Two Generations, One Mission

Two Generations, One Mission

By MC1 Adora Okafor TRFB

Silverdale, Wash. -

At Trident Refit Facility, Bangor (TRFB), service runs deep, not just in the daily operations, but within the workforce. Craig Randle Sr. and his son, Craig Randle Jr., are part of a unique subset at TRFB, the subset of generational family members who work at the facility, contributing to the maintenance of the U.S. Navy's SSBNs.

Before joining the TRFB team, Craig Sr. worked as a federal police officer in Bremerton. Formerly a Boatswain's Mate in the Navy, Craig Sr. was no stranger to hands-on work. It wasn't until he observed riggers working hard on the pier of Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton that he found the new path he wanted to pursue. He was immediately drawn to the work of the riggers, who handle the movement of heavy equipment throughout the facility.

"I saw the riggers on the pier while patrolling, and I talked with them," he recalled. "After speaking with human resources, I got an interview. I became a rigger at Bremerton, and within six months, I transferred here and have been at Bangor ever since."

Craig Sr. takes great pride in his work and knowing that his role is essential for the safe operations of lifting parts. However, what brings Craig Sr. even more pride and joy is seeing his son, Craig Jr., commonly referred to as by his peers at work as "Junior", settling into a stable job and now working alongside him at TRFB. As a parent, Craig Sr. knows the importance of stability and supporting one's family, both are principles he values.

"I get to see him every day, and I'm proud to see him learning and working," he said. "He's a married man now, so he has to take care of his family. I want him and my other kids to have a stable future."

Craig Jr. started at TRFB in May 2024. He first learned about the job opportunities at the submarine maintenance facility through his father, and after attending TRFB job fair twice, he landed his current role as a machinist. While Craig Jr. didn't know much about the job initially, the job fair sparked his interests, and he became very excited about this new opportunity.

"My dad told me about the job fair they had, and I didn't even know machining existed," said Craig Jr. "My job is to cut metal to the dimensions on the blueprint. We're here to support the subs or boats' needs."

Though their roles differ, the father and son sometimes find themselves working together. Their roles may intersect when Craig Sr. assists with lifts for his son's shop. Craig Jr. said he appreciates the professional guidance he has received from his father while on the job.

"It's fun working and seeing my dad walk around every day," said Craig Jr. "We eat lunch together and carpool. Everyone at my job messes with me now because everyone knows my dad, so I'm now considered 'Junior'."

Family has always been at the heart of Craig Sr.'s career, and is his motivation for everything. He recalled a difficult time when Craig Jr., who had sickle cell anemia, underwent a bone marrow transplant in 2016. According to Craig Sr., the entire rigger shop showed up for him and his family during their time of need. He credits that as one of the reasons he has stayed at TRFB all these years.

"We thought we were going to lose him," he recalled. "Now he's healthy, he's clear of sickle cell. The whole rigger shop came to help me with my property when my son was in the hospital. That's why I've stayed with them all these years, because it was very family oriented."

Craig Jr. says that his favorite part about his job are his coworkers. Looking ahead, he is focused on improving his skills as a machinist and hopes to eventually move up to a toolmaker position. Additionally, he plans to continue to pursue his college degree, as education is another shared value amongst the Randle family.

"My coworkers are hilarious, and they make the day go by real fast," he shared. "Other than my coworkers, I just enjoy the job in general. Machining has been fun for me. I just want to get better at what I'm doing."