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| At the Navy Yard, workers returned Monday to the scene of a rampage that killed 12 | At the Navy Yard, workers returned Monday to the scene of a rampage that killed 12 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hundreds of Navy Yard workers began returning to Building 197 Monday, the first day the offices there have been open since 12 of their colleagues were killed in a mass shooting 17 months ago. | |
| Just before 8 a.m., they gathered outside the new main entrance to the renamed building, which houses the Naval Sea Systems Command and has received a $6.4 million renovation. They saluted as a flag was raised. A cold rain fell as they prayed for their workplace, where contractor Aaron Alexis stalked cubicles, hallways and stairwells with a sawed-off Remington shotgun on Sept. 16, 2013. | |
| Vice Adm. William Hilarides, who leads NAVSEA, stood at a podium and addressed the crowd. “Seventeen months ago, we got knocked down,” he said, “but we didn’t stay down.” | Vice Adm. William Hilarides, who leads NAVSEA, stood at a podium and addressed the crowd. “Seventeen months ago, we got knocked down,” he said, “but we didn’t stay down.” |
| “The only thing that got us through the tragedy of September 16, was staying together. Today’s about looking forward, but we will never forget those we lost. Getting to this day has not been easy, but we are back.” | “The only thing that got us through the tragedy of September 16, was staying together. Today’s about looking forward, but we will never forget those we lost. Getting to this day has not been easy, but we are back.” |
| Hilarides invoked a Navy tradition when a new ship is launched. “When it touches the water for the first time, there is a christening ceremony,” he said. “Today is our christening ceremony.” | Hilarides invoked a Navy tradition when a new ship is launched. “When it touches the water for the first time, there is a christening ceremony,” he said. “Today is our christening ceremony.” |
| The admiral’s wife, Beverly Hilarides, smashed a bottle of champagne against the brick of the building. The somber crowd clapped. | The admiral’s wife, Beverly Hilarides, smashed a bottle of champagne against the brick of the building. The somber crowd clapped. |
| Then Hilarides commanded workers to “break my flag.” Breaking a flag symbolizes that an admiral is in the building or on board a ship. | Then Hilarides commanded workers to “break my flag.” Breaking a flag symbolizes that an admiral is in the building or on board a ship. |
| The crowd turned toward the river and waited as the admiral’s flag was raised. Hilarides then picked up a brown cardboard box and turned and went inside. Hundreds of workers followed. | The crowd turned toward the river and waited as the admiral’s flag was raised. Hilarides then picked up a brown cardboard box and turned and went inside. Hundreds of workers followed. |
| Inside a space has been dedicated to the 12 people who died in the shooting: Richard “Mike” Ridgell, Michael Arnold, Martin Bodrog, Arthur Daniels Sr., Sylvia Frasier, Kathleen Nark Gaarde, John Roger Johnson, Mary Frances DeLorenzo Knight, Frank Kohler, Vishnu Pandit, Kenneth Bernard Proctor Sr. and Gerald Read. It occupies the old entry area, where Ridgell, a 52-year-old security guard, was killed. | |
| A black granite remembrance wall reads: “We memorialize as heroes those we lost and pledge that their lives and deeds shine forever bright. It was a day when ordinary people became extraordinary heroes and showed that courage lies in us all, even in the face of tragedy. Thousands return to work just days later as a family. They would not let fear keep them away. They had a fleet to put to sea.”-- Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. | |
| Twelve lighted boxes commemorate the 12 victims. Someone had left a bouquet of sunflowers at the base of the wall. Several workers quietly took seats on four marble benches. The Navy has provided comfort dogs — black labs and golden retrievers — to help people grieve and readjust. | |
| The return to the building was emotional for many of the employees. | |
| “It’s a little surreal,” said a 49-year-old engineer. “But it’s good to get back into the building. It’s haunting, a little, thinking of what happened here. But everything is new again.” | “It’s a little surreal,” said a 49-year-old engineer. “But it’s good to get back into the building. It’s haunting, a little, thinking of what happened here. But everything is new again.” |
| When he got to his desk at 5:30 a.m., he said, everything was quiet. “They moved in everything nicely. It’s gone smoothly so far.” | |
| Rory O’Connor, a spokesman for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), said workers began arriving as early as 5 a.m. | Rory O’Connor, a spokesman for the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), said workers began arriving as early as 5 a.m. |
| “I think people are excited,” O’Connor said. “Returning to our work home is a big step forward. The building looks great. People are at their desks. Boxes are waiting to be unpacked. Four hundred people moved in over the weekend. Other workers will return over the next few weeks.” | |
| At about 8:30 a.m., Hilarides clipped a red ribbon opening the renovated building’s café. | |
| “When we were talking about the renovation, the café was the highest priority,” he said. “It would be a place where we gather as a work family. ...It was really important to us to create a space where we can spend time as a Navy family.” | |
| Some Navy Yard employees were looking forward to regaining a sense of normalcy. Others are still so traumatized that they couldn’t bring themselves to reenter. | |
| Beth Ann Cordova lost two co-workers the day of the rampage: Michael Arnold and Richard “Mike” Ridgell. A third person she is close to, Jennifer Bennett, was badly wounded. | |
| Cordova, a 55-year-old executive assistant and data manager, said she would steel herself to head to her new desk. But there are certain parts of the building that she would rather avoid, even after a tour several weeks ago designed to ease her fears. | |
| “I did not wish to go anywhere near where Jennifer had been shot, and I still don’t,” Cordova said. “He hurt my friend. I could have lost her.” | “I did not wish to go anywhere near where Jennifer had been shot, and I still don’t,” Cordova said. “He hurt my friend. I could have lost her.” |
| Cordova knows a group of people who refuse to go back, even as the Navy has renovated the building to erase the worst memories of the mentally ill Alexis, 34, who was killed that day by police. | |
| The Navy has accommodated their wishes by transferring them to other jobs in other buildings, Hilarides said in an interview last week. | |
| Dozens of other workers have retired rather than return. O’Connor said that 132 employees retired between Sept. 15, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2014 — but officials could not break out how many of those departures were prompted by the shooting. Some workers had been offered early retirements to help with budget cuts. | |
| Paul Anderson, a Navy commander and chaplain, said support teams, including chaplains and employee assistance personnel, will help people “reinhabit” the building. | Paul Anderson, a Navy commander and chaplain, said support teams, including chaplains and employee assistance personnel, will help people “reinhabit” the building. |
| “The Navy has done a wonderful job of re-creating that space so that it won’t be haunted by memories and by the unresolved emotions of people who were there that day,” Anderson said. “They have done a herculean effort at reclaiming and rededicating that space. There may be people so traumatized they don’t feel comfortable about being back in there. Some will have to figure out ways to expunge their fear. But the institution has done as much as they can to make the building a safe place.” | “The Navy has done a wonderful job of re-creating that space so that it won’t be haunted by memories and by the unresolved emotions of people who were there that day,” Anderson said. “They have done a herculean effort at reclaiming and rededicating that space. There may be people so traumatized they don’t feel comfortable about being back in there. Some will have to figure out ways to expunge their fear. But the institution has done as much as they can to make the building a safe place.” |
| The overhaul of the building includes new offices, doors, windows and carpet. Even the entrance has been moved. Outside, there are concrete steps, benches and windows where the entrance used to be. | |
| The building’s redesign includes soothing new paint colors — daffodil yellow, freshwater blue, parakeet apple green. The new cafeteria and a visitors’ center are located near a Starbucks kiosk. Soundproof glass walls enclose a former atrium to help reduce noise. | |
| The building has been renamed in honor of Joshua Humphreys, who designed the first Navy frigates. Hilarides said a new name was an important reminder of NAVSEA’s resilience. | The building has been renamed in honor of Joshua Humphreys, who designed the first Navy frigates. Hilarides said a new name was an important reminder of NAVSEA’s resilience. |
| A task force of NAVSEA employees oversaw the renovation of the historic brick building, which had been used during World War II to assemble guns for battleships. | A task force of NAVSEA employees oversaw the renovation of the historic brick building, which had been used during World War II to assemble guns for battleships. |
| During the renovation, Building 197’s workers were relocated to a former Coast Guard facility at Buzzard Point in Southwest Washington. | During the renovation, Building 197’s workers were relocated to a former Coast Guard facility at Buzzard Point in Southwest Washington. |
| On Saturday, movers began carrying in files and installing computers for the first wave of returning workers, O’Connor said. Other workers will return on a staggered weekly move-in schedule over the next nine weeks. | On Saturday, movers began carrying in files and installing computers for the first wave of returning workers, O’Connor said. Other workers will return on a staggered weekly move-in schedule over the next nine weeks. |
| Hilarides acknowledged that some workers are struggling with the return. To help, NAVSEA organized groups of employees to tour the building in small groups in recent weeks. | Hilarides acknowledged that some workers are struggling with the return. To help, NAVSEA organized groups of employees to tour the building in small groups in recent weeks. |
| “We didn’t want anyone to say, ‘The first day I go back in the building is the first day I go back to work,’ ” he said. | “We didn’t want anyone to say, ‘The first day I go back in the building is the first day I go back to work,’ ” he said. |
| Cordova said her tour was extremely helpful. “I was on the ‘Who’s going to have a problem?’ tour, ” she said, adding that she was reassured by all the changes she found. “It looked different, and I thought, ‘I can deal with this.’ ” | Cordova said her tour was extremely helpful. “I was on the ‘Who’s going to have a problem?’ tour, ” she said, adding that she was reassured by all the changes she found. “It looked different, and I thought, ‘I can deal with this.’ ” |
| But not everyone came to that conclusion. One woman on a different tour had an anxiety attack a quarter of the way through the first floor and had to leave, according to someone who was with her. She isn’t scheduled to move into the building until March and will try to visit again. | But not everyone came to that conclusion. One woman on a different tour had an anxiety attack a quarter of the way through the first floor and had to leave, according to someone who was with her. She isn’t scheduled to move into the building until March and will try to visit again. |