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We’ve hit the 5-year mark for this blog. Crazy!

This anniversary post is a little late, but at least it’s not a lot late.

I don’t have much to talk about for this upcoming year, so this will be fairly short.

More Subbing and a Submarine

I recently renewed my teaching license for another 3 years, so I plan to continue substitute teaching for the time being. I applied to a number of full-time social studies teaching positions at several high schools this summer, but no dice. I may try for a full-time contracted teaching position next year, but we’ll see. As I mentioned in the last anniversary post, I still debating about my future in public education and whether or not I want to continue in this field for much longer. And in case you’re wondering, no, I don’t want to go into private education (for various reasons).

On the other hand, I may transition into another kind of education. Museum education. Assuming things work out.

I recently began a part-time job as a museum educator. Specifically, I’m a “submarine educator” (i.e. a tour guide) on the USS Blueback (SS-581) at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland, OR. That’s why you’ve been seeing more submarine-themed articles lately.

I tried for this job last year (in July 2022) but didn’t get it. I saw that it opened up again this summer, so I reapplied. Given my passion for naval history, I’ve always wanted to work aboard a museum ship, so here was my chance, and I jumped at it.

It’s a fun job and I get to hang out with a bunch of former U.S. Navy sailors (many of whom are qualified submariners). Spare me the submarine jokes; I may just be a surface sailor, but I’ve already heard them all. Actually, given the fact that most of these guys are former bubbleheads, they’re very intelligent. The submarine community within the Navy is very tight-knit, but also very science and engineering-oriented. These guys aren’t your average Seaman Schmuckatelli.

Here’s a sample of what some of the people on the Blueback tour staff did when they were in the Navy (SS = submarine qualified):

  • Captain of a Los Angeles-class fast attack & Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine. (SS)
  • Chief Cryptologic Technician (Russian linguist), then Naval Intelligence Officer (Lieutenant Commander) (SS)
  • Machinist Mate (SS)
  • Nuclear Machinist Mate (SS)
  • Fire Control Technician (SS)
  • Internal Communications Electrician (SS)
  • Sonar Technician (SS)
  • Sonar Technician (aboard destroyers & cruisers)
  • Navigation Electronics Technician (SS)
  • U.S. Army Pharmacy Officer (Lieutenant Colonel w/Ph.D. in biochemistry) & former submariner (Electrician’s Mate)

Several of these guys are also former diesel boat submariners. Since the Blueback was the last diesel-electric fast-attack boat in the submarine force, these guys know a lot about what it takes to operate this thing. There are several people from the civilian sector on the tour staff (naval experience isn’t required to be a tour guide). For example, one person has a background in geology.

Anyway, it’s a fun group of people to work with.

Upcoming Projects

In terms of future posts/articles, it’ll be pretty much similar to what you’ve been seeing this past year. I’ll have more Blueback/submarine posts coming down the pipe, and I usually have a few big articles I’m working on at any given time, but those require a lot of research and time to write (usually 3 – 6 months). Again, thank you all for your support and readership!