Well the USS Houston has made the home page of CNN again about the secondary coolent leak.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/08/07/navy.sub/index.html
For all that don't understand, the secondary coolant is that coolant that never touches the reactor. The primary coolant that touches the reactor core heat ups and transfers this heat to the secondary coolant, which turns the turbines and makes electricity.
Secondary coolant is safe. I guess this valve on the Houston has been dripping for two years (I'm not sure how that happens without notice) and sprayed an enlisted guys in the Engine room. After the Enlisted Men had to field day the mess up, have reconstruct and an investigation on PMS practice, they took him to the hospital (just a joke guys, we all know the Nucs payed World of Warcraft during field day).
Well anyways the news people are freaking out because of the word 'nuclear.' The radiation level is less than a bag of fertilizer or a smoke detector. That's the way it is designed. It is not because the navy caught it before it could have gotten out of hand. It is because the radioactivity of the secondary loop is very small. Admiral Rickover drank the coolant in front of Congress!
Well anyways it is just another reason to clean the bilge.
Showing posts with label submarines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label submarines. Show all posts
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Dr. Joyce Brothers Wrote The Following About Submariners
I wanted to share this story from Dr. Joyce Brothers about what drives men to stay on submarines. She wrote this in the 1960's after the lose of the USS Thresher.
RISK IS AN INSPIRATION IN SUBMARINE SERVICE
The tragic loss of the submarine Thresher and 129 men had a special kind of impact on the nation…..a special kind of sadness, mixed with universal admiration for the men who chose this kind of work.One could not mention the Thresher without observing, in the same breath how utterly final and alone the end is when a ship dies at the bottom of the sea…..and what a remarkable specimen of man it must be who accepts such a risk.
Most of us might be moved to conclude, too, that a tragedy of this kind would have a damaging effect on the moral of the other men in the submarine service and tend to discourage future enlistments. Actually, there is no evidence that this is so.What is it, then, that lures men to careers in which they spend so much of their time in cramped quarters, under great psychological stress, with danger lurking all about them?
Bond Among ThemTogetherness is an overworked term, but in no other branch of our military service is it given such full meaning as in the so-called “silent service.”
In an under sea craft, each man is totally dependent upon the skill of every other man in the crew, not only for top performance but for actual survival. Each knows that his very life depends on the others and because this is so, there is a bond among them that both challenges and comforts them.All of this gives the submariner a special feeling of pride, because he is indeed a member of an elite corps. The risks, then, are an inspiration, rather than a deterrent.The challenge of masculinity is another factor, which attracts men to serve on submarines. It certainly is a test of man’s prowess and power to know he can qualify for this highly selective service. However, it should be emphasized that this desire to prove masculinity is not pathological, as it might be in certain daredevil pursuits, such as driving a motorcycle through a flaming hoop.
Emotionally Healthy There is nothing daredevelish about the motivations of the man who decides to dedicate his life to the submarine service. He does, indeed, take pride in demonstrating that he is quite a man, but he does not do so to practice a form of foolhardy brinkmanship, to see how close he can get to failure and still snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
On the contrary, the aim in the submarine service is to battle the danger, to minimize the risk, to take every measure to make certain that safety rather than danger, is maintained at all times.Are the men in submarines braver than those in other pursuits where the possibility of sudden tragedy is not constant? The glib answer would be that they are. It is much more accurate, from a psychological point of view, to say they are not necessarily braver, but that they have a little more insight into themselves and their capabilities.
They know themselves a little better than the next man. This has to be so with men who have a healthy reason to volunteer for a risk. They are generally a cut healthier emotionally than others of similar age and background because of their willingness to push themselves a little bit farther and not settle for an easier kind of existence.We all have tremendous capabilities but are rarely straining at the upper level of what we can do; these men are.
The country can be proud and grateful that so many of its sound, young, eager men care enough about their own status in life–and the welfare of their country–to pool their skills and match them collectively against the power of the sea.
RISK IS AN INSPIRATION IN SUBMARINE SERVICE
The tragic loss of the submarine Thresher and 129 men had a special kind of impact on the nation…..a special kind of sadness, mixed with universal admiration for the men who chose this kind of work.One could not mention the Thresher without observing, in the same breath how utterly final and alone the end is when a ship dies at the bottom of the sea…..and what a remarkable specimen of man it must be who accepts such a risk.
Most of us might be moved to conclude, too, that a tragedy of this kind would have a damaging effect on the moral of the other men in the submarine service and tend to discourage future enlistments. Actually, there is no evidence that this is so.What is it, then, that lures men to careers in which they spend so much of their time in cramped quarters, under great psychological stress, with danger lurking all about them?
Bond Among ThemTogetherness is an overworked term, but in no other branch of our military service is it given such full meaning as in the so-called “silent service.”
In an under sea craft, each man is totally dependent upon the skill of every other man in the crew, not only for top performance but for actual survival. Each knows that his very life depends on the others and because this is so, there is a bond among them that both challenges and comforts them.All of this gives the submariner a special feeling of pride, because he is indeed a member of an elite corps. The risks, then, are an inspiration, rather than a deterrent.The challenge of masculinity is another factor, which attracts men to serve on submarines. It certainly is a test of man’s prowess and power to know he can qualify for this highly selective service. However, it should be emphasized that this desire to prove masculinity is not pathological, as it might be in certain daredevil pursuits, such as driving a motorcycle through a flaming hoop.
Emotionally Healthy There is nothing daredevelish about the motivations of the man who decides to dedicate his life to the submarine service. He does, indeed, take pride in demonstrating that he is quite a man, but he does not do so to practice a form of foolhardy brinkmanship, to see how close he can get to failure and still snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
On the contrary, the aim in the submarine service is to battle the danger, to minimize the risk, to take every measure to make certain that safety rather than danger, is maintained at all times.Are the men in submarines braver than those in other pursuits where the possibility of sudden tragedy is not constant? The glib answer would be that they are. It is much more accurate, from a psychological point of view, to say they are not necessarily braver, but that they have a little more insight into themselves and their capabilities.
They know themselves a little better than the next man. This has to be so with men who have a healthy reason to volunteer for a risk. They are generally a cut healthier emotionally than others of similar age and background because of their willingness to push themselves a little bit farther and not settle for an easier kind of existence.We all have tremendous capabilities but are rarely straining at the upper level of what we can do; these men are.
The country can be proud and grateful that so many of its sound, young, eager men care enough about their own status in life–and the welfare of their country–to pool their skills and match them collectively against the power of the sea.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Semi-retirement
During my 20 years in the military it was difficult to visualize what normal life was like. Even when I was on shore duty, the hectic work schedule of the military made a 60-80 hour work week the norm. Many people don't realize what the average person goes through just to be in the military. People only hear about military members being deployed, that's it. But the military life is so much different than civilian life there is no comparison.
For instance on a submarine (my experience) the majority of the crew stands 3 or if you're lucky 4 section duty. What this means is that on top of your normal work day, every 3-4 days you have to stay overnight and man watches on the submarine. So a 'normal' day on an in-port submarine is 0600-to about 1600 (a 10 hour day) then every 3-4 days a 24 hour (including weekends). this is normal peace time, in port work days. It equates to about an 80 hour week. I know there are people that will say 'but you sleep during a duty day'. - sometimes you can get a few hours. When I first joined the navy in the 1980's we used to be able to grant 'day after duty' meaning that if you had the duty and your worked hard during that time, you could leave after you got relieved by the next duty section. Those days are gone. There is so much work to do that no one leaves early.
At sea the submarine crew is in a three section rotation. The crew stands 6 hours of watch, 6 hours of off watch training, maintenance, cleaning, and then 6 hours of rest. Not necessarily in that order. Myself as a Sonar Supervisor had to spend many hours in 'reconstruct' analysing all of the information gathered from my watch.
Looking back I am amazed that I made it through and I am even more amazed at the young men that continue to make it happen. I see these young men that are in submarine school and here is their schedule: PT at 0600 in the ball field, class 0800-1600, dinner at 1700. If they are on extra study then study hall is 1800-2000. if they are still behind they are required to be at study hall 1800-2200. I can't think of anyone that wants to be at work 0600-2200. Oh yeah, these students also have watch standing duties on top of that. I can't think of any college student that does that.
I think that is why many veterans have trouble adjusting to civilian life, I know I am. It is really hard for a military guy to understand the importance of things like 'don't mix whites into the laundry.' It is not that we can't follow instructions, we are very good at that, it is just that it seems so mundane, ridiculous, meaningless, it is that it doesn't fit a mission.
I find that I just have to continuously keep myself busy with school, garden, the yard and the family. If not I become idle and nothing good comes of that.
For instance on a submarine (my experience) the majority of the crew stands 3 or if you're lucky 4 section duty. What this means is that on top of your normal work day, every 3-4 days you have to stay overnight and man watches on the submarine. So a 'normal' day on an in-port submarine is 0600-to about 1600 (a 10 hour day) then every 3-4 days a 24 hour (including weekends). this is normal peace time, in port work days. It equates to about an 80 hour week. I know there are people that will say 'but you sleep during a duty day'. - sometimes you can get a few hours. When I first joined the navy in the 1980's we used to be able to grant 'day after duty' meaning that if you had the duty and your worked hard during that time, you could leave after you got relieved by the next duty section. Those days are gone. There is so much work to do that no one leaves early.
At sea the submarine crew is in a three section rotation. The crew stands 6 hours of watch, 6 hours of off watch training, maintenance, cleaning, and then 6 hours of rest. Not necessarily in that order. Myself as a Sonar Supervisor had to spend many hours in 'reconstruct' analysing all of the information gathered from my watch.
Looking back I am amazed that I made it through and I am even more amazed at the young men that continue to make it happen. I see these young men that are in submarine school and here is their schedule: PT at 0600 in the ball field, class 0800-1600, dinner at 1700. If they are on extra study then study hall is 1800-2000. if they are still behind they are required to be at study hall 1800-2200. I can't think of anyone that wants to be at work 0600-2200. Oh yeah, these students also have watch standing duties on top of that. I can't think of any college student that does that.
I think that is why many veterans have trouble adjusting to civilian life, I know I am. It is really hard for a military guy to understand the importance of things like 'don't mix whites into the laundry.' It is not that we can't follow instructions, we are very good at that, it is just that it seems so mundane, ridiculous, meaningless, it is that it doesn't fit a mission.
I find that I just have to continuously keep myself busy with school, garden, the yard and the family. If not I become idle and nothing good comes of that.
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