Chris Lagemann, U.S. Navy Submarine Commander

Sailing on a U.S. nuclear submarine is a trip into a cramped, timeless, and windowless undersea world. Today's submarines will often spend up to ninety percent of their time underwater making night and day indistinguishable. While on patrol, the crew is largely cut off from the outside world, including their families, for long periods of time. There are regular launch drills which challenge the physical and psychological stamina of the crew. More so than on a surface ship, the submarine commander and officers face additional challenges because of the stress, tight living, and working environment. Here tonight, Chris will share his story about life aboard, commanding a nuclear submarine.