Silent Service (U.S. Navy Submarine Duty)

Silent Service (U.S. Navy Submarine Duty)Silent Service (U.S. Navy Submarine Duty)There are three types of submarines in the United States Navy arsenal, however all require a nuclear power plant and highly educated and qualified personnel to operate these2.4 billion dollar weapon systems. The three types of submarines are fast attack submarines (SSN), ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), and cruise guided missile submarines (SSGN). The fast attack are typically smaller and faster than the other subs and have more of a tactical mission of ship and submarine attacks, intelligence gathering, even launching cruise missiles. However, the newly converted SSGN (cruise missile submarines) are updated former ballistic missile submarines and have the most advanced technology capable of launching cruise missiles, mini-submarines, and special operations personnel. The following story is about the life onboard a ballistic missile submarine whose main mission is the strategic defense of ur nation as it is loaded with nuclear ballistic missiles that can be launched from below the surface from anywhere in the worlds oceans. Life Onboard A SSBN Meet Machinists Mate 3rd Class Trevor Kopp and his 154 teammates who all are stationed in Kings Bay, Georgia, one of the Navys submarine bases. These teammates call a 560 foot-long steel boat with no windows, no fantail, and in the event of a casualty no easy escape - home. These teammates are submariners. Every submariner is familiar with the dangers involved with living and travelling the worlds seas underwater can bring. But they go to sea anyway, cruising below the oceans stealth and concealment. Most people, many Sailors included, think theyre crazy. But like any family, when nobody else understands them, they understand each other. To be a submariner you have to be different, said Murtha. It takes a unique mindset to handle being isolated from people, the sun, and fresh air as long as we are. Most people just cant handle the thought of being underwater, but submariners never really think about it. We try to tell people that being submerged at 400 feet is just like sitting on yur couch in the living room, but I guess they just cant get past having that much water above their heads. Everyone Can Save The Boat - Damage Control Murthas words go a long way in understanding why the submarine warfare qualification process, the one and only passage into the Dolphin-wearing brotherhood, has always been mandatory. Earning your Dolphins is what signifies to the rest of the crew that you can and will be trusted with our lives, said Electronics Technician 2nd Class (SS) Joseph Brugeman. I know everyone aboard personally, and that level of familiarity allows me to trust them in a casualty situation. I couldnt imagine trusting my life and the life of the boat with anyone I didnt know personally. If youre on my boat and youre wearing Dolphins, then I trust you, period. I dont care if youre a yeoman, cook, missile t echnician or mechanic I know youve got my back. It doesnt get any more intimate than that. When a new Sailor reports aboard any submarine and gets his boats submarine warfare qualification card, hell find blocks for pneumatics, hydraulics, sonar and even the weapons systems. What he wont find any signatures for is the very thing that wearing Dolphins is all about trust. But once youre wearing them, trust is the one thing that rank and rating knowledge cant compare to. Wearing Dolphins means much more than knowing how to draw all of the boats hydraulic, steam, electronic and air systems, said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class (SS) Jeff Smith, the Blue Crews night baker. It means more than being able to explain how a drop of seawater outside the boat makes it into your cup in the galley. No, wearing Dolphins means that the crew trusts you to know how to save the boat regardless of the casualty, and regardless of your rating or rank. Earning that trust makes you much more than a profess ional Sailor, it makes you a member of the submarine family. On my boat, said CDR Robert Palisin, Maines Blue Crew commanding officer, everyone is expected to know how to save the boat. We dont discriminate based on what your rating or even your rank is. My cooks should and do know how to fight a fire in the engine room, just like my nuclear-trained mechanics are expected to know how to isolate a power supply if smoke comes from the sonar shack. Everyone on a submarine is the damage control fete everyone. Palisin was careful to explainthat damage controlis much more than just knowing what to do if something bad happens. Its being confident enough in your knowledge of the boats systems to speak up if someone else on the crew is about to make a mistake that affects ships safety. In the submarine force, we put an emphasis on being right more than what a Sailors rank might be, because everyone aboard a submarine is expected to be a backup to his shipmate, said Palisin. Even I, as the c aptain of this boat, would expect the mostjunior Sailorto jump up and down screaming his head off if I made a mistake that endangered the ship. Our lives depend on knowing that we can count on each other to watch our backs, to make sure the safety of the ship is placed well ahead of rank or rate. Palisin, like all boat captains, makes sure his crew knows how to fight any casualty by constantly running casualty drills throughout the boats deployment. After all, practice makes perfect, and when you have only yourselves to count on, being perfect is the only standard good enough to keep you alive. We practice responding to casualties so much that we do it instinctively, said MM2(SS) Jim Crowson. Our training has to be instinctive. Otherwise, we might get scared first instead of responding if the real thing ever goes down. At 400 feet, theres no time to be scared. Im not trying to sound machoits just the reality of how to survive when all you may have are seconds before the boat sinks b elow crush depth. Despite going to sea on a boat with no windows, no fantail, no helipad or even a hatch to allow in some tension-breaking fresh salt air, submariners are still Sailors at heart. These brothersall volunteer for submarine duty, and their commitment is no different than the Sailors onaircraft carriers, cruisers or even tugboats. They love their country, uphold theNavys Core Valuesof honor, courage, and commitment and want to make it back safely from every deployment. As the silent service, though, theyd just rather you didnt talk about it.