Blissful ignorance?
Sub crews are likely unaware Rep. Rose deploys for Guard duty
LE PECQ, France — Of a world in coronavirus turmoil, they may know little or nothing.
Submariners stealthily cruising the ocean deeps, purposefully shielded from worldly worries to encourage undivided focus on their topsecret missions of nuclear deterrence, may be among the last pockets of people anywhere who are still blissfully unaware of how the pandemic is turning life upside down.
Mariners aboard ballistic submarines are habitually spared bad news while underwater to avoid undermining their morale, say current and former officers who served aboard France’s nucleararmed subs. So any crews that left port before the virus spread around the globe are likely being kept in the dark about the extent of the crisis by their commanders until their return, they say.
“They won’t know,” said retired Adm. Dominique Salles, who commanded the French ballistic submarine squadron from 2003-2006. “The boys need to be completely available for their mission.”
Speaking exclusively to The Associated Press, Salles said he believes submariners will likely only be told of the pandemic as they head back to port, in the final two days of their mission.
“Those who are at sea don’t need this information,” said Salles, who also commanded the nuclear-armed French submarine L’Inflexible. “The commander, I think, is doubtless informed about what is happening. I don’t think he’ll have all the details.”
The French navy won’t divulge what has or hasn’t been said to submarine crews. Nor will it say whether any of the four French ballistic submarines, laden with 16 missiles that each can carry six nuclear warheads, left harbor before France instituted a nationwide lockdown on March 17.
“Because the deterrent is wrapped in a bubble of protection and confidentiality, it is impossible to know whether the crews are informed of this situation,” French navy spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Olivier Ribard said.
French submarine missions last 60 to 70 days, with about 110 crew members aboard. So a crew that left at the end of February wouldn’t be expected back before the end of April.
On March 1, France had just 130 confirmed COVID-19 cases and two deaths. In a month, those numbers have surged past 3,500 dead and more than 50,000 sickened.
For submariners, the return to land could be a shock.
“They won’t have experienced the crisis as we did, with a bit of fear [and] the lockdown, so it will be quite a surprise,” said a serving officer who was the doctor on the ballistic submarine Le Triomphant for four years. He spoke to the AP on condition that he be identified only by his first name and rank, in accordance with the rules of his branch of the French military.
“All events that could affect or change the morale of the crew members are kept from them,” said the officer, Chief Doctor Gabriel. “Since there is no internet, no radio and no television on board, the only news you get comes from messages received by the commander. And the commander filters the messages to not give all of the information to everyone.”
Salles said the situation now will be toughest for any crews that leave harbor in the weeks ahead because they’ll know they are leaving loved ones in the midst of the pandemic and, possibly, still living in lockdown. The French government extended its stay-home orders once, to April 15, and said it could do so again.
Salles said he believes those crews will get regular coronavirus updates but won’t be told of any family deaths until they are returning to the l’Ile Longue submarine base near Brest in Brittany.
New York Rep. Max Rose is going to war against the coronavirus — literally.
The freshman Democrat announced Tuesday he’s reenlisting in the U.S. military to be deployed as part of a National Guard platoon fighting the virus on his native Staten Island.
Rose, a U.S. Army combat veteran of the war in Afghanistan, said in a statement that he’s shipping off Wednesday and will work at facilities in the fifth borough over the coming weeks to assist in “coronavirus response efforts.”
“Over the past month I have seen acts of incredible bravery and sacrifice by our first responders,” Rose, 33, said. “My activation and deployment is nothing compared to what our city, state and country has asked of all them. And it’s certainly nothing compared to the other men and women serving in uniform both here at home and overseas. I am just trying to do my duty and my small part.”
Among other emergency services on Staten Island, the National Guard is offering drive-through COVID-19 testing in the parking lot of the South Beach Psychiatric Center in the Ocean Breeze neighborhood.
Rose (inset), who represents all of Staten Island and a sliver of south Brooklyn, said he will continue his day job as a member of the House of Representatives and return to Capitol Hill for votes as necessary.
“That’s a privilege and responsibility that I take very seriously,” he said.