Lesson #4: Reading Between the Submarine Lines

April 15, 2011 - theday.com - Sub building program survives budget cuts

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Despite the government's fiscal woes and immense pressure for cuts, the Virginia-class submraine program escaped unscathed, a testament to the bipartisan support it enjoys,according to Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District. It marks the first time two attack submarines will be purchased in a year since 1989.

Between the lines (what you may never see in a newspaper): Submarines are always silent and strange. - Juan Caruso

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Short Interpretation

The U.S. Navy's submarines are still so far ahead of any competition, the submarine force will provide the U.S. with a very formidable and highly survivable element in any contest for world domination by actors deploring liberty.

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The public (and indeed most of the military, including submariners) are certainly unaware of some spectacularly sensitive activities individual submarines have engaged in, nor their stellar achievements (and brazen attempts). Such activities are hidden for decades, if not longer. Such contributions, however, often with significant sacrifices by crew, of these submarines is valuable because enemies (current, or future) are equally unaware of their efforts and accomplishment(s).

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Cruise missiles, which are sometimes visible, are not the only weapons launched by subs, and launching weapons has not necessarily been a submarine's most critical mission in terms of supporting national defense.

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To recruit today's volunteers, who are increasingly binary-oriented thinkers, it has been necessary for the service to de-emphasize the inherent hazards of service. Eventually, related pay considerations may become historical curiosities. PREDICTION: This will happen after women have served at their normalized rate (i.e. approximating the same ratio to their gender as male submariners are to all male sailors). Incentive pay (by another name, perhaps) will replace submarine duty pay until the normalized female equilibrium is reached. A target year for this pay change scheme has not been made public, of course --- and no doubt flight pay, as well. There could even be some foreign nationals standing in line for both military jobs. Hey, it is only a prediction (April 15, 2011).

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