OK, let us start by saying that you don't need to buy anything. But we asked dozens of spouses what products brought them joy during deployment, some tangible items, some not. So, in no particular order: 1. RED Friday Shirts Encourage your friends and family to wear RED (Remember Everyone Deployed) on Fridays and share [...]
Is Dad deployed or on patrol this year for Father’s Day? Not sure how or if you should celebrate? Here are a few ideas that may help you decide how to spend your Sunday: Change up your normal dinner routine Order takeout, maybe from Dad’s favorite place, and choose a fun place to sit and [...]
If you're new to submarine life, whether you're a parent of a newly-christened sailor or a significant other just learning the lingo, it can be incredibly overwhelming. Simply put, you don't know what you don't know. What type of submarine are they on? How often will they be at sea? What's the difference between an [...]
As a follow up from our department head post, we were asked to gather feedback on spouses who have experienced an XO tour! The "XO," or Executive Officer, is second in command and reports directly to the Commanding Officer (CO). An XO is responsible to the captain for all ship's work, drills, exercises, personnel organization, [...]
By Guest Author Erin Gregor Last holidays, our team here at The Submerged Life put together a great holiday gift guide! However, giving gifts to sailors about to go on patrol, deployment, or a longer underway poses some special challenges. They have limited time on land to use things like vouchers or spend time on [...]
A boomer, or ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), is a submarine with two crews that take turns taking the boat to sea. Sailors switch between "off crew" when their crew does not "own" the boat and being the crew that "owns" the boat. "Owning" the boat means your sailor's crew works on the submarine and is [...]
Refreshing your email every three minutes? The mind tends to wander when there has been a lack of communication from your sailor at sea. I have experienced this many times. Each person has a different response - you may have begun to feel anxious, sad, mad, etc. Here are a few ways to combat these [...]
When your spouse is in the military, it is a unique experience that their job has such a substantial impact on your life. As military families, we understand this job is more than a paycheck. Whether we like it or not, the job dictates how we live our life. When we can see each other, [...]
Boomer life. The good life. Family-friendly. Part time sailor life as you only "own" the boat for half the time. For those unfamiliar with "Boomers", SSBNs, or ballistic missile submarines have two crews that take turns taking the boat to sea. There is a short period of maintenance, “refit," between each "patrol” where both crews [...]
