Mr. Baldwin is someone who deeply enjoys the thrill of doing something precisely because it is challenging. Having grown up in the small town of Waycross, Georgia, Mr. Baldwin originally had no intent on joining the military, let alone becoming a part of the world's best submarine corps.
Mr. Baldwin was extremely interested in studying Aerospace in college; it was a childhood dream of his that he carried into the Naval Academy. He went through the Academy majoring in Aerospace and minoring in Nuclear Engineering. However, upon graduation, he spent a week in a submarine and just knew that that was what he wanted to do. He knew it was not going to be easy by any means. In fact, that was what drew him in, the challenge of not knowing what each day would bring, and the thrill of having one of the most important, high-pressure jobs in the Navy.
Mr. Baldwin continued his training and spent most of his military career on the USS Tunny SSN-682. This sub was a part of the attack force and was the “real deal”. Having been built for stealth missions during the Cold War, this piece of machinery was equipped with all the new tech of the time, he said. The crew it took to man this sub had to be extremely qualified, for you “are only as good as your senior enlisted.” Fortunately the men Mr. Baldwin served with were 100% prepared and capable. Everyone was taught to know the sub’s engineering inside and out, not just the part you specialized in.
Having gone on trips below the surface ranging from 62 days to 5 days, the USS Tunny traveled around the world, and into about every ocean and sea. Being alert for 72-hour shifts and always doing the unusual was one of the best parts about serving Mr. Baldwin. However, due to the current admiral making a promise to the government that no accidents would ever happen aboard a sub, the Tunny’s crew had to double and even triple-check everything, sometimes taking away from the thrilling feeling of being aboard a fast attack sub.
Mr. Baldwin eventually left the USS Tunny, because he wanted to start a family. This didn’t stop him from going on to keep pushing himself and doing his best with whatever he was given. Mr. Baldwin’s advice to today's youth is extremely inspiring and something we all need to hear more often. “Don’t underestimate yourself…never be afraid to challenge yourself” and most importantly, “Embrace the people around you” because nobody does it alone.
*Here is a picture of Mr. Baldwin and his team. He is in the front row, fourth from the left.
This is also a badge awarded to those who complete the intense training and strenuous studying about the inter-workings of a submarine.
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