Category: <span>In the Navy</span>

Published April 22, 2023 by

The Difference Between Submarine and Surface Crews

comparing service on navy submarines to service on surface ships.
Composite of submarine USS Scamp and cruiser USS Port Royal

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

My Navy career was rather unusual as I served on both submarines and surface ships. These were considered “different navies,” with different traditions and duty requirements. In that era, very few sailors ever made a switch between surface and subs. For the most part, the only sub sailors who typically went to the surface fleet were those kicked off subs for disciplinary issues, and who also lost their “Qualified in Submarines” status.

I qualified submarines on USS Scamp, SSN 588. I maintained my submarine qualification status when, years later, I joined the Aegis Cruiser USS Port Royal , CG 73. This dual service gave me an interesting perspective on the different communities that make up our U.S. Navy.

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In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

quora submarines Surface Ships

Published October 5, 2022 by

Back From Hawaii, Back To Reality

Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii
Waikiki Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Winnie and I returned home from our one week’s whirlwind visit to the lovely island of Oahu, Hawaii. It was a wonderful vacation for both of us. So much so that I had to wonder why I waited 27 years to go back.

While our reason for this trip was being part of decommissioning the last ship I served on during my Navy career, it was also our first vacation trip since the zombie apocalypse started in January 2020.

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Family Stories In the Navy

Hawaii navy life vacation

Published April 1, 2022 by

Navy Budget: Out-of-the-Box Thinking Produces Results

Not The News, Military Edition
Washington, D.C.
April 1, 2022

Navy Spokesperson Captain Crunch Jr. announced today that out-of-the-box thinking has resulted in dramatic cost savings in the Navy’s new budget. “For years, the Navy has struggled to understand why costs kept spiraling up” Crunch said. “It turns out, ships are expensive to fix. There’s so much stuff on them that breaks, and they’re literally sitting in water all the time, just rusting away. So, several years ago we awarded multi-million-dollar consulting contracts to conceptualize ways the Navy could save money moving forward.”

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In the Navy Just For Fun

April Fools Navy

Published November 24, 2020 by

Chief of the Boat vs Command Master Chief? A Quora Question

Navy Command Master Chief badge
Navy Command Master Chief badge

My Navy career was unusual for the number of different types of ships I served on. Few people get to serve on both submarines and surface ships. Even more unusual, I served on two very different types of submarines, and two very different types of surface ships. This background gives me some unique perspectives on Navy life. So when I saw this Quora question, I felt I had the background to give a solid answer.

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In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

navy life quora submarines

Published November 1, 2020 by

About Respect in the Ranks. A Quora Question.

Admiral Mike Boorda
Admiral Mike Boorda, Official Navy Photograph

Recently I had the opportunity to answer another Quora question on navy life. This answer brought back a flood of memories from my life in Naples, Italy, and working with NATO. The question was “As an enlisted service member, what did an officer do to earn your respect?” I felt this was an interesting question, as the person asking seemed to know enough about military life to know that respecting position is required, but respect for the person is earned.

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In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Admiral Mike Boorda Navy quora

Published October 16, 2020 by

On Submarines and Helicopters

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Navy quora submarines

Published October 10, 2019 by

Who Eats Best? Another Quora Question

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Navy quora

The Traditions Behind U.S. Navy Uniforms
Published March 31, 2019 by

The Traditions Behind U.S. Navy Uniforms

In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Navy quora uniforms

Published December 30, 2018 by

The Smell of a Submarine

The smell of a submarine - amine, sweat, smoke, hydraulic oil,
Submarines

One of the reasons I don’t post here much is because I’m writing in several other venues. Facebook, regrettably, occupies a lot of my otherwise available writing time. I periodically post to my account on Daily Kos or comment on other people’s posts. But a new writing venue (for me) is the site Quora. 

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In the Navy Quora Re-Posts

Navy quora submarines

Published December 25, 2016 by

The Trauma of Jingle Bells

Santa Claus Hat
Santa Claus Hat

This is a story about being permanently traumatized by the Christmas song “Jingle Bells.” Actually, it wasn’t so much the song itself, but the events surrounding the playing of “Jingle Bells.”  Fair warning; this “Jingle Bells” Christmas story involves topless women and beer but is otherwise considered Family Safe, unless you don’t want your kids to grow up to become sailors. 

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In the Navy

Chinese Christmas Hong Kong Jingle Bells