"I need three volunteers for a patrol: You, you and you."
This comes to mind as the Navy is getting to make some academy pukes volunteer for submarine duty:
In a message to the Brigade of Midshipmen on Tuesday, the academy’s director of professional development, Capt. Stephen Evans, wrote that the academy this year was required to send 125 officers into the nuclear submarine training pipeline, but that only 92 had been accepted by Naval Reactors. That meant 33 midshipmen would be asked to volunteer or told to become sub nukes.I guess my reaction can be summed up in two words: "Tough shit."
Everyone in the armed forces knows (or should know) that the needs of the service take priority over everything else. They do try to accommodate the needs of people, but if they need a warm sack of meat in a job and you're the one that comes to mind, off you go.
Not only that, but women will be eligible to serve in subs too. (*)
ReplyDeleteBrrr. Not for me. The claustrophobia and fear-of-crush-depth would make me useless in a sub. I salute those who can do it.
(*) This does not ruin the old riddle "what's long and round and full of seamen?"
(**) Apropos of nothing, check out TDS moment of zen for today. It's an exercise infomercial. "Guess how the device tells you your workout is finished".
I had a friend who volunteered for sub duty, passed all the up front tests and training. Then he did one 90 day tour under the sea and upon return to dry land swore that he would prefer a life sentence in the brig to another tour. After his discharge he was twitchy for a few years. A nice guy but not someone you want around anything nuclear.
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