Silent Enemies

COMPREHENSIVE GLOSSARY FOR READERS OF SILENT ENEMIES A guide to the technical, cultural, and operational language of submarine life, food safety, and system failure. • Admiral Hyman G. Rickover (1900–1986) - Admiral Hyman George Rickover was a U.S. Navy officer who served for an unprecedented 63 years, from 1918 to 1981. Known as the "Father of the Nuclear Navy," he led the development of the first nuclear-powered submarine, USS Nautilus (SSN-571), and shaped naval nuclear propulsion policy with unmatched technical and ethical rigor. • Aft [Naval Term] - The back (rear) part of a ship or submarine. • Allergen-Free Certification - A food safety designation ensuring that a product or facility avoids common allergens (e.g., nuts, shellfish) to protect sensitive consumers. • Audit - A formal review or inspection of operations, hygiene, records, or compliance with food safety standards. • Ballast Tanks [Naval Term] - Compartments in a submarine used to control buoyancy by filling with water (to dive) or air (to rise). • Blow the Ballast [Naval Term] - The act of rapidly forcing air into ballast tanks to surface a submarine in an emergency. • “Boomer” Submarine (SSBN) [Naval Term] - A ballistic missile submarine whose primary mission is strategic nuclear deterrence. These submarines are equipped with submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and are designed to remain hidden at sea for extended periods while maintaining the ability to deliver a retaliatory nuclear strike. Known colloquially as “boomers,” SSBNs are part of the nuclear triad and are among the most secure and survivable components of a nation's nuclear deterrent. Examples include the U.S. Navy's Ohio-class and the UK’s Vanguard-class submarines. • BRCGS - British Retail Consortium Global Standards. A major food safety certification scheme recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). • Bulkhead [Naval Term] - A heavy-duty wall within a ship or submarine that divides sections and provides structural integrity—critical in emergencies. • Chain of Command [Military Term] - The official structure of authority in a military or organizational setting, used for decision-making and accountability. • Cold War [Historical Term] - A period of geopolitical tension (c. 1947–1991) between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, influencing submarine operations and global defense posture. While it never escalated into full-scale war between the two superpowers, it drove a global arms race, the rise of nuclear submarines, and deep-sea patrols shrouded in secrecy. • Compliance - Meeting required laws, regulations, or certification standards in areas like food production, safety, or naval operations. • Containment Culture - A mindset and operational framework where safety depends on strict boundaries, monitored systems, and clearly defined responsibilities. Originating from military and nuclear operations, this culture emphasizes that even small breaches can lead to catastrophic outcomes. (In the food industry, containment culture can be seen as being reflected in allergen control and pathogen prevention.) • Control Room [Naval Term] - The operational center of a submarine, where officers manage navigation, sonar, weapons, and communications. • Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - A business framework that emphasizes a company's responsibility to operate ethically, contribute to sustainable development, and consider its impact on all stakeholders—not just shareholders. (Archie Carroll’s widely recognized CSR model outlines four levels: economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities.) • Corrective Action - A documented step taken to fix a problem and prevent it from happening again—especially after a food safety failure or inspection finding. • Cross-Contamination - The transfer of harmful bacteria or allergens from one surface, food, or tool to another—often invisible and dangerous. • Critical Control Point (CCP) - A step in the food production process where a hazard can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to safe levels. • Damage Control - The emergency response protocols for dealing with onboard disasters like fire, flooding, or system failure. • Decompression - The process of safely returning to normal pressure levels after exposure to high-pressure environments. • Diesel Submarine (SS) [Naval Term] - A non-nuclear-powered submarine that operates using diesel engines for surface propulsion and battery-powered electric motors when submerged. Diesel submarines must surface or snorkel periodically to recharge their batteries, limiting their submerged endurance. • Dolphins (Navy Submarine Warfare Insignia) [Naval Term] - A uniform device worn by qualified submariners, featuring twin dolphins flanking a submarine. It symbolizes technical mastery, trust, and readiness under pressure. Earning "your dolphins" requires months of intensive training, written and oral examinations, and hands-on qualification across every system onboard—from nuclear propulsion to weapons control to emergency response. Fewer than 1% of Navy personnel ever qualify in submarines, making it one of the most demanding and respected warfare qualifications in the U.S. military. • Dosimeter - A device worn to measure radiation exposure. Submariners often wear multiple dosimeters to monitor safety. • Dosimetry - The science and method of measuring that exposure over time. • Duty Rotation - The scheduling of operational shifts, especially in high-responsibility environments like submarines or food plants. • E. coli - A bacterium that can cause severe foodborne illness. Some strains are especially dangerous to children, the elderly, or those with weakened immune systems. • Ecosystem Vulnerability - The susceptibility of a system (natural or industrial) to damage, breakdown, or disruption due to stress or hazards. • Emergency Surface [Naval Term] - A command for a submarine to ascend as quickly as possible due to an onboard emergency. • Engine Room (Submarine) [Naval Term] - The section of a submarine that houses its propulsion system and nuclear power plant. It is loud, hot, and packed with high-pressure systems and reactor-related equipment. Mistakes here can trigger mechanical failure, flooding, or radiation exposure. • Fast-Attack Submarine (SSN) [Naval Term] - A nuclear-powered submarine designed for multi-mission operations. They are highly maneuverable and capable of sustained high-speed transit underwater. Their nuclear reactors provide virtually unlimited operational range and endurance. Examples include the U.S. Navy's Virginia- and Los Angeles-class submarines. • Fleet [Naval Term] - A group of naval vessels operating together as part of a strategic mission or military command. • Flooding Event - An uncontrolled influx of water into a compartment—either in a vessel or a food facility—that threatens safety and operation. • Food Defense - Preventive measures to protect food systems from intentional harm, such as sabotage or terrorism. • Food Safety Culture - The shared values and behaviors within an organization that determine how seriously food safety is taken at all levels. • Foodborne Illness - Disease caused by consuming contaminated food or drink. Often caused by bacteria, viruses, or toxins. • Foreign Material Contamination - The unintended presence of non-food objects (like glass, metal, or plastic) in food products. • Galley [Naval Term] - The kitchen area on a ship or submarine. • GFSI - Global Food Safety Initiative. An international effort to harmonize and benchmark food safety certification schemes. • Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) - Basic principles and hygiene standards required in food production to prevent contamination and ensure consistent quality. • HACCP - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. A structured approach to identifying, evaluating, and controlling food safety risks. • Harmless Error vs. High-Risk Deviation - A harmless error might violate a rule but pose no real danger. A high-risk deviation is a failure that could cause illness or death. • Hazard - A potential source of harm, including biological (like bacteria), chemical (like cleaning agents), or physical (like glass shards). • Herculean Effort (Food Safety Context) - A term Dr. Darin Detwiler frequently uses to describe the extraordinary, sustained, and often unseen work required to maintain food safety in complex systems. It references the mythological strength and endurance of Hercules, and in this context, applies to the relentless vigilance, cross-functional coordination, and moral courage needed to prevent harm. (Dr. Detwiler is always proud to honor the people in the food system who go beyond checklists—those who act early, ask hard questions, and take ownership when it would be easier to stay quiet.) • Hull [Naval Term] - The exterior structure of a submarine, engineered to withstand deep-ocean pressure and protect the crew. • IFS - International Featured Standards. A globally recognized food safety and quality certification, often used in Europe. • Incident - A confirmed event where a system, process, or decision failed, leading to real or potential harm. • Intentional Leadership - A form of leadership driven by clarity of purpose, ethical integrity, and deliberate decision-making. It means leading not by default or routine, but with conscious awareness of the human and systemic impact of each choice. • Invisible Threat - Risks that cannot be seen, heard, or easily detected, yet pose serious harm. Examples include radiation on submarines or microbial pathogens in food. These threats often remain unnoticed until it is too late—making early signals, systems awareness, and human vigilance critical for prevention. • Leadership - Defined in the narrative as stepping forward before being told—owning responsibility, especially when lives or safety are at stake. • Likelihood - The probability that a specific hazard or failure will occur. One half of the risk equation. • Logistics - The coordinated planning and movement of resources, people, and products to ensure continuous, safe operations. • Microbial Load - The number of microorganisms (like bacteria) on a surface, product, or environment. Lower microbial load = lower risk. • Mock Recall - A test run of a food recall, used to evaluate how quickly and accurately a company can remove unsafe products from the market. • Notifiable Disease - A disease that must, by law, be reported to public health authorities—such as E. coli O157 or Listeria monocytogenes. • Nuclear-Powered [Naval Term] - Describes a vessel or facility that uses a nuclear reactor to generate energy—typically in the form of steam, which drives turbines for propulsion or electricity. In submarines, nuclear power enables extended underwater operation, allowing vessels to stay submerged for months without surfacing for fuel. • Nuclear Reactor (Submarine) [Naval Term] - A compact power source that uses nuclear fission to generate heat, producing steam to drive the submarine's propulsion system. Nuclear reactors allow submarines to stay underwater for months without surfacing, but require precise operation and constant safety monitoring. • Outbreak - Two or more cases of foodborne illness linked to the same food source. Can trigger recalls and public health investigations. • Pathogen - A microorganism - such as a virus, bacteria, or parasite - that can cause illness or death if ingested. • Periscope [Naval Term] - An optical device used by submarines to see above the surface while remaining submerged. • Predictive Analytics - Using past and current data to identify patterns and predict future risks—used in both sonar tracking and food safety. • Preventive Controls - Proactive measures taken to stop contamination or failure before it starts—key to modern food safety systems. • Primary Systems (Nuclear Submarine) [Naval Term] - The essential systems directly involved in operating the submarine’s nuclear propulsion plant. These include the reactor core, steam generators, pressurizers, coolant pumps, and connected piping. A failure here could mean radiation exposure, power loss, or worse. • Proactive - Acting in advance of a potential problem, rather than waiting for an issue to emerge. • In food safety, being proactive means investing in prevention, asking uncomfortable questions early, and listening to subtle warning signs. It is the mindset modeled by responsible engineers, inspectors, and leaders. • Proactive Leadership - Leadership that anticipates risks, responds to weak signals, and takes decisive action before harm occurs. This is the kind of leadership that shifts organizational culture from passive compliance to active prevention. It reflected in the actions of those who speak up, dig deeper, and lead without waiting for permission. • Quality Assurance - The systematic process of ensuring products meet defined safety and quality standards. • Radiation - Invisible energy emitted from a source. Controlled tightly in submarine reactors due to serious health risks. • Reactive - Responding to events only after they’ve occurred. Reactive systems often fail to catch emerging threats early, resulting in higher costs, greater harm, or missed opportunities for prevention. • Reactive Leadership - A crisis-response model of leadership focused on damage control rather than prevention. It is often marked by denial, delay, or deflection—until a problem becomes unavoidable. • Reactive Philanthropy - A term coined and used by Dr. Darin Detwiler to describe charitable acts or safety investments made after a preventable tragedy—often to manage public image rather than effect meaningful, systemic change. (It contrasts with proactive, prevention-first ethics, and reflects how some companies attempt to "clean up" rather than prevent harm in the first place.) • Recall - The removal of unsafe food from the market—either voluntarily by a company or ordered by regulators. • Recall Classes (I, II, III) - Categories of recalls based on risk: • • Class I – Serious or fatal consequences likely. • • Class II – Temporary illness possible. • • Class III – Unlikely to cause harm, but still a violation. • Reactor Compartment - The area of a nuclear submarine housing the reactor. Requires rigorous control due to radiation exposure risk. • Responsibility - The obligation to act with integrity, ownership, and accountability, especially when others are affected by the outcome. In safety-critical environments—like submarines or food systems—responsibility means not just doing your job, but anticipating risk, speaking up, and stepping in when something is wrong. (In Silent Enemies, responsibility is shown to be both individual and systemic—a posture, not a position. It’s the difference between reacting to a crisis and preventing one.) • Responsibility (as defined by Admiral Rickover) - A rigorous and uncompromising view that true responsibility cannot be delegated (or outsourced), diminished, or denied. Rickover famously wrote: "You may share it with others, but your portion is not diminished. You may delegate it, but it is still with you. If responsibility is rightfully yours, no evasion, or ignorance, or passing the blame can shift the burden to someone else." • Risk - The combination of likelihood (chance of happening) and severity (potential impact). Central to decision-making in food safety. • Root Cause Analysis (RCA) - A method used to find out why a failure happened—not just what failed, but why, so it can be prevented in the future. • Sanitary Design - Designing equipment and spaces to be easily cleaned and prevent contamination—vital in food production environments. • Severity - The level of harm a hazard could cause. In risk assessment, it’s paired with likelihood to determine total risk. • Shielding - Physical barriers—often made of lead, water, or specialized steel—designed to block or absorb radiation emitted from a reactor. Shielding protects crew members from long-term health damage while working near or inside reactor spaces. • Silent Running [Naval Term] - A submarine operation mode where all sound is minimized to avoid detection—emphasizing stealth and silence. • Sonar [Naval Term] - Sound Navigation and Ranging. Used by submarines to detect other objects by sending and receiving sound waves underwater. • Submarine [Naval Term] - A military vessel designed to operate underwater for extended periods, often powered by nuclear energy. Submarines are engineered for stealth, endurance, and independence—able to patrol silently for months without surfacing. (In Silent Enemies, the submarine is more than a setting—it is a metaphor for sealed systems, invisible threats, and the kind of vigilance required when there is no backup and no margin for error.) • Supply Chain - The entire process of food production and distribution—from raw ingredients to the consumer. • System Failure - A breakdown of equipment, human judgment, or protocols that results in danger or loss. • Systems Thinking - A way of understanding how different parts of a process, organization, or ecosystem interact and influence each other. Instead of focusing only on isolated errors, systems thinking looks at patterns, structures, and root causes to prevent repeat failures. • Threat - A potential source of harm or disruption, whether physical, biological, environmental, or systemic. In the military context, threats may include enemy vessels, structural failures, or undetected sonar contacts. In food safety, threats often come in the form of pathogens, allergens, supply chain vulnerabilities, or leadership inaction. (In Silent Enemies, “threat” is a central theme—frequently invisible, often underestimated, and always demanding vigilance. Whether it’s a pressure breach at sea or a microbial contaminant in food, the threat becomes catastrophic when early signals are ignored or dismissed.) • Torpedo [Naval Term] - A self-propelled underwater weapon used by submarines. Fast, deadly, and often silent until it's too late. • Traceability - The ability to track a food product through every stage of production, processing, and distribution. • Toxicology - The scientific study of the effects of harmful substances on the body—used in food safety investigations. • Undersea Warfare [Naval Term] - Military conflict or tactics conducted below the ocean surface, often involving stealth submarines and sonar. • Underway [Naval Term] - A term meaning the vessel has left port and is in active motion at sea. Once a submarine is “underway,” the crew enters a high-alert, self-contained operational mode—where there's no external help, and every decision counts. • USS Nautilus (SSN-571) - The world’s first operational nuclear-powered submarine, commissioned by the United States Navy in 1954. Named after the fictional submarine in Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Nautilus was a groundbreaking vessel that revolutionized undersea warfare and propulsion. Under the leadership of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, Nautilus demonstrated the extraordinary endurance and power of nuclear propulsion. In 1958, it became the first submarine to complete a submerged transit beneath the North Pole—a historic Cold War milestone. Nautilus served until 1980 and now operates as a museum ship at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut. • USS William H. Bates (SSN-680) - A Sturgeon-class nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine of the United States Navy, commissioned in 1973 and decommissioned in 2000. Originally named USS Redfish, the vessel was renamed in honor of Congressman William H. Bates of Massachusetts, a strong advocate for nuclear naval capabilities. The William H. Bates served during the height of the Cold War, conducting covert patrols, surveillance missions, and joint operations in support of U.S. strategic interests. Like all submarines of its class, it was engineered for endurance, stealth, and precision—operating silently in contested waters for extended periods. (In Silent Enemies, Dr. Darin Detwiler recounts his service aboard this submarine, particularly his experiences in the engine room and reactor compartments. The vessel becomes a backdrop for critical life lessons in leadership, systems thinking, and the cost of unseen failure.) • Validation - Scientific proof that a food safety process (like cooking time or cleaning procedure) is effective. • Ventilation System - Air circulation systems in submarines. Critical for removing CO₂ and supplying clean, breathable air. • Verification - The routine checking that food safety practices are being followed consistently and correctly. • Vigilance - Constant attention and readiness. In Silent Enemies, it’s a mindset that applies to both submarine life and food safety leadership. • Watch Rotation [Naval Term] - The continuous schedule of shifts on a submarine or in a production facility. Everyone takes a turn; no one is ever fully "off." • Water Contamination - Pollution or the introduction of harmful substances in water sources. Dangerous in both naval and food industry contexts.