Good afternoon, team. It’s Kevin. It’s Friday, April 17. (Click here for podcast.)
We now have 28 cases at Electric Boat, with one new case confirmed yesterday. This individual is an employee who works in building 70 who was last at work on April 1.
Mask distribution has now begun across the company, and I hope all of our Quonset Point employees are paying attention to the Executive Order issued in Rhode Island that requires all employees wear some kind of face covering while on EB property staring tomorrow, Saturday, April 18. If you have any questions, please contact your supervisor to make sure you are complying with this new requirement or to make sure you receive your mask.
This morning, the Vermont left the Groton shipyard for Subase New London. It’s the first boat I’ve worked with you all to deliver, and I am very proud of the work we did to get her to the fleet.
Construction on Vermont was started in May of 2014. She was christened here in Groton by retired Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy Gloria Valdez in October of 2018. Approximately 10,000 shipbuilders worked a total of 9 million hours to design and build the boat, with components and services supplied by 4,000 vendors across the U.S.
I think we agree that Vermont isn’t just any boat. The EB team remained resilient throughout a difficult certification process, knocking down each issue and challenge to ensure the boat was able to be turned over safely to her crew. The Vermont didn’t just meet expectations – she received some of the highest quality ratings in the history of the Virginia program by INSURV evaluators.
And we delivered Vermont during a pandemic. Let’s not underestimate what that means. Despite challenging conditions none of us have had to face before, she slipped away from the dock this morning and will now serve our Navy and our Nation proudly.
I am grateful for your persistence and for your resilience during this time and for the commitment you give to our company day in and day out.
The Vermont is proof of all this EB Team can do.
Please continue to stay safe and healthy. Thank you for all you do.
Kevin
