Take Care Of Your Sea Puppies

Everyone loves to learn something new because a day without learning is a wasted day. .

I am a submarine sailor and will be until I am no more. Some believe I am demented or odd based on my time under the pond but I believe I am just a tinge extravagant.

The picture above shows a submarine doing an emergency surface where you not only blow the ballast tanks but use also drive the boat at a high angle upward to hit the surface as quickly as possible.

It may come to a surprise but the individuals responsible for driving a billion dollar submarine are normally the youngest and most junior personnel on the boat.

You may ask. How you can trust people barely out of high school to drive a billion dollar submarine with 100 plus personnel onboard without incident.

The answer is very simple. Submarine sailors are trained, mentored, and must qualify on submarine systems and primary jobs.

How does it work?

• Sailors attend basic submarine system training where they learn how a submarine works, how to keep it from sinking when there is flooding, how to put out fires while submerged, how to escape when submerged, and other basic skills.
  
• Sailors attend advanced submarine school where they become experts in their primary jobs some of which include sonar, nuclear power, electronics, etc.
• New sailors (sea puppies) are assigned to a more senior sailor (sea daddies or sea mommies) for mentoring in both basic systems and primary jobs.

• Sailors must pass qualification boards to independently perform basic functions and primary jobs. Once they have completed qualifications for the submarine, they are awarded the Submarine Warfare insignia (Dolphins).
  

• A sailor that earns a set of Dolphins is officially a Submariner and will always be a Submarine from that day on.
  

So why the comparison between submarines and WA?

• WA members come from all walks of life and with different experiences.
• Basic/advanced training is available and new training is developed daily.
• Mentoring is a robust two way street.
• Our final test or qualification is our website.

I have been with WA for nearly two (2) months and appreciate the work that Carson, Kyle and the WA crew have accomplished. Everyday, there are new enhancements added to improve our efficiency and in the background mundane maintenance is performed to keep the boat operational.

Perhaps there is a better comparison but in my mind I am a sea puppy once again receiving world class mentoring from my sea daddies and sea mommies. Each day, I get closer to qualifying and being a mentor myself.

What do you compare WA to?

Thanks for all you do and full speed ahead. It's great being fifty plus going on fifteen.

Wishing you safety, health and success.

Jay Patterson