Apple Valley Native Keeping America’s Nuclear Adversaries at Bay

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Amanda Gray | FACES OF THE DEEP - “I joined the Navy because joining the military is a family tradition. Everyday I get to work on the ballistic missile system, which is amazing. The D5 missile is a fascinating system; it’s old technology that we haven’t really improved upon because it is nearly perfect. Getting my dolphins felt like I really belonged to something and was part of something special. It meant that I have officially joined this elite force. I feel like there is a trust in the submarine force that you can’t really find anywhere else. I feel more assured that I can rely on the people around me. There is also so many opportunities for me to learn different jobs, I never feel bored,” said Missile Technician 1st Class Charles Knapp, assigned to the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) (Gold), from Apple Valley, California.  

BANGOR, WA, UNITED STATES

05.22.2019

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class Amanda Gray 

U.S. Navy           

BANGOR, Wash. – An Apple Valley, California native is presently engaged in a critical mission for the security of the United States: deterring nuclear war.

Petty Officer 1st Class Charles Knapp, a Missile Technician, is serving aboard one of the world’s most advanced ballistic-missile submarines, USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) (Gold). Based at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Washington, Kentucky is one of 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines in the Navy’s fleet.

As a Missile Technician (MT), Knapp is responsible for the assembly, maintenance and repair of ballistic missiles carried on submarines and their associated advanced electronics and electromechanical navigation and targeting systems, MTs are a vital element in the maintenance of strategic deterrence.

“I joined the Navy because joining the military is a family tradition,” said Knapp. “Everyday I get to work on the ballistic missile system, which is amazing. The D5 missile is a fascinating system; it’s old technology that we haven’t really improved upon because it is nearly perfect.”

The Navy’s ballistic-missile submarines, often referred to informally as “boomers,” serve as undetectable launch platforms for intercontinental ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles, and they are the only survivable leg of the nation’s strategic nuclear forces, which also include land-based missiles and aircraft.

“Our submarine force Sailors embody the excellence and proud legacy of all those who have ruled the undersea to defend our nation’s interests throughout its history,” said Rear Adm. Doug Perry, Commander, Submarine Group Nine. “Their commitment and drive to accomplish the hard, yet rewarding work of defending our nation, in and from the undersea, never fails to impress me. All American’s can be proud and feel secure knowing these young men and women have the watch.”

As effective as the Ohio-class submarines have been over their decades-long lifetimes, the fleet is aging, with the oldest submarines now more than 30 years old, well past their planned service lives.

A new and effective successor is critical to national security, and the Navy is well into the process of designing and fielding a more advanced ballistic missile submarine, which will provide the necessary sea-based nuclear deterrence into the 2080s and beyond.

Submarine sailors are some of the most highly trained and skilled people in the Navy. The training is highly technical, and each crew has to be able to operate, maintain, and repair every system or piece of equipment on board. Regardless of their specialty, everyone also has to learn how everything on the submarine works and how to respond in emergencies to become “qualified in submarines” and earn the right to wear the coveted gold or silver dolphins on their uniforms.

“Getting my dolphins felt like I really belonged to something and was part of something special,” said Knapp. “It meant that I have officially joined this elite force.”

As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied upon assets, Knapp and other sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes, one that will provide a critical component of the Navy the nation needs.

“I feel like there is a trust in the submarine force that you can’t really find anywhere else,” said Knapp. “I feel more assured that I can rely on the people around me. There is also so many opportunities for me to learn different jobs, I never feel bored.”

• Date Taken: 05.22.2019
• Date Posted: 05.31.2019 16:33
• Story ID: 324903
• Location: BANGOR, WA, US
• Hometown: APPLE VALLEY, CA, US