Adam Herston story:
A Navy Nuclear trained Electricians Mate, Second Class Petty Officer (E-5), with over 6 years of experience in the areas of Nuclear Air Craft Carrier electrical distribution, casualty control operations, and emergency operations. He qualified onboard a Navy Nuclear Air Craft Carrier as a Maintenance Worker, Log Recorded Phone Talker, Throttleman, Control Point Area Watch Stander, Propulsion Electrician, Prototype Electrical Operator, Switch Gear Operator, Shut-Down Reactor Operator, and Load Dispatcher. In the Navy as a Load Dispatcher he ran a Navy Aircraft Carrier Control Room which is equivalent of a balancing authority and transmission operator. He was responsible for the safe and continuous operation of a 72 megawatt electrical distribution system for an aircraft carrier and he supervised and directed a team of four technicians safely and continuously to provide reliable sources of electrical power to the ships 4160V, 64-Megawatt, 12-generator electrical distribution system. He was also responsible for coordinating the maintenance, testing, and routine operation of all reactor plant generators, switchboards, bus ties, transformers, load-centers and electronics. He has firsthand experience supervising restoration of electrical power due to mechanical failure of a ship service steam driven turbine generator during critical operations and he also prevented a loss of electrical power, during electrical faults on a ship service steam driven turbine generator by systematically determining the fault and taking proper action using approved procedures, precautions and system knowledge for operating in abnormal conditions. His journey with Power4Vets first started when he was introduced to the program thru a fellow co-worker and he enrolled into the program in February 2015. Adam was still on active duty while stationed aboard the USS George W. Bush (CVN-77) homeported out of Norfolk, Virginia when he started the program and the IncSys team facilitated him landing a job as a System Grid Operator with Pacificorp out of Portland, Oregon. Adam now works for Dominion Energy out of their Control Center in Glenn Allen, Virginia. Adam’s persistence, hard work and efforts, along with his dedication truly prepared him for his future career job in the industry and it also helped him in obtaining his NERC RC Certification. Congratulations Adam!
“Words from Adam Herston”
“I entered the Power4Vets Program following a 9 month deployment, and with less than a year to prepare myself for transitioning into the civilian world. Prior to my enrollment, it was nerve racking thinking of how soon my separation was coming up, and how I was going to prove my utility outside of the military to a new employer. Once I finally began the coursework, however, my confidence level increased day by day. The program reviewed and expounded on the training I received from the Navy, while simultaneously familiarizing me with the civilian SCADA system , its components, and the guidelines by which the system is operated. I am extremely pleased with the way the course modules were organized, and also the ease with which feedback could be generated to make things even better which helped me pass my NERC RC Certification. When it came to finding me a job, I was even more pleased. David Miranda did a phenomenal job finding positions in the areas I was looking for, and helping me prepare for the subsequent interviews, and giving me tips on how to follow up. After my experience, there isn’t a fellow veteran I wouldn’t suggest the program to. It has been a great asset to me and friends of mine, and it is a wonderful tool for ensuring that the quality training, received by our service members, doesn’t fall by the wayside as they move on to the next phase of their lives.”