Photo By Telly B. Myles | Coffee with the Captain and Executive Director: An Open Forum for our Workforce.... read more read more
This month’s session of “Coffee with the Captain and Executive Director” was a blend of remembrance and community welfare. It began with a heartfelt tribute to CDR Christopher Deigel, a cherished shipmate, husband, father, and friend, whose tragic loss at the beginning of the month has left a deep void. Our thoughts are with his loved ones during this difficult time. We bid him fair winds and following seas.
The discussion then pivoted to a critical issue: enhancing the Quality of Service and Quality of Life for Sailors stationed in Newport News, Virginia, especially those in the “Yard District.” This district is home to Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), the state’s largest industrial employer with a workforce exceeding 25,000 and where over 8,000 Sailors and DOD civilians work or live.
A recent joint initiative between the U.S. Navy, NNS, the city of Newport News, and the commonwealth of Virginia aims to construct a new parking garage with over 2,000 additional spaces. While this is a positive development, Captain Kriewaldt expanded the conversation beyond parking.
Both Capt. Kriewaldt and Mr. Todd Bockwoldt acknowledged the anticipated growth of the command and the promising employment prospects in the Hampton Roads region. Newport News’ ranking within the top 100 U.S. cities, as per a 2023 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report, underscores its appeal as a thriving work area. Kriewaldt stressed that the well-being of people is of utmost importance, and providing adequate parking is just one facet of this commitment. “My focus is not on parking. It’s not that I don’t care about parking. Ensuring parking availability is a way of taking care of people. And I care about people,” Kriewaldt stated.
The session also emphasized that everyone, whether military or civilian, has the right to reach out to their elected officials to advocate for positive change in their communities. It’s a call to action for all of us to shape a better future for ourselves and our communities. As Kriewaldt powerfully concluded, “Nothing will change if you don’t change anything.”
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2024 09:54 |
| Story ID: | 475118 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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