What does being a Navy submariner and a follower of Christ have in common?
I’d be the first to admit, submariners are not in the top professions considered angelic but there are several qualities that a sailor finds in the challenge of becoming and serving as a submarine crew that are also part of the essentials of pursuing the life of a follower of Jesus Christ.
There are a couple of professions I can write in detail about, but in my early life as a young adult who volunteered two times over in the U.S Navy, once to join and another to enter the submarine navy, also known as the Silent Service.
In 1983, on my 21st birthday, I become “Qualified in Submarines” and was awarded the coveted “Dolphins.” Aside from being a distinctive insignia to wear on your uniform, the achievement means so much more than merely another job certification. It was also appropriate that the submarine I was serving on was in the middle of the longest undersea deployment in my over 3 1/2 years aboard the USS Bremerton (SSN 698). Rounding out my Qualification with a Sea Service award and an Expeditionary Medal were substantial achievements for my first year of sea duty.
There is no small amount of pride takes in having achieved becoming a qualified crew member, it is an achievement that involves everyone who serves in that command. For one thing, becoming qualified is first and foremost a culmination of a rigorous and intense program that a sailor must pass to serve aboard submarines. It involves in depth knowledge of technical, operations, academic, and safety requirements plus a lot of grunt work. A Qualified Submariner enjoys the the confidence that is built upon becoming a team asset, a person who can be relied upon in a jam, whether aboard the “boat”* or ashore.
Although becoming qualified is a major step in the career of the submariner, one must stay constantly proficient in all of his responsibilities while surviving in the stressful close quarter environment of a Navy submarine.
Sharing substantial experiences preparing or engaging in warfighting in the uniquely dangerous undersea environment, forms a unique bond that can form relationships that are stronger than blood, and certainly deserving of the endearing term “brother” or “brotherhood” (now that women also serve in the Silent Service, perhaps the term “family” is more appropriate).
An even more uniquely formed relationship in the Silent Service is in regards to the Commanding Officer. The Captain of a submarine, as a singular force who must lead with exceptional professional abilities, matured through his rising through multiple commands, levels of leadership and submarine department management, and has the ultimate responsibility of morale. The well being of his (or her) crew is predicated on the mature understanding of leadership and the unique dynamics that exist aboard extended deployments of the undersea combat unit. It’s his setting the direction that will develop and maintain fighting effectiveness.
The trust that exists between the Captain of a submarine and his crew can easily make or break unit cohesion. A sentiment that epitomizes trust is how many young sailors will willingly and enthusiastically follow their Captain “into the gates of hell.”
The Silent Service is volunteer force, it has a high esprit d’corp, but it requires serious sacrifices for those who serve. Those who have spouses and children make extraordinary sacrifices and the support families receive and provide eachother is critical for the survival of many marriages,
As romantic or adventurous one may perceive serving underwater for months at a time in a submarine, the bottom line is, everyone who serves in a combat unit is under no false notions. The ultimate purpose is to be a proxy for war or to otherwise bear the responsibilities required to ensure the security of their country and homeland.
Of all things, the Silent Service, since World War II has become one of the greatest forces for peace (deterrence, if you will) and that is the result of the heritage of the achievements of the Silent Service in World War II, a deadly and sophisitcated instrument in a war of attrition that forced the Pacific War into an accelerated close, by overcoming great adversities, and ultimately being the deadliest factor in the destruction of enemy shipping.
Victory was very costly. About 25% of U.S. Navy submarines and 3505 souls were lost at sea.
More than one respected veteran has expressed the idea that what they did was to help bring about peace, hopefully a lasting peace because they would not want anyone else to have to endure the abject hell they experienced. Many of the same veterans would say that those who romanticize war have no concept of the unimaginable, surrealistic and long term human suffering that occurs within it.
Preventing war becomes mission of many who experienced the horrors of war. Preventing war and maintaining peace requires unrelenting vigilance. However, those same veterans who warn against the hubris that leads to such unnecessary death and destruction would admit that if they would be called again the serve in the same circumstances, they would without hesitation.
Following Christ
There are several parallels that a young man in the Navy seeking purpose and acceptance can ultimately find the Jesus Christ, the Lord and Savior.
Although the amount of trust and respect a submarine sailor has for their shipmates and their Commanding Officer can be immense, and they are often worthy of such admiration, we are all still human. Placing people on a pedestal may be necessary for a given circumstance and for certain seasons in life, but spiritually, we should guard ourselves against idol worship.
I have discovered that we all need to take a break from the roles that we once filled in a different time and place.
A serviceman’s desire to follow a leader comes naturally. We’re wired to seek good leader, those who is worthy enough to earn the respect and trust of a volunteer wiling to fight for a cause. We are wired to worship, unless we worship God, we can easily idolizes almost anything.
There is no worthier master than the holy and righteous Jesus Christ.
Importantly, in the greatest miracle next to creation itself, Christ did for his followers something crucial, something that no follower can do for him or herself. Christ amplifies servant leadership, he paid the price for every sin error that we have or will commit so that we may continue to serve faithfully in service of His just and righteous cause.
Christ has a team, that is His Church.
All who take seriously the servant relationship to Christ, trusting His Lordship, discover an indispensable community bound by a common purpose and loyalties.
Being a follower of Christ is quite exclusive. By virtue of how Christ described himself as the “Narrow Way” (Matthew 7), the path through whom is found salvation takes followers away from the wide path that leads to destruction onto one that leads to eternal life. The process of living the way Christ instructs us to live is a life long commitment and it requires ongoing adjustments to one’s mindset, which is a attitude of repentance and servitude to Christ.
Like a qualified submarine, a follower of Christ enjoys eternal acceptance by his Lord and by other believers who are like a crew, each skilled in different areas and serving a common mission.
Being a follower of Christ will entail difficulties and sometimes persecution. It’s not meant to be easy, yet at the same time, we can enjoy the blessings of God when we strive to act in the will of God.
Serving on a submarine requires sacrificing our personal freedom and autonomy. Giving up one’s self interest and taking on the greater mission is also much like following Christ which involves the shedding away of desires for this world in exchange for the blessing of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary, light affliction is working out for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. – 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
As followers of Christ, we are not expected to stand still in our development, much like remaining in the military one advances in rank.
14 so that we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming, 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being joined and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the properly measured working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. – Ephesians 4:14-16
Vigilance is required.
27 For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. 28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; – Acts 20:27-29
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard lest you, having been carried away by the error of unprincipled men, fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. – 2 Peter 3:17-18
Each has their own job, like the Navy has ratings, but all are essential for the whole mission.
14 For also the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has appointed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now there are many members, but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, how much more is it that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary, 23 and those members of the body which we think as less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, 24 whereas our more presentable members have no such need. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, 25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if onemember is honored, all the members rejoice with it. – 1 Corinthians 12:14-26
Like the submariners who maintain several nautical rituals over time, God should be recognized in every major event in life, such as birth, marriage and death. Giving thanks to the Lord for his abundant blessings is a daily if not part of constant prayer, but the instructions for Communion was given by the Christ before he was arrests.
18 For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. – Luke 22:18-20
Submariners are a volunteer unit, and one can say that because humans are endowed with freedom of choice by God which would make all followers volunteers, but there is some spiritual mystery involved those who come to Christ and that has to do with God’s sovereign nature. It is because of God’s grace that Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3:5-8:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born [c]again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”
So becoming a believer could be a mix of being evangelized, volunteering and being recruited by God. It’s all part of his plan.
The Silent Service in World War II was such a secretive operation, submariners had not special insignias except of the officers. No insignias where worn and this is much more in tune with being followers of Christ where there is not reliance on images or objects to help worship God. God is an invisible God, and God was careful to instruct in the Commandments, particularly the 2nd one, that there should be no worshipping of anything that could become an idol, even if an object is intended to represent the living and invisible God.
I need to end this article now. If I have more ideas (and time) I will append this article.
In what ways do you think serving in the military is much like being a follower of Christ?
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
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Bible passages from the Legacy Standard Version
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2-4-24