NUWC Keyport

05/27/2026

At Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport’s Hawthorne Operating Site in Hawthorne, Nevada, a team of technicians and logistics specialists works tirelessly to keep the warfighter equipped and mission-ready. The site, which turns 50 this November, has a long history of providing essential logistics and ordnance maintenance support to the Fleet. Click this link to get the full story: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/566132/team-behind-nuwc-division-keyports-hawthorne-operating-site.

At Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport’s Hawthorne Operating Site in Hawthorne, Nevada, a team of technicians and logistics specialists works tirelessly to keep the warfighter equipped and mission-ready. The site, which turns 50 this November, has a long history of providing essential ...

05/25/2026

Gone but never forgotten. Remembering the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

05/22/2026

Ahead of Memorial Day, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport Commanding Officer CAPT Brandon Monaghan and Technical Director John Kenney joined Keyport military personnel and civilian employees to place American flags along the entrance medians at the Naval Base Kitsap, Keyport main gate on Thursday, May 21. Organized by the command’s Veterans Employee Program lead by Joseph Williams, the annual flag placement event serves to honor and remember those who gave their lives in defense of our nation.



"Monday is a solemn occasion dedicated to honoring the brave service members who have laid down their lives to defend our Nation," said CAPT Monaghan. "Let us pause to remember the extraordinary individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure our way of life. Thank you to everyone who participated in yesterday's flag placement at the Keyport Main Gate so that we can all remember and reflect as we come into to work."

05/22/2026

Ahead of Memorial Day, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport Commanding Officer CAPT Brandon Monaghan and Technical Director John Kenney joined Keyport military personnel and civilian employees to place American flags along the entrance medians at the Naval Base Kitsap, Keyport Main Gate on Thursday, May 21. Organized by the command’s Veterans Employee Program lead by Joseph Williams, the annual flag placement event serves to honor and remember those who gave their lives in defense of our nation.

“Monday is a solemn occasion dedicated to honoring the brave service members who have laid down their lives to defend our Nation,” said CAPT Monaghan. “Let us pause to remember the extraordinary individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice to secure our way of life. Thank you to everyone who participated in the flag placement at the Keyport Main Gate so that we can all remember and reflect as we come into work.”

05/21/2026

NUWC Division, Keyport Commanding Officer CAPT Brandon Monaghan joined personnel at our Hawthorne Operating Site for the 75th annual Nevada Armed Forces Day parade in Hawthorne, NV May 16! 🇺🇸

This year, the command’s float was designed to showcase our operational capabilities while paying solemn tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. The float featured several unique historical and training displays, including:

▪️An exercise and training asset mimicking a Quick Strike Mine

▪️An MK 56 magnetic air-delivered underwater mine

▪️An exercise MK 6 round ball in an MK 49 configuration

▪️A retired mine neutralization vehicle, modified to represent the USS Nevada (SSBN 733) ⚓

▪️Most importantly, the float included tombstones honoring fallen service members from conflicts throughout US history. We are humbled to remember their legacy and sacrifice.

Thank you to the Hawthorne community for coming out to celebrate and support our Armed Forces, and to all Hawthorne Site employees who contributed to this year's float!

05/11/2026

Sustaining our warfighting advantage requires a dedicated team of experts committed to Fleet readiness. Among these experts is Security Specialist Kevin McPherson, known for his superb problem-solving skills, positive attitude, approachability, deep expertise in information and operations security, and dedication to the mission.

“Kevin is an absolute rock star; he is one of security’s main stakeholders and a great team player,” said one coworker. “He gets out of the office when he can and gets to know people on a personal level while finding security issues and providing on-the-spot training.”

Another coworker added, “What I appreciate most about working with Kevin is his unwavering reliability and positive attitude. You can always count on him to not only deliver high-quality work but also to support his colleagues and maintain a solution-oriented mindset, even in high-pressure situations.”

A Carthage, Missouri native, Kevin was drawn to law enforcement and criminal justice from a young age and originally wanted to join the U.S. Marshals. Instead, he enlisted in the Navy with his twin brother, Keith, “on a whim,” in his words. “He's my identical twin, and we went through boot camp together and were assigned to the same first ship, USS Abraham Lincoln,” said Kevin. Kevin went on to become a master-at-arms and traveled around the world as a criminal investigator, working alongside agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. After 20 years of active service, he retired as chief of police at Naval Base Ventura County.

After retiring from the Navy, Kevin worked for six months for a private investigation firm, then began working at Keyport as a contractor providing administrative management support. He began his civilian career at Keyport in 2020 as an information security program manager in the Security Department. He spent about two and a half years in that role, followed by two years as a security program manager at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia, before assuming his current position at Keyport in 2024.

Along the way, Kevin earned a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice, a Master of Science in strategic intelligence and a Bachelor of Arts in business program management.

Through his efforts to safeguard critical infrastructure and train personnel on operational and information security protocols, Kevin directly supports the fourth and fifth Naval Sea Systems Command Enterprise Strategy lines of effort: “Strengthen the Navy Team” and “Strengthen the Foundation.”

Outside of work, Kevin is an avid marathon runner who also enjoys hiking, fly fishing, singing karaoke and spending time with his 140-pound Great Dane puppy, Jax. He gives back to his community through his roles as secretary of a national law enforcement fraternity and as a volunteer for a nonprofit that helps rehabilitate wounded veterans through fly-fishing and fly-tying classes.

05/06/2026

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport’s Hawthorne Operating Site, located in Hawthorne, Nevada, marks its 50th anniversary this November. For five decades, the site has been a cornerstone of U.S. naval undersea dominance, providing capabilities ranging from in-service mine logistics to depot-level repair to demilitarization to precious metals reclamation. Check out the full story here: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/564420/legacy-undersea-warfare-innovation-nuwc-division-keyport-hawthorne-site-50th-anniversary-series.

05/04/2026

Sustaining our warfighting advantage requires a dedicated team of experts committed to Fleet readiness. Among these experts is Michael Calkins, a lead planner in NUWC Division, Keyport’s Intermediate Maintenance Activity known for his superb technical skills, work ethic, problem-solving ability and commitment to mentoring new employees.

A West Richland, Washington native, Michael was passionate about mechanics from a young age. He became a bicycle mechanic at 13 and later joined a local track crew where he helped build a bomber-class race car that competed at the Tri-City Raceway.

After finishing high school, Michael enlisted in the Navy as an aviation structural mechanic working on ejection seats and liquid oxygen systems. He deployed to Afghanistan, Turkey and Bahrain and served aboard several aircraft carriers, including USS Forrestal (CV 59), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and USS Constellation (CV 64). After 23 years of service, Michael retired from the Navy in 2008 as a chief petty officer.

That same year, he began working as an ordnance helper at Keyport’s IMA. He later advanced to the positions of engineering technician, junior planner and then his current role, in which he manages production schedules and ensures the timely delivery of high-quality weapons to the Fleet. His work directly supports the first and second Naval Sea Systems Command Enterprise Strategy Lines of Effort: “Accelerate Force Generation" and "Generate Readiness.”

Michael’s colleagues praised both his performance at his job and his unwavering dedication to the Keyport team.

“Mike has become the trusted person for scheduling and production questions, always ready to share his knowledge and support team members,” said Michael’s supervisor. “He consistently demonstrates the highest level of professionalism.”

According to a coworker, Michael is “first in and last out and willing to help everyone. I greatly value Michael’s professionalism and commitment. He is an exceptionally reliable and collaborative team member who consistently demonstrates his dedication to the mission. He has a strong sense of team-oriented success and is always willing to step in and support his colleagues.”

Outside of work, Michael enjoys cooking, sharing new recipes, and spending time with his nephews and grandson. He is a Washington State University Cougars fan, and he has three Maltese dogs and a stray tuxedo cat named Sister Mary Margaret.

04/29/2026

NUWC Division, Keyport Commanding Officer CAPT Brandon Monaghan, along with members of the Keyport and PSNS & IMF STEM Outreach Programs, supported the Fourth Annual Navy Robotics Challenge April 25, hosted this year at Olympic High School.

Monaghan delivered welcoming remarks alongside CAPT CJ England from PSNS & IMF.

"Robotics challenges like this one cultivate curiosity, logic, teamwork, and problem-solving skills," said Monaghan. "To get your robots ready for today, you’ve had to ask questions, experiment, adapt, and most importantly, work together. These are the exact skills that will prepare you for the future, no matter what career path you ultimately choose."

Held each April, this event challenges students to apply their knowledge of computer science and teaming and troubleshooting skills to build and operate robots. This year's competition drew more than 300 community members and included 48 student teams competing to lead their pre-programed robots around — or over — various obstacles, traversing rough terrain and a variety of challenges as families and teachers cheered from the stands.

The STEM Outreach Program at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport continues to inspire future innovators, supporting Navy readiness and strengthening community partnerships by engaging students of all ages.

04/27/2026

Sustaining our warfighting advantage requires a dedicated team of experts committed to Fleet readiness. Among these experts is Floro Dioquino. During his four years so far at NUWC Division, Keyport, Floro has proven himself as an exceptionally knowledgeable, dedicated network on-site representative.

A Redlands, California native and the son of a submariner, Floro enlisted in the Navy as a navigation electronics technician shortly after completing high school. He went on to serve aboard USS Santa Fe (SSN 763), conduct maintenance work on the Advanced SEAL Delivery System at SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team One, and earn the rare title of Golden Shellback, awarded to Sailors who cross the equator at the same time as the International Date Line. He also served as a local area network administrator on USS Olympia (SSN 717) and USS Cheyenne (SSN 773). After 20 years of service, Floro retired as a petty officer first class (E-6).

He then spent six years as a configuration manager contractor at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam before beginning his current position at NUWC Division, Keyport Detachment Pacific, in 2022.

Along the way, he earned an Associate of Applied Science in applied electrical studies. He also holds a security+ cybersecurity certification.

Colleagues praised Floro’s technical competence, customer support skills and friendly personality.

“He's a former submariner, so he definitely gets it from the Sailor side as far as what these guys are going through on a day-to-day basis,” said his supervisor. “He displays a lot of initiative and a desire to do the job. The Sailors enjoy having him support them. He definitely cares about the Fleet, and he likes his job.”

“He's an incredible guy,” added one coworker. “He's always super supportive when the boats are asking for anything and goes out of his way to make sure that they've got everything they need. He's a genuinely good person and it's an absolute pleasure to work with him.”

Another coworker said, “His main strength is his attention to detail. He’s good about following the procedures and getting stuff going for the boats.”

Outside of work, Floro enjoys singing karaoke and rooting for the Chicago Bears. He is married with three Labrador Retrievers and is a self-described “Disneyland/Disneyworld enthusiast.”