The Wackenhut Security Post

Saw an interesting story the other day on NewsBlaze.com about Wackenhut Services, Inc. providing emergency rescue equipment training in Baghdad for medics from the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division.

According to the site, Ken Setty, an instructor for Wackenhut Services, provided training on the proper procedures for using equipment such as hydraulic spreaders, cutters and rams used by fire fighters to extricate injured persons from damaged vehicles.

Spc. Charles Thompson, a Bronx, N.Y. native who serves in the evacuation platoon, said, "The opportunity to train on equipment like this is rare. I would do it again if I could."

WSI Fire and Emergency Services in Iraq is the primary emergency response capability for 20 United States Department of Defense (DOD) sites. The start-up of 20 fire sites simultaneously represents the largest single fire and emergency services effort in a combat zone in over 30 years. 

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Members of the WSI - Nevada Test Site team recently participated in a Hispanic Heritage Month program at Quannah McCall Elementary School in Las Vegas. Students were asked to write short pieces describing what they liked most about Hispanic culture with the lengths of their responses varying by grade.

WSI - NTS team representatives Cathy Bridenstine, Pat Jimenez and Kathy Reynolds were then asked to read the essays and pick a winner based on the content of the student's writing. The winner was announced during a school assembly and his or her class shared in the prize, a pizza party. 

In addition to recognizing and celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, the contest also encouraging students to develop their reading and writing skills.

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Congratulations to the following WSI - Nevada Test Site team members who earned 3rd Quarter Awards of Distinction:

Supervisor, Douglas Bernier; Professional/Technical, Gabrielle Davenport; Administrative, Kym Hook; Security Police Officers, John Aguayo, Michael Evans, and John Whitney.

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Congratulations to WSI Savannah River Site team members Darrell Johnson, Sam Jones and Shaun Jones, who were recently promoted to the position of Sergeant. Their new responsibilities will include supervision of protective force personnel in the Perimiter Protection Department.

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Various government and community officials recently gathered at Oak Ridge to celebrate completion of the construction of a new high-security warehouse to hold the U.S. government's largest cache of weapons-grade uranium.

The Oak-Ridger had a good story on completion of the Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility project located at the Y-12 National Security Complex. According to the Oak-Ridger, the 300 ft. by 475 ft. warehouse will replace several aging vault-like facilities at the nuclear weapons plant.

Security at Y-12 is provided by Wackenhut Services, Inc.

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Congratulations to Kathy McMillan of WSI's Oak Ridge team on being elected to serve as Secretary of the East Tennessee Chapter of the National Contract Management Association (NCMA). In addition, Rose Weaver of WSI will serve as chair of the Scholarships and Community Relations Committee.

The NCMA was formed in 1959 to foster the professional growth and educational advancement of its members in the contract management profession.

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Congratulations to the following WSI Nevada Test Site team members who recently achieved service milestones:

Promotions - Robert Osborne and Daril Rivera-rivera to SRT Lieutenant; Demostenes Agbayani, Floriano Ciballos and Kamal Razeeq to Lieutenant; and Keith Britt and Harmon Crockett to Firearms Instructor.

Service Awards - Mario Fuentes, Gary Glazier, Patricia Hartig, Jeff Herhold, Kay Hurt, Dennis Maher, Leo Price, Larry Roder, 10 years.

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Congratulations to Wackenhut Services Inc. Oak Ridge Team, which recently received the "Best Practices Award" at the 21st Annual Tennessee Labor-Management Conference. The award recognizes labor-management partnerships and the innovations and improvements they jointly produce.

"The Wackenhut Services, Inc. Oak Ridge Team, the International Guards Union of America, Local No. 3 and Local No. 149, and the Security, Police and Fire Professionals of America, Local No. 109, have forged a working relationship that is uncommon between labor and management. That close working relationship has resulted in the nation's critical national security assets to be protected in an outstanding manner against those who would use them to do harm. The relationship between WSI-OR, the IGUA and SPFPA is one built on mutual trust and respect," said TNCLMR Director Barbara Haskew in a press release.

The WSI labor-management team was cited for their open communications, cooperative working environment, ability to solve difficult issues and problems, and for setting a standard of excellence in labor-management relations for others to emulate.

For over 20 years the TNCLMR has recognized labor-management partnerships and the innovations and improvements they jointly produce with the "Best Practices Award."  

In addition, WSI-OR General Manger John Burleson was awarded the prestigious "Director's Award," which is presented by the TNCLMR to the individual who has "gone above and beyond the call of duty" for both the Tennessee Labor-Management Conference and the state, as well as for the development of favorable labor-management relations within his or her own organization.

The event was sponsored by the Tennessee Center for Labor-Management Relations, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

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