Photo by Troy Miller | Norfolk Naval Shipyard | 05.21.2025
Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s Shop 52, the Radiation Detection Indication and Computation Calibrations Laboratory, is a shop of six personnel who inspect, calibrate, repair and perform maintenance on radiation detection, indication and computation equipment. “We’re a small group, but we each bring something different to the table here,” said RADIAC Laboratory Electronic Measurement......
Photo by Troy Miller | Norfolk Naval Shipyard | 05.21.2025
Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s Shop 52, the Radiation Detection, Indication and Computation Calibrations Laboratory, Electronic Measurement Equipment Mechanic Nolan Lloyd calibrates a “Frisker Station” that is used in the shipyard to detect low levels of contamination. Lloyd’s background consisted of serving in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, with 15 of those years as an Aviation Electronics......
Photo by Troy Miller | Norfolk Naval Shipyard | 05.21.2025
Norfolk Naval Shipyard’s Shop 52, the Radiation Detection, Indication and Computation Calibrations Laboratory, Electronic Measurement Equipment Mechanic Christopher Burke performs equipment inspection. Burke brings a wealth of knowledge, talent and skills that he gained before joining the NNSY team six years ago. “For the first 14 years of my 20-year Navy career, I was an Aviation......
Photo by Troy Miller | Norfolk Naval Shipyard | 02.26.2025
Norfolk Naval Shipyard Insulation Shop (Shop 57) Insulator Linda Willis came to the shipyard in 2010, but this wasn’t her first shipyard. “I worked 20 years at Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California,” said Willis. “When Mare Island Naval Shipyard closed, I was placed on a work stoppage list, which meant I was given priority when a job like the one I was doing became......
Photo by Troy Miller | Norfolk Naval Shipyard | 02.26.2025
Norfolk Naval Shipyard Insulation Shop (Shop 57) Insulator Justin Leonetti first came to the shipyard approximately nine years ago as a contract firewatch before joining the apprentice program two years later. “My preference was to become a pipefitter, but I ended up being chosen to work as an insulator in Shop 57,” said Leonetti. “I accepted the offer and went through the apprenticeship......
Photo by Troy Miller | Norfolk Naval Shipyard | 02.26.2025
Norfolk Naval Shipyard Insulation Shop (Shop 57) Insulator Anthony Lewellen enjoys his job because it gives him the freedom to do his work. “My job as an insulator is more like arts and crafts,” said Lewellen. “Because of that, I have more freedom to do the stuff I feel is the best way of doing it. It doesn’t matter how I get to the final product, just as long as I do it safely and......
Photo by Troy Miller | Norfolk Naval Shipyard | 02.26.2025
Before coming to Norfolk Naval Shipyard 14 years ago, Insulation Shop (Shop 57) Insulator Barry Belcher worked in the auto glass industry. “Every time I started training a new apprentice in the auto glass industry, I told them, ‘As young as you are, you should go work at the shipyard because they have better benefits,’” said Belcher. “One by one, I kept losing apprentices to the......
Photo by Troy Miller | Norfolk Naval Shipyard | 02.26.2025
Right: Norfolk Naval Shipyard Insulation Shop (Shop 57) Insulator Chantal Williams applied to become a painter at the shipyard, but she was offered a job as an insulator instead. “My dad has a company where one of his jobs is to install housing insulation, so I thought, ‘I know this,’ but little did I know,” said Williams. “Even though this job wasn’t what I expected at first, I......
