NORFOLK NAVAL SHIPYARD, Portsmouth, Va. –
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) USS Toledo (SSN 769) project recently stood up its Operations Control Center, or OCC, to support nonstop execution of work on the deckplate. One of the Naval Sustainment Systems-Shipyard (NSS-SY) initiatives for driving positive change at America’s Shipyard, the team has hit the ground running to support the workforce, contractors, and Sailors working around the clock to deliver the submarine back to the fleet.
“The OCC was set up to drive communication and quickly resolve issues as they occur within the project,” said Shipyard Commander Capt. Dianna Wolfson. “That means when a problem occurs on the deckplates that can’t be quickly resolved, mechanics, supervisors and zone managers have a place to take those issues. Like a well-oiled machine, the OCC team works together to find solutions to drive non-stop execution and will also look to the future for removing barriers in advance to ensure being able to execute the plan.”
The OCC is a dedicated space for a cross-functional, project leadership and support team that is located in close proximity to Toledo. If a mechanic has an issue that prevents the work from being accomplished, they reach out to their supervisor to discuss the issue. Within thirty minutes, if they cannot come to a solution, the supervisor will then go to the zone manager and if they are unable to come up with a solution as well, they then proceed to the OCC for assistance.
The customer will then sign in and report to the OCC team to discuss the issue for corrective actions. Depending on the complexity of the need, the team then works on providing that solution. This can range from providing guidance on the issue, traveling to the deckplate to assist, ordering parts with urgency, and more. “The team here is willing to tackle whatever issues come their way, ready to support the mission,” said Toledo Project Superintendent Doug Poynter.
“We’re ONE TEAM supporting ONE MISSION – we’re in this fight together and the OCC is a tremendous part in us completing that mission,” said Toledo Commanding Officer Commander Joel Holwitt. “What I am seeing because of this initiative and the other initiatives we’re doing is that sense of urgency and purpose by everyone in this project – my Sailors and the workers on the deckplate – to get Toledo back to sea on time. The OCC provides us that help in order to maximize that momentum on the deckplate so we don’t have any halts.”
“The OCC is about knocking down barriers and streamlining our processes,” said Capt. Wolfson. “This team has formed a foundation of teamwork and have shown their dedication to the mission and to their fellow crewmates. The success here has also paved the way for other projects to standup their OCC as well, everyone eager to learn and execute in this effort.”
The Toledo OCC was featured in the latest episode of America’s Shipyard – a video series dedicated to highlighting the high-performing employees and NNSY achievements. You can view the episode on the NNSY Facebook page at
, the NNSY YouTube page at
and NNSY Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) at
This series will be an ongoing effort and new episodes will be premiering soon. Stay tuned to NNSY’s social media platforms to see the next episode. If you have an idea that should be recognized for a future episode, please email nfsh_nnsy_pao@navy.mil and provide a detailed response of who or what we should recognize and why.