U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Austin Stiffler, assigned to USS West Virginia, is a member of the Navy's "Silent Service," working on strategic deterrence beneath the ocean's waves. Stiffler hails from Red Lion and is a 2014 graduate of Red Lion High School.
Stiffler is an information systems technician (submarines) stationed at the Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, homeport to the Ohio-class ballistic-missile and guided-missile submarines. Stiffler's responsibilities include network administration, database management, and computer hardware and software implementation.
On average, the submarines spend 77 days at sea followed by 35 days in-port for maintenance.
Stiffler is part of the boat's Gold crew, one of the two rotating crews, which allows the boat to be deployed on missions more often without taxing one crew too much. A typical crew on this submarine is a total of approximately 150 officers and enlisted sailors.
Regardless of their specialty, everyone aboard the submarine must learn how everything on the ship works and how to respond in emergencies. Only those who pass rigorous testing become "qualified in submarines" and earn the right to wear the coveted gold or silver dolphins on their uniform. Dolphins on the insignia are fish (also known as dorado or mahi-mahi).
Though there are many ways for sailors to earn distinction in their command, community, and career, Stiffler says in addition to earning his dolphins, he is most proud of earning his surface warfare pin in February 2017 and two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals in 2018 and 2019. He received the Achievement Medals for installs and upgrades onboard for security improvements.
Stiffler's grandfather was a Marine, and his uncle was an airman.
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