Navy Political Camouflage (about those submarine collisions perhaps?)

The 21st century began January 1, 2001.  The Pentagon (and Navy) used two types of rare, poltical (non-combat) camouflage during the prior century. The shuffling variety (described in a later posting) had been used as far back as the1800s, and still persists. The gobbledlygook variety has been very evident in our century, so we start there.  Fact:

US submarine collisions in 21st Century to date

( performance and alertness in submariners ?)

2001 USS Greeneville (SSN-772)
2002 USS Oklahoma City (SSN-723)
2003 USS Hartford (SSN-768) grounding (#1)
2005 USS San Francisco (SSN-711) with seamountain
2005 USS Philadelphia (SSN-690)
2007 USS Newport News (SSN-750)
2009 USS Hartford with USS New Orleans (#2)
2012 USS Montpelier (SSN-765)

Gobbledygook  (goals camouflaged)

A) Untranslated with bold emphasis added

"The aim of a new collaborative study with NSMRL Researcher, Lieutenant Commander Soutiere, is to develop and validate the use of a personal light-treatment device and light filtration glasses as a means to phase-shift and/or phase-lock circadian rhythms to optimize operational readiness. Many physical and psychological attributes particularly relevant to the combatant including risk-taking behavior, threat detection, and decision making are dependent on biological rhythm phase. By effectively controlling the type and quantity of light exposure the ability to shift and maintain the circadian phase is achieved. [submarine crews not mentioned, "decision making" is]

Scientists from the Lighting Research Center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute met with researchers from the Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory as well as engineers from the Common Missile and Human Systems Departments of General Dynamics Electric Boat to discuss lighting as it relates to health and workspace illumination.  [submarine crews not mentioned] [what is the relation to health?]

Both Drs. Rae and Figueiro have a history of collaborations with NSMRL Principal Investigators related to lighting and health. Recent studies by Rea, Figueiro, et al., demonstrate entrainment of circadian rhythms with specific wavelengths of light." - source

 Without any Gobbledygook  (goals revealed)

B) Plainspeak (translation UNnecessary) 

#1
"[RPI researchers] are also working with the U.S. Navy to investigate how light can increase performance and alertness in submariners." - source   [submarine crew performance and alertness]

#2
 Red light has the least power to shift circadian rhythm and suppress melatonin. - source

Blue wavelengths—which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood—seem to be the most disruptive at night.  [ibid]

 explanation...
Dr. Charles Czeisler of Harvard Medical School showed, in 1981, that daylight keeps a person's internal clock aligned with the environment. Light at night is bad for your health, and exposure to blue light emitted by electronics and energy-efficient lightbulbs may be especially so. ... research shows that it may contribute to the causation of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. [ibid] [health issues]

**************

What Might the Future Hold for Submariners?
Back to 4-hour watches (six watches in an actual 24-hour day), or stick with US sub's current convention (3 x 6-hour watches in an artificial 18-hour day that is possibly a problem for women's circadian rythms  [WE CAN"T TALK ABOUT THAT yet]?  Blue light and orange/yellow/amber blue-light goggles/filters?

Submarines are always silent and strange.

also working with the U.S. Navy to investigate how light can increase performance and alertness in submariners. - See more at: http://news.rpi.edu/content/2013/10/25/mariana-figueiro-elected-fellow-illuminating-engineering-society#sthash.5soU3ugZ.dpuf