Vector! Vector! Vector!

It’s always fun having inside jokes, or using code words only your sister knows. Mostly, it’s contained to being mean behind your boss’ back or harmless shenanigans as a child, all of which are usually light hearted and meant for fun. There are real life applications, however. To instill a more serious note we military folk call them prowords. Prowords are passed along communication paths to stay anonymous to those outside your circle of friends who may be listening in uninvited. We use established prowords to identify threats, friendly or enemy units, among many other reasons.

For example ship A trying to tell ship B they are taking on enemy missiles and are launching counter attack missiles might say “Ebola, this is Patient Zero, Vector! Vector! Vector! Hot Zone, Vaccine away at time 0023!” If you know me even a little these prowords are mine and made up, but you get the idea.

One of the reasons we are on the water right now is to validate our missile launch sequence…. Yes, you’ve got it we launched a missile today! It wasn’t a tomahawk, so I didn’t have a hand in it, but I saw it and will have a hand in post launch maintenance in and on the launcher itself. Oh, the glory or being in the same  division as the Vertical Launching System Gunner’s Mates, or as we call them VLS GMs because it’s the navy and we like acronyms.

The few minutes leading up to the launch in the combat information center or (CIC cause Navy) was almost eerily quiet. There was communication with the ship launching the drone which acted as our target and that was about it. No hum of voices or hectic movement.

The illuminators from my ship locked onto the drone which acts as a homing device for our missile and it was Vector! Vector! Vector! time. The hatch of the launcher opened up and some smoke billowed for about ½ second, then the tip of the missile came through immediately followed by a wall of fire! After about 2 seconds all there was left was smoke. As it dissipated I could see the launcher caked in soot and other chemicals around the launch area. I couldn’t help but think about having to help clean it up…Play hard, work hard as they say.

NavySlang: Gun deck; to cut corners in performing a task. ‘You could get into trouble if you’re caught gun decking your maintenance.’