• wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    You know, as a member of the SSBN force, occasionally during thermonuclear launch exercises I take a moment to regret the death of humanity and the biosphere. People like you, on the other hand, are what steels my resolve to flip the switch with gusto. I hope you know that I’ll be thinking of you, should I receive the order to commence procedures to launch.

      • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Shipmate, I am a Navigation Electronic Technician First Class Petty Officer, fully qualified in both submarines and in my rating. I have been on five strategic alert deterrent patrols over the last three years. I’ve been through fires, flooding, and steam line ruptures. When we set condition 1SQ for Strategic Launch during WSRT, I was the one at the consoles conducting the procedures to do so. I’ve been a helmsman, planesman, Strategic Navigation Technician, and Quartermaster of the Watch.

        Of course I wouldn’t have internet while submerged or at sea. Have you ever heard of in-port periods?

        Fragile personality or not, I’m the sailor at the switch. What have you done with your life, shipmate?

        • prole
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          1 year ago

          Don’t let the troll get to you… I’ve had someone on here a week or so ago tell me I was lying about my expertise. It’s almost like they’re all taking lessons from the same people.

          • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Thanks. And yeah, they’re probably just trying the tried and true War Thunder and Discord method. Or they’re not taking lessons from the same people, they are the same people. Who knows?

          • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            And for the record, best of luck in your studies. I hold no personal animosity, and a great deal of professional respect, for my counterparts in other militaries. We all have a job to do. If that means one of us has to shoot torpedoes at the other, we’ll cross that bridge when the time comes. I do think, however, that you should never underestimate the willingness of the US to go to great lengths to do what it thinks is necessary.

              • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Financial? Perhaps. Demographically, however, I believe Russia and Europe have entered a terminal demographic decline, only accelerated in Russia’s case by the war. America, on the other hand, has not lost any soldiers or any significant resources and has increased the industrial capacity of the military-industrial complex. Strategically, from a cold, hard, pragmatic point of view, that counts as a win for my superiors, in the long term. Financial ups and downs are temporary and manageable. Demographic collapses are not.

                  • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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                    1 year ago

                    In Afghanistan, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq, we crippled ourselves trying to protect civilians and establish a local government while fighting an “insurgency”. With Russia, per instruction, we will emphatically not be doing so. A war with Russia will be a concerted effort to fundamentally destroy and erase the current power structure and completely demilitarize the country, as we did in WWII. With thermonuclear weapons, if necessary. The unclassified nuclear doctrine is available for your perusal online.

          • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Shipmate, if you look in my post history I literally did an AMA about my profession about a month ago, and a Machinists Mate Chief even jumped in to contribute. I haven’t disclosed any ships movement, naval nuclear propulsion information or even controlled unclassified information. I keep my personal electronic devices physically far, far away from any work device, and we never cross the streams, as the saying goes.

              • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Sister’s in the marine corps and so is her husband. They can take care of themselves.

                I’ll take your advice into consideration. Still, you have again reminded me why I don’t feel the burden of my duty too much. The existence of such organizations only hardens my resolve to flip the switch when the time comes.

                  • wanderingmagus@lemmy.world
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                    1 year ago

                    A troll? Interesting. I’ll let my chief and division know. I’d invite you to visit NSB Kings Bay sometime, but you’d get denied at the front gate, let alone the marines at Checkpoint Charlie and the waterfront gate. And I’m a sailor, not a soldier. Soldiers are Army only.