Submarines and Smoking

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**WarOne**

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/09/navy.smoking.subs/

(CNN) -- Smoking and submarines don't mix.

That's the message the U.S. Navy is sending after announcing that smoking will no longer be permitted below decks on its submarines effective December 31.

"This policy was initiated for the health of the sailors who choose not to smoke," said Lt. Commander Mark Jones, spokesman for the Commander Naval Submarine Forces in Norfolk, Virginia. "It is unfair for them to be exposed to the unhealthy side effects of secondhand smoke."

Jones said the submarine force conducted a study in 2009 on nine different submarines covering the four different classes of subs. In that testing, it found nonsmokers were being exposed to the effects of secondhand smoke.

There are currently 57 submarines serving in the U.S. Navy, and about 13,000 sailors on submarine active duty, according to Jones. Of those sailors, recent polling indicates 35 to 40 percent are smokers, he said.

Jones conceded there will likely be complaints. However, he said the Navy has very aggressive smoking cessation programs. There will also be nicotine replacement therapy widely available on the submarines, such as Nicorette gum and nicotine patches.

"We're going to work as hard as we can to make this an easy transition," said Jones.

In the past, smoking had been confined to certain areas on the submarine. Individual submarine commanders will still be allowed to decide if crew members are permitted to smoke on deck.

Wait, how can they fit 13 THOUSAND sailors into less than SIXTY subs!?!?!?!?!?!?!

What kind of extra-dimensional storage space did our scientists cook up in Area Fift...

*poison-tipped blow dart*

ugh....

*thud*

**whatwhat**

Well if each sub had 100 crew that would be 6000, and I imagine the crew will turnover quite often so there's the rest.

As for the story it seems obvious to me that this is the fair thing to do. And I do smoke.

**SagesStone**

WarOne wrote:[Wait, how can they fit 13 THOUSAND sailors into less than SIXTY subs!?!?!?!?!?!?!

What kind of extra-dimensional storage space did our scientists cook up in Area Fift...

*poison-tipped blow dart*

ugh....

*thud*

**Waaagh_Gonads**

I was going to say that perhaps they included the crew members on leave (the crew can't stay on board forever), but it does say 'active'

**whatwhat**

Obviously 'Submarine active duty' does not denote that they are currently serving on one of the subs. It's either that or the extra-dimensional storage space. What do you think?

**Frazzled**

I believe some if not all US subs have two crews. One crew is onshore for several months, while another is at sea. remember these are modern subs-they almost never surface so you have to chillax a little between legs. I believe the boomers are always at sea,

**Commissar Molotov**

Here's the real answer:

The United States Navy took other countries' experiments with midget submarines and improved on them - they went in another direction, and specialized in midget submariners.

You can fit a zillion of those horny little bastards in your average attack submarine. The hookers in Norfolk, VA have learned to link arms and lean into the flood of midgets when the subs are in town and they hear the pitter-patter of little feet...

Now you know - and knowing is half the battle!

GO, JOE!!!

**Frazzled**

Commissar Molotov wrote:Here's the real answer:

The United States Navy took other countries' experiments with midget submarines and improved on them - they went in another direction, and specialized in midget submariners.

You can fit a zillion of those horny little bastards in your average attack submarine. The hookers in Norfolk, VA have learned to link arms and lean into the flood of midgets when the subs are in town and they hear the pitter-patter of little feet...

Now you know - and knowing is half the battle!

GO, JOE!!!

**BlueGiant**

Well, on something like the Ohio-class, you have a bit over 150 people and they do rotate between two crews. So, yeah, you get to those numbers pretty fast.

**Orlanth**

Submarine service includes technical specialists who are rarely at sea.Submarines include lots of widgets not found on surface vessels. Many port technicians are trained to work on submarines and nothing else, there is enough there to rest a career on. Crew to operating crew ratios are nothing like what you get in air forces but you still have a lot of support staff and they will count as active submariners because tghey are involved in testing at sea and that is enough to qualify for the classification as a submariner. Also there is a possibility that the submarine might need to put to sea with some of them aboard.

After all not all warships are 100% ready when put to sea and there is no reason to suggest submarines are any different.

Finally submarines have relatively small crews but have a widlely disproportionate access to some very interesting equipment or knowledge, much of it nuclear one way or another. Blanket casting 13000 people as active submariners helps smokescreen those who know advanced technical infomation of use to unsavoury sorts.

**Chibi Bodge-Battle**

There are currently 57 submarines serving in the U.S. Navy, and about 13,000 sailors on submarine active duty, according to Jones.

Yikes! I hope that ain't Davy Jones!

**Shaman**

Im surprised they let them smoke in the first place.. Wow.

I saw a doco on an Australian sub and the only time the could smoke was during some rigging duty when they surfaced..

Seriously as a smoker I would not wanna be down there.. thats frigging terrible.

**youbedead**

Shaman wrote:Im surprised they let them smoke in the first place.. Wow.

I saw a doco on an Australian sub and the only time the could smoke was during some rigging duty when they surfaced..

Seriously as a smoker I would not wanna be down there.. thats frigging terrible.

Because a large portion of the U.S. navy smokes there not much to do when you under sea for months on end

**Bookwrack**

Warhammer?

**Fateweaver**

Hide the sausage?

Pin the tail on the sailor?

**Miguelsan**

If the Navy goes ahead and introduces mixed crews, submariners life will be more interesting. I pity the officers tho.

M.