In your rush to judgment concerning the collision of the USS Greeneville and the Japanese fishing vessel, you are arguing from a position of ignorance. It is incomprehensible to me how you or non-submariners could evaluate the incident.

As a submariner with over 50,000 hours at sea, and having been a participant in similar civilian trips, I can tell you that procedures are in place to prevent incidents like this from occurring. That said, obviously, incidents of this magnitude do occur. Evaluations always determine that a series of mistakes led to the accident. I believe that having the civilians on board did contribute slightly to the cause; however, other procedures in place should have overcome any distractions. The commanding officer is responsible for ensuring these distractions are kept to a minimum and safety of ship and crew is paramount. He failed. Justice will prevail.

Why have civilians on board, and at the "controls?" Recruitment and retention. It is a price we pay for an all-volunteer force. It is especially rewarding for a sailor to show his family the conditions under which he operates day in and day out. You have no idea what he goes through. The enlisted submarine sailor lives under conditions you could describe as cruel and unusual punishment. Yet he does it with no complaints, working 16-hour days for months on end with no days off, with no ability to contact his loved ones. He is a true hero. You are reaping the benefits of his labors.