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.)

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Submarine Stuff In The News

A few items that have shown up in the news since I last posted:

1) Here's an article about a female Academy midshipman who wants to go into submarines. It has an interesting story about when she was out on a boat for a middie cruise:
In addition, the sailors made the young midshipmen feel at home because while they were on the cruise, they missed their ring dance. That’s a formal affair in which students receive their class rings and dip them in a bowl containing the water of the seven seas.
To make up for the loss, the senior officers held a “dance” for the eight female midshipmen and allowed them to dip their rings in water from the nuclear reactor.
I'm sure that the crew told the middies, who will pretty much believe anything, that the water was actually from the reactor. They probably told them that they store it in the locker with the gig line and the relative bearing grease.

2) Fidel Castro says Navy SEALs actually sank the South Korean corvette! And there are useful idiots who believe this crap.

3) Here's an analysis by a retired Pakistani Admiral on the reports that the Israelis plan to keep a nuclear-armed submarine off the coast of Iran. I've written before about the logistical problems of trying to do that with a three-boat squadron (especially if they can't transit the Suez Canal), but if they have a deal with the Egyptians then it would be doable. Here's what Strategy Page has to say about it.

4) Looks like the Navy lost several underwater Remotely-Operated Vehicles in Thimble Shoals Channel. So, anyone out there on Chesapeake Bay should keep their eye out for them; I'm sure the Navy would be happy to get them back!

5) Finally, here's a picture of USS New Mexico (SSN 779) arriving in her new homeport of Groton:


Update 1000 10 June: Speaking of Middie Ops, here's a picture from USS West Virginia (SSBN 736) of Midshipman Ops last week:

No deck harnesses? I'm impressed!

Update 0740 17 June: Here's an update on the missing UUVs. Dolphins found one of them, and they've suspended the search for the others.

46 Comments:

Anonymous Squidward said...

The mid in question is a chemistry major. I doubt she was fooled - it was probably secondary condensate. Heck, she was probably hanging with the ELTs.

You can't count on the media to understand the differences here.

Didn't Rickover once drink a primary sample for Congress?

6/10/2010 9:02 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If the Naval Academy is sooooo physically demanding, why is the chick referenced in the article sporting such a wide load? Looks like a typical tender wo-man.

6/10/2010 9:03 AM

 
Blogger Bubblehead said...

That's true, she didn't specify the water was from the primary, so it could have been secondary water.

6/10/2010 9:25 AM

 
Anonymous NHSparky said...

Squidward--I always heard it was CPW, but who knows. And as far as that one? Yeah, get her through the weapon shipping hatch by greasing her hips and throwing in a candy bar.

6/10/2010 9:34 AM

 
Blogger Scott said...

Just make sure ventilation is lined up to recirculate before she goes through.

6/10/2010 10:07 AM

 
Anonymous Guinness said...

So, will a "dance" become an expected (or acceptable) midshipman training event with female mids onboard? Or, once women are onboard, will the halfway night turn into a prom? Hmmm, with the repeal of DADT, women won't even be a prerequisite for that type of social event.

Welcome to the new Submarine Force!

6/10/2010 11:14 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What's with the middies wearing khaki belts? On the handful of middie ops we supported out of San Diego, middies always wore blue belts - and got to dive the bilge.

6/10/2010 11:33 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Confirmed: It was secondary condensate.

6/10/2010 11:37 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

She is a little on the "roomy" side. Can't wait to jiggle that booty outboard the diesel though.

6/10/2010 12:07 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It used to be blue belts=3/c mid, Kakhi belts=1/c mid. May still be.

6/10/2010 1:58 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'd fill her pie hole! Big question: can she cook and clean?

Oh goodie, we get to have dances onboard now. Can't wait for the COB to get on the 1MC and announce the start of the "Halfway Night Dance"!

Yep, we are definately becoming a viable Navy asset now!!

6/10/2010 2:43 PM

 
Blogger Jarrod said...

If they can fit some of the guys I served with through the hatch, she'll do plenty fine.

I'm guessing half the douchebags who express their sexual fantasies about the future female submariners are themselves pasty tubs of goo, again, like many of my own former shipmates. Just sayin'.

6/10/2010 4:49 PM

 
Blogger Clara said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

6/10/2010 5:35 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I doubt very much it was secondary condensate; you couldn't say that was from the Rx...sheesh. I would make much more sense to just pull some CPW out of the day tank. Don't they still reuse CPW that way?

6/10/2010 6:59 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm betting Condensate water. It is close enough to "Reactor Water" that most news media types would love to write it down, especially if she said condensate, and the reporter said "what's that"...

6/10/2010 7:24 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It was ASW from an R114 vent.

The ship should have made it very clear to the midn. that the water had nothing to do with the hot rock.

Her newspaper story should make her interview with ADM D a little more interesting, at least.

6/10/2010 7:36 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You clowns love to talk about how females are going to ruin the sub force. It isn't the females that are going to screw it up, it is the dumbass males that can't handle the "challenge" of working around them. I'll bet money that the first screw-up involving females on submarines is initiated by a dumbass male. Rest assured though, we'll all blame the female that complains about getting groped, or that puts guys on report when she walks into maneuvering and everyone has their dicks out, or that shows the XO the drawings she found on her qual card of her blowing someone to get signatures. And we'll all say "how dare she" and "we knew females would cause problems like this." Clearly, females are the problem.

I'm sick of hearing guys whine about how hard it is going to be to not tell dick jokes in maneuvering or grab ass outboard the diesel. The only thing that females are going to "ruin" in submarining is the homo-erotic bullshit that I won't miss. Anyone that thinks that this crap is part of the time-honored traditions of submarining just flat doesn't get it. Have some pride in the real traditions of submarining.

I'd rather serve with a female that legitimately wants and is qualified to do her job than most of you morons. Good on them for wanting the challenge and pride of being an elite submariner, and wanting it enough that they are willing to endure such a fine group of assholes.

6/10/2010 8:18 PM

 
Anonymous mark/MM1(ss) said...

Holy shit, what the hell brought that on? Just the comment about a fantasy encounter outboard of the diesel? God save us from the "grown-ups". What a holier-than-thou douchebag...

6/10/2010 8:39 PM

 
Blogger T said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

6/10/2010 8:44 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mark,

No, not just one single comment prompted that rant. That would be ridiculous, but thanks for the cal check.

See just about every previous thread on here for refs (a) through (zz) of "waaahh... females are going to ruin the sub force... waahhh." The comments in this thread just happened to be the last bit that pushed me to the point of ranting.

It'll be ok, buttercup...

6/10/2010 9:16 PM

 
Anonymous Yadda yadda said...

Well, let's cut the crap. Having females onboard will definitely change the submarine force A LOT.

Some changes will be quite good.

The homo-erotic "jokes" are as good as gonzo once the women arrive -- that prison-atmosphere crap will suddenly become neither funny nor manly, not that it was ever either one in the first place.

Some changes will be completely idiotic.

There WILL be inescapable political horseshit with this change, and my guess is that this is what will suck the absolute most for all involved. Moreover, there are aspects of this that will make no sense, as it is a fundamentally politically driven change, not a need-driven one.

On the whole, I think this will be a positive change...but have no illusions about the phenomenal amounts of political bullshit that have been and will be part of this deal.

And remember: if you're not having fun, you're not doing it right.

6/10/2010 9:52 PM

 
Anonymous mark/MM1(ss) said...

@ 9:16 anon - OK, but the last of those was at least two months ago, and yes, there were the occasional comments that were beyond infantile. So you've been saving your tirade for all that time? OK, then - whatever...

6/10/2010 10:19 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'd rather serve with a female that legitimately wants and is qualified to do her job than most of you morons. Good on them for wanting the challenge and pride of being an elite submariner, and wanting it enough that they are willing to endure such a fine group of assholes.

I highly suspect that they do not want it enough to endure such a fine group of assholes. Rather, I'm guessing they have been sold a line of PC bullshit that they will make history. Yet, they will be the first to whine and snivel when they aren't treated as they were by the ass-clowns at Ring Knocker U.

So stow your PC ass kissing routine, though I'm sure you're a pro. In a year or so, you'll have plenty of wide, flabby, Ensign Snooki ass to kiss. Until then, concentrate on not getting your ass beat or taped up and stuffed into a bilge. Oh, I forgot, the kinder and gentler Navy doesn't allow that type behavior now.

6/10/2010 11:12 PM

 
Blogger T said...

I've always been a part of the kinder gentler Navy, but I suspect something has been lost along the way, especially in the realm of camaraderie. I can't help but think that the addition of women and the political correct BS that comes with it will erode this further. It's not the women's fault, it's the navy's fault and perhaps even just the general fault of American culture. I can't help but think that something will be lost there.

That said, I think there's the opportunity for some positive improvement in the community as well. Especially perhaps, the end of the Alpha Geek dickhead attitude so prevalent in some corners of the sub force. We could all benefit by treating people like humans rather than FOXCONN slave commies.

That also said, I have little doubt that the sub force is going to end up causing more harm than good with the policies they come up with during the transition.

6/11/2010 12:33 AM

 
Blogger etc_ss_ret said...

If the Navy was testing those "lost" vehicles on the west coast my guess is you could find 'em at the Horse & Cow.....any boats transfer east to west recently?

6/11/2010 6:08 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Speaking of changing the subject...

heh

6/11/2010 6:47 AM

 
Anonymous Vic said...

1,500 KM => ~900 miles, they could shoot from the eastern Med and still hit Tehran. The Israelis will violate airspace if it suits them, certainly never stopped them before. BTW, has Israel ever acknowledged ownership of nuclear weapons?

6/11/2010 8:04 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The "reactor water" bit was a press screwup, not anyone trying to pull the wool over the midshipmen's eyes etc. I heard Donald is furious that the reporter was given grounds for the misconception.

6/11/2010 9:27 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Like I said before, I didn't realize it takes a pecker to push a few buttons. If you guys are the example of the sub force, glad I stayed Seabee (and I seriously considered rate change). I know plenty of female Bees who'd kick all your arses, tough guys...

6/11/2010 9:53 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If the head nuc is mad about it then that makes the story even more funny.

Time to see if we can get Drudge to link the story!

Oh, and to Mr. Serious (6/10 8:18)...lighten up Francis!

6/11/2010 10:21 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The reality is that Woman are cumming errrr coming to a sub near you. The silly thing is that every nonspecific thread goes the the darkside quickly. Screw it, accept it, cuddle with your binkie. Whatever you need to do in order to get over it. Strap a sack on gents.
love
Martina Nav
Mellisa E
and Ellen

and last but not least Mrs Mulligan

6/11/2010 10:23 AM

 
Anonymous pc assclown said...

Mulligan screwed himself, got AIDS, and kicked off. Or haven't you heard?

I swear some of you whiney ass bitches actually miss the mulligan.

6/11/2010 2:10 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fucking Acadomites.

6/11/2010 3:56 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why do you think it couldn't have been primary water? I was in RX Mechanical on a carrier and drank primary water...where's the surprise? If you are Nukes, you should understand that it isn't really that incomprehensible. Just sayin'

6/11/2010 4:30 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Like I said before, I didn't realize it takes a pecker to push a few buttons. If you guys are the example of the sub force, glad I stayed Seabee (and I seriously considered rate change). I know plenty of female Bees who'd kick all your arses, tough guys...

And it takes zero brains to drive a bulldozer or swing a hammer. But, I guess we submariners do have something in common with female Seabees - we like pussy.

6/11/2010 4:57 PM

 
Anonymous Squidward said...

Oh, the delicious tang of Cobolt-60, how I miss you!

No, seriously, the idea of drinking primary water gives me the heebie jeebies and yes, I do know better.

6/11/2010 9:04 PM

 
Anonymous former Eng, former Weps said...

I was in RX Mechanical on a carrier and drank primary water...where's the surprise?

Some things you just don't do on a matter of principle alone, like, say, pointing an unloaded gun at someone. It just isn't done...unless you're stupid.

6/11/2010 9:30 PM

 
Blogger MT1(SS)WidgetHead said...

"US NAVY commandos sank a South Korean warship in March in order to blame North Korea, raise tensions and convince Japan to keep US forces in Okinawa, Fidel Castro has claimed."

What?! You're bullshitting me right? Can someone give me a quick history lesson and explain to me why in the name of hell, Castro is still alive in the first place?

Someone please step up and shoot that idiot fucker...LOL. Sorry but, I've never completely understood why that jackass hasn't been popped in the head just yet.

6/12/2010 12:07 AM

 
Blogger T said...

The CIA tried to assassinate Castro several times in the sixties, and F'ed it up badly. Also, now we officially don't try to assassinate heads of state.

6/12/2010 7:44 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fucking Acadomites

Ha! Acadomite a very appropriate term for academy grads since it rhymes with sodomite.

This should be what they are called instead of Acadamy grad. Fucking Acadomites!

6/12/2010 9:08 AM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A friend of mine from Nuke School introduced me to the term "F-NAG": F-ing Naval Academy Graduate.

To be fair, he was one.

6/13/2010 12:05 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Following up on the ROV story...

Navy finds one missing underwater vehicle, suspends search (http://hamptonroads.com/2010/06/navy-finds-one-missing-underwater-vehicle-suspends-search?cid=ltst)

The Navy has found one of the four underwater unmanned vehicles lost last week during a training exercise – and is no longer searching for the other three.

Lt. Cmdr. Susan Henson, a spokeswoman for the Navy’s Expeditionary Combat Command at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, said the equipment was recovered Saturday in Thimble Shoals Channel, between the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.

The recovery came after a week of searching for the vehicles, each of which costs about $250,000.

6/14/2010 4:06 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In my experience, camaraderie is when one guy, usually a newer guy, screws up, and then everyone else just shits on him until he taps, gets a DUI, does drugs to get out, or kills himself. Some things are better off changing, because no one really understands tradition and they fuck it up badly.

6/14/2010 5:47 PM

 
Anonymous BilboButthole said...

The chick in the referenced article may be a little bit thick, but after a few days underway, I think I would totally dig jerking off into her mouth or butthole.

6/14/2010 10:15 PM

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was in the last class with balls at the boat school.

We survived the transition to females at USNA. The subforce will prosper with females.

beebs
I could be wrong.

6/16/2010 2:45 AM

 
Anonymous www.natalia.biz said...

For my part one and all have to go through this.

10/22/2011 12:28 PM

 

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