What do submarine officers do

Our satellite communications link had less bandwidth than my dial-up modem in the s and we were permitted to send text-only emails to friends and family at certain times and in certain locations so as not to risk being detected. I took tests every month to demonstrate proficiency in nuclear engineering, navigation, and the battle capabilities of the ship. At that point, I was responsible for coordinating missions and navigating the ship as the Officer of the Deck.

How long is now? According to Google, not much less than milliseconds. The most unfortunate times were long transits tossing about in heavy swells, which made for a particularly nauseated cruise. To this day, conjuring the memory of some such sails causes a reflux flashback. The full cycle was 18 hours, which meant the timing of our circadian cycles were constantly changing. As an officer, I lived luxuriously with only two other grown men in a stateroom no bigger than a walk-in closet.

Most of the crew slept stacked like lumber in an person bunk room and they all took turns in the rack. The bunk rooms are sanctuaries where silence is observed with monastic intensity. Slamming the door or setting an alarm clock was a cardinal sin so wakeups were conducted by a junior sailor who gently coaxed you awake when it was time to stand watch. Words that haunt my dreams. The electrolysis machine was out of commission, so we burned chlorate candles that produced breathable air.

I maintained some semblance of sanity and physical fitness by sneaking a workout on a rowing erg in the engine room or a stationary bike squeezed between electronics cabinets.

Like a heavily watered-down version of a Buddhist monk taking solitary retreat in a cave, my extended submarine confinements opened something up in my psyche and I gave myself permission to let go of my anxieties. Transiting underneath a vast ocean in a vessel with a few inches of steel preventing us from drowning helps put things into perspective.

My only regrets are not keeping a journal or having the wherewithal to discover the practice of meditation under the sea. Training as a Submarine Officer directly translates to civilian careers in executive-level management, as well as the technology industry and high-tech specialty systems.

The specialized knowledge and expertise you could gain through Navy nuclear training will provide you with a skill set that is sought after worldwide. You will gain important insights from your international travels, which will be invaluable to employers in the private sector.

What Will You Do? Attack Submarines: Designed to pursue and attack enemy surface ships and submarines. They are the most effective antisubmarine warfare tool available to counter enemy diesel- and nuclear-powered submarines. They also conduct many other missions, such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines: These submarines are almost two football fields long and carry long-range missiles.

Officers learn about submarine operations, including safety, damage control, seamanship and the responsibilities of leading an advanced submarine crew as a Division Officer, before reporting to an assigned submarine.

Officers may receive additional advanced training through the strategic weapons system course at Trident Training Facilities in either Kings Bay, Georgia, or Bangor, Washington.

Next comes an assignment as a Division Officer on a submarine, managing a team of highly trained Enlisted Submariners. This is a three-year tour alternating between deployments, patrols, days in port, maintenance, local operations and leave. After the first sea tour comes a shore assignment lasting approximately two years. Others may be selected to serve on high-level staffs, commands and strategic projects, or they may elect to work in recruitment positions or further their education at Naval Postgraduate School NPS.

The ultimate goal for many: to one day command their own submarine at sea. Tillie K. You may be put in charge of any of the following duties: Operating a nuclear reactor and nuclear propulsion system Maintaining onboard weapons systems Managing atmospheric control and fire control systems Driving the vessel and charting its position Operating communications and intelligence equipment Training and Advancement Upon graduation from college, newly commissioned Officers move on to receive the advanced training that is at the core of Navy Nuclear Propulsion.

Shore Assignment After the first sea tour comes a shore assignment lasting approximately two years.