BREMERTON, Wash. –
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility held a C.A.R.E. pledge event June 8, to reinforce the command’s commitment to respect and equality for all members of the workforce.
Thousands of employees signed C.A.R.E. pledges and C.A.R.E. banners during the event, held at eight locations throughout the shipyard, staffed by shipyard leadership and volunteers from the Diversity Leadership Council, Employee Resource Groups, the Command Anti-Harassment and Discrimination and Employee Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Teams. Everyone who signed the pledge received a C.A.R.E. sticker, which they are authorized and encouraged to display on their hardhats.
C.A.R.E., which stands for character, action, respect and engagement, involves employees voluntarily signing a pledge to respect all individuals and to take action if they observe discrimination, racist behavior or racist speech.
Capt. Dianna Wolfson, PSNS & IMF commander, realized the potential need to raise social awareness among members of the workforce following the killing of George Floyd and nationwide protests. Wolfson, Rear Adm. Stephen D. Barnett, Navy Region Northwest commander; Capt. Rich Rhinehart, Naval Base Kitsap commanding officer; Capt. Alan Schrader, Navy Region Northwest chief of staff and their Command Master Chiefs, along with representatives from both unions, Bremerton Metal Trades Council and International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, walked to each table, signing all eight pledge banners.
“Discrimination of any kind should be more than just intolerable; it should be unthinkable, a virtual impossibility based on values so deeply ingrained in our command,” Wolfson said. “I want each and every member of our workforce to know that they are unequivocally valued by me and our shipyard, and they will be treated with dignity and respect while at work.”
The C.A.R.E. pledge was launched at the command in November 2019 as a voluntary way for employees to demonstrate that their actions were aligned with their words. The Command Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Team developed the pledge as a way to show that PSNS & IMF stands up against harassment and discrimination.
“I am proud of every employee who participated in this event,” Wolfson said. “I hope this initiative opens the door for dialog among various social and racial groups within our workforce so they can talk with each other respectfully about issues that are important to them. Respectful and open-minded conversations help broaden all of our perspective and help us to understand each other’s point of view.”