Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Christian Victor Bautista | An inspirational supervisor and mentor, Norfolk Naval Shipyard Shop 11 Shipfitter...... read more read more
As an Army veteran and shipfitter since 2001, Shop 11 Shipfitter Supervisor Dustin Kuch is now using his experience and ability to develop others to benefit Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY).
He is currently responsible for the MTS Sam Rayburn (MTS 635) project and coordinates his team assignments, monitoring their work, and verifying that Shop 11 non-nuclear work is completed on time to support Rayburn’s towing to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard.
Kuch started at NNSY as a WG-10 Mechanic and was promoted to work leader in January 2024 and then supervisor by the end of the year.
The most rewarding part of Kuch’s job is to watch his team succeed, whether they are new hires or seasoned mechanics.
“Light bulb moments are fantastic,” said Kuch. “Watching their confidence and skill grow on a daily basis is also a reward in itself.”
Kuch was nominated for Shipyard Spotlight by NNSY Project Superintendent Michael Garrelts. He believes that Kuch sets the bar for how a successful NNSY Supervisor should perform.
“He is extremely engaged in his work and mentors his team of mechanics to accomplish all tasks that are assigned, and the team’s morale is high,” said Garrelts. “He always takes care of his people and ensures they are engaged in order to accomplish their tasks, while providing mentoring, direction, and learning to his entire team.”
Kuch shared that managing a team will always come with its successes and challenges.
“The most difficult aspect is communication and coordination,” said Kuch. “Everyone has their own way of doing things and ways of communicating.”
Kuch continued, “It’s important for people to have the same understanding of the goals and needs for the project or particular job.”
He finds the best way to overcome challenges is a willingness to ask questions, ensure open communication, and to persevere.
“You can only fail when you stop trying,” said Kuch. “No challenge I have ever faced have I faced alone.”
The best advice he has for being a good leader is to understand your people and what they need to succeed. Kuch feels it is important to discover what motivates them, how they think and react.
“People are this shipyard’s greatest asset and are often times underutilized because they’re misunderstood or aren’t challenged,” said Kuch. “Set an expectation for your team and challenge them.”
“Show them they matter, as well as their ideas,” said Kuch. “Be willing to listen, to learn, and lastly be patient, not everyone gets things right away.”
He has received some great leadership advice throughout his career.
“Never stop learning,” said Kuch. “Even if you are the best in your field, no one ever has all the answers and is willing to listen as well as instruct.”
“Working at Norfolk Naval Shipyard is an honor as I once again serve my country,” added Kuch. “It is a joy to share the knowledge and skills I have learned throughout my career.”
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2025 07:39 |
| Story ID: | 494709 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 79 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Shipyard Spotlight: Dustin Kuch – Shop 11 Shipfitter, by Susanne Greene, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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