In every sub movie I see guys are smoking cigs and there is always somebody with a big, nasty cigar blowing smoke everywhere. It's a pretty stupid question, but what is the current smoking policy on USN subs?
They are banning smoking everywhere nowadays, and I would think that they would ban smoking on subs. But another part of me would think that if the Captain wanted to allow it, he could. Anyone know?
Your really not suppose to smoke in any government vechile, but 99% of the military lives by this mentality *beep* it"
shareIt's not allowed on any USN vessel. Especially a sub since that air is recycled while the boat is underwater.
shareI believe that's "recently" put into place but there was a time when smoking on subs WAS actually permitted. I never understood that because to me it seemed like THE most dangerous place TO permit smoking. But sub-duty came with its own list of perks, and one of them was smoking.
I may be wrong, but that's what I understood.
-------> Die Zeit ist um. Da ist nichts zu machen. Das wird sich finden.
I feel that this post needs some first hand information...
I was on submarines for 10 years
Smoking is and has been allowed on all USN vessels in designated areas.
All of the subs I have been on have been a little different depending on CO's discretion. The submarine has a central atmosphere monitoring system that detects contaminants in the atmosphere based on their weight. This includes CO,CO2,H20(water vapor), R134,R114 (refrigerants for A/C and chiller plants),nitrogen,oxygen, and total atmospheric pressure. When these pressures go over 90-day limits, it is recommended to ventilate the ship if it hasnt already ventilated during a recent trip to periscope depth. The engine compartments have exhaust fans that get rid of smoke from the smokers. The air is recycled,yes, but we have ways to filter the air.
I was a nuke on the Narwhal (SSN-671) from '83-'88. The only places you COULDN'T smoke were: the Reactor Compartment, the Battery Well, berthing areas, the mess deck and galley during mealtimes, during a battery charge, and when the "Smoking Lamp" was out during other activities (e.g. loading diesel fuel oil.) Otherwise, it was, "smoke 'em if you got 'em"!
When I transferred to NPTU Charleston, they eliminated smoking indoors. The only time I was able to light-up was when we tested the emergency diesel (in AMR-2) to test the automatic shutdown. Since the diesel drew on the compartment air and AMR-2 was isolated, another staff member and I decided to have a smoke. The two students with us followed our lead and lit up, too. It was our way of sticking it to the man!
I GTFO (got the *beep* out) in early '91 so I don't know what happened in the Fleet. I did watch a program on the History Channel about life onboard a sub and they limited smoking to ONE area on the boat. Gotta be good for morale!
Now I see that the anti-smoking Nazis have banned smoking in many public places. "Hey there, Mr. Congressman, if it's so bad, make it illegal. Oh, that's right... you need the tax money for your Socialist programs!" Why can't I smoke in an OUTDOOR football stadium if it was partly paid for by sin-taxes on tobacco?!
I was in the Navy during the early 90's. The Navy did not have the zero tolerance it does today on smoking but they were heading that way. I can tell you how it was on my ship when I was aboard.
I had two Commanding officers during my time aboard USS Halsey (CG-23)
My first captain was a cigar smoker. The Smoking lamp was pretty much lit most the time except in certain areas. Topside on the weatherdecks you could pretty much smoke as you pleased, The Fantail was the most common area where Sailor would gather, smoke, or just BS. After darken ship there was NO smoking topside whatsoever though. At that point it was the messdecks that was the smoking area but only after 2000 hours and not during meal times (Midrats)
other than the messdecks, you could smoke in your workcenter (unless otherwise noted, not in the missile magazine for example). but not in the common passageways or berthing compartments. You could not smoke on the Bridge (unless you are the Captain) but you could in CIC.
Now after a change of command we got us a new CO. This guy was a nonsmoker and was very pro-navy policy on banning smoking. now this was the new policy.
Topside during the day you could only smoke aft on the fantail. nowhere else. (though we often did up on the 0-4 or 0-5 level.
after darken ship you could not smoke anywhere except on the messdecks for a few hours between the evening meal and midrats, then after midrats till before breakfast. No where else on the ship was smoking allowed by anyone, but again like the 0-6 level, certain isolated workcenters sometimes allowed it against captains orders if the senior chief or someone else in charge was a smoker (though if you got caught by the CO or another officer, the Chief will deny you had permission and you were on your own, this was understood by everyone)
Personally I never had to worry about it because I dont smoke.
Sir, Put the mouse down slowly and step away from the keyboard!
I'm curious how the food is on submarines. Is it as good as I've read?
shareI've not served on a sub so I cannot say first hand, but yes, in general... the smaller the crew the better the chow. Large crews food is prepared in bulk whereas the smaller crew gets a more personal touch from the cooks.
I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!
Thanks.
Do you know if the stories of subs surfacing for R&R and hitting some golf balls and fishing are also true? I saw it on a documentary, I can't remember which one. It was a NOVA feature if i recall correctly.
Ships in the Navy have something called a "Steel Beach Picnic"
I don't know what the policy is regarding them are aboard Submarines however. Sub do not like to remain on the surface unless they are entering or leaving port. Too vulnerable.
More than likely what you saw was part of a PR stunt, not common practice.
I joined the Navy to see the world, only to discover the world is 2/3 water!
It wasn't shown in the film just talked about as an anecdote during Korea or Vietnam as I recall. I can't find it, but i did find this;
[Once in the Bay of Islands RANKIN surfaced for some fresh air and a chance for the crew to get some R&R - golf and fishing off the casing! The golf was terrible and no fish were caught, but all still managed to enjoy themselves. Once that was over we continued on our passage to DNB.]
http://www.navy.mil.nz/know-your-navy/official-documents/navy-today/nt 08webformat/may08/aussie-submarine.htm
I guess if the Aussies do it, someone in the US Navy probably has too.
EDIT: The previous link is now defunct. I found the new one.
http://www.navy.mil.nz/downloads/pdf/navy-today/nt132-web.pdf
Page 10, on the bottom, last paragraph above "ON EXERCISE".
This is from WWII; I don't know what the situation is like today. My dad was on the USS Dobbin, AD6, then transferred to the USS Hobby, DD610. He said the enlisted men's food was terrible on both ships. He had a friend who was on the crew of a submarine, and he had chow on the friend's sub a couple of times when they were in port. The food on the submarine was far superior to what he had ever had on the destroyer tender or the destroyer.
shareOn USS Kentucky (SSBN-737 gold), smoking was designated by the diesel engine, but was moved since the XO did not like having to smell smoke in his state room above. After that they had people smoking in missile compartment upper level right next to the top of the nuke missle tubes.
shareHmm. So smoking shouldn't be allowed on submarines because of the enclosed atmosphere-- it releases toxic gases into the air. Guess what else does that-- the diesel. So I guess we'll never snorkel at PD again, right? Right?
http://broadside.net/08070727.htm
"You feel the way the boat moves? The sunlight on your skin? That’s real. Life is wonderful."