The Men Inside Them
The submariner's world is known only to a few ---cloaked in secrecy and surrounded in mystery. There is no other service as unique or damanding as the "Silent Service" and no men as dedicated as those who volunteer to serve onboard our nation's submarines. But who are these men who call themselves Submariners? His world is known to only a few. His character is greatly shaped by his heritage.
Submariners have long enjoyed a reputation for storied yet secretive lifestyles. This perception has been fueled by daring feats of bravery during World War I; heroism during World War II; and 'Cold War" spy missions which would shock most. This reputation has been perpetuated by the imaginations of Hollywood.
He is among the best trained in the Navy. Only those who score within the top ten percent of the entry test are even eligible to become members of the Submarine Force. And then, only one percent actually become submariners. Every one is a volunteer! The submarine candidate has usually already completed such Navy schools as advanced electronics, sonar, satellite communications, or nuclear power schools before volunteering for submarine school. Only highly motivated, emotionally mature, and those capable of passign the rigid physical examinations necessary for withstanding the rigors of submarine life, are accepted.
Not only does submarine school initially prepare the submarine canidate for the day-to-day responsibilities of leadership, the ability to understand the basics of engineering, navigation, seamanship and depth control, but also for the most extreme situations --from flooding and fire, to fighting the enemy. Only after the candidate demonstrates his ability to handle these difficult scenarios in a simulated environment is he allowed to report to a submarine. It is not until he is once on board, does his training actually begin.
Then, once on board, and only after nearly a year of learning the systems of his submarine, having gone through a rigorous qualification program, confirmed by rigorous written and oral examinations, then, and only then, after having been confirmed by the men he will serve with can a candidate finally wear the coveted "dolphins."
Dolphins, the U.S. Navy's Submarine Force insignia, is a pin featuring a pair of dolphins flanking a World War II submarine with its bow planes rigged for diving. The pin is gold for officers, silver for enlisted personnel.
Yet, it is only after being deemed "Qualified-in-Submarines" that a submariner's training actually begins.
Movies like "U-571," "Das Boot" and "The Hunt For Red October" are the latest hits from Hollywood providing a flavor of what submarine life may be like to those not fortunate enough to belong to the submarine fraternity. A perpetual flow of new books on the topic continues to amplify the contributions of submarines and their crews over the past decade.
While most official submarine files of the 'Cold War' remain closed in the interest of national security, the submariner himself is bound by a code-of-silence.
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