As Americans, we pride ourselves on a deep, abiding sense of patriotism—a belief that we, as citizens, stand on the front lines of defending our freedoms. But there’s a question I want to put directly to you: Do you think that your personal beliefs, shaped by social media headlines, know-it-all podcasters, or that deep echo chamber of confirmation bias, know better than the rigorous and life-or-death stakes our military navigates daily? Do you think you know better than the United States Navy when it comes to something as critical as health and safety?
Nowhere is this more glaringly evident than in the debate over COVID-19 vaccinations. Let’s talk specifically about a realm where safety, discipline, and trust in science are non-negotiable: the confined, high-stakes world of nuclear submarines.
### Close Quarters on a Nuclear Submarine: Where Lives Depend on Collective Responsibility
There are few environments more extreme in terms of close-quarters living than that of a submarine. Nuclear subs patrol deep below the surface of the ocean, their crews working for months at a time in spaces where proximity is constant and privacy is a fantasy. A nuclear submarine, on patrol in a hostile ocean, is essentially a sealed-off microcosm—a floating, pressurized can where air is recycled, and every breath is shared. You are trapped, inescapably, with your crewmates.
That proximity is an extraordinary challenge. Life on a submarine is one of extreme physical and mental pressure. To serve, you must be able to operate at peak capacity at all times. There is no margin for error in this environment. You don't get sick on a nuclear sub, because sickness means the whole ship suffers, and the mission could fail.
Now, let me ask you something: Do you believe the United States Navy is so reckless, so devoid of care for its own sailors, that it would allow a dangerous, debilitating vaccine to circulate among them? Think of the consequences—on these subs, nuclear-powered, carrying enough firepower to rewrite global history in a matter of minutes. Do you think our military leaders, with the lives of their sailors and the security of the nation at stake, would subject these elite operators to a vaccine that would render them incapacitated?
Let’s be clear: if you’re not vaccinated, you are **not** allowed aboard a nuclear submarine. Period. No exceptions.
### Vaccinations: A Critical Tool in Submarine Survival
This is not some arbitrary rule or bureaucratic mandate. It’s built on decades of scientific understanding of human physiology, epidemiology, and the realities of close-quarters living. And the COVID-19 vaccine is no different from the long list of other vaccines that are mandatory for sailors and soldiers to serve in confined, mission-critical environments. For a very long time, the military has recognized the essential role vaccinations play in ensuring the health and readiness of their personnel.
Think back to the flu, smallpox, polio—diseases that once tore through populations unchecked. In the early days of the submarine service, infections like these could rip through a confined crew, sidelining entire shifts, infecting the command, and potentially dooming the mission. Science intervened. The introduction of vaccinations revolutionized the military’s ability to keep its service members healthy. It wasn’t optional; it was essential.
A study conducted by the U.S. Navy in 2010 on the impact of the seasonal flu vaccine on submariners showed that vaccinated crew members were significantly less likely to fall ill during their deployment. And this wasn’t just a matter of keeping people comfortable—these vaccines directly impacted the success of the mission by ensuring that everyone remained operational. The military has, quite literally, zero tolerance for preventable illnesses.
### The Importance of Vaccinations in Other High-Stakes Scenarios
Submarines aren’t the only environments where vaccinations are a must. Think about other close-quarter scenarios, like emergency government bunkers, built to ensure continuity in the event of a national or global crisis, such as an asteroid impact or nuclear fallout. These facilities are designed to shelter essential personnel—leaders, military advisors, scientists—and keep them alive and operational when the rest of the world is in chaos. Do you think for a moment that you would be allowed to enter one of these bunkers without proper vaccinations?
Without vaccinations, your mere presence would be a threat. Infectious disease spreads like wildfire in confined quarters. Imagine an unvaccinated person in an underground bunker, coughing and spreading a virus that could incapacitate the entire emergency response team. In a moment of crisis, that’s not just irresponsible; it’s downright dangerous.
Now, zoom out to other scenarios where vaccinations are not only necessary but a social contract: crowded cities, megacities, or other densely populated environments. We're moving into an era of urbanization and overpopulation, where close-quarters living will become the norm for more people across the globe. In these settings, the health choices of each individual directly affect the collective safety and well-being of the entire community. Vaccines are the invisible barrier that keeps entire communities safe from devastating outbreaks.
### Think You Know Better Than the Scientists and Military?
If you're reading this and thinking that your personal "research" somehow outweighs the centuries of combined experience of the military, scientists, and public health experts, then it’s time to take a hard look at your perspective.
Do you believe the United States military is so incompetent that it would recklessly vaccinate its sailors, including those stationed in submarines—people who are entrusted with weapons that could alter the course of human history—if those vaccines posed any significant risk? Do you truly believe you know better than the men and women whose entire careers are dedicated to ensuring the safety, health, and operational readiness of America’s armed forces?
Let’s take it a step further. Are you so confident in your contrarian beliefs that you would choose to forgo vaccinations, even if it means losing access to safe spaces, including submarines, emergency bunkers, and urban shelters? Are you willing to risk your life and the lives of others for an ideological position that flies in the face of established science and military wisdom?
### The Grotesque Irresponsibility of Anti-Vaccine Ideology
This isn’t about your personal freedom or autonomy anymore. This is about grotesque irresponsibility. It’s about the failure to understand that in close-quarters, whether it’s in a submarine or a city, your health impacts the health of everyone around you. You don’t have the right to endanger others because you’ve bought into a false narrative about vaccines being harmful. It’s selfish and it’s reckless.
Vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine, are rigorously tested, continually monitored, and designed to protect not just the individual but the entire community. When you refuse to vaccinate, you’re not just making a decision about your own health—you’re making a decision about the health of everyone you come into contact with. In a submarine, that means your fellow sailors. In a city, that means your neighbors. In a crisis bunker, it means the future of government continuity.
### Overpopulation, Smart Cities, and Caring for Others
We are moving into a future where urbanization is inevitable. Overpopulation is a real concern. Smart cities, where millions of people live in close proximity, require cooperation, consideration, and care for others. In such a world, showing you care for your neighbors by getting vaccinated is the bare minimum you can do. It’s not just about you. It’s about public health. It’s about protecting the vulnerable, the elderly, and those who cannot be vaccinated due to medical reasons.
In the end, if you believe you know better than the United States military and the scientific community on this matter, you’re not just wrong—you’re dangerously wrong. You’re indulging in a delusion that could cost lives, including your own. Real patriots understand that freedom isn’t just about doing what you want, whenever you want. It’s about protecting the country and the people you care about. It’s about making sure you’re ready to answer the call when the nation needs you.
And I promise you this: when that call comes, whether it’s on a submarine, in a bunker, or in a city under lockdown, you’ll want to be vaccinated. Because that’s what real patriots do—they think about others. They think about their team. They think about their country. And they act in the best interest of all, not just themselves.
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