New Job

Family,

Remember this blog? Well it's been over a year since I've posted, which means over a year since anyone has posted.

I just wanted to give an update on my latest job change. I am now a contracting D&D engineer out at the Plutonium Finishing Plant in the 200 West region of Hanford. Here is general fact sheet about the site that will give you an overview.

So the idea is to take the plant down piece by piece, safely and dispose of the pieces properly. Sort of like a reverse jigsaw puzzle. My job is to get in there and measure, research, and provide technical guidance how the operators should take the pieces out without spreading the nuke-nasties all over. When I go in for walk-downs (about twice a week) , I have to dress up like this:

Notice the enthusiastic look on my face. If the contamination goes airborn, I've got to don this outfit:

but that isn't expected to happen often. Normally engineers don't go in if "stuff" goes airborn.

A good book on the Hanford legacy was written by my co-worker's mom, a local PHD, entitled On the Home Front. This is pretty technical, but a great read.

So that's my latest, but what I would really like to do is use this blog again, especially getting updates from all the other cousins and relatives who have interesting jobs. Shannon, what's your latest? Jimmy, Brian Cooke, what is it you guys do? Anna, does everyone know your new title? It would be good to know how we cover the professional gamut.

Most importantly, this would be a good medium to document Collin's upcoming experience doing his part to serve this great nation.

Ok, I'll end with a photo of my two favorites:

Bye-bye.

JDR