USS Columbus and Ohio Submariners make a impressionon Makeover! by Mary Anne Mascianica

"This is one of the largest, most beautiful houses we've built, and for an unbelievably deserving family... It was a tremendous effort, and when we sent out a call for help, the Navy answered! The submarine crews from USS Columbus and USS Ohio did an amazing job! It was so cool to see so many guys from Columbus and Ohio turn out and pitch in to help make this event happen! An absolutely fantastic bunch of guys - they made such a difference! Thank you so much, everyone from Columbus and Ohio - you were all so amazing - the Navy is AWESOME!" more>>

USS Virginia Commissioning Ushers In a New Era of Undersea Warfare
by JOC Mark O. Piggott, USN

The first nuclear-powered Virginia-class fast attack submarine, USS Virginia (SSN-774), was commissioned Saturday, 23 October, at Norfolk Naval Station. Virginia is the ninth U.S. naval vessel to be named for the "Old Dominion." Commander, Naval Submarine Forces, VADM Charles L. Munns, gave the order to commission the ship. "CAPT Kern, you and your men have much to be proud of, but also more work to do," Munns said. More>>

SOSUS: The "Secret Weapon" of Undersea Surveillance
by Edward C. Whitman

Born of a three-way marriage of early Cold War strategic necessity, World War II progress in underwater acoustics, and an extraordinary engineering effort, the Navy's pioneering Sound Surveillance System - SOSUS - became a key, long-range early-warning asset for protecting the United States against the threat of Soviet ballistic missile submarines and in providing vital cueing information for tactical, deep-ocean, anti-submarine warfare. And although subsequent events - most notably the end of the Cold War - robbed SOSUS of much of its mission, its history remains an object lesson in how inspired, science-based engineering development can lead to extraordinary operational... more>>

Submarine Force's Readiness Doctrine
Supports the Fleet Response Plan
by CAPT Scott Bawden, USN

The Submarine Force's longtime standard is 100 percent on-time mission accomplishment. The disciplined approach used by today's Submarine Force to measure and analyze performance, and the underlying philosophy that governs training and certification, ensures sustained mission success and the continued relevance of the force in a changing Navy. More>>

Saluting Diversity
by LT Faith Tabatsko, USN

On Friday, January 9th, 2004, LCDR Edward Robledo, Engineer of USS Maryland (SSBN-738)(B) found himself speaking in front of a large audience. Though this in itself is nothing unusual for a submarine officer of his seniority, he was hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean, and only about 10 of the audience of over 500 people were in the Navy. More>>

Silent Hammer Showcases Joint Warfare Capabilities
USS Georgia — The Silent Hammer
by CAPT (Sel.) Dave Duryea, USN

The year is 2012, and the President has directed USS Georgia (SSGN-729) to position rapidly off the coast of a potential adversary. There, with a Joint Commander embarked and loaded with advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs ), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), Tactical Tomahawk Missiles (TACTOMs), and Special Operations Forces (SOF), Georgia waits patiently for the right moment to execute her mission. At the order of the regional commander, the ship springs into action, launching remote vehicles to gather intelligence while SOF personnel prepare to disembark, and TACTOMs are spun up to be ready for launch at a moment’s notice. More>>

Submarine Maintenance a Tricky Task
by JO2 Kenny Ragland, USN

Berthed along a grey cement pier in San Diego, USS Georgia (SSGN-729), an Ohio-class submarine, dwarfed the attack submarines near which it had been moored from June to October. Working on these two different classes of submarines has presented a challenge to Commander Submarine Squadron (CSS-11) Submarine Maintenance Division according to Jerry Badders, a civilian assistant maintenance coordinator. More>>

Total Force Supports Silent Hammer
by CDR Paul Mahosky, USNR

In the wake of the decision to convert four Ohio-class fleet ballistic-missile nuclear submarines to nuclear-powered guided-missile submarines (SSGNs), RDML Mel G. Williams Jr., Commander Submarine Group 9 (COMSUBGRU 9) became a key player in the development and validation of the operating concept for the new SSGNs. More>>

ADM Skip Bowman: In His Own Words

Recently retired ADM Frank L. “Skip” Bowman, former Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion, served 38 years in the U.S. Navy. ADM Bowman was commissioned upon graduation from Duke University in 1966 and went on to complete a dual master’s degree program in nuclear engineering and naval architecture/marine engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1973. Some of ADM Bowman’s commands included USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705) and USS Holland (AS-32), and he went on to serve on the Joint Staff – with J-3 and J-5 – and as the Chief of Naval Personnel. More>>

 

Photo of Watch Floor
Readiness Chart
Photo of LCDR Fernandez, wife Karen, and RDML Dunne
Photo of USS Georgia
Photo of Sailors in dress uniforms standing in formation
Photo of ADM Bowman
Photo of Submariner with Ty Pennington (Extreme Makeover Home Edition)
Features
Cover of Undersea Warfare Magazine Winter 2005