Set Condition...

[Phantom]

I was re watching the new BSG tonight and I noticed they used the phrase "Set Condition 1 (2)." I have also heard it used in other movies (ie Red October), now being a Ground Pounder at heart I know very little about Navy lingo. My question is, are there other such conditions aboard ship, and what do they mean (I assume Con. 1 is Battle Stations)?

[Sea Tyger]

I'm sitting here trying to remember my order bill...it's literally been 10+ years since I last looked at one.

I believe General Quarters is considered "Condition I." Now, in practice, we just call it "General Quarters." (I've never heard it called Condition I.)

I can't remember, off hand, what Conditions II and III are, but Condition IV is the normal underway watch section. Of course, we don't call it Condition IV, either.

I'll have to look that up, or ask someone who was on a ship a lot more recently than I.

[JonA]

Do you know what the SQ stands for? I watched U571 and Crimson Tide last night and in it they all said "Set Condition 1 SQ."

[Balok]

I believe they're all readiness conditions. I only know from reading (such books as Carrier, by Tom Clancy, which is a non-fiction tour of an aircraft carrier). I think it works like this:

The conditions go from IV (normal operations) to I (warfighting). Every area of the ship, including every door, has a state attached to each condition. So, for example, a door might be okay left open at Condition III and IV but must be closed at Condition II or I. And it's the responsibility of specific individuals to ensure the ship meets the conditions.

The purpose of all this, of course, is damage control and readiness. For example, doors might need to be closed to limit the risks of fire or flood.

[Don Mappin]

I've purged a lot of my submarine days but "Condition 1SQ" is Battle Stations - Missle if memory serves. Yes, you only hear the condition on an SSBN. [Edit: "U571?" Really? Strange...]

BTW, "Crimson Tide" got a lot of stuff right. It's my favorite modern sub movie.

[AslanC]

Crimson Tide, Hunt for Red October and Das Boot are my fav sub movies hands down. I can watch them over and over.

That said, ebing slightly claustrophobic would make my serving on a sub a no-go.

[Sea Tyger]

Originally posted by Don Mappin
I've purged a lot of my submarine days but "Condition 1SQ" is Battle Stations - Missle if memory serves. Yes, you only hear the condition on an SSBN. [Edit: "U571?" Really? Strange...]

BTW, "Crimson Tide" got a lot of stuff right. It's my favorite modern sub movie.

Dude, you were a bubblehead? What years?