GROTON, Conn. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Trey Thompson, a native of Colorado Springs, Colorado, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Submarine Readiness Squadron (SRS) 32 at Naval Submarine Base New London.
 |
| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James Green, Navy Office of Community Outreach |
As a submariner, Thompson is part of a small percentage of Navy personnel who serve under the sea to help ensure Americans’ safety.
Thompson graduated from Widefield High School in 2022.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Colorado Springs.
“I learned to never give up,” Thompson said. “I’ve constantly been put on different jobs and tasks, and if I had given up, I would have lost out on all the learning opportunities.”
Thompson joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Thompson serves as a machinist’s mate (non-nuclear, submarine auxiliary).
“I have a rich history of family service, and I wanted to follow in their footsteps,” Thompson said. “My uncle served in the Navy, my grandfather, Les Thompson, and father, Charles Thompson, both served in the Air Force, and my other grandfather, from my mother’s side, Bob Coombes, served in the Royal Navy. My great-grandfather from my mother's side served in the Royal Army in World War II.”
SRS 32 centralizes administrative and support functions, economizes resources and provides a common pool of experts who provide complete functional support to operational submarines homeported at Naval Submarine Base New London, pre-commissioning unit crews at Electric Boat shipbuilding facility and maintenance period units at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine.
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, Thompson 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.
Thompson has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“My proudest accomplishment is receiving my ‘fish,’ or submarine warfare device,” Thompson said. “It was a tough process, a lot of long hours of studying and preparation, but it was worth it in the end."
Thompson serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy gives me the chance to prove my skills not only to myself, but to my peers and supervisors as well,” Thompson said. “The Navy is hard, but if you put your mind to things, anything is possible.”
Thompson is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I definitely would like to thank my first chief and my leading petty officer, Senior Chief Machinist’s Mate (Auxiliary) Zach Vineski and Machinist’s Mate (Auxiliary) 1st Class Ryan Feliciano, for all of their guidance and support,” Thompson added.