Since the establishment of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) in 1891, the Navy has been and continues to be a prominent presence in the Kitsap region. In 1977, it expanded the scope of the Bangor Annex by developing it into Naval Submarine Base Bangor, and in 2004, PSNS and Naval Submarine Base Bangor were combined into Naval Base Kitsap.
In addition to the Navy, the Coast Guard has performed a prominent role in the Pacific Northwest since 1852. They function as maritime security, safety, and national defense including search and rescue operations and escorting submarines for the Bangor Trident Base. We count on the Coast Guard to protect our Washington State Ferry System.
Many Navy and Coast Guard personnel arrive here from across the United States and from U.S. Territories such as Puerto Rico and American Samoa. Service members, serving the United States under specific programs, also come from the Republic of the Philippines, Jamaica, Sierra Leone and other countries, thus increasing diversity to the region. The Kitsap region's population may quickly increase, or decrease, by two to three thousand individuals depending upon the arrival or departure of an aircraft carrier or other vessels.
Military personnel and their families arriving in Kitsap County may depend on connecting to the culture of the area based on what they hear from their shipmates or from information provided by their command. The Navy maintains www.navylifepnw.com to assist people with adjusting to life in the Kitsap region, Whidbey Island and Everett.
Experience Kitsap strives to provide information that supports the cultural interests of service members and their families across as broad a scope of activities and events as possible. Our goal is to post up to date information that service members and their families can benefit from whether they are here for months, years or a lifetime!