I can't see myself in a sub.

[pilot2b]

There absolutely is a sub draft when necessary. The Navy just loves to spread the myth that all submariners are volunteers. How this looks at USNA can be a bit sneaky. USNA has been known to say someone put subs as their "first choice" when in reality that person was forced to appear before a SARB (Service Assignment Review Board) where unless that mid throws a fit (not likely given that these are usually O-5s and O-6s), they will be assumed to have accepted the reassignment and "volunteered" for X job - for example, subs.

 

[Devil Doc]

I’ve mentioned a few times how the huge majority of the operational Navy and Marine Corps have an Independent Duty Corpsman as the first line of health care. That includes submarines. This is a nice, short article about the Sub IDC aboard the Albany.

Independent Duty Corpsman Helps Maintain Submarine Force Operational Readiness

An independent duty corpsman (IDC) is helping to maintain operational readiness for the Submarine Force aboard the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Albany (SSN 753) at Naval Station Norfolk.

www.dvidshub.net

 

[Kierkegaard]

I’ve mentioned a few times how the huge majority of the operational Navy and Marine Corps have an Independent Duty Corpsman as the first line of health care. That includes submarines. This is a nice, short article about the Sub IDC aboard the Albany.

Independent Duty Corpsman Helps Maintain Submarine Force Operational Readiness

An independent duty corpsman (IDC) is helping to maintain operational readiness for the Submarine Force aboard the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Albany (SSN 753) at Naval Station Norfolk.

www.dvidshub.net

One thing a sailor once told me that underlined their importance: The sub can go underway without the captain, but not without the Corpsman.

 

[Devil Doc]

One thing a sailor once told me that underlined their importance: The sub can go underway without the captain, but not without the Corpsman.

That's actually a true statement for the most part.

Hurricane Iwa hit Oahu in 1982 and it was a bad one. All ships were ordered out of Pearl Harbor so they got underway and one by one headed out the channel toward Papa Hotel (buoy). My ship the USS Cochrane was next to go and we had singled up all lines. All of a sudden we were told to put out storm lines and to batten down. The Goldsborough got slammed as it hit open ocean thus the order to stay in port. My HMC was ashore and I would have taken her to sea without him. The Goldy though had no corpsmen aboard. They suffered mass casualties and one death. One of the junior officers had been a medic in the Air Force and took care of and directed the care of the casualties. They cut open the working stock narcotics safe in sick bay and he was shooting up sailors with morphine. He saved several lives that day.

I met him a few months ago on my Adams Class Facebook site. I had never before met him but after a couple questions he told me it was he who was the officer who did those heroic deeds that day. I told that story numerous times throughout the years and to actually meet the man was an honor and I told him that. But, under as normal circumstances as possible, ships cannot get underway without the Independent Duty Corpsman. That doesn't apply to ships with medical officers of course.

 

[justme]

There absolutely is a sub draft when necessary. The Navy just loves to spread the myth that all submariners are volunteers. How this looks at USNA can be a bit sneaky. USNA has been known to say someone put subs as their "first choice" when in reality that person was forced to appear before a SARB (Service Assignment Review Board) where unless that mid throws a fit (not likely given that these are usually O-5s and O-6s), they will be assumed to have accepted the reassignment and "volunteered" for X job - for example, subs.

Is there not screening for Subs, beyond the Nuke aptitude? ie, to test for claustrophobic tendencies, etc?

There absolutely is a sub draft when necessary. The Navy just loves to spread the myth that all submariners are volunteers. How this looks at USNA can be a bit sneaky. USNA has been known to say someone put subs as their "first choice" when in reality that person was forced to appear before a SARB (Service Assignment Review Board) where unless that mid throws a fit (not likely given that these are usually O-5s and O-6s), they will be assumed to have accepted the reassignment and "volunteered" for X job - for example, subs.

Is there is a specific psych(?)or other eval for sub fit beyond the stem aptitude?

 

[krcomber]

Hey everyone I've been looking into the process for service selection for NROTC and USNA... and the idea of submarine doesn't seem appealing to me. I understand the "needs of the navy" ALWAYS come first, so do the "needs of the navy" ever force mids to go subs? My first priority is to serve, but preferably I wouldn't want subs unless I had some change of heart

If you will be NROTC you will attend CORTRAMID Career Orientation Training for Midshipman, this is a 6 week event when you will experience 4 areas of commission: Surface Warfare, Aviation, Submarine and Marine. This is to help you decide where you want to commission. Note top grades and Naval Science excellence yields preferred commissions or ships. Best of luck and much success in your choice to serve!

 

[Big Ugly]

Head for a career in submarines now and you could serve on the future Wahoo, Tang, or Barb.

Wow.

What a tip of the hat to the legacy of America’s finest fighting submarines.

 

[Usnavy2019]

Is there not screening for Subs, beyond the Nuke aptitude? ie, to test for claustrophobic tendencies, etc?

Is there is a specific psych(?)or other eval for sub fit beyond the stem aptitude?

There is an undersea medical screening for those bound for submarine duty. I'm not privy to the specifics of undersea medicine, but there is a screening in that sense. On the claustrophobic front, if someone has diagnosed and documented claustrophobia, they probably wouldn't commission. There are plenty of different jobs that require time in small spaces (Some shipboard spaces, fighter cockpits, AAVs in the USMC are a few examples).

 

[Devil Doc]

Is there not screening for Subs, beyond the Nuke aptitude? ie, to test for claustrophobic tendencies, etc?

Is there is a specific psych(?)or other eval for sub fit beyond the stem aptitude?

I put in for subs and did everything but execute the orders. I know, I was just an enlisted fella but the boat has no recognition of paygrade when it comes to assuring its return to the surface intact.

I did the physical exam, an interview from a Sub IDC, the compression chamber, and the request package submission which in those days was an actual package mailed to the Bureau of Naval Personnel. BUPERS is now called another name and BUMED is the only bureau in the USN as a side note. The psych eval is simple (unless there have been changes recently) with simple screening questions.

 

[justme]

Thanks for the responses. I had searched/found some Navy study on psychological issues being the main submarine attrition driver, so assumed they had a separate screening process. But, I couldn't find anything here speaking of Mids having to take something to confirm fit.

(also apologies for double posting the question within a response. Guessing the site kept a draft open.)

 

[THParent]

When I think of submarines, I think of this question from the Marine to the Captain in the movie U-571:

"How deep does this thing go?"

"Oh she'll go all the way to the bottom if we don't stop her"