Sailors whether on shore or on a deployable vessel are provided with many opportunities through the Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) department to make their leisure time more enjoyable. MWR provides single and married Sailors with inexpensive trips, exercise classes and equipment, liberty center activities, and much more.

Being on a submarine, whether underway or in port can sometimes involve a lot of training to prepare for upcoming patrols, but in between all that, Sailors can use items provided by MWR.

The staff of USS Kentucky (SSBN 737 Gold) knows that a happy Sailor is a productive Sailor, so in order to ensure their shipmates have all the necessary items to be happy, they called upon MWR for a morale booster.

“The local MWR has been incredible. They provide us with exercise equipment to keep us in shape, they run our fitness enhancement program, and we recently asked MWR for some entertainment equipment, and received approximately $3,000 worth of X Box items funded through Commander Naval Installations (CNI).

The crew was in awe with the purchase because a lot of our guys like to play video games on their off time, so everyone thought it was a great thing for big Navy to do,” said Lt. j.g. Michael Aldrich, USS Kentucky (Gold) supply officer.

“All we had to do was ask MWR if they could help us out, and they went above and beyond to make it happen.”

Aldrich went on to say that the entertainment equipment wouldn’t have been possible without MWR

“The Gold staff wouldn’t have been able to buy this dollar amount worth of entertainment equipment, so we’re extremely grateful to Chris Warthen, West Sound Fleet and Ashore Sailor Service manager, who went out and purchased all of the stuff, and Chip Sharp, CNI’s Pacific Fleet unit recreation fund inspector for helping out as well.”

Aldrich encourages all tenant commands whether they deploy or not to take advantage of what MWR has to offer.

“MWR is an organization that does so much, but doesn’t always get the recognition they deserve. It’s important that commands in the area know what they do, and why they are here for Sailors and their families.”