Support Analyst at DDL OMNI Engineering
Navy Sonar tech and survivor from the attack on the USS Cole continues to help strengthen America’s defenses after retirement.
by Warren Duffi
On Oct. 12, 2000, Navy Master Chief Paul Abney was relaxing in the chiefs’ mess of the USS Cole. Suddenly, a deafening explosion rocked the ship, filling the mess with choking black smoke.
Dazed, Abney and several comrades escaped to the nearby galley, which bore the brunt of the blast. Death and destruction were everywhere. Trapped, the group made its way to the false bulkhead in the CPO mess, banging on it and shouting for help until they were rescued.
“The Lord was looking out for me the day of the [terrorist] attack,” says Abney, 49. “I only received a black eye while the chief across from me died.”
That brush with death infused Abney with a renewed appreciation for life – a zeal that helped him make a successful transition from military to civilian employment. Abney is a Support Analyst at the Virginia Beach office of DDL OMNI Engineering – a government contracting firm that provides engineering and technical services to a variety of military and federal agencies.
On the Job
Abney is a team member on a research project for the Navy’s Undersea Warfare Decision Support System (USWDSS). The project involves building a measurement tool to determine the readiness of USWDSS assets to respond to national emergencies and crises.
“One thing that helps me in my job is that I have great contacts from my Navy days,” Abney says. “Toward the end of my career, I was in San Diego and Norfolk helping to develop new sonar technologies. I know a lot of the players in this arena.” DDL OMNI Engineering provides systems and structural engineering, information technology, planning and training, war-gaming, integrated logistic support, test and evaluation, and environmental services to a wide variety of government and commercial clients.
With headquarters in McLean, Virginia, DDL OMNI maintains facilities and field sites throughout the U.S. — including Washington, D.C.; Norfolk, and Virginia Beach, Va.; Waterford, Conn.; Newport, R.I.; White Sands Missile Range, N.M.; San Diego, Calif.; and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
DDL OMNI’s clients include the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice, to name a few.
In Uniform
A native of Orlando, Fla., Abney enlisted in the Navy in 1977 to take advantage of the G.I. Bill. After basic training at the Orlando Naval Training Center, he attended sonar “A” school in San Diego. During his career, he served on USS Dale, USS John Rogers, USS Lake Champlain, and USS Cole as well as in San Diego and Norfolk.
In April 2007 – after 30 years of service – Abney left the Navy. To prepare, he took several TAP and résumé-writing classes and attended various job fairs and networking events. After announcing his retirement to friends within the sonar community, a buddy who served with Abney on the USS Cole told him about an opening with DDL OMNI.
“The company immediately appealed to me,” Abney says. “It’s small, responsive, the kind of people you can do business over a handshake with.
“And though the pay and benefits are good – the dental coverage is better than the Navy’s – what I like best is the people,” he continues. “About 80 percent of my co-workers are veterans, so we have that shared experience and can relate to our military clients.”
Abney’s Advice
Stay in touch with your military contacts. “You’ll never know when your military network might help you with a civilian project.
Don’t worry. “A lot of great people can help you make your transition. Take advantage of TAP and other transition classes. These are valuable resources that can really ease your stress level.”