He was the best there ever was (just ask him)

Once upon a time there was a young Machinist Mate serving on a ballistic missile submarine who inherited the job of Repair Parts Petty Officer (RPPO). I am pretty sure he did not know what he had been volunteered for but as in other collateral duties, there really weren’t a lot of choices. The guy […]

Heroes Rarely Brag, But Uncles Often Do

I have four nephews on active duty. I am extremely proud of all of their contributions in a generation that is better known for the self-centered pursuit of individual gratification. Of all four, Ian was the one who has been the greatest surprise and has provided some of the greatest moments. Petty Officer Anderson was a sports […]

Sound the Collision Alarm, Flooding in Lower Level Engineroom forward

Not really sure which I had more respect for on a submarine; fire or flooding. I think most people who aren’t in a flooding situation will tell you that a fire is more feared. Between the round shape of the hull and all the stuff that can burn, fires have a tendency to spread pretty […]

If you want jobs, quit b!tching and join the 21st century

The name of this blog is the lean submariner. Most of the stories I write are based on leadership and submarines because those are my passions. But I am afraid for my country. Without embracing new strategies and new methods, we will lose the rest of our manufacturing capability at the very time we may […]

Labor Day Weekend

The lean submariner will be taking a few days off to prepare for a journey next week. Its Labor Day weekend which is kind of ironic considering the jobs report that just came out this morning. Please say a prayer for those who are serving us, those who have served, and those who gave their all […]

The Ultimate Irony

On August 31, 1911 the USS Utah was commissioned. This battleship was a Florida class ship and the only one named after the state of Utah. The Captain of the ship at commissioning was William S. Benson, a Battleship sailor to the core. He later went on to become the first Chief of Naval Operations […]

A Shiny New Coat of Paint

I think that one of mankind’s greatest achievements is the evolution of paint. I also believe it is mankind’s greatest admission of imperfection. I have been intimate with paint since I was a young boy. My Grandfather had an old boat on the Monongahela River in Western Pennsylvania called the Dawn. She was a forty-eight […]

If you are going to lead, LEAD!

You and your team are standing outside of a burning building. The fire isn’t very big yet but its obvious that it has the potential to become a major conflagration. Time is a key element in any damage control situation. Yes, it’s important to understand the threat in order to apply the right resources and […]

The Royal Order of the Duck

I like ducks. Specifically, I like Mallard ducks. I have no particular problem with other types of ducks and have been known to dine on a few domesticated members of the duck family, but Mallards are my favorite because they are wild and live a relatively unstructured life. They have some characteristics that make them […]

Take a deep breath

I don’t think about Oxygen much anymore. When I get up in the morning I think about what I am going to eat, what I am going to wear, what I have to do today and where do I need to go. These are all conscious choices and decisions that have to be made each […]