GROTON, Conn. - Petty Officer 3rd Class John Tarabula, a native of Buffalo, New York, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to USS Virginia, homeported at Naval Submarine Base New London.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Green, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
As a submariner, Tarabula is part of a small percentage of Navy personnel who serve under the sea to help ensure Americans’ safety.
Tarabula graduated from Peru Central School in 2021.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Buffalo.
“I learned to never forget where you came from,” Tarabula said. “With us here in submarines, you leave your rank at the door. Everyone has the same job, and you move up quickly. When you become a leader, if you remember how you felt when you started on the boat and when you were coming up, you’ll be fine.”
Tarabula joined the Navy four years ago. Today, Tarabula serves as a sonar technician (submarine) aboard USS Virginia, a Virginia-class fast-attack submarine.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to travel, and I thought the easiest way to do that was on the boat,” Tarabula said. “I wanted to get out and put myself to the test with one of the most demanding jobs on the planet. You can’t beat the stories or the benefits. My dad was in the Army for 21 years, so that was a bit of an influence on my decision.”
Known as America’s “Apex Predators,” the Navy’s submarine force operates a large fleet of technologically advanced vessels. These submarines are capable of conducting rapid defensive and offensive operations around the world, in furtherance of U.S. national security. A major component of that maritime security is homeported at Naval Submarine Base New London, Connecticut, known as the “Submarine Capital of the World.”
There are three basic types of submarines: fast-attack submarines, ballistic-missile submarines and guided-missile submarines.
Fast-attack submarines are designed to hunt down and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships; strike targets ashore with cruise missiles; carry and deliver Navy SEALs; conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions; and engage in mine warfare. The Virginia-class fast-attack submarine is the most advanced submarine in the world today. It combines stealth and payload capability to meet Combatant Commanders’ demands in this era of strategic competition.
The Navy’s ballistic-missile submarines, often referred to as “boomers,” serve as a strategic deterrent by providing an undetectable platform for submarine-launched ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles. The Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines will be the largest, most capable and most advanced submarine produced by the U.S., replacing the current Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarines to ensure continuous sea-based strategic deterrence into the 2080s.
Guided-missile submarines provide the Navy with unprecedented strike and special operation mission capabilities from a stealthy, clandestine platform. Each guided-missile submarine is capable of carrying 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, plus a complement of heavyweight torpedoes to be fired through four torpedo tubes.
Strategic deterrence is the nation’s ultimate insurance program, according to Navy officials. As a member of the submarine force, Tarabula is part of the rich 125-year history of the U.S. Navy’s most versatile weapons platform, capable of taking the fight to the enemy in the defense of America and its allies.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
Tarabula has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“Just making it to the boat is half the battle,” Tarabula said. “There are a lot of things you have to learn before you get to the boat, and there’s not a lot of representation before you get here. There really aren’t any submariners in boot camp, so you’re getting information second or third hand. When I got to submarine school, I was surrounded by submariners. You really don’t know what you’re getting into until you step onto the boat.”
Tarabula serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“The textbook answer for what serving in the Navy means to me is honor, courage and commitment,” Tarabula said. “I’m making my country proud, making my family proud, doing it right and keeping the home front safe. For me, it’s all about the adventure. I love going out in the water to places where nobody else can touch and then not being able to tell anyone about it.”
Tarabula is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my dad, Richard Jr., for pushing me to always be the best I could be when I was growing up so that when I got here, I didn’t have to change much as a human,” Tarabula added. “I didn’t have to do as much growing up as others. People here were brought up differently, and I’m thankful for the way I was brought up because I was ready to meet the challenges ahead.”