Another Nuclear Whistle Blow

My experience of being a modest carpenter who was thrust into a lofty discipline and whose efforts accrued to the credit of "real" engineers who signed for them.

The practice of employing apprentices and coops to perform tasks that a licensed person must take responsibility for is called a "contractual relationship" whose purpose is to lower the cost of a project, One benefit of such a relationship is that it provides trainees a wage while learning the trade, craft, or discipline. My experience was an anomaly in that I was not trained or educated to the lofty discipline "Startup Engineer." My bearing, inate skill, and Intuitive reckoning were such that I was presumed to be qualified. These attributes were good enough for my contractor to represent me to a general contractor as qualified. By contractual relationship my qualification was not an issue because a licensed engineer would be responsible for and take credit for my work. I indeed made some substantial contributions to the startup of four nuclear power plants. I was never acknowledged or given credit for those contributions.

Leo Burrell was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan a long, long time ago, and raised in the Ann Arbor - Ypsilanti area when Washtenaw Avenue between them was a gravel road lined with farms. He was a member of Boy Scout troop 47 whose Scoutmaster was Floyd L. Smith, Principal of Woodruff Elementary School. His Scout training and Mr. Smith’s influence were an important part of his up-bringing. His bearing and communication skills have landed him some interesting jobs - without a Degree that would have otherwise qualified him. Sometimes it was enough that he “knew” how to do a thing. He is an Independent Scholar whose positive attitude and confidence in his knowledge and ability have carried him far beyond what his formal education warrants. Mr. Burrell met Frances Morrison while a student at God’s Bible School & College in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were married at her home church in Huntington, West Virginia Aug. 26. 1956. They now live in retirement in Fran’s homestead in Huntington, WV. They have four daughters - Beverly, Terri, Sandra, and Pamela, His motivation for “keeping on keeping on” when adversity tripped him up has been Philippians 4:13 . . . “I can do all things through Christ - which things having done, strengthens me for the next challenge.” Paraphrased.