Any tips for a midshipman spending 2 months on sub?

[StickmanFTW]

Hello!  First post as I'm new to these forums, but they look like a great resource.  If it's in the wrong section, my apologies!

I'm in NROTC and I'll be spending 2 months on a SSBN out of Bangor, WA for my summer cruise.  It's my 2nd Class Cruise so I'm supposed to shadowing a petty officer.  Do you guys have any tips/reminders/things to make sure I bring?  I've heard that it depends on the CO as to whether I'll be busy or doing nothing most of the time, but I'm bringing books and things to kill time regardless.

Any info is helpful!  Thanks!

[War Eagle]

Get an LED headlamp with a red lens.  They're great for the bridge or control room at night, and they also help navigating dark bunkrooms without irritating sleeping crewmembers.

[DDMurray]

Get engaged with the guys on watch (forward and aft).  Learn us much as you can about what everyone on the crew does.   Get the guys to give you tours of their watchstations.  Some, if not all, boats give familiarization qual cards to middie riders.  Use this as a tool to learn vice an administrative requirement.  You'll get much more out of the time on board by working than by playing video games.  Good luck!

[KUrunner]

Bring a good attitude! 

Remember that you aren't an officer yet and treat the enlisted with respect.  (Not jumping in front of them during chow will go a LONG way!)  One of the funniest things I've ever seen was some teenage midshipman mouthing off to a fireman right out of boot camp.  The CMC didn't really take too kindly to that.

[StickmanFTW]

Thanks guys!  Also, would I not be allowed to bring my iphone to listen to music (because of the camera), and how/where does the crew charge their ipods and stuff?

[Yaeger]

I served on a 688 for a while, I can't imagine the rules would be too much different. You can bring your iphone, but you're limited in the areas you can bring it on the sub. Just use good sense and don't bring it into critical areas like engineering spaces, control, and other sensitive areas. There have been posts on this site about people getting discharged for bringing camera phones into sensitive areas, so be very careful.

The same applies to charging. Most people charge stuff while they sleep if they have an outlet near their rack. Had some inventive electricians on my boat wire in an electrical outlet to the rack lights for the convenience. If you can't charge while you sleep, find a place out of the way and charge it. Make sure that it won't fall out of a cubby, get dripped on, or piss off a chief or watchstander.

Don't leave it unattended though, there are thieves (Officers and Enlisted) that will scoop up unattended stuff. Hide your valuables (wallet) somewhere tough to find, like packed under tons of crap underneath your mattress. Don't lose your TLD.

A list of good things to bring:
- durable watch
- LED headlamp w/ red light as mentioned above
- couple of good books/movies
- those scented pinups (gets pretty funky in berthing after 2 months underway)
- snacks/sodas (hard candy works great)

[thenukeman]

Even Though I was an Army Officer, I think I can help some,  I was assigned 5 Cadets and a Cadidiot!  The 5 cadets did well but the one Cadidiot made them all look very bad.  I had a senior sargeant tell me about this cadidiot and a couple privates even.  I wondered what the deal was. I went to hunt the cadidiot down. The cadidiot was in the middle of a cadidiot action!!! I was behind him and he was making a private do push ups because he could.  I ask him why the private was doing push ups. and he said because I told him too.  I told the private to get up he was done.  I told the cadidiot and the other cadets not to give any more orders but observe. Not to make any comments to the soldiers that are negative. If there is  a problem see me. This was not Basic but Nuclear Biological Chemical Training.  I also explained I had been there almost a year and not dropped anyone. And I am not going to punish someone for the hell of it and the Sargeants did not either.  KURunner is correct bring a good attitude and respect the enlisted. You will go far and dont get fat like me. Probably easy to do on sub.

[Already Gone]

There seems to be a difference between the authority of a Midshipman and a Cadet.

A First Year Middie is sow low in rank that literally everyone in the Navy outranks him.  His summer tour will likely consist of scrubbing bilges.

The second and third years they get a little more technical, and their uniforms look similar to an officer's - even to the point when they are sometimes saluted by mistake.  (Recruits in RTC are required to salute them and call them Sir, but then they have to do that for everyone anyway)  It was a little game we played on base to approach a Middie and stiffen like you were going to salute him, right up to the point where he returns a salute that you didn't give (like a check swing).

Pushups?  Not on a submarine.  A Middie who asks yo to pass the bread on a sub had BETTER ask nicely.  That is as close to giving an order that he will get.  If he tried to order up some pushups, I can't say what the result would be, but it would likely involve duck tape, a grease gun, and a pair of Midshipman's trousers flying from the snorkel mast.

[Fermi2]

I thought that approach rang a bell....


The brutal beating and robbery of a girl in a Seattle bus tunnel has been caught on tape -- along with the inaction of three security guards from whom she sought protection

The guards didn't intervene, though. They have standing orders to "observe and report," so they called police but did nothing else as another 15-year-old girl punched and repeatedly kicked the victim in the head.

What the hell are you babbling about?

[DDMurray]

I thought that approach rang a bell....


The brutal beating and robbery of a girl in a Seattle bus tunnel has been caught on tape -- along with the inaction of three security guards from whom she sought protection

The guards didn't intervene, though. They have standing orders to "observe and report," so they called police but did nothing else as another 15-year-old girl punched and repeatedly kicked the victim in the head.

And how does this relate to the OPs question?

[spekkio]

A First Year Middie is sow low in rank that literally everyone in the Navy outranks him.

Actually, middies technically outrank all enlisted, but don't have any real command authority. Don't be "that guy" who tries to bark orders at a chief.

[Already Gone]

By law, a Midshipman holds a rank between Warrant Officer (W-1) and Chief Warrant Officer (W-2).

That is the end of it.  A Midshipman has no authority over any member of the Navy except those other Midshipmen assigned to train with them.

Don't be that guy who tries to bark orders at anybody, because nobody is required to follow them.

You're there to learn.  There will be plenty of time to make the enlisted folks laugh at you after you get your commission.  Don't rush it.

[StickmanFTW]

Thanks for the help! I'm packed and I have about a full seabag.  Is that too much?  I don't think I have much extra stuff, but I also don't want to be the dumb middie who shows up with too much.

[Already Gone]

Too much?  That's a trick that it takes years to master.  If you bring what you have room to stow, you'll run out of something.  If you bring enough clean skivvies, you won't have room to stow them.  Just fold it all really tight.  If it is on a hanger, you probably don't need it.

There are other places besides the half of the bunk locker that they give you for storing things.  Yeah, you are almost certainly going to share a rack.  There is room under the mattress for some stuff.  There are lockers that won't be totally full.

And, don't worry.  You're going to be a dumb middie mo matter what you bring. Enjoy it. It will be one of the last times for a long time that you can be clueless and get away with it.

[KUrunner]

And, don't worry.  You're going to be a dumb middie mo matter what you bring. Enjoy it. It will be one of the last times for a long time that you can be clueless and get away with it.

More true words have never been spoken.  Once I got over my nerves, I LOVED my first summer cruise.  Nothing will ever compare to it.

[gim73]

Yeah, you're dink!  Get qualified nub!



But seriously, for your question...  Treat all the nukes with respect.  Most submariners are smart, but almost all of the nukes will be smarter than you.  They serve four meals a day underway... Don't wake up for the fourth.  Don't forget to bring some tunes to listen to while working out, because we do work out underway.  Bring a couple of books to read to pass some of the time.  Don't piss off A-gang.  Well, you don't really want to piss off any submariner unless they are MT or sonar, but you REALLY don't want the A-gangers to target you, because they are the most likely to actually do something to you.

As for what you'll need to bring... 2 sets of workout clothes, 4 sets of coveralls, 6 pairs of socks, 6 pairs of briefs (or mix and match, just make sure you got some white briefs for 'official' uniform days), 2 white t-shirts, 4 other t-shirts, a bottle of tobbasco sauce, a good pair of sneakers (sound silencing shipmate!), 3 dirty magazines to trade and whatever else you can fit under your bed.  Really, it's not that much personal space, but we all make do with what we can during the patrol. 

Being on a boomer is pretty sweet.  You get plenty of extra room, the food is great, computers with latest games on LAN, no hot racking and some of the best submariners out there.  You won't hit your head NEARLY as often as you would on a fast boat.  Just get used to the experience, since if you go boomer a sixty day patrol is probably the shortest you will actually see and that one will be the least stressful you will ever experience.

[Gamecock]

  Most submariners are smart, but almost all of the nukes will be smarter than you. 

BS.

[HydroDave63]

Being on a boomer is pretty sweet. 

Maybe he will have a chance to walk Gene Hackman's Jack Russell terrier

[co60slr]

If you do not hang out over the midwatch you will not get to take part in mid-rats, that would be a small pity. The large pity is that the underway ELT is a midwatch animal. To miss the opportunity to hang out with and observe the underway ELT is to truly miss out on one of the most subliminal and cosmic underway experiences available throughout the entire US Navy Silent Service. Simply to be in the presence of a true master of his domain is an enlightenment that still brings tears to my eyes. I weep for the generations who knew not this sweet existence. Underway ELT topside coming into PH at sunset is an experience of profound beauty surpassed only by the OOD in the bridge on the same journey, that OOD could one day be you.

This must have happened back with Marissm, Noah, ENS Rickover and the fabled "nuclear powered Ark".  In fact that has the makings of a fun joke.  "Ok...an ELT, Noah, and ENS Rickover all walk into the first Control Point Area together...."   

Although, the bridge at night was good advice.  Brought back memories...I've never seen a more clear sky at night, or more dolphins playing with a boat's waves during the day.  Good times....

[gim73]

Stickman,

This is the good part of the post;

This is the entertainment part;

If you do not hang out over the midwatch you will not get to take part in mid-rats, that would be a small pity. The large pity is that the underway ELT is a midwatch animal. To miss the opportunity to hang out with and observe the underway ELT is to truly miss out on one of the most subliminal and cosmic underway experiences available throughout the entire US Navy Silent Service. Simply to be in the presence of a true master of his domain is an enlightenment that still brings tears to my eyes. I weep for the generations who knew not this sweet existence. Underway ELT topside coming into PH at sunset is an experience of profound beauty surpassed only by the OOD in the bridge on the same journey, that OOD could one day be you. Have a fun trip shipwreck.

Marssim former MM1/SS,.....(ELT)  

Yeah, I was an RO myself, but I spent alot of time with the ELTs.  Awesome guys for the most part.  Definately don't miss the fun going on in ERF or nucleonics. 

I remember my first patrol coming into pearl harbor as a topside linehandler.  To this day what sticks with me most was the SMELL.  Like an overripe pineapple, it assaulted my nostrils and most gloriously did not smell like the boat.  Nothing can really prepare your senses for what they go through underway.  The boat smells like smelly men and chemicals, and it saturates you and all your clothes for a good wash load after you return.  The constant hum of fans will keep you awake at first, but eventually you will wake up in the dead of night from their absence, knowing something has just gone down.  You will add your favorite sauce (ranch dressing) to pretty much all your food in hopes that it will taste better.  Oh, and all engine room coffee has some percentage oil mixed in. 

Whenever I stood RT I was the engineroom barrista.  Flavored creamers, sugar, hot cocoa mix and other stuff were stockpiled by RC div to ensure the watchstanders always had a hot cup of whatever they wanted.  Don't expect your mocha to be like starbucks, no, it's a cup of coffee with a pack of swiss miss.

[sovbob]

...Don't expect your mocha to be like starbucks, no, it's a cup of coffee with a pack of swiss miss.

Actually, that's not true.  On my boat, our supply department stocked four entire laundry bags full of Starbucks Lightnote® coffee packs.  The label on the pack said "For Airline Use Only" but we didn't worry too much about that...

We also had Swiss Miss (indeed for a while there was a dispute over whether hot chocolate mix was considered "food in the engineroom"), creamers, sugar, and all the 'fixins.

So yeah, YMMV.

-Former EM2(SS) and Legendary Engineroom Coffee Brewmeister

[IPREGEN]

Soap on a rope, just kidding, just get along, you are there to learn. It's only 2 months.

[jowlman]

How about packing a sock pupet for date night.....LOL