Military and civilians recently celebrated a unique partnership between Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and the Virginia Army National Guard. NNSY welcomed two soldiers with the National Guard into their ranks, providing them with the training and experience needed for their service.

“Our new soldiers needed somewhere to gain that training and experience; however, the only partnership we had at the time was at Fort Belvoir and the commute would have been two hours one way,” said Master Sgt. Jack Hahne, 1940th Contracting Team Leader. “We wanted to find something that would be a good fit and we called around to see what we could find. There were a lot of no’s. The husband of Sgt. Kayla Modic, one of our new soldiers, spoke with NNSY Chief of Contracting Brad Crosby about possible avenues available at the shipyard. Mr. Crosby found availabilities and his team welcomed our soldiers with open arms.”

“To have NNSY accept our two soldiers and help them develop that experience was absolutely critical,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Way, Contracting Team Leader, 1940th Contingency Contracting Team. 329th Regional Support Group (RSG). “Without the support the team at NNSY gave our soldiers and the mentorship they provided, they would not be at the point they are today. We are extremely appreciative and grateful for everything NNSY has done for us.”

A small ceremony was held at NNSY to celebrate the achievements of Sgt. Kayla Modic and Sgt. Tina Jaurequi as well as the Code 400 Contracting Team.

“Everything you have done as made a difference. A big difference,” said Col. Doyle Gillis, Jr., Commander of the 329th RSG. “What you’ve done for our soldiers, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the country is prepare a small group of folks for their next steps in service. We had members from the Virginia National Guard working directly with the civilians. They learned from each other and worked seamlessly together in this unique partnership.”

Crosby stated, “Sgt. Modic and Sgt. Jaurequi came to us with little experience in our field, hitting the ground running and showing how dedicated and professional they were. In the months they were with us, they completed numerous resident courses, completed all their contracting classes, and took on project after project in assisting with America’s Shipyard. It has been an absolute pleasure having them onboard and they have truly become part of our Code 400 family. I’m proud of what these two have accomplished and proud of where their career will take them.”

Sgt. Modic and Sgt. Jaurequi, along with key members of Code 400, were awarded for their professionalism and hard work during the partnership.

“Seeing our teams come together and supporting the mission really hits me in my core,” said NNSY Operations Officer Capt. James "Jip" Mosman. “Being able to say yes and extend this welcome to our partners in service to our country is a huge achievement. We’re all working together to support our nation and I appreciate everything you’ve done each and every day.”

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