DAHLGREN, Va. –
Since the 1960s, Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) systems have protected the United States naval warfighter.
Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) plays a crucial role in the nation’s success in the SLBM arena. For the last 27 years, Team Lead and Systems Administrator Hector Minero has worked with the SLBM program at NSWCDD.
“I started at Dahlgren in September 1995. I came straight out of college,” Minero recalled. “My bachelor’s degree was in electrical engineering. I’ve always been fascinated by computers and anything electrical – whether that be power, digital signal processing or electronics in general.”
Minero immigrated to the U.S. with his family when he was 17. The El Salvador native spent eight years in New York City, including his time at the City College of New York, before moving to Virginia.
“I did a couple of rotations when I first started at Dahlgren, but I always came back to the SLBM project,” Minero said. “I love the people I work with. Our team works very well together, helping each other out wherever it is needed.”
Within the SLBM program, Minero has supported several projects within different classifications and in different leadership roles, and he currently serves as a subject matter expert for multiple Windows Operating Systems versions and with virtualization solutions via VMWare.
“A good leader leads by example. You can't just ask people to do something for you,” Minero said. “You have to work hard and be an example to your teammates.”
In addition to holding various leadership roles, Minero actively mentors new employees within the program.
“We aren’t going to be around forever. Eventually, we will all retire. We need to pass that knowledge on to people coming in so the program can continue to succeed,” he said. “I am very proud of the work we do as a team in SLBM.”