AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER VOLUME 67 NUMBER 06 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018

Yard Completes Mid-Life Maintenance On Cutter MAPLE

The Coast Guard Cutter MAPLE departed the Yard two days ahead of schedule on November 7th after completing a12-month mid-life maintenance under the Coast Guard's In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) project. MAPLE was thefourth 225' buoy tender to undergo the extensive overhaul of targeted hull, mechanical, electrical, and electronic systems.To date, the Yard has improved the long term sustainability of the 225' Cutters OAK, WILLOW, KUKUI, and MAPLEthrough the ISVS program that began at the Yard in 2015. Renovation of MAPLE included installation of a new buoy crane, overhaul of deck equipment and weight handling gear,updates to the machinery control system and HVAC systems, topside preservation, and stability assessment. Routinemaintenance included dry-docking, painting, plate renewal, and renewal of worn-out machinery parts and rusted steel.Upon completion, MAPLE reports to its new homeport in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. The 225' cutter class is equipped with a single controllable pitch propeller and a bow and stern thruster that gives thevessel the maneuverability it needs to tend buoys offshore and in restricted water. The cutters service floating aids tonavigation; conduct homeland security operations; clear waterways impacted by natural disasters; assist oil spill clean-ups,and conduct Coast Guard search and rescue operations. The 225' seagoing buoy tenders were commissioned between 1996 and 2004 and planned for 30 years of service. TheYard's mid-life maintenance allows the vessels to be fully mission capable and effectively operate for the rest of theirservice life.

The Yard bids farewell to MAPLE on November 7th as the Cutter passes near the figurehead of Barque EAGLE, currently homeportedat the Yard and recently completing a four-year phase Service Life Extension Project under the In-Service Vessel SustainmentProgram.

Happy Holidays!

2 Yard News November/December 2018

The Commanding Officer’s Columnby Captain Matthew W. Lake

Greetings family and friends of theYard! Work at the Yard continues at a“flank bell” on a wide range of vesselrenovation and repair projects, servingthe operational Coast Guard fleet, theU.S. Navy and allied nations. Theseprojects include 87-foot RecurringDepot Availability Program (RDAP)work on CGC IBIS and CGC BLUE-FIN; service life extensions of CGCMOBILE BAY, CGC THUNDERBAY, and U.S. Navy Yard Patrol CraftYP-695; Midlife Maintenance Avail-abilities of CGC FIR and CGC ELM; adockside availability aboard CGCEAGLE, and weapons systemsoverhauls for several Coast GuardCutters and U.S. Navy ships. TheYard is also making preparations torenovate two former Coast Guard 110-foot patrol boats recently transferredto Ukraine. The Yard continues to hire additionalcraftspeople to meet the increaseddemand for Yard services. Over thepast 18 months, we increased thenumber of shipyard “producers” by16%. This enabled us to improveschedule performance and consistentlydeliver cutters on time despite a 17%workload increase over the past twoyears. We expect demand to continueto rise over the next year, level off for1-2 years, and then increase again atthe start of the 270-foot MediumEndurance Cutter Service Life Exten-sion program, where we intend to runthe shipyard with two full shifts. Inaddition to supporting RDAP andcutter renovation projects, we are also

focused on expanding our portfolio of“roadshow” work, in response tostrong demand from the SurfaceForces Logistics Center and theCommand, Control, and Communica-tions Engineering Center for shipsystems installations and upgrades atcutter homeports across the country. In November, Congress passed TheFrank LoBiondo Coast GuardAuthorization Act of 2018, whichincluded modifications to the Yard’sworking capital fund statute – lastupdated in 1949. This updated lawenables the Yard to use new Cost PlusIncentive Fee (CPIF) project orders.Specifically, the Yard may enter intoCPIF project orders with our custom-ers for certain types of repeatableprojects (such as RDAP or cutterrenovations), where opportunity existsto reduce the cost of a project throughthe efficiencies that may arise fromrepetition and continuous innovation.If the Yard delivers savings on a givenCPIF project (completing a projectunder a target cost set by a customer),a portion of the savings are paiddirectly to the wage grade employeesthat worked on the project as anincentive, and a portion of the savings

are returned to the customer. The Yardwill make use of this new authority overthe next year after implementing andtesting the requisite policies and internalcontrols necessary to ensure programsuccess. We anticipate this new authoritywill ultimately bolster Yard cost andschedule performance – benefitting theoperational Coast Guard and our othergovernment agency partners. I’ll close my column with a note ofthanks to all our military veterans. OnNovember 11th , our Nation celebratedVeteran’s Day. To me, it is incrediblyhumbling to contemplate the sacrificesmade by the men and women who haveserved in our Armed Forces. Veteran’sDay is particularly important to the Yardgiven that nearly 40% of our workforcehave served (or are currently serving) inthe U.S. military. Within the Yardworkforce today, we have veterans fromeach of the five Armed Services, andveterans who served in every armedconflict the U.S. has been involved withsince the Vietnam War. Our largeveteran workforce is very much part ofour workforce culture - and helps defineus as an organization that is committed toservice of the operational Coast Guardand our Nation.

Yard Ordnance Shop employee Ian Turner captures the serenity of Arundel Cove atsunrise prior to Thanksgiving 2018. Yard customers THUNDER BAY (left), a 140' ice-breaker tug, and YP #695 (right), a U.S. Navy 108' wooden hull patrol boat, wait for thework day to begin repair by the skilled hands of the Yard.

Season’s Greetings!

2 Yard News November/December 2018

The Commanding Officer’s Columnby Captain Matthew W. Lake

Greetings family and friends of theYard! Work at the Yard continues at a“flank bell” on a wide range of vesselrenovation and repair projects, servingthe operational Coast Guard fleet, theU.S. Navy and allied nations. Theseprojects include 87-foot RecurringDepot Availability Program (RDAP)work on CGC IBIS and CGC BLUE-FIN; service life extensions of CGCMOBILE BAY, CGC THUNDERBAY, and U.S. Navy Yard Patrol CraftYP-695; Midlife Maintenance Avail-abilities of CGC FIR and CGC ELM; adockside availability aboard CGCEAGLE, and weapons systemsoverhauls for several Coast GuardCutters and U.S. Navy ships. TheYard is also making preparations torenovate two former Coast Guard 110-foot patrol boats recently transferredto Ukraine. The Yard continues to hire additionalcraftspeople to meet the increaseddemand for Yard services. Over thepast 18 months, we increased thenumber of shipyard “producers” by16%. This enabled us to improveschedule performance and consistentlydeliver cutters on time despite a 17%workload increase over the past twoyears. We expect demand to continueto rise over the next year, level off for1-2 years, and then increase again atthe start of the 270-foot MediumEndurance Cutter Service Life Exten-sion program, where we intend to runthe shipyard with two full shifts. Inaddition to supporting RDAP andcutter renovation projects, we are also

focused on expanding our portfolio of“roadshow” work, in response tostrong demand from the SurfaceForces Logistics Center and theCommand, Control, and Communica-tions Engineering Center for shipsystems installations and upgrades atcutter homeports across the country. In November, Congress passed TheFrank LoBiondo Coast GuardAuthorization Act of 2018, whichincluded modifications to the Yard’sworking capital fund statute – lastupdated in 1949. This updated lawenables the Yard to use new Cost PlusIncentive Fee (CPIF) project orders.Specifically, the Yard may enter intoCPIF project orders with our custom-ers for certain types of repeatableprojects (such as RDAP or cutterrenovations), where opportunity existsto reduce the cost of a project throughthe efficiencies that may arise fromrepetition and continuous innovation.If the Yard delivers savings on a givenCPIF project (completing a projectunder a target cost set by a customer),a portion of the savings are paiddirectly to the wage grade employeesthat worked on the project as anincentive, and a portion of the savings

are returned to the customer. The Yardwill make use of this new authority overthe next year after implementing andtesting the requisite policies and internalcontrols necessary to ensure programsuccess. We anticipate this new authoritywill ultimately bolster Yard cost andschedule performance – benefitting theoperational Coast Guard and our othergovernment agency partners. I’ll close my column with a note ofthanks to all our military veterans. OnNovember 11th , our Nation celebratedVeteran’s Day. To me, it is incrediblyhumbling to contemplate the sacrificesmade by the men and women who haveserved in our Armed Forces. Veteran’sDay is particularly important to the Yardgiven that nearly 40% of our workforcehave served (or are currently serving) inthe U.S. military. Within the Yardworkforce today, we have veterans fromeach of the five Armed Services, andveterans who served in every armedconflict the U.S. has been involved withsince the Vietnam War. Our largeveteran workforce is very much part ofour workforce culture - and helps defineus as an organization that is committed toservice of the operational Coast Guardand our Nation.

Yard Ordnance Shop employee Ian Turner captures the serenity of Arundel Cove atsunrise prior to Thanksgiving 2018. Yard customers THUNDER BAY (left), a 140' ice-breaker tug, and YP #695 (right), a U.S. Navy 108' wooden hull patrol boat, wait for thework day to begin repair by the skilled hands of the Yard.

Season’s Greetings!

Yard News November/December 2018 3Two Yard Employees Among Honorees at Annual DHS Secretary’s Award Ceremony

The Honorable Kirstjen Nielsen,Secretary of the Department ofHomeland Security (DHS), held theDHS Annual Secretary's AwardsCeremony on Wednesday, November7th in Constitution Hall in Washington,DC. Two Yard employees, JohnBragaw, Yard Production Manager,and Teresa Byrd, Yard Command

Administrative Assistant, were amongthis year's honorees. The award event recognizesoutstanding men and women of theDepartment who have made signifi-cant contributions to the DHS missionsthat safeguard the American public.The Secretary commented, "They andtheir stories - full of honor, courage,

and ingenuity - represent the very bestof our Department. Their actionsrepresent the heroic efforts carried outby the more than 240,000 dedicatedprofessionals who serve our Depart-ment across the country and aroundthe world each and every day. I thankeach of you for your continued supportof our homeland security mission." John Bragaw received the secondhighest DHS award, the MeritoriousService Silver Award, for outstandingleadership, superior public service, andsignificant contributions to strengthen-ing the country's homeland security.Among other achievements, hemanaged the Yard’s efforts to expandand restructure its workforce by 16%,the first such expansion in more thantwo decades. This required complexworkforce planning, large-scope policychanges, and new recruiting programsthat will ultimately support a fullsecond shift in the shipyard. The effortenabled the Yard to meet increasingdemand for critical cutter renovations,such as the 225’ WLB Midlife Mainte-nance Availability (MMA) and 140’WTGB Service Life Extension Project(SLEP), ensuring these vessels weredelivered on-schedule to meet opera-tional commitments - keeping water-ways open in support of $4.6 trillion/year in maritime economic commerce. His work also enabled the Yard toincrease the ratio of junior to seniorpersonnel, and decreased the propor-tion of overhead positions in the Yardto improve career progression opportu-nities, reduce workforce stagnation,and lower taxpayer costs. As a directresult of his efforts, the Yard loweredits pricing charged to customers bymore than 4% through FY18, savingmore than $6.6 million. Teresa Byrd received the DHSSecretary's Award for ExemplaryService for exceptional administrativesupport including extensive coordina-tion of dignitaries for command levelvisits. This award recognizes exem-plary individual service by DHS

John Bragaw (center), Yard Production Manager, receives the DHS Merito-rious Service Silver Award at the 2018 DHS Annual Secretary's AwardCeremony. Joining him are DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen (left); DHSActing Deputy Secretary Claire Grady (center right), and Admiral KarlSchultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (right). (Photo courtesy ofDHS Public Affairs)

Teresa Byrd (center), Yard Command Administrative Assistant, receives theDHS Secretary's Award for Exemplary Service during the Secretary's AwardCeremony held on November 7th. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielson (left)and DHS Acting Deputy Secretary Claire Grady (right) presented thehonors. (Photo courtesy of DHS Public Affairs) See DHS Awards, pg 4

4 Yard News November/December 2018

employees serving in administrative,technical, clerical, and general supportpositions. Although she is the Com-mand Administrative Assistant, she fillsthe role of an Executive Assistantresponsible for outreach, interaction,and logistics for all visiting dignitariesand other visitors at the Yard - theCoast Guard's largest industrialcomplex and only shipyard in DHS.Over the past year, she was respon-sible for the planning and execution ofover 60 VIP visits including both theCommandant and Vice Commandantof the Coast Guard, U.S. Senator VanHollen of Maryland, and U.S. Con-gressman John Sarbanes ofMaryland's Third CongressionalDistrict. In one particular case, shecoordinated a visit from the CostaRican Ambassador to the UnitedStates for a transfer ceremony of two110' patrol boats to the Costa RicanCoast Guard, earning praise fromAmbassador Sharon Day, U.S. Am-bassador to Costa Rica, who re-marked, "Every element of this eventwas meticulously planned and expertlyexecuted...".

DHS Awards, cont. from pg 3

Teresa Byrd coordinated awardrecognition for all 700 members of theYard, resulting in back-to-back sweepsof the Coast Guard Civilian of the Yearawards, a Coast Guard CFO awardwinner, and winner of the 2017 DHSManagement Award for Green Inno-vation. In addition, she coordinated andexecuted a highly successful DiversityDay program that was attended bymembers of 14 different Coast Guardcommands and featured the Adminis-trative Director for the MarylandCommission on Native AmericanAffairs as the keynote speaker. Beyond these activities, she coordi-nated civilian time and attendance,purchasing activities, assisted withOffice of Workers' Compensationactivities for the command staff, andserved as a registered Notary Publicfor all Yard members and their depen-dents. Captain Lake commented, "Throughher dedicated efforts and tireless workethic, she has improved the standing ofthe Yard with key stake holders bothinside and outside the Department ofHomeland Security."

Well-deserved congratulations fromthe Yard family to John Bragaw andTeresa Byrd on receipt of theseprestigious DHS Awards for 2018!

Captain John Lobkovich, USCG (Retired), passed away on July 5, 2018. Heserved as the Yard Commanding Officer from June 1977 to June 1980. Anative of Detroit, Michigan, CAPT Lobkovich graduated from the CoastGuard Academy in l952. His sea duty included assignments aboard theDURANT, IROQUOIS, KUKUI, and WESTWIND, progressing from DeckWatch Officer to Engineer Officer. After receiving a degree as a NavalEngineer from MIT in l958, he was assigned to the Yard as a Ship Superinten-dent until l959. CAPT Lobkovich's shore duty assignments were varied. In the Third CoastGuard District, he was assigned to the Contract and Repair Administration-Small Boats. He then reported to Coast Guard Headquarters as ProjectOfficer for design and construction of 378' high endurance cutters. From l967to l971, he was Commanding Officer and Group Commander of Base Seattle,followed by Chief, Personnel Division and Commanding Officer of EnlistedPersonnel in the Thirteenth District. In l971, he moved to the Ninth District asChief, Naval Engineering Branch and then Chief, Engineering Division.Captain Lobkovich came to the Yard from the Third Coast Guard Districtwhere he served as Chief, Engineering Division for two years. CAPT Lobkovich was a member of the American Society of Naval Engi-neers and the U.S. Naval Institute. He was awarded the Coast Guard Com-mendation Medal and held the Korean War, National Defense and UnitedNations campaign ribbons.

In Sympathy: CAPT John Lobkovich, Yard Commanding Officer, 1977-1980

CAPT John Lobkovich, USCG (Ret)1930 - 2018

YARD NEWS

The YARD NEWS is an authorized publication published bi-monthlyfor active and retired employees of the U.S. Coast Guard YARDand selected Coast Guard offices. The views and opinionsexpressed are not necessarily those of the Department ofHomeland Security nor the U.S. Coast Guard. Addresscontributions and inquires to: Editor, YARD NEWS, U.S. CoastGuard YARD, 2401 Hawkins Pt Rd, Baltimore, MD 21226; Tel.(410) 636-7238; dottie.e.mitchell@uscg.mil

Captain Matthew Lake Dottie Mitchell Commanding Officer Editor

Jennifer WalterCollateral Duty Graphic Designer

Printed on Recycled Paper

Yard News November/December 2018 5Milestones

Promotions

Retirements

Brian Wholey, Pipefitter Helper,WG-5Michael Goehring, StructuralHelper, WG-5Deeanna Burnah, Structural Helper,WG-5Chase Bowman, Ordnance Helper,WG-5Nicholas VonBank, StructuralHelper, WG-5Mark Holt, Structural Helper,WG-5Travis Nunley, Sheetmetal JoinerHelper Trainee, WG-3

Roy BartholomewSheetmetal Joiner Leader36 Years

Lynn GencoLead Accounting Technician18 Years

Yard Enlisted Memberof the Quarter

Yard Civilian Employeeof the Quarter

Ian Turner, Ordnance ShopFY 18, Fourth Quarter

SN Markus Beck, SecurityFY 18, Fourth Quarter

Cutter MAPLE Says “Thank-You” To Yard Workforce In the photo at left, CAPT Lake proudly joins the Commanding Officerand crew of the Cutter MAPLE on November 2nd to express appreciationto the Yard workers who performed overhaul of the 225' buoy tender duringthe past year. Twenty Yard trade employees received a commemorativeMAPLE t-shirt for accomplishing a successful 12-month mid-life mainte-nance availability of the cutter under the Coast Guard's In-Service VesselSustainment (ISVS) Program. MAPLE was the 4th 225' buoy tender to undergo ISVS since the pro-gram began at the Yard in 2015. The Yard renovated targeted hull, me-chanical, electrical and electronic systems on board MAPLE in order forthe buoy tender to effectively operate for the rest of its service life.MAPLE departed the Yard for its new homeport in Atlantic Beach, NC onNovember 7th. In the below photo, LCDR Kellee Nolan, (center right),Commanding Officer of the Cutter MAPLE, gratefully shakes the hand ofDavid Herbert, (center left), X30, during the MAPLE appreciation cer-emony.

6 Yard News November/December 2018

“We’re Working On It!”

The Yard works on the patrol boatIBIS during a 60-day plannedmaintenance of the cutter underthe 87' Recurring Depot Availabil-ity Project (RDAP). IBIS is thethird Phase II RDAP vessel toundergo repair for improved fleetreadiness. Upon completion, IBISwill report to its new homeport inFort Pierce, Florida.

The Yard continues moderniza-tion of the U.S. Navy patrol boatYP #695 to provide an addi-tional 10 years of service life.The 30-year-old, 108' woodenhull boat supports the U.S.Naval Academy's seamanshipand nautical science trainingprograms.

The 225' ELM is pictured in rightforeground while on the shipliftundergoing the Coast Guard's In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS)program. ISVS enables the CoastGuard to extend and maintain cutterservice lives. ELM is the 5th 225'cutter to receive ISVS mid-life repairat the Yard. Upon work completionin early 2019, the buoy tender willreport to its new homeport inAstoria, Oregon.

Yard News November/December 2018 7“We’re Working On It!” (continued)

The patrol boat POMPANOundergoes painting during its60-day planned maintenanceunder the Coast Guard's 87'Recurring Depot AvailabilityProject (RDAP). POMPANO isthe 4th Phase II RDAP vessel andwill report to its new homeport inTybee Island, GA upon comple-tion of work at the Yard.

The Yard delivered the THUNDERBAY (left), a 140' ice breaking tug, inmid-November after completing a12-month Service Life ExtensionProject (SLEP) under the CoastGuard's In-Service Vessel Sustain-ment Program. Work was completedon time and under budget andinvolved replacement of major hull,mechanical, electrical and electronicsystems. THUNDER BAY's newhomeport is Rockland, Maine.

The Yard prepares the 87' patrolboat BLUEFIN for blasting as itundergoes a 60-day plannedmaintenance under the RecurringDepot Availability Project (RDAP).BLUEFIN is the 5th Phase II RDAPvessel and will report to its newhomeport in Virginia Beach,Virginia after completing RDAP.

8 Yard News November/December 2018

Department of Homeland SecurityU.S. Coast Guard Yard

Mail Stop #52401 Hawkins Point RoadBaltimore, MD 21226-1797

Official BusinessPenalty for Private Use $300

Baltimore PIE Supports Local Career Day

Members of the Baltimore Area Partnership in Education (PIE) Programparticipated in Career Day with 7th and 8th grade students of the AVID (Ad-vancement Via Individual Determination) Program at Perry Hall Middle Schoolin Perry Hall, Maryland on November 30th. Over 100 students attended. TheYard sponsors the Baltimore Area Coast Guard PIE Program that is supportedby both Coast Guard civilian employees and active duty members. Pictured inthe above photo are: (left to right) front: YN1 Michael Lora, LT Alicia Flanagan,SN Valeree Sanchez, DC1 Christopher Stevenson. back: CWO Scott Sheriff,HS1 Jose Madera, SN Danielle Nelson, MK1 Travis Chapman, EM3 JoshLaVenia.

The Baltimore AreaCoast Guard Commands'

Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) runs through

January 11, 2019.

"Sharing Is Caring"