Silverdale, Wash. –
SILVERDALE, Wash. – Trident Refit Facility, Bangor’s (TRFB) mission is powered by a dynamic workforce of nearly 2,000 individuals, each contributing unique skillsets and unwavering dedication to ensuring the nation’s Ohio-Class SSBN submarine fleet is maintained on schedule. Recognizing the pivotal role of welfare in fostering a healthy and engaged workforce, TRFB’s Welfare and Recreation Committee (WRC) stands as a cornerstone for boosting morale and supporting the command’s goal of making TRFB the most desirable place to work.
The WRC is currently seeking new members to join their team to support upcoming fundraising and morale events such as burger burns, Family Day, and the annual holiday party.
While the WRC is known for offering delicious food and TRFB merchandise, the purpose may not be as well known to some. The WRC is a part of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Civilian Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (CMWR) program, established and operated to serve the needs and interests of all federal employees on DoD installations. These programs also contribute to the recruitment and retention of the civilian workforce, who are a vital part of the DoD, filling nearly 950,000 critical positions worldwide.
The committee’s fundraising events and merchandise sales are reinvested to support command morale, ultimately paying dividends for the hardworking workforce of TRFB.
For the past few years, TRFB Sailors have held the majority of WRC board member roles, with the exception of last year when Yolanda Adcock served as president. Adcock, who works a swing shift, came in outside of working hours to contribute to the WRC and support the welfare of the workforce. Adcock will retire later this year and decided to step down from her role.
Gas Turbine Mechanic 2nd Class Charles Hickox is currently the acting WRC president. He first learned about the committee through Sailors in his work center who served as WRC board members. He was recruited to help with a few burger burns, in which the WRC fires up the grill and cooks fresh burgers and hotdogs to raise funds for the command. Hickox enjoyed the camaraderie the WRC provided, but quickly realized the amount of preparation and time it takes to make burger burns and other events happen.
“These events are a lot of work, and sometimes we only have three or four people show up to help,” said Hickox. “Anybody can volunteer to help with the WRC events, and the more volunteers we have, the better the events and fundraising activities will be.”
Hickox mentioned that there seems to be a misconception regarding TRFB civilians' eligibility to join or take on roles within the committee. He emphasized that civilian involvement authorized and encouraged.
“Of course, there are instances where production would take priority, just because that’s the nature of this command,” acknowledged Hickox. “However, since the majority of TRFB's workforce are civilians, it would be beneficial for them to attend these meetings and offer suggestions on ways to improve the command. We have our meetings every other Monday at 10 a.m., around the lunch hour, to accommodate as many people as possible.”
In the future, Hickox hopes to see new faces regularly attending the WRC meetings and actively participating in events. With additional members, the committee can host events more frequently, offer more functions to those who work on Delta Pier and during backshifts, and also raise additional funds for the command’s annual holiday party. Recently, Hickox created a Teams group for those interested in joining the WRC or volunteering to help with Family Day.
“Being in the WRC is fun,” said Hickox. “It’s a great group of people, and we do our best to support the command’s welfare. The more people that join, the merrier.”
For further details on the WRC, please visit TRFB’s SharePoint page for updated information on upcoming events and meetings.
––Trident Refit Facility, Bangor––