By Gary Rice
NADEP NEWS Editor

When it comes to working at NADEP Cherry Point, Gerald Butts and Wayne Cox know a good thing when they see it. They are both skilled artisans, and they have something else in common as well – they both love their jobs.

The two men work in the Metal Finishing Shop of the depot’s Naval Engine Airfoil Center (NEAC), Building 4225. In their jobs, they use state-of-the-art computerized machinery, and the nature of the work they do is highly technical.

“These are guys who are always looking for better ways of doing things,” Dennis Vary, Metal Finishing Supervisor, said. “They’re constantly looking for ways to improve both themselves and their workplace, and are always willing to take on extra responsibility.”

In his job as a blade and vane repairer, Butts uses an automated cleaning process to clean and repair aircraft engine blades, vanes, and turbines. It’s a physically demanding job that requires steady hands, steady nerves, and a lot of effort. In the interest of making the process safer and more efficient, Butts has submitted several beneficial suggestions. One of them was recently approved, and he received a $250 cash award.

“I enjoy the challenges of my job,” Butts said. “I’ve been at the depot for 15 years, and I plan to stay until they shut they the place down. I enjoy the people I work with, and I’ve got a lot of good friends here.”

“Gerald is a good hard worker with diverse skills,” Vary said. “He’s a very upbeat, easy-going guy with a great personality. He really appreciates his job, and I appreciate having him in the shop.”

Butts attended Havelock High School and as a teenager worked at his father’s garage in Havelock. Prior to coming to the depot, he worked for several contractors and at Hatteras Yachts. At the depot, he started in the strip barn and also worked in the Pneumatics Shop for eight years. He has been at NEAC for the past two years and works second shift.

“I like working at night because it gives me the opportunity to help out at home during the day,” Butts said. “My wife, Kris, works part-time, and I enjoy being able to take care of my sons, Taylor and Austin, while she’s at work.”

Butts says his hobbies are hunting, fishing, and boating. He also enjoys participating in activities with his boys, who are active in soccer, baseball, and scouting. Originally from Croatan, he has lived in the Havelock area all his life, and says his family has called the place home for generations.

“I saw a map of Havelock that was made long before the base was even here,” Butts said. “There were only about eight houses in the town then, and one of them belonged to my family. This is where I grew up, and I really never thought about living any place else.”

Cox has worked as a welder in the shop for 18 years and has been at NADEP for about 20 years. He works independently on a computerized welding machine and welds a wide range of aircraft blades and vanes that are bent or worn from use.

“I especially enjoy it when I get something in that I’ve never done before,” Cox said. “Writing new programs for the automated machines is always a challenge.”

“Wayne is an extremely loyal employee,” Vary said. “He’s always here early, and he has 1,500 hours of sick leave on the books. He’s very honorable, easy to get along with, and devoted to his work. He does a lot of pretty high-tech welding involving computer interface, so his computer skills have to be sharp. He did a lot of work to help make Gerald’s beneficial suggestion a reality.”

Cox hails from Ocean Springs, Ms. He spent four years in the Navy as a shipfitter, and he and his wife moved to North Carolina in the early 70s. They have two sons, Wayne Jr. and Kevin. Wayne Jr. is in the Coast Guard Reserve and as a result of 9-11 is currently serving in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Cox’s hobbies include fishing and watching NASCAR.

“I love coming to work,” he said. “I enjoy the quiet of second shift, and the people I work with are fantastic. It’s just enjoyable to be here.”

Photo Caption: In the lobby at NEAC, Wayne Cox (left) and Gerald Butts hold a T58 aircraft engine turbine part of the type that inspired Butts’ Beneficial Suggestion. Butts developed a way to clean the turbine blades that resulted in improvements in workplace ergonomics and sandblasting procedures. (Photo by Gary Rice)