We congratulate the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on 125 years of … where do we begin?

— Shoring up our nation’s defense, and the defense of our allies abroad.

— Setting the standard for opportunities, regardless of race, creed or gender.

— Leading in the development and use of technology.

— Supporting our communities through volunteer efforts and philanthropic giving.

— Bolstering our economy. PSNS is the largest employer in Kitsap County, with an annual payroll of nearly $1.5 billion that filters down into our communities.

This edition includes a 36-page special section celebrating the 125th year since Puget Sound Naval Shipyard was established. (As you’ll read, the section is as much about the history of Bremerton, which was planned as a community that year; the city was incorporated 10 years later, on Oct. 15, 1901. Their histories are intertwined.)

Within the pages of “PSNS: 125,” you’ll read about the history of the shipyard, the concomitant growth of Bremerton and the region, famous ships that visited or were drydocked here (among them ships damaged in the attack on Pearl Harbor), workplace diversity through the years, labor relations, the shipyard’s economic impact on the region, employees’ stories, and information on how to become a PSNS employee and continue the tradition.

Included in the section is a message from Capt. Howard B. Markle, commander of PSNS, and a three-page timeline of PSNS from 1891 to 2016.

Of Sound Publishing’s newspapers in Kitsap County, one dates back to the same year as the founding of PSNS; others were established in 1901, 1925, 1983 and 1999. Each newspaper’s archive is filled with stories documenting the role of the shipyard in our nation’s defense and our economy, and the individuals and families that are PSNS.

Congratulations, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, on 125 years. We thank you, and we look forward to the innovations in defense that the next 125 years will bring.