<p>XCI (and anyone else) a must read “The Rickover Effect” by Rockwell. Perhaps one of the best books out there. Rickover really changed the world not only on the Military front but in business and in technology.</p>
<p>" I found the shipboard submarine training program far more effective than my SWO training program. It’s been what… 23 years?.. and I bet I could still draw a fairly reasonable piping diagram of the Trim and Drain System of a LAFAYETTE-class submarine."</p>
<p>Believe it or not I think I could still do a good job of a similar sytem on a Balao Class smoke boat! And we’re talking decades here. :-)</p>
<p>subvet - you’ll love this - </p>
<p>Drag, zoom, and move your way through the USS Pampanito SS-383, a Balao-class submarine from World War II. </p>
<p>High quality color photographs, 360-degree views.</p>
<p>[Photo</a> Tour of USS Pampanito](<a href=“http://www.nonplused.org/panos/uss_pampanito/html/01.html"][SIZE=“4”][COLOR=“Blue”]Photo”>http://www.nonplused.org/panos/uss_pampanito/html/01.html)</p>
<p>:cool:</p>
<p>WHATEVER you do, DO NOT OPEN OUTER DOORS! :D</p>
<p>I have been on the Pampanito. Also restored the Bowfin which is at Pearl.
Some young boomers helped and were amazed at stuff they referred to as “archaic”.
as u can imagine, didn’t gp over well us old fogies. :-)</p>
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<p>I was more curious to know why there is a lathe in the maneuvering room?</p>
<p>Probably used for restoration.If there ever was a lathe aboard I’m sure it was in the Pump room where the Machinist Mates hung out</p>
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<p>well, I know of at least “one!” ;)</p>
<p>Congrats. :)</p>
<p>Been a quick 4 years, eh?</p>
<p>it has-
although there were times I thought it would never end!!! ;)</p>
<p>Ok there’s a lot of misconceptions in this post that need to be cleared up. First and foremost, they will not absolutely MAKE you go subs. From USNA, you can select Aviation, USMC, SWO, Nuke SWO, or Subs so you can and will be able to say no. They will try to encourage you to go subs if you have the inclination, but they will not and cannot make you.</p>
<p>Second, the application process for subs is as follows - you say you want to go subs, you get sent to DC for a series of interviews with Naval Reactors engineers and with the 4 star admiral. If you pass the interviews you are a sub selectee.</p>
<p>Third - when you are a submariner this is what you will start off doing. You will get sent to Charleston where you’ll sit in a classroom from 7-3 getting blasted with knowledge on nuclear power. The notes are typed and you fill in the blanks as your instructor either writes or powerpoints the lectures on the board. You’ll have to memorize every concept and every section of your notes. When I say you have to memorize, I really mean memorize. About every 3 days you will have an exam and you have to get a minimum score to pass the exam. If you fail too many exams or if your overall grades slip below a certain GPA, you will have to do mandatory study hours (up to 40 hours a week I think). At the end of the 6 months, you will have a final exam where anything you learned is fair game. If you pass, you’re done with power school and move on to prototype. At prototype you’ll have I think 6 weeks of “off hull” time where you study ship systems and go get “checkouts” which is basically a one on one with a qualified instructor who will ask you questions about how the system works. After that, phase you’ll be onhull and stand various watches on a real nuclear plant. You will be given a qualification card that you have to complete, and when you’re done you’ll have a written, oral, and a watch board where you will do casualty drills. Then you’re done. Next you’ll spend 3 months in Connecticut for submarine officer basic school where you’ll learn the basics of ship driving and non nuclear aspects of the ship. It’s easy and a good break from nuclear power. </p>
<p>Next clarification - You’ll go to your first ship and you’ll be handed about 7 or 8 different qualification cards. You’ll have to qualify nuclear and non nuclear watch stations, stand watch underway, stand duty in port, and manage a division all at the same time. It’s not easy, in fact, it downright sucks. Regardless if you go ships or subs, you will have to do this same process, it sucks for everyone, but that’s how life works. The biggest difference between subs and surface ships is that submarines have a smaller crew size so you’ll be standing a lot more duty than your SWO counterparts. The other difference between subs and ships is the nuclear reactor has a whole lot of external oversight, meaning you’ll get random inspections which is a pain. The saving grace is that you know you’re working with the best guys the Navy has to offer, both on the officer and enlisted side, so that makes the job worthwhile.</p>
<p>^^^great post for all of our sub wanna-bees!!!</p>
<p>agree! :eek:</p>
<p>They may not MAKE you go subs but I know of some who were made to INTERVIEW for subs. Guess where he is now?</p>
<p>Bill0510 - I’m not trying to start an argument with you here, but in my 12+ years I’ve never once heard of anyone from USNA being made to interview. Even if that has happened, nobody who interviews and passes is bound in any way to accept submarine duty. Submarine duty is strictly a volunteer service, primarily because if you go a little nuts underwater, there’s no way to take you back without compromising the mission. Doing a Medevac from a sub is very dangerous, and returning to port is sometimes easier said than done.</p>
<p>XCI-Wow! I love your enthusiasm! I have to admit that I hadn’t really thought of subs that way, but hearing you describe them makes me think that I will have a more enlightened discussion when we see my son for PPW. He will be amazed that I know so much about this subject! Whatever he chooses to do, all I can say is…go for it son!</p>
<p>asw, thanks for clearing up the ‘voluntold’ issue. Couldn’t agree with you more. </p>
<p>However, gotta disagree with you on the dangers of pulling a psycho in a straight jacket out of the conning tower. Not a big deal. Did a lot of them. Never a straight jacket but a LT once who had a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist which he refused to remove. We beat him up a little just for GP for not removing it so he may be the source of the ‘dangerous’ rumors.</p>
<p>That’s okay, its kind of a semantical type of argument that others before you have insisted on undertaking. In other words, did “subs” show up on their list? Yes. So, technically, he was not “forced” to take a choice that was not on his list.</p>
<p>Was “subs” his last choice? Yes.
Was this, otherwise, a mid who would have gotten his top choice, i.e. top quartile student, no demerits, etc? Yes.
Did he ask to be excluded from interviews? Yes. Was this request granted? No.
Did he ask again, up the chain of command, to be excluded from interviews? Yes. Was this requst granted? No.
Did he think about “tanking” the interview? Yes. Was he advised this was not a good idea? Yes. Did he purposefully try to fail the interview? No.
Was he given an option to pass on the sub assignment? No.
Is he passing sub school? Yes. Is he waiting on Prototype? Yes.</p>
<p>Does he plan on serving longer than five years? No.</p>
<p>Was he “forced” to take subs? Not according to a strict definition of the word since it was on his list of acceptable communities.</p>
<p>Do I have personal knowledge of this situation? Yes.
could he be lying about how all of this turned out? yes.
Do I th ink he is lying about how all of this turne dout? No. He has no reason to lie to me about it, he has never demonstrated anything other than truthfulness to me, but, hey, you never know.</p>
<p>Do others have similar stories to post? Yes.</p>
<p>No argument, just want to get it out there that circumstances change and sometimes you may be “counseled” to accept a submarine assignment as best for you and the Navy.</p>
<p>oh, and I’m sure that, as has prevously happened, some ol’ timers will simply refuse to believe current day facts in favor of misty-eyed memories. But these are the facts.</p>
<p>Bill is on the $$ …as usual. This year EVERY Mid (w/ 3.0 gpa, regardless of major) in one company I am quite familiar with was in fact interviewed. And it was also “inkled” that if they knowingly failed to do their genuine best in the interview, it could well “torpedo” other preferences they may have. </p>
<p>Indeed we may be into some semantics here, but as Bill has also noted, a number have been, let’s just say “strongly encouraged” toward that community. At last year’s A/N annual croquet match in Philly, we sat next to parents of a Mid, dad was a top official at a nationally known engineering school, who was a top grad in mechanical. He and they were well disappointed that he’d been “strongly encouraged” to do his duty, which in this case was fill a need of the Navy. </p>
<p>So, we can quibble and call this by any number of names, but it’s still a rose …</p>
<p>Is claustrophobia a dis-qualifier for the Navy, USNA or submarines? Just curious…</p>