston has been a very special place.“When BRAC ‘93 moved me from Virginia to Charleston,my theme song was ‘Carry Me Back to Old Virginia.’ But itdidn’t take long until I was singing ‘Nothing Could beFiner...,’” she said.

Hassell ends federal civil service careerMarsha Hassell, Con-

gressional and PublicAffairs Officer (PAO)for SSC Charleston, re-tired Sept. 30 with 27years of federal service.

An SSC Charlestonplankowner, Hassell hadbeen PAO for the com-mand since 1999, serv-ing formerly as an adminspecialist in Code 60. AsPAO, her activities high-lighted to the public thevital role played by SSCCharleston in support ofthe Navy and the

warfighter. During her tenure she also saw the Public Af-

fairs Officer position grow to include the Congressionalliaison function. This gave Hassell a unique view into howCongress and their staffs work. “It was like having a per-petual civics lesson,” she said.

At SSC Charleston Hassell was active in a variety ofvolunteer programs, especially with area schools and in thepartnership and mentoring programs SSC Charleston haswith Hanahan and Gregg middle schools. “We expose theteachers and students to the technology of the future,”Hassell said, to cultivate an interest in electronics at an earlyage. “We want to inspire both the teachers and the studentswith the type of work we do.”

Hassell was presented South Carolina State Board of Edu-cation Volunteer Award for the 2000-2001 school year forher significant volunteer contribution to local schools.

Hassell has a bachelor of arts degree in psychology fromthe University of California at Berkeley and a master’s de-gree in psychology from Howard University.

Ann Howell receives the Navy Superior Civilian ServiceAward from SSC Charleston Commanding Officer Capt. RedHoover during her retirement luncheon.

Photo by Susan Piedfort

Marsha HassellPhoto by Harold Senn

TransitionsTransitions


Members of the SSC Charleston Code70 team who retired at the end of thefiscal year were honored during aSept. 29 ceremony at the conferencecenter. Pictured with SSC Command-ing Officer Capt. Red Hoover are,from left, David A. Nichter, RaymondF. Dohm, Speros “Nick” Drake,James W. Engles Jr., Inga L. George,Don Wendell Leduff, Janet W. Byrd,Michael T. Kutch Jr., Donald I. Propstand Lawrence R. Rogers.

SSC Charleston bids farewell to FY06 retireesBurnis Acuff, Code 726Francis Allston, Code 09C12Barbara Atkinson, Code 595Kennith Atkinson, Code 70WRichard Barfield, Code 832JLinda Barnes, Code 0219Belle Barnhill, Code 595Brenda Barrineau, Code 0217Dennis Battle, Code 09C1Bradley Bergmann, Code 773Harvey Berman, Code 591Charles Berry, Code 771Jimmy Betts, Code 851John Bevis, Code 63DLeonard Billmeier, Code 563Deborah Blanton, Code 66Grainger Blanton Jr., Code 0BTimothy Bouquet, Code 772Grady Bowman, Code 025Don Bozard, Code 513Jerry Brown, Code 51Dean Bui, Code 664Billy Bunton, Code 846Janet Byrd, Code 772George Campbell, Code 771William Cashman, Code 591Gabina Celiz, Code 0232Brenda Clark, Code 0124Steve Clarke, Code 512Frederick Connor, Code 0215Frank Cross, Code 854Paul Cyr, Code 596Helen Devera, Code 0A2William Dewey, Code 844Raymond Dohm, Code 726Speros Drake, Code 70CMilton Edwards, Code 852James Engles Jr., Code 725Manuel Faria Jr., Code 857Victoria Fernandez, Code 781

Patrick Fine, Code 711William Foxworth, Code 50PVirginia Frederick, Code 661Richard Froom, Code 725Inga Lees George, Code 721John Getsinger, Code 662Dean Glace, Code 50DPatricia W. Godwin, Code 0215David Goodridge, Code 832JGary Gonzalez, Code 854William Grolemund, Code 56Karen Gunther, Code 774Susan Gustafson, Code 764Edward Halstead, Code 845Jeffrey Hammett, Code 593Walter Harding, Code 833Robert Hardison Jr., Code 853Marsha Hassell, Code 0A6Sheree Hayes, Code 764Stephen Hefley, Code 536James Hester, Code 0131Paul Hill, Code 83CDeborah Hirschhorn, Code 0A5Karen Holland, Code 09W11Johnnie Holland Jr., Code 834Gerald Holst, Code 532Ann Howell, Code 0AlDeborah Hunt, Code 837Jewel Ingram, Code 591Joseph Jaquith, Code 619Vega Jimenez, Code 512Eric Johnson, Code 595John Johnson, Code 761Patricia Johnson, Code 0217Robert Kappler, Code 0ATerry Keeling, Code 836Elliott Kehoe Jr. Code 833George Keiper, Code 661Delores Kelly, Code 774Gary Kessler, Code 85

Robert Kinney, Code 532Louis Kizer, Code 0123Jesse Kochersperger Jr., Code 835Brenda Krivensky, Code 595Alfred Langlois II, Code 593Robert Leap, Code 752Don Leduff, Code 752Marcia Litschewski, Code 723Sherlene Matthews, Code 595Francis Mazzone, Code 741William McArn, Code 0231Wilton McCabe, Code 636Edward McDonough, Code 596Stevan McNeill, Code 76Joseph Melancon, Code 70WTruman Metts, Code 0A21Bruce Miller, Code 771Robert Mizell, Code 523Joe Moran, Code 631M. Louise Moran, Code 631Merton Myers, Code 772Alfredo Navario, Code 562Robert Neeley, Code 833Drucilla Neff, Code 764David Nichter, Code 722Deborah Nipper, Code 0219James Orlando, Code 856Ronald Owens, Code 855John Pezzana, Code 762Sandra Phelps, Code 0231James Pierce Jr., Code 832JJeanne Pinto, Code 595Thomas Pittenger, Code 618Donald Propst, Code 722Shirley Purawic, Code 834Patricia Reed, Code 84DJames Rodenkirch, Code 523Lawrence Rogers , Code 723Evonne Russell, Code 656Robert Rustia III, Code 593


Code 70 employeesend federal careers

Judith Salmon, Code 822Lou Salmon, Code 0282Michael Schelling, Code 773Ronald Sheridan, Code 0A42Joseph Shevock, Code 843Melanie Siegfried, Code 596Thomas Lee Sinnwell, Code 761Linda Slocumb, Code 0232Bonnie Smith, Code 762Shirley Smith, Code 783Patricia Starke, Code 022Lewis Stevens II, Code 854Sharon Stine, Code 845Robert Stodola, Code 722Paula Strobel, Code 0231James Strudwick, Code 832Donald Szejner, Code 763John Tizol, Code 773Stephen Travis, Code 595Raymond Utz Jr., Code 713Suzan Vaughan, Code 822Sharon Wagoner, Code 01CJames Walker Jr., Code 743Carole Warthen, Code 0231Elizabeth Watts, Code 70DJames Webb III, Code 67Richard Wery, Code 724Diane White, Code 836Diane E. White, Code 773Joyce Ann White, Code 764Robert White, Code 83Russell Whitlock, Code 714David Williams, Code 771Marilyn Williams, Code 0232Nadine Wilson, Code 70Raymond Wilson Jr., Code 854William Windle, Code 764Jeanie Woo, Code 835Lamar Woods, Code 0121


The generosity ofSSC Charlestonemployees and a

variety of fun-filledevents helped thecommand raise

more than$222,000 for the

Combined FederalCampaign.

Kelly Moyer took first place in the chili cookoff,then folks lined up buy chili. The event raised$72 and the chili pots emptied in record time.

The bake sale raised $397 for the CFC, and the cake walk brought outthe competitive side of some SSC Charleston employees.

Photos by Susan Piedfort

Michelle Rehr-Matash promises fun at the CFC kickoff.Rehr-Matash, Beth Fiddie and Arliene Sports were thecommand’s CFC coordinators.

Putting the ‘fun’ in CFC fundraising


The Navy’s Open Architecture/FORCEnet (OA/Fn) vision is for Navyshipboard C4ISR systems that aremodular, easily and affordably upgradedwith new technologies, and able to sup-port interoperable capabilities to jointand coalition warfighters. Interopera-bility is currently hindered by manydifferent “languages” of various tacti-cal and operational systems usedacross the air, C4I, space, submarine,surface and USMC domains.

During an OA/Fn experimentationevent held at SSC Charleston in Sep-tember, a Code 50 team led by KenBallard successfully demonstrated anopen network that consumed datafrom across all the domains in one en-vironment, helping all warfighters“speak the same speak.” Ken Ballardof Code 52 and a team consisting ofMark Hartgrove of Code 635, JamesSouthard (Code 521), Marcus Bradley(Code 524), and Allen Ayers (Code635), used a hybrid of two existing datamodels which furnished universally-defined “words” in the various “lan-guages” for sharing information.

The OA/Fn experimentation demolinked the various legacy tactical andoperation systems using a hybrid of theJoint Consultation Command & Con-trol Information Exchange Data Model(JC3IEDM) and Cursor on Target(CoT), both “open” technology datamodels. The team’s challenge was todevelop and install the interfaces neededto translate the various legacy tacticalsystem messages into and out of thecommon data model.

Using an application service calledWebCOP, they set up a network thatconsumed data from across the vari-ous domains. The Web-based networkdid not require user downloads. Theteam also demonstrated the same shar-ing for an imagery server.

“We were first node to do this overthe GIG (global information grid),” saidBallard. “We were able to see what thebenefits were.”

The system could be a testingground for new programs to ensurethey are OA/Fn compatible, and les-sons learned will improve the acquisi-tion process and changes in businesspractices that will be needed to sup-port rapidly evolving technologies.“The product was built showing tech-nical feasibility, the logistics tail andconfiguration management,” saidBallard.

The team also leveraged SSCCharleston’s new innovation programin the process. Abraham Palihan’sproject demonstrated how tooperationalize FORCEnet conceptswith existing software. “One of thethings that helped us with WebCOPfrom his innovation project was the link16 interface. Using that, anyone couldsee the picture; it was very beneficial,”Ballard said.

According to Ken Bible, Code 52division head, SSC Charleston has theexpertise for the OA/Fn endeavor, go-ing back to the distributive engineeringplant and Y2K. “We were pointing outpotential weaknesses in the Navy ar-

chitecture than could be fixed in ad-vance back then,” he said. “This ef-fort challenged us to operationalizethose concepts, to figure out what itmeans to consume services on the net,to combine and compact them in waysthe operational Navy finds useful,” headded.

“We have heard so much about ser-vice oriented architectures and thevalue of that approach, but until now,precious little had been demonstrated,”Bible said. “The OA/Fn demo showedone view of bringing together all thedifferent domains at the data level.”

The admirals and commanding of-ficers who witnessed the demo weremightily impressed, according to Bible,because it showed how the Navy canreduce the number of boxes, trainingand people needed to deliver betterC4ISR to the warfighter.

“Instead of bringing hardware andsoftware and the accompanying main-tenance, training and personnel require-ments, we can use technology to de-liver the same capability in a distrib-uted fashion,” Bible said. “It was verytimely to show them a construct thatreduced infrastructure on board a ship.The littoral combat ships will not havelots of people on them, and this helpsthe crew focus on weaponeering.”

Ballard’s team followed up the suc-cessful demo by hosting the first OA/Fn experimentation working group atSSC Charleston in October. As theSPAWAR lead on the infrastructuredesign strike team, Ballard is now in anew six-month cycle as the team facesthe next task in enabling the cross-do-main exchange of tactical and opera-tional information. Building on the suc-cess of their demo in September, theteam is pursuing the Navy’s Open Ar-chitecture/FORCEnet (OA/Fn) visionin a way that is meaningful to thewarfighter.

OA/Fn Experimentation demo a success

“It was very timely toshow them a construct

that reducedinfrastructure on

board a ship.”- Ken Bible


Celebrating cultu


Photos by Harold Senn

SSC Charleston celebrated cultural diversity with anawareness day Oct. 12 that featured entertainment, awards,education and cuisine. Clockwise from far upper left, sweetgrass artists plied their craft on site; Native American In-dian history and story telling were featured; Asian Ameri-can cuisine was one of several cultural food samplers;SSC Commanding Officer Capt. Red Hoover presentedthe Careers and the disABLED magazine’s 2006 Employeeof the Year award to Linda Warner; Matt Rutherford spokeon disability awareness; Shanda Johnson, Donna Murphy,Susan Butler and Gail Silverman spoke on a women’spanel; and celebrated Charleston Ironworker PhilipSimmons poses with friends in the atrium.

ural awarenessat SSC Charleston


InnovatorsResearch, exploration, invention and originality are val-

ues central to SSC Charleston’s engineering and businessdevelopment. New discoveries, new directions and newattitudes challenge people and enable the command to growas a business entity and world class engineering organiza-tion.

With this in mind SSC Charleston established an innova-tion program in April to accelerate innovation and experi-mentation at the command. The innovation effort will “fuelour creative juices and ultimately result in better support tothe warfighter,” said Mike Kutch, Code 70 department head,when announcing the program. It offers SSC Charlestonemployees “a chance to do something special,” he added.“It is an opportunity for all of you to have time, with fund-ing, to do something great.”

The innovation program is part of the command’s Bal-anced Scorecard initiative, particularly the strategic objec-tive to accelerate innovation and experimentation within SSCCharleston. Twenty-six innovation proposals were submit-ted in June. They were evaluated by the Systems Engi-neering Group (SEG)/Science and Technology Group (STG)and the Management Steering Group (MSG). The BusinessBoard awarded grants ranging from $45,000 to $99,000 to13 projects in July. The command allocated $1 million forthe program in FY06.

With the requirement to expend all FY06 innovation pro-gram funds by Sept. 30, 2006, the teams had to work fast.The SEG/STG monitored their progress and reported regu-larly to the MSG. Al Emondi, who shepherded and trackedthe proposals through the SEG/STG review process, de-serves special thanks for his efforts, according to Kutch.

“We still are very much in the learning stages with ourinnovation program,” Emondi said. The lessons learned fromthe 2006 program were rolled into the 2007 program.

“Many people tie the innovation program to advancedtechnology development, but there is a significant businesspiece as well. Initiating or experimenting with new busi-ness structures, procedures or business tool developmentalso can be quite novel,” Emondi explained. The innovation

program has an engineering excellence track and a busi-ness excellence track to allow program managers, contract-ing and financial personnel to also submit their ideas forconsideration.

The FY07 innovation program is currently underway.For more information visit https://corpweb/cmmi/.

FY06 projects, proposal authors and department codeswere:

Inflatable Antenna for UHF SATCOM andMUOSPrincipal Investigator:Chris All, Code 541

Ultrahigh frequency (UHF) sat-ellite communication (SATCOM)and mobile user objective system(MUOS) radios will be soon avail-able in smaller form factors formore mobile/portable applications.Currently, UHF SATCOM antennasare bulky to pack and have little gain.

This innovation project was todevelop an inflatable antenna forSATCOM and MUOS. The end re-sult was a product smaller and lighter than current SATCOMantennas, which are larger than most handheld radios. Aninflatable antenna is not rigid and is more easily packed, andis more durable with fewer rigid parts to break or bend.The new product is more economical since it requires lessmachining to produce, and fewer mechanical requirementsallow for flexibility in electrical design.

The strategy was to use flexible conductive materialsthat are formed into current antenna designs and sewn intoan outer fabric. The outer fabric is held rigid by inflatablechambers sewn to the inside. A manual (oral) inflation tubewith a valve is provided so the user can inflate the antennafor temporary use.

InnovatorsSSC Charleston employees take the innovation challenge

Chris AllPhotos by Harold Senn


Noninflatable prototype versions of such an antenna areavailable today using flexible fabrics. Several prototypes ofthe inflatable antenna were produced by completion of Phase1 of the project.

Emergency Information Planning and ResponseSystem (EPRS)Principal Investigator:Brooks (B.J.) Bowen, Code 523

EPRS is a process and correspond-ing planning system utilized to pro-mote flexible planning and responsecapabilities in the advent of natural(weather or disease progression) anddeliberate (biological and chemicalhazards, and other impacts of the glo-bal war on terror) disasters. The goalof EPRS is to facilitate predictive (proactive) responses todisasters, instead of relying on purely reactive decision mak-ing.

EPRS builds upon Geographic Information System (GIS)technology to visualize complex data and close the loopbetween data and comprehension, trading information over-load for enlightened decision making. EPRS extends theNavy’s Environmental Information Management System(EIMS) GIS engine technology through the facilitation ofplanning, modeling and data fusion support for rapid deci-sion makers.

EPRS utilizes several process pillars which include datafusion, predicative response algorithms, templatecustomization/generation and data comparison capabilities.The true power of EPRS is the result of data fusion from amyriad of available data sources fused with customer busi-ness and operational rules to create a common planningpicture which may be utilized before or after an event oc-curs. Authoritative federal, state, city and organizational data


sources are utilized via Web services to assist in this datafusion. Data from diverse sources are overlaid into a singleplanning picture and accessible collaboratively from anylocation.

Predicative response algorithms enable users to makedecisions with greater confidence based on user-specificor business rule sets developed by EPRS process owners.User specific templates are also created to allow users tomore rapidly access information to address their specificneeds. Active data sources are analyzed to ensure high con-sistency and data fidelity metrics are achieved and unreli-able data sources are cached to ensure availability. EPRSconsumes available authoritative data from various sourcesin an service oriented architecture environment and is not adata repository, but does store derived knowledge from thesesources for customer consumption. Collaboration tools arealso available within the tool suite to facilitate data sharing.

During development, the EPRS team modeled the pathof Hurricane Ernesto as it was approaching Charleston inSeptember 2006. The team composed an accurate planningpicture which included communication assets, evacuationzones, flood zones, parcel/home values, population densityand evacuation shelter locations. This data was combinedwith example customer business rules to calculate derivedknowledge such as flood damage, property destruction andcommunication network effects (such as cellular phonetower damage). This information is very useful in develop-ing response plans for assisting the population during theevent and for staging and prioritizing response efforts.

EPRS team members included Curtis Merriweather Jr.,Derik Pack, Mike Shirley and Corey Smith.

Program Control Architecture Tool (PCAT)Principal Investigator: B.J. Bowen, Code 523

The PCAT is a process and supporting tool designed toallow program managers (PMs) to utilize DoD ArchitectureFramework (DoDAF) architectures in conjunction with bud-geting and scheduling tools to track the cost and delivery ofcapabilities to the warfighter. It allows the PM to makebudget decisions based on the delivery of capability to thewarfighter, rather than in terms of staffing levels of engi-neering activities.

Program managers constantly find themselves trying totighten a Venn diagram. They must balance their own inter-ests (meeting budget and schedule) against the needs of thewarfighter (concern about operational capabilities) and thewants of the engineer (concerns about system design).

PCAT provides a process to help PMs perform action-able decision analysis by fusing operational and system leveldata. DoDAF architectures provide the Rosetta Stone, trans-lating the two, allowing the warfighter’s need for opera-tional capability to be measured against the cost and sched-

The basic EPRS process

B.J. Bowen


ule of engineering efforts. The PM can then make informeddecisions about capability delivery and the implications toother externally dependent systems while balancing costand schedules. The PM no longer views the impact of aprogrammatic change in terms of reduced manpower lev-els, increased staffing, or a WBS Gantt chart entry slidingtwo inches to the right, but instead in terms of the impactto the warfighter and his/her ability to perform a mission.

Small Craft Alert System (SCAS)Principal Investigator: Justin Firestone, Code 856

The SCAS is an inexpensive, force protection solutionthat builds on existing surveillance cameras. This projecttook video surveillance to the next level by converting ana-log video to digital, then analyzing that converted video forspecific, user-defined behaviors. This would greatly en-hance a ship’s force protection abilities during increasedemphasis in this area because of the global war on terror.

Current fielded camera surveillance systems aboard LHD/LHA-classships can bei n t e g r a t e dwith a high-performancep e r s o n a lc o m p u t e rand VidientSmart Catch2.5 softwareto detectsmall craftentering aninvisible pe-rimeter 360d e g r e e saround the

ship. During testing, a camera was aimed andzoomed at a buoy at some distance away. Oncethe camera focused on the buoy, perimeter be-havior was configured using the Vidient SmartCatch 2.5 software. This perimeter was brokenmany times from different angles by a small craftprovided by the Navy. Captured test video wassent to SSC Charleston Code 741 for testing, andimage processing algorithms were formulated toaid in the reduction of false positives.

Mini-RF Threat Warning TestbedPrincipal Investigator: Thomas Kirkpatrick, Code 71

This project established a mini-testbed for aradio frequency (RF) threat warning networkcomprised of low cost, portable units. Each unitcan detect RF energy, characterize it and providegeo-location information. Individual units com-

municate as part of a larger network, providing large-scalemonitoring, tracking and profiling of signals of interest. Code715 procured, configured and tested the equipment to pro-vide three systems.

Code 71 supports the U.S. Coast Guard, Army, MarineCorps and Special Operations Forces (SOF) information/cryptologic operations. These warfighters consistently re-port they cannot field enough systems to meet their needsbecause of the high cost, size, complexity and security clas-sification of currently offered products. Precision signal-of-interest (SOI) geo-location has been identified by mostcustomers as their number one priority.

This project aimed to verify the ability of low-cost com-ponents to satisfy these needs. This shifts the emphasisfrom large, expensive systems capable of multiple IO/cryptologic functions to small, inexpensive systems focusedon collecting signals and determining signal geo-locations.Low-cost components allow fielding more units to createnetworks with higher densities of netted sensors and canextend the reach of larger, more capable systems. Theproject characterized and tested the performance of the tun-ers, 8-way commutator switch, A/D unit, RF modem, GPSand antenna array, particularly the ability to control the func-tions of each via software. The system was tested for itsability to detect and provide a line of bearing for a test sig-nal to determine its suitability as a direction finding system.

Using P_MUL to transmit Navy messages inEMCONPrincipal Investigator: Albert Kunze, Code 522/524

There is a requirement for shore-to-ship messages to bedelivered during emission control (EMCON) situations, whenthe shore can transmit but the ship can only receive. ACP142was developed to operate “in bandwidth-constrained anddelayed-acknowledgement environments to support efficientallied information transfer.” Nexor has developed an appli-

The PCAT tool uses the existing DoDAF architecture and MicrosoftProject schedule to show how a project funding change provides adelta in capability delivery. The lower three gray bars represent thetime during which the warfighter will no longer have the needed capa-bility.

“... lack of innovation inan organization drasticallyreduces our valued added tothe customer and very muchdulls the cutting edge that

we ultimately could offer tothe warfighter ....”

- Al Emondi


cation to implement ACP142. A test network was imple-mented, and the Nexor product was tested and found to besatisfactory. Some automation was necessary.

This project is important because the DMS Proxy con-verts DMS messages to SMIME SMTP messages on theshore. These messages must be transported to ships re-gardless of EMCON. SMTP does not operate in EMCON;therefore, there is a need to transmit messages in a differ-ent protocol.

The ACP142 (P_MUL) is a message transport whichoperates regardless of EMCON. Nexor’s “TMG” softwareconverts SMTP to ACP142. The ACP142 provides eitherunicast or multicast addressing. Navy routers are opera-tionally limited to unicast dynamic routing and multicaststatic routing. Dynamic routing does not operate in EMCON.

This project added an automated failover when EMCONis detected, from unicast to multicast. The failover wasadded to Nexor’s “TMG” software and to ACP142. Theproject delivered test results of the improved software,Nexor’s modified “TMG” software, an operator’s manual,three licenses and a draft ACP142 revision.

LightSpeedPrincipal Investigator: Kenneth McGaha, Code 614

Warfighters need to be able to communicate during RFjamming while driving in convoys. The development ofLightSpeed will fulfill this requirement. Currently LightSpeedis a hand-held pair of binoculars enabling voice and data tobe passed between two users. As the device stands, it cannot meet the requirement since it must be held by the user,so a solution that enables the device to be mounted withoutpenetrating into the armor is being developed. The goal forthe LightSpeed team is to identify a mounting system thatwill enable the LightSpeed device to mount on most mili-tary vehicles without having to permanently mount the de-vice.

The team identified the limitations in mounting the equip-ment onto a military vehicle, and considered the forces placedon the mount in a convoy and how to prevent damage tothe lenses. Each team member offered unique backgroundsthat aided in resolving these challenges. The mounts had tobe adhered to the vehicle temporarily, allow a full range ofadjustment, conform to an 8x8 inch to 12x12 inch installa-tion area, and maintain durability. The project solution pro-vided the LightSpeed binocular with a motion stabilizer, aversatile mounting solution, and it provides convoys a wayto chat via voice or PDA. Further development of theLightSpeed will aid in identifying the feasibility of the sys-tem in a convoy.

Chip Scale Atomic Clock (CSAC)Principal Investigator: Robert Miller, Code 618

Advancement in current time standard technology, es-pecially in solid state and miniaturization, have made it pos-

sible to shrink a Cesium Beam tubephysics package from a full-size,rack-mounted standard the size of alarge thermos down to the size of apencil eraser. Critical needs for fieldedDoD systems cannot be met for com-munications or time standards whichare as large as small refrigerators.Price is also a major issue. In quanti-ties this device with support electron-ics should cost around $5,000 insteadof the current cost of around $80,000for a primary lab standard.

This project investigated customizing the advances fromthe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)program into an existing Trident program and leveragingthis effort into other DoD areas. The team aimed to stan-dardize the testing of this CSAC by using currently certi-fied Trident test equipment already designed for these typeparameters. The team also re-hosted the current test equip-ment for further streamlining and to save long-term sup-port costs. As part of this project, the team incorporatedthe CSAC into the current Trident Internal Frequency Stan-dard to take advantage of the existing mature, reliable, stableback-end system support circuitry. They analyzed the ma-ture IFS design of the Hp 5061 and clone circuitry to ad-vance the application development for the new Next Gen-eration IFS, which has been fully funded by Strategic Sys-tems Programs in FY07 and ‘08.

The project aimed to merge cutting edge technology withmature, reliably-proven circuits to get the same system levelperformance at a fraction of the cost, while also achievinga more robust design for the warfighter. A final engineeringreport delivered from the project included all technical datacollected and analyzed.

ACE Data for Distributed Testing and Engineer-ingPrincipal Investi-gator: AbrahamPalihan, Code 545

Integrating SingleIntegrated Air Picture/Integrated Architec-ture Behavioral Model(SIAP/IABM) with atactical data applicationservice will allow SSCCharleston to demon-strate the ability to pro-vide tactical data in aservice oriented archi-


“New discoveries, newdirections, and newattitudes challenge

personnel and enableSSC Charleston to growas a business entity andworld class engineering

organization.”- Mike Kutch

Robert Miller


tecture. This service will beavailable via a portal or directlyvia a Web address, thus givingSSC Charleston a capability notcurrently available.

Utilizing low- to no-costtools and leveraging the OpenArchitecture/FORCEnet (OA/Fn) experimentation effort andSIAP, this project aimed to pro-vide greater capability for test-ing within a distributed tacticaldata exchange architecture. In-tegrating the SIAP/IABM hard-ware and software let the teamparticipate in the tactical envi-ronment using their networks and link tools.

The project also demonstrated how to operationalizeFORCEnet concepts via existing software and hardware.Utilizing the data provided from the SIAP or any Link-16interface, the team provided a parser to receive the Link-16messages. Each Link-16 message populates a data modelwhich is a hybrid of COT (Cursor-On-Target) and Joint C3Information Exchange Data Model (JC3IEDM). WebCOP,an interactive map continuously updated to reflect the com-mon operational picture, consumed the data from the datamodel. All that is needed to view WebCOP is a connectionand a browser. Ken Ballard managed this portion of the taskand tested it successfully during OA/Fn experimentation.NSWC Dahlgren accessed WebCOP as an application ser-vice and was able to view WebCOP’s Link-16 data over aVLAN via the DEP network. NSWC Dahlgren has built aninterface to integrate their OA DDG prototype track datainto the COP utilizing the same hybrid data model.

This capability greatly enhances SSC Charleston’s test-ing and engineering capability from a Navy enterprise per-spective. Integrating the current tools and applications suchas SIAP, IABM, CLIP, WebCOP, and tactical data exchangedvia a distributed network environment enables SSC Charles-ton to participate in future testing and integration initiatives.

SYSCOM Architecture Development andIntegration Environment (SADIE)Principal Investigator: Lothrop Richards, Code 856

The Systems Command (SYSCOM) Architecture De-velopment and Integration Environment (SADIE) was es-tablished here in 2004 to support distributed developmentof the Navy Human Systems Integration Enterprise Archi-tecture. The SADIE customer base has grown to includeother architecture development projects.

SADIE provides a Web-based, secure, PKI-enabled,single point of access to enterprise architecture applica-tions and information. It includes a suite of DoDAF andenterprise architecture tools that support the shared devel-

opment of architecture productdata. SADIE allows teams towork collaboratively on thesame applications and docu-ments regardless of their loca-tion, access devices or networkconnections being used.

Currently SADIE possessesthree core functional compo-nents: a portal, a CITRIX™ en-vironment and a data repository.The portal provides a secure,Web-based, PKI enabled singlepoint of entry into SADIE andprovides architects the ability topost HTML-navigable render-

ings of their architectural products. The CITRIX™ envi-ronment hosts the enterprise architecture tools (applica-tions) used for collection and development of architecturalproducts. It is through CITRIX™ that architects choose toleverage metaframe conferencing capabilities, which pro-vides distributed teams the ability to share applications andaccomplish distributed product development. The data re-pository is a Core Architecture Data Model (CADM)-com-pliant data and metadata repository that facilitates the con-sistency, correctness and completeness of architecture prod-ucts across multiple modeling tools from various vendors,with various metamodel implementation variants. The re-pository auto-configures based on the metadata in model-ing tools so legacy data can be easily loaded, analyzed andmanaged.

This project targeted extending existing SADIE capabili-ties to meet the requirements of the FORCEnet Integrationand Interoperability Management Plan and business trans-formation objectives of current and future customers withinthe enterprise architecture and systems engineering com-munities of interest.

Modeling Human Performance andDecision-Making

Principal Investigator: ReneeSturgill, Code 0E

As Network Centric Warfaremoves from concept to reality,analysis is needed to understandhow the profile of the futurewarfighter will be composed ofeducation, training, experience, be-haviors and other cognitive capa-bilities. In the future, key tacticaldecisions will be made at muchlower levels, with both increasedtechnology and reduced manningas drivers. The ability to understandRenee Sturgill

“In the next few years Ienvision a significant increasein our engineering excellenceand an improvement to howwe socialize that work withour peers both within andoutside our organization.”

- Al Emondi


the future warfighter will be crucial to manning require-ments, capability requirements and specifically as an inte-grated component of a system.

To date, most engineering processes analyze the mate-riel solutions of doctrine, organization, training, materiel,leadership and education, personnel and facilities(DOTMLPF), leaving an analysis gap of training and per-sonnel with respect to system performance analysis. Thisproject analyzed the “human in the loop” for a model tointegrate into materiel system performance models. Withthis innovation, total system capability can be assessed interms of both technology and human performance.

Primary activities of the project included researching hu-man behavior and characteristics impacting the human de-cision process; defining the human decision process withmetrics and attributes; building a human decision model ina modeling software package; designing a model experi-ment with accompanying scenarios, operational views andsystems views; and performing analysis on the decisionmodel results.

Ultimately, this project will take a scenario and deter-mine the range of experience, training, characteristics andbehaviors ideal for the personnel component of that sce-nario. The acquisition community can use this model todetermine manning requirements for new capabilities interms of number and type of personnel.

OA Component RegistryPrincipal Investigator:Lt. Cmdr. Gus Weekes

The Open Architecture (OA) component registry is asoftware component and product-line based capability registry andcapability composition and plat-form download tool kit. It allowsmission software capabilities orentire product lines to be discov-ered, composed and downloadedto a platform or user. This enablesthe Navy to proceed with the cre-ation of product lines on demand.The product lines or families canbe created from the componentsin the registry and merged into software product familieswhich may be required for future missions. The capabili-ties provided will include software component registration,component data usage information such as component datainput and output formats required, product line registration(such as C4ISR components, assessment and simulationcomponents, test and validation components, enterprise com-ponents, logistics components, etc.)

Network Centric Warfare requires composable missioncapabilities and reusable software in order to support forcetransformation, to reduce deployed software complexity

and to reduce cost. The armed services, including the Navy,have adopted the architectural strategy of implementing boththe component-based product line architecture and serviceoriented architectures. There is no current mechanism let-ting mission users discover, use or compose new functionsfrom sets of components. This will save Navy dollars insoftware procurement and move closer to the dream of“highly reusable software components.” This project showedthat such a registry is feasible and is an economical, techni-cally beneficial solution to providing software capability up-grades to naval and joint applications.

Ontological Engineering Quantum LeapPrincipal Investigator:Samuel Yaryan, Code 71

Ubiquitous customer data sharing requirements withinthe DoD, intelligence, and Departmentof Homeland Security (DHS) commu-nities have exploded within the lastseveral years and can be expected tocontinue to grow. SSC Charleston“As-Is:” SPAWAR “Data Engineering”skills and tools are seriously lacking.SSC Charleston “To-Be:” A “quan-tum leap” of data management/onto-logical engineering skills and tools inorder for SPAWAR to remain relevantto today’s data-intensive environ-ments and challenges.

This project objective was to expand current “data/on-tological engineering” skills of government engineers; ac-quire, train, deploy and leverage state-of-the-art data engi-neering/ontological engineering tools and techniques; im-prove and extend customer support levels for current emer-gent Code 71 data engineering projects; and market ex-panded skills and capabilities to the new and existing cus-tomer base.

The project’s approach was to acquire and install “bestof breed” commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) software on“live” project(s); survey state-of-the-art community prac-tices, DoD, intelligence community (IC) and industry guid-ance and available ISR/SIGINT taxonomies; train the coreteam on state-of-the-art concepts andtool specifics; de-velop a prototypeSIGINT taxonomybased on communitybest practices andextending on anyexisting work; andpsychological opera-tions ontology(FY07).

Lt. Cmdr. Gus Weekes

Samuel Yaryan

“The future belongsto those who are

willing to beinnovative....”

- James Ward


SSC Charleston supportsJoint Systems IntegrationCommand Interoperabilityefforts on Deployable JointCommand and Control atUSJFCOM Standing JointForces headquarters

Warfighters need cutting edge ca-pability, joint standardization and quickdeployment for optimum performancein the field, and they need it now.

The Deployable Joint Command andControl (DJC2) suite is “a standard-ized, integrated, rapidly deployable,modular, scaleable joint command andcontrol (C2) plus collaboration systemwhich contains all the parts and piecesfor a joint task force (JTF) commanderto plan operations, collaborate on vi-able courses of action and conduct C2of his/her forces,” as defined in the pro-gram brief.

The DJC2 is a system of systems,integrating a core set of existing capa-bilities, systemsand mature tech-nologies over stan-dardized networks,in a scalable anddeployable (con-tainerized) con-figuration. In orderto accelerate devel-opment and field-ing of necessarymission capabilitiesto the warfighter,the Joint SystemsIntegration Com-mand (JSIC) -- insupport of the U.S.Joint Forces Com-mand (USJFCOM)J8’s oversight and

directive authority mission for theDJC2 program -- teamed withUSJFCOM Standing Joint ForcesHeadquarters (SJFHQ) to conduct aninteroperability assessment on NorfolkNaval Base. SJFHQ received a DJC2v. 1.0 installation 24 months ago,which has been employed in part as aplatform for the JSIC DJC2interoperability assessments of selectedsystems (IASS). Brian Jones of SSCSan Diego is the lead engineer for DJC2suite operations and maintenance atSJFHQ.

For accelerated development, and toreduce the risk of interoperability is-sues as combatant commands aug-ment DJC2 with critical C2 systems,JSIC installed and conducted assess-ments of GCCS-J 4.0.1 with DJC2common workstations along with sev-eral command and control and supportapplications.

The GCCS-J 4.0.1 BETA configu-ration for the DJC2 IASS 06 effort wasdeveloped well ahead of its original pro-duction schedule by John Christens-en’s Code 616 team, consisting of

Melvin Jones, Terry Shatzer and Chris-topher Thatch. The C2 and supportapplications included Generic Area Lim-itations Environment-Lite, Joint Warn-ing and Reporting Network, GlobalBroadcast Service (GBS), ContentStaging, Advanced Field Artillery Tac-tical Data System (AFATDS) withEffects Management Tool; Commer-cial/Joint Mapping Tool Kit; Conse-quences Assessment Tool Set; JointAutomated Deep Operations Coordina-tion System (JADOCS); and OpenSource Information System.

Raymond Yarsinske, an SSCCharleston engineer supporting JSIC,developed and executed the project en-gineering plan for system installationand integration, capturing the proce-dures and technical details necessaryto support the accelerated developmentand implementation of these capabili-ties by the DJC2 joint program office(JPO).

The Small C2 Information Package(SC2IP), an implementation of the Ev-erything over Internet Protocol (EoIP)concept, was inserted into the com-

munications path of theDJC2 enclave. With theSC2IP, and the employ-ment of a satellite simu-lator to incorporate de-lay and latency associ-ated with a satellite con-nection, JSIC was ableto assess the impact ofthis communicationssolution on the reachback capability of ser-vice oriented architec-ture/Web-based appli-cations and informationexchange betweenlegacy server applica-tions.

Teaming with sev-eral elements of SSC

Helping the joint warfighter communicate

The DJC2 is a system of systems that is scalable and easily deployed

Warfighter SupportWarfighter Support


Charleston, JSIC implemented a GBSsuite at SJFHQ. Jake Obi of the SSCCharleston GBS JPO Support Office(with the Defense Information Sys-tems Agency’s support of the project)provided a GBS Next Generation Re-ceive Terminal (NGRT) satellite an-tenna and a Receive Broadcast Man-ager (RBM). This communicationssuite was installed at SJFHQ by SSCCharleston’s Scott Wich, SJFHQproject manager, establishing the NGRTon the roof and the RBM in the net-work switch room on the fifth floor.

Network integration efforts provid-ing connectivity to the DJC2 suite onthe first floor were accomplished by

Ken Edoff and Paul Hill, both of SSCCharleston, members of the SJFHQnetwork support team. CombiningDJC2 with GBS, a smart push/user pullcommunications capability, as well ascontent staging (now content discov-ery and delivery) enabled JSIC to dem-onstrate a large bandwidth data/con-tent delivery and management capabil-ity for the warfighter employing DJC2at the edge of the global informationgrid. Although GBS is a baseline com-ponent of DJC2, it was only employedfor the display of unmanned aerial ve-hicle streaming video and did not takeadvantage of its high capacity datatransfer capability.

Capitalizing on cross directoratecooperation, JSIC received the dedi-cated support of the DJC2 operationssupport center on-site technicians,SJFHQ staff and operators withinUSJFCOM. Systems installation, inte-gration and assessments were accom-plished and many improvements toDJC2 and applications implementationwere identified, documented and for-warded to J8 and the DJC2 JPO.

JSIC engineering architecture opera-tions, USJFCOM J65, SJFHQ and SSCCharleston were instrumental in estab-lishing the necessary network connec-tivity to demonstrate reach back capa-

The GBS Receive Broadcast Manager

The GBS Next Generation Receive Ter-minal satellite antenna

bility from SJFHQ to JSIC forJADOCS and AFATDS. Network in-strumentation efforts, lead by MarkRodgers of SSC Charleston, providedthe necessary means to troubleshootconnectivity issues related to the vari-ous applications and to conduct in-depth network performance analysis.

Program office support was pro-vided for many of the applications as-sessed. These efforts have been instru-mental in accelerating DJC2 spiral de-velopment and bringing much neededcapabilities more quickly to thewarfighter.

The DJC2 IASS 06 final report canbe viewed on the JSIC SIPRNet Website http://www.jsic.jfcom.smil.mil un-der publications. Otherwise, call JSICOperations at (757)203-7522/DSN668-7522 or email [email protected] ; [email protected].

- Raymond Yarsinske, Code 82A

In a ceremony held Oct. 2 at Naval Amphibious Base,Little Creek, in Norfolk, Va., SSC Charleston ExecutiveDirector James Ward presented certificates of comple-tion and letters of congratulations to three graduating Code80 New Professionals.

Code 80 New Professionals earn certificatesFrom left, Ayodele, Flemming and Johnson receive certificates of completion from Executive Director James Ward.

Receiving certificates were Falojimi Ayodele and Der-rick Flemming of Code 832, and Marco Johnson of Code845. Devang Topiwala of Code 854 also completed theprogram. All New Professionals hired by Code 80 in 2004have now completed the training program.

Photo by Robert GreerPhoto by Dave Walters Photo by Dave Walters


SSC Charleston hosted the commander ofSPAWARSYSCOM, Rear Adm. Michael Bachmann, at itsTidewater offices in August. While in the “Navy’s capi-tal,” Bachmann visited Bldg. V-53 on Norfolk Naval Sta-tion, labs at St. Juliens Creek Annex and facilities at LittleCreek Amphibious Base. At left, Mark Luther of Code 83

briefs the admiral at St. Juliens Creek. At right, JohnCarvil of Code 84; Rick Pacquin, Code 846 branch head;Bachmann; Jennifer Watson, Code 80 department head;SSC Charleston Commanding Officer Capt. Red Hooverand Robert Greer, Code 84D2 listen to a brief by RobertZickau, Code 843 in the navigation lab at Little Creek.

Photos by Susan Piedfort

From the Commanding OfficerContinued from page 4are currently doing to use industry standards for systemsengineering, such as ISO/IEC and best practices fromCMMI.

Sound systems engineering practices give us command-wide operational consistency that helps us address chal-lenges through improved processes. Good practices helpus consider engineering technology, risk management andeconomic factors as we develop and manage systemsthat satisfy our customers’ requirements. By sharing tools,documentation, templates and other artifacts needed byproject engineers, we can implement projects quicker, thusimproving our effectiveness and efficiency.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who made thisyear’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) a success, anda special debt of gratitude goes to CFC Campaign Coordi-nator Arliene Sports of Code 0A5, CFC ContributionsCoordinator Beth Fiddie of Code 0C, and CFC EventsCoordinator Michelle Rehr-Matash of Code 0C. Thanksto these ladies, the more than 40 key workers throughoutour departments, and everyone who gave to the CFC, wewere able to raise more than $222,000 at press time. Wecan be proud to know the CFC will once again come

through for thousands of U.S. charities that depend on yourgenerosity. Thank you for upholding our solid reputation ofsupporting local, national and international charities throughthe CFC.

In the same spirit of helping others, I would like to en-courage those of you with excess leave to consider theLeave Donor Program. This is the time of the year to take acloser look at your Leave & Earnings Statement (LES) andsee if you can possibly donate any leave before the end ofyear. And it’s certainly better to donate leave rather than tolose it.

Leave donors can designate leave for a particular per-son, or donate it to the general leave pool for the HurricaneKatrina Victims. Through this program, you can help a co-worker in critical need who has exhausted all sick and an-nual leave to continue to remain on the payroll. Donatingleave is as easy as filling out Form OPM 630A. Please callTorri Jenkins at 218-4164 to offer your leave donation.

This year is over, but our activity level isn’t. You havesuccessfully equipped and supported this nation’swarfighters both at home and abroad and can be proud ofyour abilities to rapidly provide critical warfighting capabil-ity, while maintaining the highest levels of cost efficiency.As I reflect on another successful year, I wish you andyour family a safe and enjoyable new year.

Code 80 hostsRear Adm. Bachmann


2007 ThinkTECHomeland Security InnovationConferenceFebruary 21-23, 2007, SSC Charleston

Innovation in PreparednessPrevent, protect, respond and recover fromnatural and man-made disasters

• See how Charleston is a model communityfor public/private partnerships.• Hear from experts and business andpolitical leaders• Witness new technologies• Discover business opportunities• Learn innovations for securing operationsand facilities• Tour Charleston Air Force Base and ForceProtection, manufacturer of ballistic- andblast-protected vehicles

For more info visit www.ThinkTEC.org ore-mail [email protected].


CMMI® success

Team earns Lightning BoltPhoto by Harold Senn

Code 741’s Candy Gray and Jane Dingus of Code 09accept the SPAWAR Lightning Bolt Team Excellenceaward Nov. 21 on behalf of the SSC Charleston ‘Yummiesfor Hummies’ team, which organized and packaged 1,700pounds of treats and necessities into care packages forwarfighters.

‘Yummies for Hummies’





®

SCN Program Manager Mike Johnston said his teamwas elated by the announcement.

“This was a major milestone, but we realize there’smuch work left to be done,” he said. “Using the ML3model has helped us to strengthen and better documentour entire process structure. Our ability to leverage workproducts across programs has improved. The ML3 pro-cess areas fit very well with our tasking to support C4Iintegration on new ship construction programs.”

The goal of the appraisal was to assess the projects’progress toward attaining CMMI® Maturity Level 3.

The appraisal focused on measuring the SCN andJTWS projects in implementing practices for Project Plan-ning, Project Monitoring and Control, Configuration Man-agement, Requirements Management, Supplier AgreementManagement, Measurement and Analysis, Process andProduct Quality Assurance, Requirements Development,Technical Solution, Product Integration, Verification, Vali-dation, Integrated Project Management, Risk Manage-ment, and Decision Analysis and Resolution.

The appraisal team reviewed more than 1,500 docu-ments submitted by the projects.

Additionally, the command’s organizational processesof Organizational Process Focus, Organizational ProcessDefinition, and Organizational Training were also ap-praised.

The SCN team participants were Senior Manager PeteVandemeulebroecke, Program Manager Mike Johnstonand other team members – Rick Fenolietto, Don Ber-nard, Danny Jenkins, Mike Cullison, Lowell Leopold, JimDeWitt, Joe Schott, Say Lor, Gary Hinks, Wayde Walker,Kevin Gerald and Kevin Gentry.

The JTWS team participants were Senior ManagerChris Littlejohn, Program Manager Mike Niermann andother team members – Bill Jindracek, Ryan Hyde, SandyEllis, Tony Szwast, Fred Flickinger, Linda Warner, GayleMitchell, Malcolm Ellis, Ted Burkhardt, Michele Neal,John Dressel, Al Ware, Carel Peacock, Mark Bailey andAnnie Sitton.

The teams offered special thanks to Pam Bell and ReneeBoltin for their work in Organizational Training and toEnterprise Process Group members John Foore and Jerry

Suggs for involvement in Or-ganizational ProcessFocus and Organiza-tional Process Defi-nition.

- Beth Meloy, Engi-neering Process Office


SSC Charleston to collaborate with local universitiesSSC Charleston will work with state universities and the

South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) to connect SSCCharleston-generated ideas with university-sponsored seniorprojects. An SCRA Web site called FlightLink will host thecollaboration.

Many SSC Charleston personnel have ideas for interestingprojects but often do not have the time or resources toaccomplish them. Universities are always looking for ideasfor senior projects. FlightLink makes them a perfect match.SSC Charleston personnel can submit ideas to FlightLink,students and professors at state universities can choose theidea for a senior project, and the three can discuss how theidea can be made into a student project. Once everyone hasagreed to the details, the idea submitter mentors the studentduring the course of the semester.

Anyone can submit an idea for a university senior projectwhich can be done by the student within one semester.After creating a login at the FlightLink Web site on the SCRAserver, an idea submission form, procedures document anda feedback questionnaire are visible. After downloading andcompleting the idea submission form, it should be reviewedby a branch head or senior division staff member. Sincethis is a mentoring program,idea submitters shouldconsider how manyprojects they are will-ing to support concur-rently and note thatnumber in the submission template. SSCCharleston idea submitters are expected to work with thestudents during the course of the project. The completedidea template then goes to Security, Public Affairs and theSEG. The SEG will look over the idea and recommendimprovements in the submission or ask questions to en-hance its clarity.

The submission is then uploaded to the FlightLink Website, along with an idea title and a short abstract describingthe idea. Precautions are being put into place to protectintellectual property rights. Participating universities signan agreement supporting joint ownership of intellectual prop-erty rights with the government. The abstract, which issearchable by all interested students, should not includespecifics. Only professors who have signed the propertyrights agreement will have access to the full submission.

Once SCRA receives the idea submission, the file is movedto a common area. If a professor or his students find aninteresting idea, the sponsoring professor will make con-tact to work out details relating to the project. Support canbe provided to students via email, phone or VTC on a regu-

lar basis. Backup points of contact are recommended in theevent the idea submitter is unavailable at any time during theproject. No money will be required for this program otherthat what is required to support the idea submitter’s time.At the end of the project, students may be invited to SSCCharleston to present their project at a technical briefing.Support details for these trips are being worked out withSCRA. A feedback questionnaire completed at the end ofthe project will document how the project went and recom-mend improvements in the process.

This is a valuable endeavor in many respects, accordingto Tom Kirkpatrick of Code 71. “First, we supply ideas tothe universities to help them come up with practical seniorprojects. At the same time, we have access to young, ener-getic and creative minds that we may never have contactwith otherwise,” he said. The universities learn about whatSSC Charleston is and what its people do, and studentswho may be interested in working at SSC Charleston upongraduation or as a co-op also learn about the command.“We may even be able to keep some of our brightest mindsin state, helping us to improve products for our military,”Kirkpatrick said.

He recalled that as atest a few years agoCode 71 contacted aprofessor at Clemson

to see if he was inter-ested in supporting a pi-

lot program likeFlightLink. The professor was very interested in the con-cept, liked the idea submitted and agreed to have three ofhis students work on the idea as a senior project. “CarelPeacock and I met with the students and the professor towork out project details and subsequently met with themvia VTC every two weeks over the course of the semes-ter,” he said.

At the end of the semester, the students and the profes-sor came to Charleston and presented their findings at aFriday technical briefing. “I believe it is safe to say thateveryone who attended the presentation was extremely im-pressed with the quality and professionalism of the stu-dents,” said Kirkpatrick, adding, “As a side benefit, two ofthe three students are now working at SSC Charleston inCode 71 and continue to do great work.”

Specific details on the website address are forthcomingin an official FlightLink kick-off at SCRA and at an upcom-ing Friday Technical Briefing.

For more information call Tom Kirkpatrick at 218-4840and visit the SCRA Web site at www.scra.org.


The Global Broadcast Service (GBS)underwent a complete technology up-grade from September 2004 to June2006, transitioning from AsynchronousTransfer Mode (ATM) to Internet Pro-tocol (IP).

Led by Pat Ward, the SSC Charles-ton Navy GBS ISEA team was a keyplayer in the successful transition. Theefforts of the GBS Team (PEO-170,SSC Charleston, SSC San Diego andNaval Undersea Warfare Center) led toa “Lightning Bolt” award from Com-mander, Space and Naval Warfare Sys-tems Command Aug. 30 in San Diego.Jorge Reyes, GBS APM, asked Wardto accept the award on behalf of theGBS Team. Charleston’s GBS team ispart of the new Transformational Com-munications Branch, Code 543.

GBS is a wide-bandwidth, high datathrough-put (23 Mbps) Joint satellitecommunications system. Installed insubmarines, surface ships and expedi-tionary teams, these systems providefleet and strike group commanders witha real time, broad bandwidth satellitereceive capability. All Navy GBS sys-tems provide two data enclaves, oneclassified and one unclassified. The

audio, video and data products receivedinclude: environmental information, tac-tical imagery and Predator UAV video.

Key contributions of the SSCCharleston team to the transition werenoted as instrumental to the effort. Theteam established a PITCO test facilitythat fully tested 79 each AN/USR-10and 32 each AN/TSR-9 GBS receivesuites, while fielding nearly 20 EastCoast systems. They tested and up-graded over 150 supporting KG-250crypto systems, and fielded all AtlanticFleet shipboard (12) and expeditionary(five) backfits.

The SSC Charleston team developedand established a multi-site configura-tion management system utilizing theTop Vue software database. They as-sisted in development and execution ofan aggressive installation schedule tobackfit 75 ship, submarine and shoreGBS ATM systems to GBS IP during asix-month period.

They coordinated weekly integratedproduct team meetings among all play-ers to ensure installation schedules weremet and potential problems were iden-tified, addressed and solved. They co-ordinated an Integrated Products Team

Hard work pays off for GBS ISEA team(IPT) with the primary contractor(Raytheon) to resolve technical issuesto ensure systems were available ontime and in working order.

Charleston team members assistedin the highly successful proof of con-cept on USS Peleliu (LHA 5) for a PEOC4I and Space Acquisition Decision toprocure the systems.

They developed and standardized in-stallation and testing procedures for allsurface, submarine and expeditionaryinstallation teams to use in IP transi-tion. There have been no major casu-alty reports on any of the currentlyfielded IP systems.

Charleston team members receivingthe award were Pat Ward, Phil Coo-per, Fred Cupo, Crystal Gathers, JoeHoltby, Mike Moody, Kevin Nunn,Aaron Ross, Lee Stubbs, Buck Wagner,Adam Wolf, and industry partners JackBelcher, Jim Clark, Lee Dennison, JoeyForbes, Robert Granger, Jeff Greaves,Wayne Ishmael, Marc Jacobs, MarkJeffcoat, Joe Molinari and John Sumter.Gathers, Stubbs and Wolf are now as-signed to other SSC Charlestonprojects.

- Eric Herrman, Code 543

The SSC Charleston’s GBS team proudly displays their Lightning Bolt awards. Photo by Harold Senn

HonorsHonors


The Tidewater C4ISR Departmentstood up in December 2003 and wasthe combination of all SSC CharlestonTidewater-based branches and divi-sions formally in departments 30, 50,60 and 70. This was a major task initself since SPAWAR’s Tidewaterworkforce was located across a 40-to 50-mile radius with facilities in Nor-folk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, VirginiaBeach and Yorktown.

Soon after the dust cleared, and thenearly 400 civilian employees were re-assigned to their new codes, the Code80 Administrative Council was estab-lished in February 2004. The missionof the council was to standardize alladministrative functions and processesacross the department, and provideadministrative personnel with an envi-ronment that includes education andtraining, mentoring, communication,and teamwork. Since then it hasevolved into all those things and more.

Now the members, which includeboth government and contractors, en-joy a problem-solving round table, gripesession, and “mini admin day” celebra-tion at each monthly meeting. Themembers have become a tightly-knitgroup who can call each other for helpor guidance. One member lives inCharleston and acts as the council’seyes and ears and keeps all paperworkfor Code 80 flowing smoothly betweenCharleston and the Tidewater area.Thanks to this effort, the council hasestablished an efficient process forrouting all Code 80 documentation by

streamliningmany pro-cesses toavoid unnec-essary de-lays.

Since thebeginning ,council members realized commonstandardization was vital in order forCode 80 to run successfully. Theyadapted CMMI methods to define andevaluate all common administrative pro-cesses, such as correspondence, time-keeping, personnel actions, training,travel and check in/out procedures.These administrative processes had tobe common in terminology, style, andhad to avoid waste due to poor timemanagement, inconsistencies and re-dundancies. Through dedicated team-work, the Admin Council developedefficient and effective CMMI format-ted standard operating procedures(SOPs) to cover many of the commonprocesses within the department. Itwas a monumental job involving manyrewrites to get past the formidableBranch Head Council! But the task wascompleted and the SOP’s are nowposted to the Code 80 NetCentric War-fare Government (NCWg) Web site foreasy access and reference.

Several members of the Code 80Admin Council participate in other Code80 department councils and boards,such as the Branch Head Council, NewProfessional Council, Training Coun-cil and Kaizen events. The AdminCouncil’s involvement with other Code

80 councils and boards offers face-to-face interaction which leads to solvingimmediate issues concerning adminis-tration.

Training is an important issue withinthe council. In the past they have in-vited individuals to meetings to covertopics such as the use of NCWg,SLDCADA and how to prepare person-nel actions. They have also beenbriefed on SPAWAR security issues andsafety. Work Shaping and Acceptance(WSA) and Lean Six Sigma were alsoaddressed. The council has been in-volved in several Lean Six Sigmaevents and briefings, including onewith SPAWAR headquarters coveringdocumentation and correspondencedissemination within SSC Charleston.This covered the cradle-to-grave pro-cess of obtaining senior managementsignatures required for any particulardocumentation. The event earned thecouncil members their Yellow Belts.They will also be involved in ongoingand upcoming Kaizens which will ad-dress issues such as NMCI, personnelaction processing and signature author-ity, to name a few. The council is cur-rently creating training plans and goalsfor FY07. So far they include COR


Admin Council providescommon processes, rulesfor Code 80 operations

Code 80 Administrative Council members are, from left, backrow, Cathy Steiner, Suzanne Oker, Connie Stanton, Debbie VanMarter, Collette Williams, middle row, Debbie Vissar, JaniceSingletary, Jessica Kiehl, seated, Jackie Wills, Gertie Lawrenceand Dianne Busby. Not pictured are Debbie Follin, Tom Jeansand Reanie Walters.

Photo by Clint Van Marter


The price of gasoline has taken adip lately, but transportation is stillone of the largest costs within ahousehold. Department of Labor sta-tistics show transportation costs ex-ceed food, education, recreation andmedical care costs for most Ameri-cans. The American Automobile As-sociation (AAA) estimates it costs$7,967 a year to operate a medium-sized sedan an average of 15,000miles.

Growth in the Tri-County area hasresulted in more congestion, stop-lights, roadside and airborne pollu-tion, and fewer smiles from behindthe windshields of car commuters.

There are a handful of SSCCharleston employees who aren’t too troubled by this situ-ation. They ride bicycles to work – from as far away asGoose Creek, Summerville, West Ashley, James Island andthe Isle of Palms — saving gas dollars and getting a greatworkout at the same time.

Nina Carnright, Ferris Stewart and Dan Yohman ride inregularly, Carnright from Goose Creek, Stewart from theIsle of Palms and Yohman from West Ashley. Carnrightstarted bike commuting last year. She has been cyclingsince discarding the training wheels for a “two wheeler” asa child. She could drive to work, taking I-26 for a white-knuckle stop and go, or taking 176 and Redbank Road past12 traffic lights, three schools and three train crossings.

Instead, she rides her bike. “It takes about 45 minutesor so,” said Carnright, of Code 0A41. She tries to ride herbike in four days a week, weather permitting, and evendoes a few laps around her neighborhood circle before-hand.

Most people would need a really good reason to do this.Carnright said she can’t find a reason not to. “The dis-tance is not too far and there are no bridges to cross over,”she said. There are shower facilities in the building and, ofcourse, there’s the gas savings.

“I use the time to myself to think about what I want todo when I get to work or home. Or, I just don’t thinkabout anything,” she said. Riding has increased her cardio-vascular endurance, and with three teenagers Carnright saidshe needs all the energy she can get to be a band mom,swim mom, cheer mom, and so on.

“Mostly I just enjoy being outside during my commute,”she said. “I like the idea of going at my own pace. Themornings are quite peaceful since I leave early enough toavoid any real traffic. The afternoons are a bit more hairywith more cars out and about. A lot of people wave or

Bike commuters leave gas guzzlers at home


honk as they drive by. I don’t mind it too much, at the veryleast, it confirms that I am actually visible to motorists.”

Most bike commuters say they can better appreciate thescenery and beauty of the area on a pedal-powered ride.Carnright described a surreal interlude with a deer onemorning. “I saw him in the distance just standing there,and as I got closer I think I startled him,” she said. Then,as the deer began to gallop alongside her, she thought hemight buck her off the bike. “After a while he made aquick turn toward the bushes and disappeared into the for-est.... I thought, ‘Wow, that was really cool!’”

Ferris Stewart of Code 531 has been biking for 15 years.For him, the commute in a car just doesn’t compare toriding his bike to work. “Most people are driving in theircars to work, doing the same old thing,” he said. “It isamazing how close my house is to work,” he said of the20-mile ride. “Usually the first question is ‘How do you getfrom the Isle of Palms to the Weapons Station South?’ It’sreally about two miles closer by bike, and the view fromthe new Cooper River Bridge is spectacular from the bikepath.”

Stewart rides with the Coastal Cyclists group, and hasdone several Century (100-mile) rides. In 2005 and 2006he completed the Assault on Mount Mitchell, which runsfrom Spartanburg, S.C., to the highest peak in eastern NorthAmerica (excluding island summits), about 25 miles northof Asheville, N.C. The 102-mile ride has 1,500 vertical feetof mountain climbs and is known as the granddaddy ofmountain endurance events. It is the fourth most difficultbike ride in the U.S.

Ferris Stewart and Nina Carnright,left, and Dan Yohman, above, usemuscle power instead of gasoline ontheir commutes.Photo by Harold Senn



training, and courses in Microsoft Office, professionaldevelopment, leadership and finance.

“One of the biggest challenges in standing up a newdepartment in the Tidewater area was the institution of auniform set of business rules which would govern thebranches and divisions which were, only months ear-lier, part of four other departments,” said Code 80 De-partment Head Jennifer Watson. “The Admin Council,without direction from senior leadership, quickly took



on this task and within a few short months was able todevelop and deliver common processes and businessrules for subsequent Code 80 departmental operations.The council remains as proactive today as when theyfirst started and we, the employees of the TidewaterC4ISR Department, owe so much to this dedicatedgroup!”

After two years of regular meetings, the council hasmade great strides in meeting their mission, and looksforward to many more years of camaraderie and suc-cess.

Code 80 Admin Council

Cycling is just one part of Stewart’s physical fitnesslifestyle. “I cycle to cross train for running and speed skat-ing. I am running a lot right now and entering various runs,”said Stewart, who at the time was looking forward to theMarine Corps Marathon.

Dan Yohman of Code 6611 has beena bike commuter ever since he workedat SPAWAR headquarters in the early1970s, then at St. Inigoes, and nowat Charleston. He rides about 20 milesfrom West Ashley, via downtown, tohis worksite at the former naval base.Besides enjoying the sight of dolphinsin the river, the smell of honeysuckleand jasmine, and the smiles and wavesfrom pedestrians and front porch sit-ters, Yohman has picked up numer-ous wrenches, screwdrivers and sock-ets along his route. He noted that whenhe rides his bicycle, “I create no pol-lutants, consume no nonrenewableenergy, make no noise pollution, andprovide health benefits for myself.” He said the bike offersgreat stress relief but doesn’t isolate him from people andthe environment.

More important than the fitness benefits, the joy of be-ing outside and the gas savings is the need for cyclists tostay safe. “The more you act like another vehicle, the saferit is,” Yohman said, noting that statistics show that a bicy-clist dramatically increases the chance of getting hit by con-tradicting the traffic flow. “The only time I have been hitwas when I was pulling out of a driveway and was hit byanother bicyclist coming the wrong way down the side-walk,” he said. “If I had been in a car, the results wouldhave been him on the ground instead of me!”

When Carnright rides her bike, she assumes she is in-visible to others. “Always assume drivers do not see you.This is probably the best advice,” said Carnright. Keeping

in mind that motorists aren’t always paying attention hasprevented several close calls for Carnright, who admitsgoing through a helmet or two, and now wears one with alight clipped to the back. “I know of a couple of times ahelmet has saved me from a severe head injury,” she said.She wears high visibility biking clothes day and night, usu-ally bright, technicolor designs with yellows and oranges.

Stewart agrees that the safety gear is a must. “I always wear a helmet when I ride,” saidStewart. “I look directly into adriver’s eyes and make sure that helooks at me to make sure of his in-tent,” he said.

Besides money saved at the gaspump and fitness advantages, thereare less tangible benefits to bicyclecommuting, the three bikers agree.“It just makes me feel good aboutmyself,” Carnright said. “And if I canmotivate others to do it, that makesme feel even better. It’s always niceto be a positive influence on others.”

Any kind of fitness activity,Stewart believes, can make a dra-matic change. “Change your lifestyle

by incorporating some time in your day or week for you.Start slow and do a little bit each time you work out tochange from a sedentary life to a more active life,” Stewartadvised. “Putting one step in front of another seems soaverage, but can lead to running marathons or the MountMitchell ride in cycling. The personal satisfaction and feel-ing you will have eclipse anything anyone can say to you.”

“We at SPAWAR are blessed with not only flexible work-ing hours that allow us to fit bike commuting into our sched-ules, but also with shower facilities at most locations,”said Yohman, who years ago had to wash up in the sinks atSPAWAR headquarters in Crystal City, Va. “If I, at my age,can commute 20+ miles (each way) a couple of times aweek, I encourage/challenge you younger folks to give it atry.”


Bike commuters

“It is amazing how closemy house is to work .... It’sreally about two milescloser by bike, and theview from the new CooperRiver Bridge is

spectacular ....”

Ferris Stewart


A week-long Math, Science & Technology (MaST) pro-gram was held at SSC-Charleston during the educators’summer break. The program gives middle and high schoolmath and science teachers from Charleston, Berkeley andDorchester counties an inside view of the technologies ofSSC Charleston. The goal of MaST is to help teachers re-late real world experiences to math and science and en-courage their students to pursue careers in these areas.

Hosted by Odette Foore of Code 70, the educators toureda variety of facilities and learned about SSC Charleston pro-grams involving air traffic control, Antarctica operations,satellite communications, networks, nanotechnology, spe-cial exploitation engineering and corporate production.

Culminating the week was a presentation by SSC Charles-ton Commanding Officer Capt. Red Hoover. Noting thestrong requirement for engineering sciences worldwide, thecaptain emphasized how SSC Charleston contributes to thecritical area of warfighter knowledge superiority. “Com-mand and control is vital in warfare,” he said, “and we haveseen that command and control of troops in an urban envi-ronment is very difficult. There are lots of capability prob-lems we try to solve every day.”

Noting the erosion in math and science among youngpeople today, the captain lauded the efforts of the teachersto stimulate interest in technology. “We need bright kidsinterested in math and science and engineering,” he said,

SSC Charleston shows educators careers in engineering sciencesadding that in the near future, young people who want toenlist in the Navy will need at least two years of collegebecause of technological advances across the board.

With more than 100 SSC Charleston employees in Iraqat any given time, Hoover highlighted programs developedhere that are saving warfighters’ lives and improving theirquality of life, such as the hundreds of Internet cafes thatprovide much-needed links to home.

American eighth grade students ranked 15th in a recentinternational study of math achievement, according to theTrends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS). By the time they graduate from high school, theyscore near the bottom of all industrialized nations. Mean-while students in countries like China and India are excelling.China will graduate four times the numberof engineers as the U.S., while Japan, a country with lessthan half the U.S. population, will graduate double the num-ber of engineers. According to the Department of Labor,the number of jobs requiring math and science is soaringfour times faster than overall job growth.

Angelo Stambolis, a former NASA engineer who workedin the Apollo program and is now a math teacher, said theSSC Charleston MaST program well illustrated the impor-tance of science and technology to national defense and thewarfighter. “It was great to walk around SPAWAR and seeit all. The presentations were great,” he said.

Math Science & Technology

Visiting math and science teachers from Charleston, Berke-ley and Dorchester counties at SSC Charleston for the

command’s MaST program gather in front of the engineer-ing center with their host, Odette Foore, far right.



The Navy provides Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)services for its employees. Although there are many formsof ADR, the most common one in workplace disputes ismediation.

Conflict is a normal part of our lives, but can be veryuncomfortable, particularly in a workplace setting. If youfind yourself in a dispute with an employee, manager orother colleague, mediation can help you resolve issues in aprivate and timely manner. Mediation is an informal pro-cess that uses a neutral, third party to facilitate the parties’resolution of the dispute.

The Department of the Navy provides certified media-tors to assist employees and supervisors. The mediator hasno power to make a decision, or force one on any party.Instead, the mediator works with all parties to reach a vol-untary agreement of their own making. You can get more

Certified mediator is one of ADR optionsinformation on workplace mediation at the Navy’s ADRWeb site, http://adr.navy.mil. To help decide whether me-diation is appropriate for your dispute, consider whetherthe case involves continuing relationships, whether you wantit settled privately and informally, and whether you want tohave a say in how the resolution and agreement are shaped.Parties can represent themselves and/or have a representa-tive with them. Since the mediation process is voluntary,any party can end the proceeding at any time.

Our ADR coordinator for the Human Resources ServiceCenter Southeast is Adolph Delgado, who can be reachedat DSN 868-2498, commercial (228) 871-2498, or [email protected]. SSC Charleston employees canalso contact Angela Williams, Deputy Equal EmploymentOpportunity Officer, at (843) 218-5688, DSN 588-5688,or [email protected].

Our Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (Navy ERP)implementation effort is getting underway for TeamSPAWAR. For those who are unclear about Navy ERP andthe importance of its implementation, here’s some back-ground. ERP is an integrated, on-line software system withmodules for specific business functions. Among the ben-efits of implementing an ERP system are the automationand integration of business processes that enable the shar-ing of common data across the enterprise.

The Navy ERP architecture not only provides an inte-grated data environment (from a single pointof entry), but also provides a near real-timeview of all aspects of the organization’sbusiness situation. Team SPAWAR cantightly integrate data across traditional func-tional business lines such as finance, pro-curement, human resources, project man-agement and inventory management. Ourlegacy systems cannot deliver all that is re-quired by the Navy enterprise. With the highcost of upgrading these aging systems, it isno surprise that the Navy has mandated,and set a high priority for, our implementation of the NavyERP. A memo signed by the Vice Chief of Naval Operationsstates, “The successful implementation of Navy ERP is notan option, but a necessity.”

Team SPAWAR’s implementation of Navy ERP, sched-uled to “go live” in April 2008, will allow us to meet com-pulsory controls and reporting requirements, operate moreefficiently and effectively, and provide more timely infor-mation to our project teams, program sponsors and theNavy. Team SPAWAR is fortunate to benefit from the ex-pertise and experience available as a result of SSC San

Navy Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) heading our wayDiego’s Cabrillo ERP pilot. The Cabrillo ERP pilot contin-ues to provide a tremendous return on investment for TeamSPAWAR. We accomplished a fully integrated business sys-tem and reengineered 122 business processes to make themmore cost effective and user-friendly. Metrics have consis-tently proven the overall efficiency and cost effectivenessof ERP.

Navy ERP deployment activities have already begun! InAugust 2006 we had a highly successful Navy ERP famil-iarization meeting at SSC Charleston. From January to June

2006, more than 150 Team SPAWAR per-sonnel were involved with the Navy ERProles review and validation effort, a time-critical requirement prerequisite to systemtesting. SPAWAR was singled out as beingthe leader in this effort.

SPAWAR’s senior leadership stronglysupports, and is committed to, a success-ful Navy ERP implementation. We realizethat the most important commitment neededfor success is from YOU. The level of suc-cess we achieve will be a direct result of

your involvement and willingness to accept the changesassociated with Navy ERP. Changes will occur across theorganization at all levels, and we need you to be preparedfor these changes.

How can you prepare for this change? By partneringwith your SPAWAR ERP teammates as they work diligentlyto equip the organization. The SPAWAR Corporate ERPTeam will be ramping up communications and activities forthe implementation. Take note, get involved, and step up tothe plate to become a SPAWAR champion for Navy ERP.

- Rod Smith, SPAWAR Deputy Commander

“We realize that themost important

commitment neededfor success is from

YOU.”- Rod Smith


Bearing the name of our 26th president, she stands talland proud against a backdrop of the setting Virginia sun.Her 1,092-foot-long frame extends back to gently touchthe horizon. Capable of managing an air wing of 85 anddisplacing close to 100,000 tons, she truly epitomizes the“Big Stick.” Speaking softly, her mere presence deters po-tential hostile actions. When forcedto raise her voice, she does so withgusto; launching up to four aircraftnearly simultaneously. The F-18fighter, the EA-6 radar jammer, theeyes in the sky Hawkeye ... she car-ries tools for any occasion.

Standing only a few hundred feetaway are a group of scientists andengineers from various U.S. Navycommands. Some are rookies, oth-ers are experienced, all are mesmer-ized by her grace, beauty and poise.

It is here; on these docks in Nor-folk, Va., that CVN-71 (USSTheodore Roosevelt) graciouslyopened its decks to a group of civil-ians to experience life at sea, observecurrent technology at work under-

SPAWARriors embark on ‘Big Stick’Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) heads to sea after a stop on Crete earlier this year.

U.S. Navy photo by Paul Farley

way and to see how the work done in the office and inlaboratories correlates to the everyday life of the warfighter.Our escorts were Lt. Cmdrs. Felix Martinez and Eric Lovett,our group sponsor Combat Systems Officer Cmdr. BruceUrbon, and our activities and events were coordinated byETC Jacqueline Figgins.

That first evening was spentlearning the layout of the ship. Eachroom of the ship, no matter the size,is given a number designator thattells exactly where that room is lo-cated: the first is the level/deck ofthe ship; the second the frame num-ber which tells how far from thebow or stern; the third is how farport or starboard from centerline;the fourth is the type of room. Thissystem makes it easy to find anyroom even on a ship as big as CVN-71.

With most of the crew not arriv-ing until sunrise, the evening wasspent on the flight deck taking in


Representing SSC Charleston among em-barking scientists and engineers were RhettMyers, Code 661, and Myke Payne, Code 663,second and third from right, respectively.

Photo provided


CVN-71 is a creature that never sleeps. As dinner began,so did the evening’s main event. The primary mission forCVN-71 was carrier qualifications and that would be im-possible without pilots to qualify. Those pilots, it seems,heard about the lobster and steak being served in the ward-room below, and were lining up to land. Armed with hear-ing protection and a camera, our group climbed up to the9th deck “Vultures Row” to observe. With aircraft stackedout for miles, the aircrew on the flight deck, the controllersin the carrier air traffic control center (CATCC) below, andthe air boss in the tower were in seemingly flawless har-mony as planes began to land one after the other, hardlymore than a minute between landings.

Over the next few days, the carrier engaged in flightoperations from 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m., as pilots were re-quired to perform daytime and nighttime landings. Duringthe days our group spent time touring the different areas ofthe ship, speaking with the crew, and developing an under-standing of shipboard operations and technological needs.

Afternoons were spent with ourescorts touring some of themore sensitive areas, such asthe bridge or the combat op-erations center. Evenings werespent watching flight ops. Air-craft catching the number fourwire seemed about to slip rightoff the edge of the deck beforecoming to a complete stop; thebolters missing the wires com-pletely drug the hook across thedeck creating a shower ofsparks; the flames of the after-burners giving color to theblack night ... it all seemedsomething for Hollywood. It

the sites of the harbor and ship alike while listening to thestories of Lovett’s Navy experiences. Upon waking the nextmorning, the ship was bustling with activity in preparationfor departure. Before noon CVN-71 and its Coast Guardescort was on its way out of Norfolk harbor. The transitionwas so smooth our group wasn’t aware the ship had leftthe dock until walking up to the hangar bay later.

The main activity for the first day was a precision an-chor drop. One of the U.S. Navy’s largest ships wouldplace one of its 60,000-pound anchors within just feet of atargeted spot on the sandy bottom. Located in the ship’sforecastle, the two anchors consist of 12 shots of chain,each over 1,000 feet long. Each individual chain link weighs360 pounds. The ability to place such an enormous objectwith such precision is an impressive feat. This was not thecomputer enhanced guidance system that accompaniesweapons systems, this wasabout a dozen ballast mates us-ing verbal relays, a sledge ham-mer to remove chain stoppers,and simple mechanical and hy-draulic aids to help control rateof descent. With a staggeringdisplay of teamwork and effi-ciency, the anchor reached itsmark within the given range.After hauling up and washingoff the anchor, it was time toproceed to the open ocean.

That evening as the sunstarted to set, it might bethought that the ship activitieswould start to set as well. But

An F-14D Tomcat launches from the CVN 71 flight deck during night ops.U.S. Navy photo by PHAN Javier Capella

Continued from page 47CVN-71

An F/A 18 Hornet launches off the flight deck of USSTheodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

U.S. Navy photo by PH3 (AW) Michael D. Cole


was more than real and the aircrewhandled it all with ease and grace.

On the last full day aboard ship,the group separated to revisit areasof the ship that related to what wedo on shore. For the twoSPAWARiors that meant heading offto the CATCC. The afternoon foundus suited up in jackets, helmets andout on the flight deck. Standing onthe catwalk over the open water, westood breathless as an F-18E/F Su-per Hornet launched from a catapaultnot 50 feet away.

T h a tevening thet w oSPAWARiorswere invitedback to theCATCC wherewe were al-lowed to sit,listen and ob-serve the airtraffic con-trollers talk thepilots throughn i g h t t i m elandings. Wewere givenextra headsetsand allowed tolisten to the ra-dio chatter be-tween shipand aircraft.The level ofcooperationand trust be-tween pilotand controller was amazing. The only problem on the voy-age was a blown tire on C-2 landing, and that was resolvedand flight operations resumed in less than 20 minutes.

The following morning it was time to leave. Unfortu-nately the ship didn’t have the same agenda and was no-where near the vicinity of a port and not everyone in thegroup was a strong swimmer. Fortunately there was a C-2arriving with the next group of scientists and engineers whowould replace our group. Now after watching countlessplanes take off from the bow of the ship, it was our turn.The distance from the catapult to the end of the deck neverseemed that short until realizing that we were about to beshot off it at over 100 miles an hour in about 2.9 seconds.In the C-2 cargo plane passengers sit facing backwardsand are forced forward against the harness straps duringthe fastest and most intensive few seconds of takeoff.

The four days aboard CVN-71were a unique and priceless expe-rience. We learned much more thanjust how the various areas of a shipoperate. For instance, the most dan-gerous thing at sea is a fire. Due toa limited amount of space, fires canspread quickly. Every crewman onboard also has a secondary role andstation in the event of a fire, anddrills are run regularly to ensure apeak level of readiness.

With all the maintenance and ac-tivity on the flight deck, tools andhardware are commonplace. How-

ever, a little1 0 - c e n tscrew thatgets suckedinto the intakeof an enginecan ruin a mil-lion dollar air-craft or a takea pricelesslife. The air-crew regu-larly gathersat one end ofthe flightdeck, ex-tends in astraight line tocover the en-tire width,and walksdown the en-tire ship pick-ing up eachand everyloose object

they can find.Aboard ship, safety is paramount. Proper protective gear

is worn at all times in dangerous areas of the ship, and allrules are carefully obeyed and strictly enforced.

The flight back to solid land gave ample time to lookback over the last few days. It has been said that a ship atsea is a city unto itself, and CVN-71 was indeed an ever-bustling metropolis. The hospitality of the CVN-71 crewmade this a trip that will never be forgotten.

It was truly an honor to experience a glimpse into life atsea. In addition to the T-shirt, ball cap and photo from theship’s store, I returned with feelings of inspiration, respectand pride. The experiences shared as part of this Scientist-to-CVN program will now accompany me throughout mycareer.

-Myke Payne, Code 663

An F-14D Tomcat performs a fly-by past the bridge of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN71). The F-14 officially retired in September 2006, after 32 years of service to the fleet.

U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Nathan Laird

A Sailor working on the flight deck bringsan aircraft into launch position aboard USSTheodore Roosevelt.

Photo by PH3 Chris Thamann


Recently, there have been several reports of SPAWARemployees talking openly about their work in public areassuch as airports.

Though our employees are proud of their work and sup-port to the warfighter, their pride may inadvertently placeour customer in danger when vulnerabilities are disclosedto others. Just the knowledge of a technology being de-ployed into operational environments may lead an adver-sary to exploit our technology. If we use the principles setforth in our operational security (OPSEC) program we candefend against the disclosure of critical information.

Within the Navy, the odds of mak-ing it through boot camp withouthearing “Loose Lips Sink Ships” areimprobable. Though the slogan is old,it still embodies the basic principle ofOPSEC. OPSEC uses a multifacetedconcept to prevent the inadvertentcompromise of sensitive or classifiedactivities, capabilities or intentions.OPSEC involves a relatively simple,five-step process:

Identify critical information.The information you have that couldassist an adversary in any way.

Analyze the threat to that in-formation. Does an adversary havethe capability to collect or use the in-formation and if so, how?

Analyze the vulnerabilities.How is the critical information relayedin the course of your daily duties andhow is it protected?

Assess the risk. How likely is it that the informationcould be compromised?

Develop countermeasures. What can you do to pro-tect the information from being disclosed?

These steps should be taken from the adversary’s per-spective. To catch bad guys and defeat their attacks, youhave to think like one. OPSEC requires the active participa-tion of everyone, regardless of his or her rank or job.

OPSEC is a combination of people knowing what infor-mation is considered sensitive and knowing when to keepquiet. I have often seen engineers go to extreme lengths toprotect information about surprise birthday parties and pro-motion lists, yet they discuss details of their work freelyand openly with little regard to their environment.

One of OPSEC’s worst enemies is convenience. Makingthe job efficient may increase productivity, but easier isn’talways better. The path of least resistance, while the easiest

to travel, usually offers the least amount of protection. Thecombination of secure communications and physical secu-rity, if used consistently and properly, greatly reduce therisk of inadvertent disclosures.

Walking to another office to speak face-to-face withsomeone is more secure than talking on a regular phone.When this is not possible, secure communication equip-ment includes secure e-mail, telephone and fax machines.Whatever method is used, engineers should hold conversa-tions using a secure medium. These procedures are put inplace for a reason. If the information is not instantaneously

available to you then it’s shouldn’t bereadily available to a potential adver-sary. Follow these simple guidelinesto mitigate most if not all risks:

· Avoid talking about work awayfrom the office.

· Be aware of your immediate sur-roundings at all times and who is inthe area.

· Don’t talk about specifics ofwork outside of work.

· Keep in mind that what is notbeing said can be information in it-self.

The mere fact that a person is try-ing to talk around a subject will actu-ally raise interest in what is being saidand could give clear direction forsomeone to focus their attention.

Just because a person has a clear-ance for certain levels of information

does not necessarily mean they have the need to know thatinformation. Communication comes in many forms, notjust verbal and written. Routines and habits also need to beconsidered with OPSEC in mind. What seems innocent orinsignificant can in fact be a piece of a much larger puzzle.

A classic example is the increase of pizza delivery at theWhite House and Pentagon prior to the onset of OperationDesert Storm. A good naval example is when a ship is re-turning from deployment. When the leadership breaks outthe steak and lobster, the crew knows bad news is on theway, perhaps having to stay out three more weeks. Weneed to think three or four layers down.

SPAWAR is full of bright, energetic employees who servethe warfighter everyday in exceptional fashion. Just keep inmind that your actions, both inside and outside the workplace, may cause harm to those you serve even though youmay only be proud of your work.

- Lt. Brian Phillips

OPSECOPSECOPSECOPSECOPSEC demystified


Personnel from the Office of Naval Intelli-gence (ONI) information operations divisionvisited SSC Charleston recently to provide in-formation and to understand our capabilitiesfor warfighter support. At the conclusion, oneONI visitor commented, “It is inspiring to seean organization so dedicated to warfighter sup-port; SPAWAR’s efforts are truly heroic.”

The visit helped build relationships, dem-onstrated SSC Charleston capabilities andshowed how we can engineer systems utiliz-ing the newest threat and technical informa-tion.

As the SSC Charleston Science and Tech-nology Information Officer (STILO) I coor-dinated the visit with the support of MikeKutch, Bruce Carter, John Mildner, Code 72,the Command Liaison Office and the Inte-grated Product Center (IPC) staff who gave tours and briefs.

STILOs provide a single point of contact to the intelli-gence community (IC) from the acquisition community.When programs and projects require foreign threat infor-mation or data on foreign capabilities or risks to counteringour systems, STILOs know who to contact to find theinformation programs. This ensures systems have a “buildto” standard based upon the latest intelligence and knowl-edge of risks to their development. STILO support costsnothing to programs but the time required to make an in-quiry.

Engineering world class systems requires many inputsas demonstrated in the figure at right. Of special signifi-cance is the intelligence input. Often engineers do not real-ize how to use intelligence. By ignoring this input, warfightersmay inadvertently be placed in harm’s way. For instance, ifintelligence support finds that an adversary operates utiliz-ing frequency hopping but a program/project managerdoesn’t realize this, the results in combat could be cata-strophic.

Because Code 72 personnel were able to demonstrate ahigh level of capability and significant contributions to in-formation assurance (IA) throughout the Department ofDefense (DoD), ONI personnel agreed to bi-monthly videoteleconferences to discuss current DoD threats Code 72can consider when engineering IA products. Prior to theSeptember meeting at SSC Charleston, ONI personnel ob-served risks to systems at customer sites but there was nomechanism to communicate this. Now that dialogue willoccur. Interestingly, many of the attendees shared com-mon acquaintances throughout the DoD.

The key to this success story was Code 72’s ability toeffectively communicate their vital role in the DoD as IA

engineers. Communicating a division’s role is the most im-portant mission for the acquisition community to foster ef-fective working relationships with the IC. The IC has lim-ited resources and needs to understand SSC Charleston’srole to direct enough resources to the right place so there isvalue added from the information products they produce.Without understanding SSC Charleston’s important role, theIC could focus on another command they see as filling thebigger role in the DoD.

Another benefit of the dialogue demonstrated to ONI isthat SSC Charleston can deliver capabilities to ONI that noother organization can. Simply put, ONI is another agencySSC Charleston can support as a business partner, and canlink us with other agencies needing our capabilities.

The highly successful visit showed that ONI can pro-vide information to help SSC Charleston deliver better sys-tems and products to the warfighter. SSC Charleston divi-sions should strive to help their counterparts in the IC un-derstand who they are so that resources can be equitablydistributed.

The STILO can provide support to SSC Charleston per-sonnel with a valid secret or SCI clearance and a legitimateneed to know information. SSC Charleston personnel shouldnot discount the IC as a potential customer. To make worldclass systems, intelligence must be utilized as an input tothe process. The IC is a business partner.

As the SSC Charleston STILO I can guarantee you greatcustomer service. Not every instance requires my actionbut I’ve been trained and can direct you to the right placeor get you the information you require. If you have a pro-grammatic need do not hesitate to contact me at 218-3983.

- Lt. Brian Phillips

STILO support can make products better

FacilitiesPeople/Skills

CMMI ProcessAreas

Standards

Intelligence

Lean Six Sigma

World classsystems

engineeringSystems/Software

Engineering

Technology


U.S. RepresentativesWeldon, Brown visitSSC Charleston hosted U.S. Represen-tative Curt Weldon (R-PA) of the 7thCongressional District, and U.S. Rep.Henry Brown (R-SC) of the 1st District,for a visit in August. A senior member ofthe House Armed Services Committee,Weldon was particularly impressed withSSC Charleston’s work on Up-ArmoredHumvees for the Marine Corps. Picturedat left with one of the Humvees are, fromleft, SSC Charleston Commanding Of-ficer Capt. Red Hoover, Weldon, Execu-tive Director James Ward, Brown andRetired Marine Corps Maj. Gen. JamesLivingston, Congressional Medal ofHonor recipient.


Col. Steven Harrison, vice com-mander of the 437th Airlift Wingat Charleston Air Force Base, left,and Col. Nicholas Desport, com-mander of the Mission SupportGroup, settle in for an SSC Charles-ton command brief from Capt. RedHoover, right, in the commandbriefing theater Sept. 19.


CAFB leadersget insider viewof SSC Charleston

Captain Robert Vince, director of the Naval TreatyImplementation Program, visited SSC Charles-ton in September to give training on the NavyArms Control Compliance and ImplementationProgram. The brief was attended by Naval Weap-ons Station tenant command representatives andlocal Coast Guard officials, as well as SSCCharleston personnel. A tour followed which in-cluded the IPC lab, the aXiom product tool, Com-mon Submarine Radio room, wireless communi-cations lab and other areas. Pictured at left, fromleft, are Robert Miller, Code 618; Vince; RicardoDiNatale, treaty implementation analyst; andTamara Killian, of the Strategic Systems Programslegal office.Photo by Harold Senn

Arms control training held

VisitorsVisitors


Above, Charleston RiverDogs Presi-dent and Owner Mike Veeck enter-tains SSC Charleston leadershipworkshop attendees. Part owner of sixbaseball teams, Veeck told of his suc-cess and failure at “putting the funback into baseball.” One of minorleague baseball’s most successfulowner-operators, Veeck recountedstories to illustrate his philosophy thatfun, creativity and passion are essen-


Veeck provides good funtial to business success. SSC Charles-ton Commanding Officer Capt. RedHoover donned his RiverDogs ballcap to present Veeck an SSC Charles-ton ball cap and plaque. After his pre-sentation, Veeck remained to signcopies of his book “Fun is Good.”The leadership workshop was spon-sored by the Workforce OptimizationTeam.

Capt. David Duryea, PEO Subs, PMS-435, Electronic Warfare and ElectronicImaging, visited SSC Charleston inSeptember for briefs which were a fol-low-up to a previous visit by RichardMcNamara (SES Executive Director-PEO Subs) and a visit by Dr. StephenJarrett and Bob Miller to the PEO Subsoffice at the Washington Navy Yard.Duryea gave an extensive brief of thePEO sub requirements and current andfuture challenges for submarines inelectronic warfare and electronic im-aging. The briefings and tours of SSCCharleston’s labs identified the areas in which the commandcould contribute now and in the future. Pictured above, fromleft, are Dr. Stephen Jarrett, CTO Code 70; Capt. DavidDuryea; Robert Miller, Code 618; John Skutnik, NUWC,Undersea Warfare (USW) Combat Control Product Area Di-


Duryea visit continuesdialog on futuresub requirements

Congressman Joe Wilson of the SecondDistrict of South Carolina got a first-hand look at the capabilities of SSCCharleston during a recent visit. Abovehe listens to a command brief in thebriefing theater. While in Charleston,the Congressman also attended the Fed-eral Executive Association’s Employeeof the Year luncheon.

Congressman Wilson visits


rectorate (CC PAD), Imaging and Electronic Warfare Cus-tomer Advocate; Monica Hallisey, NUWC, Imaging Techni-cal Design Agent (TDA), Representative; Steven Stump ChiefEngineer PMS 435, Imaging and Electronic Warfare.


If you are receiving The Chronicle in error, or wouldrather view the full color online version at http://sscc.spawar.navy.mil, just send an e-mail message [email protected], or a quick note by U.S. mail toThe Chronicle Editor (OA5SP), SPAWARSYSCEN Charles-ton, P.O. Box 190022, North Charleston, S.C., 29419-9022,or give the editor a call at (843) 218-4973.

Chronicle photo contest brings out the shutterbugsTwenty-six high quality photos taken by 12 SSC Charles-

ton amateur photographers kicked off The Chronicle’s firstphoto competition. From serene landscapes, busy city shotsand nature scenes to close ups of flora and fauna, the pho-tos proved SSC Charleston’s employees have considerableartistic talents in addition to their professional abilities.

The entries were evaluated using a point system thatconsidered such factors as composition, lighting, technicalquality, originality, artistic creativity and overall appeal. Scor-ing revealed a very close contest. The winning entry, shownat right, edged out six other photographs by only one point.

A special thanks is extended to all who sent in their pho-tographs for the contest. Those whose photos were notselected this time who would like to resubmit the photosfor the next competition can resend them for consideration.

Thanks to the generosity of the SSC Charleston Em-ployee Services Association and MWR, the contest willcontinue as long as entries are received. Winning photoswill appear on The Chronicle’s inside back page.

All SSC Charleston government and contractor employ-ees can enter. So get out your camera or photo album andsend us your best shot!

The recent trend toward digital (pixelated) camouflageis now being seen on mobile Internet cafes designed andinstalled by SSC Charleston to connect deployedwarfighters with friends and femilies at home. Testingsponsored by the Office of Naval Research showed that

Camo goesCamo goesCamo goesCamo goesCamo goesdigital

observers with a visual acuity of 20/20 or higher and nor-mal color vision consistently took more time to detect atarget in digital camouflage than the traditional camou-flage. Camouflage pixelated patterns are now being seenon uniforms, weapons, vehicles and aircraft.

More than 1,000 issues of The Chronicleare mailed to readers around the world four

times a year by dedicated SSC Charles-ton mailroom personnel. We reluctantly

recognize the possibility exists thatsome no longer wish to receive it.

Still want to receive The Chronicle in the mail?

The Final WordThe Final Word

We are now soliciting photography submissions from SSC Charlestonemployees for The Chronicle spring issue photo contest.

The Employee Services Association will offer the winner a choice of a coffee cup, thermalmug, command coin, cookbook (if available) or $5 credit toward another logo item.

MWR will offer a free lunch in the Cooper River Cafe to the winner.Judges are Command Photographer Harold Senn and Chronicle Editor Susan Piedfort.

Send your best shot to [email protected] or [email protected],or drop your print by the photo lab or Chronicle office.

Send us your best shot

And the winner is...

Documents

SSC Charleston innovates for the warfighter · SSC Charleston innovates for the warfighter SSC Charleston innovates for the warfighter