KINGS BAY, Ga. – Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) developmental employees contributed key support to an Attack Weapons System (AWS) session at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, where Guided Missile Nuclear Submarine (SSGN) and Ballistic Missile Nuclear Submarine (SSBN) Sailors interfaced with technical experts, solved challenges, and shared lessons learned about the weapons systems they rely on every day.
“SSP is unique in that we are one of the few Navy organizations that perform this level of direct outreach,” said Lt. Robert Clarke, SSP’s Ohio-Class Guided SSGN weapons officer and SSGN fleet liaison officer. “We have a very proactive approach about going in and resolving potential problems before they escalate.”
Clarke, working alongside Seth Elsmo, AWS Event Lead and branch engineer for the SSGN Strike Program at SSP, and Stephen Buchanan, former AWS Day coordinator and another branch engineer for the SSGN Strike Program, organized the AWS session at Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic during the Strategic Weapons Systems (SWS)/AWS week that occurred January 13-16.
Developmental employees are a major contributor to SWS/AWS week. Buchanan became SSP’s AWS Event Lead before the end of his developmental tenure. Having graduated from the developmental program, he has since stayed involved with SWS/AWS.
“When I first joined SSP, my predecessor was the lead of SWS/AWS week. It was a great learning opportunity to hear from the Sailors first-hand…Early on, I was in charge of action items. That was a great way for me to understand everything,” Buchanan said.
“I feel as a developmental employee, SWS/AWS week is such a great opportunity to learn. It’s a week to get to know the SSP technical branches and what they’re learning,” Buchanan continued.
SSP’s intention is to make everything as seamless for Sailors as possible when it comes to operating and maintaining the SWS and AWS while they are on operational patrols. In particular, SSGN crews are often on deployment for extended periods of time with limited opportunities to communicate, making AWS week critical to ensuring a technical understanding that will persist for the duration of any patrol.
“SWS/AWS Week is a large event where sailors of both SSGNs and SSBNs meet. We have our personnel that go and discuss systems, operations, and procedures with the fleet. The biggest thing we go for is to prevent any potential issues,” said Elsmo, the current AWS Event Lead.
“It’s a chance for (developmental employees) to learn how AWS works, it’s a great opportunity for them to see which pieces of the organization have their hands in the AWS pie,” said Clarke.
The week-long gathering, which occurs three times a year, is the best chance Sailors have to collaborate and learn about the weapons systems they use.
“Being that we are a very technical organization, we issue a lot of technical guidance to our sailors. What we found is that when we actually meet with them we can determine how well that guidance has been received, and its effectiveness. It’s us providing direct customer service,” said Clarke, highlighting the success of the face-to-face format.
“The main goal is to help out the fleet and make sure everything’s going well,” said Xenia Arias Cubias, Program Analyst at SSP.
Arias Cubias, a current developmental employee, works on action items now much like Buchanan did in the past. According to her, this is just one of the ways she, as a developmental employee, will get immersed in SWS/AWS week.
“After every SWS/AWS week, there are many action items that come out as a result, and they’re usually assigned to a point of contact. I help to ensure that these action items are completed as quickly as possible,” said Arias Cubias.
“[The week] provides a broader view of the impact we have, and it’s a great chance to put names to faces and see who we work with. It’s good to hear the feedback that they have, it’s a customer service-like environment where we learn what to do better,” said Arias Cubias.
“It gives you a sense of pride, letting you know that what you’re doing back at headquarters matters and is impactful to others,” Arias Cubias continued.
Giving advice to current and future developmental employees, Buchanan encouraged them to “listen to what the sailors are saying and understand them.”
“It’s a great representation of how SSP and the fleet operate hand-in-hand. It embodies SSP’s mission to be a technical liaison, the technical expert and authority for the fleet. That face-to-face interaction is a really good way to integrate yourself as a developmental employee,” said Buchanan.
Developmental employees will continue to be an integral part of SSP’s SWS/AWS week efforts, and the week will continue to be a tool for bringing developmental employees closer to SSP’s mission.
“They are very capable. I see them as regular employees,” said Elsmo of his work with the developmental employees on his team.
Succession planning and employee developmental are integral to ensuring SSP mission success due to the sensitive technical nature of the weapons systems within SSP’s portfolio. SSP’s developmental employee program provides the opportunity for entry-level members of the federal workforce to join SSP and spend up to three years learning from, and working directly with, the experienced members of the workforce. These developmental employees spend their formative years with SSP, working from day one to become model contributors across all parts of the command.
Strategic Systems Programs is the Navy command that provides cradle-to-grave lifecycle support for the sea-based leg of the nation’s nuclear triad. This includes training, systems, equipment, facilities and personnel responsible for ensuring the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nation’s Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) Trident II (D5LE) Strategic Weapon System.
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2025 08:43 |
| Story ID: | 491876 |
| Location: | KINGS BAY, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 55 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, SSP Highlights SWS/AWS Week, Developmental Employees, by Thomas Jones, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
