Keeping the blogosphere posted on the goings on of the world of submarines since late 2004... and mocking and belittling general foolishness wherever it may be found. Idaho's first and foremost submarine blog. (If you don't like something on this blog, please E-mail me; don't call me at home.)
The Navy posted a video on YouTube that features two submarine JOs talking about how they came to join the Navy and the training they got:
posted by Bubblehead at 2:40 PM
I'm Joel Kennedy -- a married, 50-something year old retired submarine officer and esophageal cancer survivor with three kids who has finally made the transition to civilian life. Politically, I'm a Radical Moderate. (If you don't like something on this blog, please E-mail me. Don't call me at home.)
9 Comments:
I always enjoyed the pleasant conversations between the O-Gangers about ROTC Grads and Academy Grads. Our Supply Office (ROTC) asked our Weps (Academy) what it was like to go to a Trade School.
IMHO!
The ROTC Grads were more laid back and had a better sense of humor. They seemed more interested in getting the job done with the resources (men) available then just getting it done at whatever cost. On a larger scale, they seemed to buck trends and authority.
Academy Grads were more difficult to get along with. For the most part they were more concerned with their standing in the O-Ganger community and what ticket they needed to punch next. Not all, but most, were stiff necked when it came to figuring a different way of doing things and less open minded to change. On my last boat, I was 3MC for five months before we got a new Eng. He was an Academy Grad and after his JO tour, he went back to the Academy as a Career Counselor and then to the boat. After doing a great job for my last Eng (Who went on to be a great CO) I could do no right with the new Eng (Who went on to be a Great CO). I had to prove myself over and over. Finally I had a sit-down with him and asked him to back off and let me run the first availability we had in San Diego after transiting over from new construction. After that, if he didn’t think I did the job correctly, he could fire me and let someone else take over. It worked out and the Eng and I learned to work very well together and I was his Dive on WestPac. He had a cool head and when it was stressful, he held himself together.
That Damn Good Looking Aganger From Iowa
11/10/2008 4:11 PM
Went to the Boat School with LT Carter - great guy.
A-ganger: as a Boat School Boy, I can tell you that both us and the ROTC O's come in all flavors.
On my boat we had several great USNA JO's, and several terrible USNA DH's. However, our ROTC DH's were by and large good, and we ended up TDU'ing two ROTC JO's careers (It's bad when the CO will only qualify you Periscope operator!)
As a USNA grad myself, I was conscious of how that status both helped and hindered me, and I made efforts to be both an effective JO (in the ENG/XO/CO eyes) and standing up for my sailors when they were being taken advantage of.
Of course, my A-gang Chief was a complete waste of (lots of) khaki. But I wouldn't generalize about you.
11/10/2008 4:27 PM
As a NUPOC officer, I have to put a good word in for us. There are great guys from NUPOC, USNA, and NROTC and there are douche bags from each.
It bothers me to see Chris and the other LT just continuing the same old tired recruiting lines though. The submarine force is really great, but they don't come across as speaking from their hearts. As the top NROTC nuke recruiter I can tell you that if a LT is obnoxious, but speaks the truth from his heart, people will want to join the submarine force and nuke community.
11/10/2008 5:26 PM
It's not 'Hey Shipwreck!' But as the father of an enlisted nuke MM, this sounds a lot different from (little) what my son has related to me.
11/10/2008 7:41 PM
Buck,
Read Shut All Four, Hit the Shore .
11/10/2008 8:07 PM
Hey e. moose
Please don’t take my comments as demeaning or as generalizations for anybody. We had dirt ball-good-better-best in all ranks and rates.
I was blessed on all my boats with great Wardrooms and Great Goat Lockers and Outstanding A-gangs. I always got respect from all levels of the Chain of Command and gave the same. Everyone has a difficult job on a boat and working together is a must.
Of course, in every rank and rate there were a few bad apples but they usually got weeded out. Some did not and you have to work with that.
On my first boat, a 637, at lunch, my LPO would go through the Eng and DCA’s routing box which was in the middle level passageway where the chow line was. He would make a mental note of what the Eng would be wanting and what the DCA would be answering. After lunch we would go down to AMR 1 and get the information together. A little while later, the DCA would show up and ask for the information which my LPO had readily at hand. The LPO looked like a genius, the DCA went away happy and the Eng got his info. I took that attitude onto the rest of my boats. I tried to put myself in the DCA’s and the Eng’s shoes and answer questions before they were asked. I tried to make my division the one that they didn’t have to worry about and they could turn their attention to more pressing matters. I took a lot of pride in that and that my Agang was never the reason for not getting underway and I always had a great Agang.
Sorry about you’re A-gang Chief. I truly believer that Agang can set the attitude for the boat. If the A-gang sucks it can affect the whole boat. Where Snipes don’t groove, Ships don’t move. That may sound egotistical but I never said I was humble, just a little biased.
V/R
That Damn Good Looking Aganger From Iowa
11/10/2008 8:21 PM
Roger on the comments regarding A-gang. As a former ALPO and later as COB that is absolutely correct.
Worst O-gang I ever encountered was a former nuke MM. Got his commission from Purdue through the old NESEP program. Actually told me to "get my enlisted swine hands off of him." This was as I was helping him stagger across the brow while in a highly intoxicated state - after an altercation with the police during a non-US port-call.
Overall I served with good officers, academy, ROTC, whatever. Some where terrible (see above) some were absolutely stellar.
11/11/2008 9:13 AM
Anonymous.
Please name names. I refuse to have the Purdue name sullied by some moron. And I have a good idea who it was.
LT L
11/11/2008 6:59 PM
Last name started with a P, that's all I'll say.
11/12/2008 5:44 AM
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