[rlmorel]

"...I've never seen a nuclear submarine from that perspective before..."

Ha...I laughed when I read your post! As my brother and I walked out, I said "This is odd, but you know one of the things that stuck with me? When they looked down at the top of the sail as the sub dived! I have seen subs in a lot of different ways, but never that one, and it was awesome to see."

Good to see I wash't the only one.

[lentulusgracchus]

As I watched, I began to wonder if all the physical training isn't to harden them for all those 12-hour, flat-assed plane rides in Marine Corps C-130's. That has to be one of the draftiest, coldest, shakiest, most teeth-rattling modes of travel that there is. Most troops get what, four flights a year in and out on a deployment? These guys are wheels-up for Nowhere twice a month, it seems like.

The mechanics and choreography of the insertions and extractions is just dazzling, though. And the toys are pretty damn cool. I know a couple of guys who want one of those bass boats!