Morale, Welfare, & Recreation Onboard USS SHOUP

by Petty Officer 2nd Class Siada Tisdale

10 July 2023 Japan -- The Morale, Welfare, and Recreation team has been vital in the continuous development of moral for the crew onboard USS Shoup.

With multiple events scheduled weekly during extended underway periods, the MWR team has precisely executed every event from Karaoke & Bingo nights to the most recently executed Steel Beach picnic.

This year’s MWR team has made tireless efforts to cater to the rigorous work environment of every Sailor onboard. At the start of the year, the MWR committee entrusted OS2 Tisdale (President), QM2 Maza (Vice President), LS1 Krzak (Secretary), SN Lemon & FC3 Crenshaw (Events Coordinators) and LS3 Davis (Master of Keys), with the task of giving the Sailors what they desperately needed, which was something to look forward too.

The team has continued to provide the crew with an escape from the mental strain of their demanding jobs.

This team’s first major event that really hit a home run with the crew was Karaoke Night on the Messdecks, this event gives Sailors of all ranks the opportunity to sing their hearts out to any genre of their choosing. Another fan favorite is Trivia Tuesdays, the MWR team creates trivia questions based on a variety of topics to include movies, sports, music, Disney characters, etc. At the end of every Trivia, the top three winners are rewarded a prize from the MWR prize inventory.

Newly added to the roster has been Bingo Night, each time the committee has grasped max participation from the crew by an excellent show of comradery. Even the Commanding Officer takes a break from his busy schedule to enjoy a few hours of fun and laughter on the messdecks with Sailors.

The committee’s biggest event this year has been their 90’s/2000’s themed Steel Beach, in the words of sailors onboard, “this has been the best Steel Beach this ship has ever had!” With the help of other associations onboard, the MWR team provided the crew with a day of golfing on the flight deck, card games, fun music, and everyone’s favorite, mocktails.

The MWR team onboard this Arleigh Burke destroyer take pride in giving the crew the chance to reset. With every event big or small, smiles are on display everywhere on the deck plates motivating the association to strive harder for the mighty Shoup warriors.