Petty Officer 1st Class William Shepperson is a machinist weapons mate aboard North Carolina, one of the Virginia-class submarines based at the Navy base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

“I enjoy the camaraderie of a submarine. It’s a brotherhood. Everybody is working for a common goal and we’re all united and willing to help each other out,” said Shepperson.

North Carolina, commissioned in Wilmington in 2008, is longer than a football field at 377 feet and can sail under the waves at more than 30 mph.

North Carolina, like all attack submarines in the Navy’s fleet, can carry out an array of missions on the world’s oceans in defense of America.

“The North Carolina can deploy to anywhere in the world,” explained Commander Gary Montalvo, commanding officer of North Carolina. “They can execute a multitude of missions from intelligence gathering, surveillance, tracking and hunting enemy submarines, and can even launch cruise missile to engage inland targets hundreds of miles away.”

Because of the demanding nature of service aboard submarines, sailors like Shepperson are accepted only after rigorous testing and observation that can last several months. The crews have to be highly motivated, and adapt quickly to changing conditions.

“My job on the submarine is to maintain and repair torpedoes, missiles and small arms counter measures,” said Shepperson.

“The training process to earn the right to wear the gold and silver dolphins, and join the team, requires highly intelligent individuals who are driven and motivated,” said Montalvo. “Each crew member must develop an intimate working knowledge of each system onboard the submarine.”

The training is demanding, as the crew needs to be ready to respond to any kind of situation that may arise while at sea and endure long periods of time submerged deep below the surface of the ocean.

“We rely heavily on every one of our shipmates to operate our equipment correctly and save the man next to him in the event of a casualty,” said Montavlo. “The Tarheel Boat, the nickname for the North Carolina, is a formidable asset in the defense of our great nation.”

The rigorous nature of submarine service is challenging, but Shepperson enjoys it and believes it makes the crew tighter.

“I love the tradition and history of the Navy and all that it entails. It’s great being a part of it,” said Shepperson. “Being a submariner is a very unique experience. There’s no one else in the world that does what we do.”

Being an attack submarine sailor has meant spending a lot of time away from his friends and family, but Shepperson believes in the work he is doing.

“Deployments are rewarding because you know that you’re taking an active part in protecting not just America but the whole world,” said Shepperson.