I think there's a couple different languages being spoken here creating confusion...He's a Marine- I wouldn't expect him to know shit about submarines (or even that your named 3), other than they're bad, or shit about surface combatants other than they can become submarines... Once. I also wouldn't expect you to have any real idea about CAS, FAC(A) BFM, The capes and tactics of any air OOB or AAW threats.
Fair enough.
My main point is that we don't have to change our culture to be like the Marines to be effective in future engagements, and that was in response to the off-hand criticism that the Navy doesn't foster a 'warrior mentality.' We aren't the Marines. We aren't SOF. I think we're better off fostering pride in our own culture and what we do instead of trying to be like Marines and SOF. Joe Schmo Sailor probably joined the Navy because those things didn't appeal to him.
OTOH, yes, that means that Sailors need to be able to load a torpedo/TTL in 20 min, that they need to get a hose on a fire within 60 seconds, that they need to reload an aircraft in a certain amount of time, etc. But those would fall under the umbrella of 'the basics.'
Admin as in GMTs, NAVOSH, DENTAL hit lists, safety standdowns etc. Ships (and I'm going to go out on a limb and presume subs treat mx somewhat like ships do- I hope not for the safety of your crews) and squadrons look at MX differently. On the boat you maybe spend 4hours a day in port maintaining the ship after duty section turnover, sweepers, quarters, training, Lunch, meetings, quarters and sweepers with the heavy lifting taking place in the yards with contractors etc. where as in a squadron there are dedicated maintainers who maintain the aircraft on 3 shifts for 24hrs a day because if it doesn't work we can't fly, and it could kill us if it breaks in flight.
Perhaps this is different among communities. In our section of the Navy, the Engineer plans most of the major maintenance items before starting the pierside upkeep. Officers spend a lot of in-port periods standing duty, attending sim trainers, and attending meetings. The enlisted Sailors get the boat ready to go underway again. Forward has a lot more shoreside support and so they do more trainers, the nukes tend to be on their own to fix their gear. The nukes lose 1/2 a day to training, the forward guys lose nothing (mostly because they're not actually doing the maintenance).
All I was trying to say is that all that maintenance gets recorded somewhere, and that's the only thing that tells us the ship is safe to get underway. I assumed aircraft had similar (although maybe not as extensive) requirements. Now, if by 'admin' you were referring to doing sexual harassment training on a quarterly basis and suicide training on a semi-annual basis, then yes, I would agree that is a gigantic waste of man-hours.
