Qualified in submarines
December 18th 2007 11:22 pm
So yesterday I completed my submarine officer qualification board. Today I had my dolphins pinned on me by my wife. It’s different having them on, I’m still not really sure what to make of it. For better or for worse you’re looked at differently by submariners if you are qualified in submarines. Unlike many other badges and awards you may encounter this one is still generally awarded only to those who deserve it and have completed all the applicable requirements.
In my case due to circumstances I had a patrol pin with 2 gold stars (indicating 3 alert deterrent patrols) without dolphins. Normally this is the sign of a junior officer who does not have the trust of his captain as you typically get dolphins after your second patrol. In my case the pin and first star were for half patrols, but it’s nice going from dirtbag to experienced junior officer in 15 short minutes this afternoon.
While researching this entry I came across a letter from an SSBN commanding officer briefly describing what it’s like to serve on an SSBN, which I thought was pretty good. You can read it at http://www.news.navy.mil/navydata/cno/n87/usw/issue_5/confessions.html if you’re interested.
mandarin on 
Kerry on 
Congratulations shipmate. When I was going through MEPS, and later through tech school, I was asked to volunteer for sub duty. I had a few acquaintances who had served on various subs. They told me many stories about their patrols. Despite this, it never seemed my cup of tea. Meanwhile, I would never trade my experiences in the surface fleet for the world.
Fair winds and following seas.
Daniel
What the hell could be so wrong with one’s heart and one’s mind and one’s soul and one’s conscience – that would cause one to spend so much of one’s life’s effort towards the
pursuit of serving upon such a hideous manifestation of mankind’s folly?
Is it sickness, or ignorance?
It certainly isn’t honor, responsibility, heroism or protectionism – despite whatever tired platitudes and rationalizations still run rampant amongst those who need to somehow feel better about what it is they’re engaged in: blind, powerless, ignorant conformance to the world’s lying, corrupt, self-serving power elite. No matter how many bullshit insignias you manage to collect on your
silly uniform, you’ll forever be nothing more than an uninformed lackey dog on a chain serving his masters’ whims underneath countless layers of indirection and abstraction down from the great pyramid scheme which continues to be the primary, chronic cause of human suffering in this world.
I both pity and despise the likes of you and every single one of your counterparts who are engaged in the exact same sub-human behavior in every other country.
The sickness is that you place more faith and respect in your so-called governments and so-called leaders than you do in yourselves or your fellow man.
@autocrat:
From one who is, I suppose, a pacifist that is one of the most violent and aggressive posts I have read in some time. I wish I could see the world in black and white as you do. Judge the man through his actions, not your prejudices.
Ignore Autocrat, he demonstrates a fantastic lack of intellectual depth in his black/white view of the world.
This is indeed a proud moment, savour it.
Ignore the troll – since it’s impossible to un-invent the bomb, until the magic pixies come along and radically alter human nature the BNs (on both sides) providing a second strike capability are the best guarantee we have against global nuclear war.
Anyway, from a British submariner to a US one – congratulations! I remember getting my dolphins and the pride in the work I had to put in to earn them was (still is) immense.
Hey… congratulations. Few are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to achieve what you have done. It is something you will always be proud of doing.
If you’re ever in New London and find yourself thirsty, drop me an email and I’ll buy a couple of rounds.
In the meantime use your new powers wisely!
Congratulations Sir!
To everyone who left me a note saying congrats, thanks, I appreciate it!
Congrats on your dolphins (I accidentally posted elsewhere, the “about” page I think). I’m a former RM3(SS) on the now-decommissioned USS Groton (SSN 694).
After my time in the Navy, I got out and joined the Oklahoma Army Guard.
Congratulations ship mate. I’m enlisted qualified on Guppy 1A’s. Disregard what Autocrat says, he or she or perhaps both apply to the Mammal is very likely close kin to Hitler.