What work does a crew member do on a submarine?

Answer 1

AnswerThe primary responsibility of the crew of the submarine, at least when it is under way, is to stand watch in their assigned space at an assigned post. Others will perform maintenance, perform checks on equipment or be preparing a meal. Each man will act according to his specialty.

To cite just a few examples, a sonarman on watch will have the headset on to listen for other vessels, while the quartermaster will be hovering over a chart. Machinist mates and electricians might be in the engineering spaces making the vessel go, and this according to the orders of the officer of the watch.

AnswerWhatever His / Her Military Occupational Specialty is, plus whatever they are told to do by a Superior. Fire three...There are a number of different ratings for enlisted crew members on a submarine. Some are:

• Electronics Technician (Submarines)

• Fire Control Technician (Submarines)

• Machinist's Mate (Submarines)

• Mess Management Specialist (Submarines)

• Missile Technician (Submarines)

• Storekeeper (Submarines)

• Sonar Technician (Submarines)

• Yeoman (Submarines)

Most crew members have a specialty, or rating, such as Missile Technician, and that defines his primary duties while aboard.

And again....

While everyone, including the officers, have primary jobs that they are assigned; they also will work other jobs as necessary to support the watch stations. The submarine works on a 24 hour day while the watch rotations work on an 18 hour day. 6 hours on watch, 6 hours off watch, and 6 hours down time. On watch you are assigned a watch you must do until properly relieved by the next watch rotation. On your off watch you must perform your usual duties assigned by your rate. A yeoman may stand planes and helms watch, or sonar watch, but then he still has to go do his yeoman office duties after watch before he can get some sleep in his down time. An ST, FT, ET, and other technical rates will conduct maintenance and repairs of ships equipment. MM's maintain valves, the Diesel, and other mechanical systems forward of the reactor, and the long list of nuclear rates will maintain the reactor and supporting equipment aft of the reactor space including making water for the crew. If a submariner is unqualified for any watches then he normally just cleans and cleans and cleans and cleans until he is qualified and therefore useful as a submariner. If a submariner is lucky, he gets to watch a little TV before he has to go to sleep. The down time is time used to get sleep, do laundry, shower, etc. The only rates that are not on a 18 hour schedule are the Ship's CO, XO, and cooks. They all work on a 12on/12off schedule. Of course the captain sleeps within feet of the control room and is never off duty. He just tries to get a few hours sleep at night when he can. Like most submariners, he gets little to no sleep.