Wednesday, November 24, 2010

How do you know if you're right for Submarine Service?

I keep reading about how the Navy puts you through a battery of tests to see if you are a good fit for SS duty. I'm most likely going to enlist as a Yeoman, if that makes a difference. What are the qualities the navy is looking for?How do you know if you're right for Submarine Service?The Navy is looking for people who are emotionally stable and able to handle being cooped up in a small space for a very long time with little communications with friends and family. When you stick 120 guys in a space smaller than a football field for 3-6 months at a time, it can become claustrophobic, and they need people who can work with all kinds of different people, not have a lot of %26quot;personal issues%26quot; with other crewmembers. There's no way to get away from them down there, and you end up learning a lot more about your shipmates than you ever wanted to know.How do you know if you're right for Submarine Service?If the thought of spending months at a time in close quarters with a bunch of dudes sounds appealing to you then you are the right man for the job.How do you know if you're right for Submarine Service?The ability to stay in small enclosed spaces for months at a time.How do you know if you're right for Submarine Service?Willingness.How do you know if you're right for Submarine Service?As a Yeoman you have to be prepared for lots of paperwork and long hours. To be on a submarine you have to be a little crazy because to be underway for up to 6 months at a time with limited port calls, no outside communications except for the occasional email when under the water, tight space, air that stinks, no fresh milk, veggies or fruits after about 1 or 2 weeks, limited showers, laundry once a week, hardly any storage space for your gear, and the list continues.