Submarine Warfare insignia
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The Submarine Warfare Insignia (usually known as "dolphins" or "fish") is a uniform breast pin worn by enlisted men and officers of the United States Navy to indicate that they are qualified in submarines. The Submarine Warfare insignia is considered one of the Navy's three major warfare pins along with the Surface Warfare Badge and the Naval Aviator Badge. To earn the right to wear the pin, American submarine sailors complete an extensive qualification process that lasts about one year which covers virtually all of the submarine's systems onboard.
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[edit] History
On 13 June 1923, Captain Ernest J. King, Commander, Submarine Division Three (later Fleet Admiral and Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, during World War II), suggested to the Secretary of the Navy (Bureau of Navigation) that a distinguishing device for qualified submariners be adopted. He submitted a pen-and-ink sketch of his own showing a shield mounted on the beam ends of a submarine, with dolphins forward of, and abaft, the conning tower. The suggestion was strongly endorsed by Commander Submarine Division Atlantic.
Over the next several months the Bureau of Navigation (now known as BUPERS) solicited additional designs from several sources. Some combined a submarine with a shark motif. Others showed submarines and dolphins, and still others used a shield design. A Philadelphia firm, which had done work for the Navy in the field of United States Naval Academy class rings, was approached by the Bureau of Navigation with the request that it design a suitable badge.
Two designs were submitted by the firm, and these were combined into a single design. It was a bow view of a submarine, proceeding on the surface, with bow planes rigged for diving, flanked by dolphins in a horizontal position with their heads resting on the upper edge of the bow planes.
Today a similar design is used: a dolphin flanking the bow and conning tower of a submarine. On 20 March 1924, the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation recommended to the Secretary of the Navy that the design be adopted. The recommendation was accepted by Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Acting Secretary of the Navy. His acceptance is dated March 1924.
Originally, the submarine insignia was to be worn by officers and men qualified in submarine duty only when attached to submarine units or submarine command organizations. The right to wear the pin was revoked if the service member transferred to a non-submarine type billet. In 1941 the Uniform Regulations were modified to permit service members to wear the submarine insignia for the duration of one's career, once so authorized.
[edit] Appearance
The officers' insignia was at first a bronze, gold plated metal pin, worn centered above the left breast pocket and above the ribbons and medals. Enlisted men wore the insignia, embroidered in silk, white silk for blue clothing and blue silk for white clothing. This was sewn on the outside of the right sleeve, midway between the wrist and elbow. The device was two and three-quarters inches long. In 1943, the Uniform Regulations were modified to provide that
"Enlisted men, who are qualified and subsequently promoted to commissioned or warrant ranks, may wear enlisted submarine insignia on the left breast until they qualify as submarine officers, at which time this insignia would be replaced by the officers' submarine pin."
In mid-1947, the embroidered device shifted from the sleeve of the enlisted men's jumper to above the left breast pocket. A change to the Uniform Regulations dated 21 September 1950 authorized the embroidered insignia for officers (in addition to the pin-on insignia) and a bronze, silver plated, pin-on insignia for enlisted men (in addition to the embroidered device).
In the modern Navy, the submarine pin is either a silver or gold chest pin, worn above all ribbons unless a second superseding qualification has been achieved in which case the submarine pin is worn below ribbons on the breast pocket.
[edit] Basic enlisted submarine qualifications
Upon reporting to his first submarine the "unqualified" submarine sailor, or "NUB" (Non-Useful Body), completes a few days of indoctrination and is then assigned a Qualification Card, a qualification due date, and a Sea Dad (officially known as a "command sponsor"). The Sea Dad monitor's the non-qual's, or "NUB'S!!" progress, during the qualification process and his adaptation to life aboard a boat.
No one is exempted from the qualification process and no concessions are made because of rank or rate.
Although Submarine Qualifications methodology has changed throughout the decades the basic goal has remained: to provide the submarine sailor with a basic knowledge of all systems, their uses, operation, and interrelationships or interconnectedness with other systems on board that boat, and to ensure all personal can think/opperate to the highest degree under pressure in any situation. Damage Control and Submarine Damage Control Techniques are stressed throughout the qualification process.
Qualification standards for submarine duty are high. Onboard submarine qualification is tracked with a point system. NUBS must obtain a pre-determined number of points per week. Failure to achieve the required number results in placement on a "delinquent list" and the assignment of additional study, monitored by the Sea Dad. Each system signature is weighted and each phase has a maximum number of points.
The qualifications process aboard the boat uses publications, training videos, computer programs and hands-on training with qualified personnel, but the principal focus is on the actual operation of the dammage control, atmosphere control, weapons, countermeasures, reactor, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, and electronic systems on that particular submarine. Once the qualifying sailor feels he has the requisite knowledge for the system he will ask a designated Qualification Petty Officer (QPO - an expert on the system in question) for a checkout. The QPO will ask random questions concerning the system. He will also ask the sailor to draw and explain the system in various states and configurations. If the QPO feels the sailor has met his expectations, he will sign the sailor's Qual Card and those points will be included in that week's point count. If the QPO isn't satisfied with the sailor's knowledge level he will require the sailor to study further and return for another check-out.
The qualification structure can be broken down into phases. Listed below is only a basic guide and is not the rule for all submarines. For most phases of qualification, basic rather than elaborate equipment operation is the expected level of knowledge for completion, with the exception of Damage Control Equipment and Procedures. One of the most important goals of Submarine Qualifications is to provide each and every member of the crew, regardless of one's designated specialty, the ability to combat casualties anywhere on the submarine. In case of a fire or flooding or other casualty, each submarine sailor must be confident that he can trust the man next to him to know the purpose and location of damage control equipment and how to use it effectively, and to know where and how to isolate each electrical/air/hydraulic system in order to combat the casualty at hand.
There is no standard qualification process, and the qual card will varry from boat to boat. the basics remain the same and are as follows.
[edit] Indoctrination/Damage Control Phase
This phase emphasizes the construction and support systems for the specific Submarine the Sailor is assigned.
- Internal Communication Circuits
- Sound Powered Phone Circuits
- Emergency Alarms
- Damage Control equipment location and their proper utilization is stressed.
[edit] Propulsion Phase
- Ship's Propulsion Plant
- Electrical Plant Systems
- Primary and Auxiliary Propulsion Equipment
[edit] Auxiliary Systems Phase
- Ship's Main, Service and Plane Control Hydraulics Systems
- Potable water systems
- Ship's Air Systems, Including High Pressure, Ship's Service and Salvage Air Systems.
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
- Atmospheric Monitoring Systems
- Depth Sensing Systems
- Sea Water and Ballasting Systems
- Chemical Holding and Treatment (sanitation and waste water)
[edit] Electronic Equipment and Navigation
- Electronic Sensor Monitoring Systems
- External Communications Systems
- Navigation Systems
[edit] Combat Systems
- Torpedo and Tactical Missile Fire Control Systems
- Ballistic Missile Fire Control Systems (SSBN's only)
- Torpedo Tube Systems
- Sonar Systems
- External Countermeasure Systems and Launchers
[edit] Block Reviews and Walk Throughs
Each Phase or Block has an overall Phase review where the qualifier ties in all the phase's systems and is verbally tested for his level of knowledge.
After completion of all the Blocks, the Qualifier begins his "Walkthroughs". The Walkthroughs are done with a senior qualified person quizzing the qualifier as they walk through the submarine. Once recommended through his chain of command, the qualifier is recommended to have a Qualification Board test his level of knowledge.
[edit] The "Qual Board"
This is the most dreaded part of the New Qualifier's qualification process. The board is made up of a Submarine-qualified Officer, a Chief Petty Officer and two or three Petty Officers who are recognized system experts in their rates and are qualified to the most senior watch-station. Submarine Damage Control is the biggest factor discussed during the Board.
During the Board, the examinee may be asked to draw and explain any of the systems he has learned about during the qualification process. After the Board the examinee is dismissed and evaluated by the members of the board. If the examinee passes the Board, he is then recommended for qualification to the Commanding Officer of the Submarine.
The Commanding Officer reviews the Board's recommendation and upon his concurrence, the newly-qualified individual is presented his "Dolphins" by the Skipper and designated as "Qualified in Submarines". The Dolphins presentation is an important event, as a new member has joined a relatively elite brotherhood of Submariners.
Appropriate annotations are made in the new Submariner's service jacket to reflect his qualification. Submarine Qualified Personnel are designated "SS" after the rate, such as FT1(SS) or MM2(SS).
[edit] Post qualification life
After the NUB is designated "Qualified in Submarines", he is now looked upon by the rest of the crew as someone that can, and will, save their lives. he is treated with a greater amount of respect, given more responsability, and the real learning begins. He is required to continually qualify in areas other than his primary duty. This is to ensure in-depth cross-training is accomplished. This process continues throughout a submarine sailor's tour. In addition to the basic submarine qualification process and his requirement to qualify in his most senior in-rate watch station, a submarine sailor usually will become qualified at numerous in port and at sea watchstations not directly related to his own specific rate.
When a submarine sailor ordered to serve a tour ashore returns to sea duty (or whenever ordered from boat to another submarine of a class on which he has not already sailed and earned his qualifications), he is again required to "re-qualify" on the new submarine, but will never again be a NUB. This qualification is normally completed by a walkthrough check with a senior qualified member of his Chain of Command or a Submarine-qualified Officer.
[edit] Officer submarine qualifications
In principle, the officer submarine qualifications are very similar to the enlisted submarine qualifications - they are designed to ensure that each junior officer has a basic level of knowledge of all the major systems onboard the ship, and is capable of performing damage control efforts throughout the submarine. In order to qualify Submarines, an officer must first qualify Engineering Officer of the Watch (EOOW), Diving Officer of the Watch (DOOW), and Officer of the Deck (OOD). The EOOW and DOOW qualifications provide the officer with the basic system knowledge needed to eventually qualify in Submarines. The OOD and Submarines qualifications move beyond system knowledge into actual tactical employment of the weapons systems onboard and develop the junior officer's ability to "fight the ship".
As with the enlisted qualifications, upon completion of his Qualification Card, the junior officer must complete a Qualification Board. In the officer's case, the Board is led by the Commanding Officer. If the junior officer passes his Qualification Board, the Commanding Officer recommends to the Squadron Commodore (a post-command officer) that the junior officer be Qualified in Submarines. The Commodore's concurrence is generally somewhat of a formality, and soon the junior officer receives his gold Dolphins.
[edit] References
- MILPERSMAN 1200-010: SUBMARINE PATROL INSIGNIA QUALIFICATIONS, a public domain publication of the United States Navy's Bureau of Personnel
- http://www.csg9.navy.mil/html/dolphin.htm, a public domain publication of the United States Navy.
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