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.)
From the "Got Dolphins?" Facebook page:
What's the difference between the Chilean miners and submarine sailors? After 69 days without sunlight, fresh air or seeing your family no one tells a third of the Chilean miners they have to go back down below because they've got the duty.
posted by Bubblehead at 9:45 AM
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.)
45 Comments:
True; but I believe I'd still rather be on a boat.
10/23/2010 9:56 AM
Reason: the company that formerly employed them went bankrupt.
10/23/2010 11:11 AM
Or go back down to perform PMS on all the equipment they left behind followed by clean-up and department training.
10/23/2010 11:35 AM
Not to take anything away from the dire situation the miners were in (I mean, as submariners we weren't in such a life-threatening situation), but why doesn't Oakley give every submariner a pair of $400 sunglasses to readjust to sunlight after 69 days?
10/23/2010 11:51 AM
The reason they don't have to go back down is because they are being replaced by women (or wannabe women).
And we all know that it is only the single guys who have first night duty. By the looks of things, these miners were anything but single. Some of these guys had more wives and girlfriends than Joseph Smith himself!
10/23/2010 12:01 PM
really? Only single sailors have first night duty?
Huh. Maybe you have your facts wrong, or maybe my husband is in the wrong navy. You tell me.
OR was this a joke that I missed...
10/23/2010 12:23 PM
@Ted,
I wondered that, too. The only conclusion I came to was that they probably didn't have any light down there at all, though I don't know for certain.
10/23/2010 12:32 PM
mommy, yes it was a joke and you missed it because a) you are not in the Navy; and b) you are not a submariner.
10/23/2010 12:34 PM
i may not be IN the navy or a submariner. but I am a navy sub wife, and have the balls to use my real profile to post.
10/23/2010 12:38 PM
DON'T pick on the wives, guys.
Sheesh...like you have to be told that.
Clean up your act, and one day you may have your very own ball & chain just like the big boys. Done right, it's a ball, and you can each take turn wearing the chains.
And remember: if you're not having fun, you're not doing it right. Everyone makes their own bed in life.
10/23/2010 12:59 PM
mommy,
You may not like it, but the guy gave you the honest answer:
"...yes it was a joke and you missed it because a) you are not in the Navy; and b) you are not a submariner."
Don't believe the PC hype that the Navy started with "navy wife, toughest job....." BS.
And if that hurts your feelings, please refer back to the title of the original post.
-------------
Back on topic: Did those miners take away our title of 'submariners do it deeper"?
10/23/2010 1:15 PM
The facebooker's submarine humor is as good as it gets. Thanks for sharing it!
In reality the US Navy still grants 30-day (probably more by now?) basket leaves to sailors involved in ship disasters. Basket leaves apply to submariners, too.
As to the shades, it is likely at least a couple of miners (borderline/full-fledged diabetics) were susceptible to retinopathy that can eventually result in blindness.
Since some may have been given sunglasses for purely health reasons, all were given them for celebratory and PR reasons. Good thinking.
Ted: why doesn't Oakley give every submariner a pair of $400 sunglasses to readjust to sunlight after 69 days?
Just give all submariners a pair and change uniform regs to authorize their wear. Oopse! That's not about to happen, either.
10/23/2010 1:19 PM
Funniest comment I’ve read in weeks. Written with a true knowledge of submariner humor.
As to the single only watchbill comment that some wife got her panties in a bunch over, also funny.
The single watch bill comment is a standard comment with very little truth to it. But if you are a submariner you’ve heard it and whined about it. It hits a common chord with all of us.
By no means is first night duty only single guys, but proportionally it has a higher number of single guys, because we look after each other. I have written more than enough watchbills as the EDEA (EDMC for you young guys) to state that they are written without regard to marital status. BUT… most of us look after each other and make arrangements to cover duty for the guys that are married and have children. Single guys often volunteer for first night duty or swap duty days with married guys for advantageous duty days. The same thing often happens in liberty ports with the reverse effect. To get in a tuff about it makes you look stupid and not one of us that spent birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries in a sealed tube.
EMCS/SS retired
Math Teacher in Up State NY
10/23/2010 1:50 PM
This whole string of comments had me laughing pretty hard. Mommy, you shouldn't take submariners so seriously. They're very tongue and cheek, and they mean nothing by it. The anonymous poster was merely pointing out why you didn't get it. And as long as everyone's getting defensive at least the comebacks are amusing. Haha.
I'm always in for a good laugh.
10/23/2010 2:14 PM
This is just too funny. Posted it on my Facebook page and nothing but positive comments. People just have to take it with a grain of salt!
RFO
10/23/2010 2:30 PM
The EMCS is correct...
"Single guys often volunteer for first night duty or swap duty days with married guys for advantageous duty days. The same thing often happens in liberty ports with the reverse effect."
Yes that bargaining chip works both ways. Besides that, anyone who's ever served on a Boomer, already knows where they might be going next in months in advance (most of the time). Plus there is always a few guys on the boat who have a familiarity with some ports we'll pull into on the way there and on the way back home.
Now I'm single and I don't have much room to speak up on this next one, but I'm going to anyway...
Don't piss off the sub wives. Just smile and say Yes Ma'am/No Ma'am. Life is much easier that way. They can get pretty creative and vindictive if you push one of them hard enough and especially in public.
10/23/2010 2:36 PM
In addition to trading around first night duty, my first LPO taught me to massage the watchbill to get the single guys on for Christmas Eve, with turnover around 10am, and the married guys the same deal for New Year's Eve. This was not a command mandated thing, but us looking out for each other.
As for the wives, we always went to them to get an ACCURATE ship's schedule when filling out PMS schedules for the next quarter... ENG, "you can't schedule that for that week, we are underway." Me, "well ENG, that's not what XXX's wife says." ENG, "OK then, schedule it.".. Happened more than once.
10/23/2010 3:01 PM
I'd bet even The Duck has spewed out some diesel fuel-scented coffee over this thread!
10/23/2010 3:11 PM
@ LifeLoveLiberty: I find it amusing that you feel the need to preach to a submarine wife as if she doesn't know the community as well as we do.
'mommymichael' has no need for anyone to speak for her, and that's not what I am doing. If anything, I am speaking for my ex (who put up with my bullshit when I was giving 100% of myself to the navy and not my family) and I am speaking for those family members that endure the difficult nature of our jobs as least as much as we do.
For those of you that think the role of a navy wife is not difficult, then you are living in some alternate fantasy world. Traditionally, one of the biggest reasons people leave the navy is because of family separation. Do you think the stress of separation only affects the sailor? It affects the complete family.
As for the anonymous poster that claimed 'she [mommymichael] didn't get', in response to Anon/1201's statement "And we all know that it is only the single guys who have first night duty."... well, I didn't get it either. My experience is that there was very little distinction between married/single in watchbill assignment unless it was mutually worked out as some others have pointed out here.
Oh, and I agree with' mommymichael'... at least she does have the balls to post openly instead of anonymously like most of you wankers. It's not like we're discussing anything that requires an anonymous tag.
John
10/23/2010 3:43 PM
I agree with ETCS, wives have to be a tough breed to endure a husband's career in the military.
And it is because of this tough, spirited strength in women that should allow them to serve in America's submarine force.
Thank you ETCS!
10/23/2010 3:59 PM
Erasing obscene insults directed at wives. Don't be jerks.
10/23/2010 6:03 PM
The most irritating guys I ever worked with, or worked for me, were the guys who thought their time with their families was more important than anybody else's time with family.
10/23/2010 6:54 PM
Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate that.
10/23/2010 6:57 PM
Just spent the last two hours reading all the archived posts on Mommy Michael's blog. Would that all the Navy wives had your spirit and support - would have made my four sea tours much easier! I hope your husband's transfer works out well - it's a great career move to SSN 23 and you might even enjoy Bangor. Best wishes!
10/23/2010 7:50 PM
mommymichael,
Don't take this the wrong way, it is good that you are coming to the PNW but you should really think about the information that you have written into your blogs.
Jimmy Carter, first and last names, distinctive tatoos, children, locations, family, personal needs, etc. etc.
A lot of strange things up in the land of the rain and people need to be careful. After all, he rain does bring out some of the best serial killers (Ted Bundy, Bianchi, Westley Alan Dodd, Clifford Olson Robert Yates, Gary Ridgway and Robert Pickton, just to name a few.)
Anyway, enjoy the new tour and stay dry!
10/23/2010 9:24 PM
I didn't fully get it either (as I am not yet ON a sub, merely at nuke school living the sleepless dream.) And I recognize that it takes a strong and spirited type to be married to a submariner, and I am definitely a person who appreciates that. There is nothing wrong with a little verbal tussling now and then. I just don't want anyone getting angry for nothing.
And Mommy, Bangor is amazing. I'm hoping for a GN as my first sub. My entire family lives in the immediate area so I want to get back there as soon as possible. There is so much to do outdoors. As long as you make the effort to find things you like about the area you will love it.
10/24/2010 12:11 AM
Bangor sucks... Seattle on the other hand is a great city.
10/24/2010 12:40 AM
Actually Bangor isn't that bad MommyMichael. Kitsap has plenty to offer to just about anyone. Now, it's also alotta fun to take the ferry to the other side of Puget sound and visit Seattle for the day or the weekeend. Not too long ago, I was not happy about transferring from Kings Bay to Bangor for my first shore tour. I wanted to stay in the South. But after a couple of weeks, I noticed the Pacific N.W. does tend to grow on you. Yes it does rain here alot, but the weather is fairly mild most of the time and there's almost no humidity. That was a new one for me. But no complaints.
I suspect you and your husband will be pretty happy here.
10/24/2010 1:16 AM
Just saw the post. Laughed so hard I spit tea all over the hotel room my company is paying for for 13 days. Gotta love the sub humor, even if prototype instructor is the closest I came to subs.
10/24/2010 5:24 PM
I thought I was the only one who thought that.
But then again, my nickname on Sally Sunfish was MOTO.
10/24/2010 5:40 PM
mommymichael said...
i may not be IN the navy or a submariner. but I am a navy sub wife, and have the balls to use my real profile to post.
Well, if you're like the typical boat wife, you do have balls - or at least look like you do.
10/24/2010 6:18 PM
You obviously haven't checked out her blog....
10/24/2010 6:39 PM
widgethead: from reading your profile it would seem you and I are from the same area!
10/24/2010 10:53 PM
That's outstanding MommyMichael. My parent's house is well within walking distance of Paseo del Río. (San Antonio River Walk, for the rest of you.)
Now if you and your husband are still figuring out housing arrangements, you might want to look at Silverdale to live in for a 2 or 3 year tour. It's a small city (or fleet town) within Kitsap county and barely 12 min from Bangor. In the Ridge Top area, there are 3 or 4 apartment complexes who are quite accommodating to active duty and dependents. The girl I live with got her rent decreased once I signed on to her 2nd lease with my background. So your bills shouldn't be too high once you're out here. Trust me, it's not bad at all.
10/25/2010 12:05 AM
To the gent who indicated that the Chilean miners should take the title "we do it deeper" away from the submarine force: The Chilean mine was 2300 feet deep. Triple Nickel Tough submariners onboard USS DOLPHIN (AGSS-555) routinely exceeded that depth. Title remains with the USN Submarine Force.
DOLPHIN Skipper says DBF.
10/25/2010 9:03 AM
I thought the difference was that a submariner is pretty sure he'll come back alive when he gets sealed in.
10/26/2010 5:15 AM
Those Chilean miners are not really at the top of the Food chain. Their lack of capabilities put an intolerable expense on the company.. Would have been better just to seal the mine on move forward with the business of making money.
10/26/2010 5:41 AM
>>Anonymous said...
Those Chilean miners are not really at the top of the Food chain. Their lack of capabilities put an intolerable expense on the company.. Would have been better just to seal the mine on move forward with the business of making money.
10/26/2010 5:41 AM<<
Anonymous Coward @5:41am:
Bwuh? Reallly? REALLY? You, sir or maam, are an idiot.
How is saving a human life (or 33) an intolerable expense? I think perhaps rather, it is the only truly tolerable expense. This company suffered financial burden for this (and apparently other reasons), but they did the Right Thing - they turned it over to someone who COULD shoulder the burden... the Chilean government..
Your post is disturbing on other levels as well; I suspect that you are not a submariner... I also suspect that most submariners are like me, feeling at least some modicum of kinship with those 33 men who just made a deterrent patrol-length trip of their own. At least we had lights/food/books/quals/etc to keep us busy... they didnt even get THAT until well after "halfway night". No.. your post is disturbing because when I read it, internally I hear you saying that, if a submarine should go down and it be determined that the sailors on it survived and were trapped.. that it wouldn't be financially responsible to attempt a technically complex but feasible rescue.. we should just leave them to die.... right? Because they aren't worth the expense of a rescue?
Maybe your problem is that they're Chilean... you comment that they "aren't at the top of the food chain". Maybe if they were American, they'd be worth rescuing? I bet you wonder why other countries hate us.
10/26/2010 8:30 AM
@iotech,
You need to calm down. I think the anon poster was DEFINATELY a submariner, maybe even an electrician. One of the funnier posts on this thread. Read it again like you are on the midwatch.
10/26/2010 12:20 PM
@oldsalt:
Perhaps you are right, though I still see no indication of humor in the original post. At any rate, I definitely should never post before finishing my first (pot of) coffee in the morning.
re: could be an electrician... the verification word for this post is "vivelec". Hmm,,,
10/26/2010 1:26 PM
Quote - Anonymous said...
Those Chilean miners are not really at the top of the Food chain. Their lack of capabilities put an intolerable expense on the company.. Would have been better just to seal the mine on move forward with the business of making money.
10/26/2010 5:41 AM - End Quote
I'm guessing that was said in satire. Yeahbut, this mine presumably produces mucho copper, gold, silver, and possibly other valuable metals. So they've got to get them out and continue making money from this mine.
That said, I cannot say how happy I am that these men were rescued. It is hard for me to imagine what they went through. Only to say; I'druther be on an attack boat out dere, or, even on a boomer.
Going deep.
10/27/2010 7:17 PM
I will paste this on my facebook page lets see the result. If something is real and same time it is true then, it effect more then prank.
- John Devis
Magento Themes
11/08/2010 12:41 PM
I thing what the media coverage those guys got it is not seen for whole country in this year.
- Tanya
Web Designers
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8/06/2012 7:36 AM
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