YEOMAN (SUBMARINE) (YNS)

OVERVIEW

Yeoman (Submarine) — YNS — is the dolphin-qualified submarine administrative specialist. YNSs run the ship's office, maintain the muster, leave, and pay records of the crew, and serve as the Captain's and Executive Officer's primary administrative support aboard every U.S. Navy submarine.

The submarine community is an all-volunteer force that operates the Navy's nuclear-powered fast-attack, guided-missile, and ballistic-missile submarines. Sailors must qualify in submarines (earning the Silver or Gold Dolphins) and operate under unique deployment cycles, watchbills, and the demanding Submarine Force standards established by Admiral Hyman G. Rickover.

A-school for the rating runs ~12 weeks (pipeline) at Naval Technical Training Center, Meridian MS / Naval Submarine School, Groton CT, where Sailors complete the technical foundation needed to report to their first fleet command. Entry requires the ASVAB line score VE+MK+CS=157 and an enlistment obligation of 6–6 years. YNSs advance through the standard enlisted paygrade structure (E-1 through E-9), competing in the Navy-Wide Advancement Examination (NWAE) at E-4 through E-6 and via the Selection Board at E-7 through E-9. Senior YNSs typically serve as Leading Petty Officer (LPO), Work Center Supervisor, Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO), or Command Master Chief (CMC), and may pursue Limited Duty Officer (LDO), Chief Warrant Officer (CWO), or commissioning programs such as STA-21, MECP, or OCS.

Across the active force, YNS Sailors are essential to the Navy's mission readiness, and the rating remains an in-demand career field with strong reenlistment bonuses (SRB), advancement opportunities, and pathways into Navy Reserve, civilian DoD, and industry careers after service.

WHAT YNSs DO

YNSs maintain personnel records, prepare official correspondence, process awards and evaluations, manage the ship's office and access controls, support the Command Career Counselor on retention, and qualify in submarines as part of the dolphin-warfare pipeline.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• YNSs maintain personnel records, prepare official correspondence, process awards and evaluations, manage the ship's office and access controls, support the Command Career Counselor on retention, and qualify in submarines as part of the dolphin-warfare pipeline.
• Stand watches and qualify on the rating's Personnel Qualification Standards (PQS), maintain training jackets, and mentor junior YNSs as required by the chain of command.
• Lead the YNS work center as Leading Petty Officer or Work Center Supervisor — managing maintenance documentation in 3M/MFOM, parts ordering, and personnel qualifications.
• Support general military training (GMT), damage control, force protection, and watch-bill assignments common to every Sailor regardless of rating.

HISTORY

Yeoman (Submarine) is the dolphin-qualified submarine track of the Yeoman rating, established to manage the unique administrative tempo of strategic deterrent and fast-attack patrols.

The submarine rating lineage traces to the commissioning of USS Holland in 1900 and the establishment of the Submarine Force the same year. Modern submarine enlisted ratings were redefined under Admiral Hyman G. Rickover in the 1950s as the Navy transitioned from diesel-electric to nuclear propulsion with USS Nautilus (SSN-571).

Today the Yeoman (Submarine) (YNS) rating is overseen by the Enlisted Community Management (ECM) office at My Navy HR and the Center for Personal and Professional Development. Modern YNSs benefit from the Sailor 2025 personnel-system reforms, the Ready Relevant Learning (RRL) training continuum, and credentialing through the Navy COOL program — turning rating qualifications into industry-recognized certifications and licenses.

The rating's structure, training pipeline, and operational employment continue to evolve alongside the Navy's transition to Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Project Overmatch, and the Force Design 2045 fleet architecture, ensuring YNSs remain central to the warfighting mission.

TRAINING PIPELINE

1. 1. Recruit Training (Boot Camp)~10 weeks
   Naval Station Great Lakes, IL
   Initial entry training for all U.S. Navy enlisted Sailors at the Navy's only boot camp.
2. 2. Yeoman (Submarine) A-School~12 weeks (pipeline)
   Naval Technical Training Center, Meridian MS / Naval Submarine School, Groton CT
   Submarine pipeline rating training (includes Basic Enlisted Submarine School)
3. 3. Fleet / Operational TourFirst sea or operational tour
   Virginia (SSN-774) class submarines
   On-the-job training and qualifications in the YNS rating with a fleet unit.

TYPICAL CAREER PATH

1. E-1/E-3
   Apprentice YNS
   A-school in the submarine pipeline; first tour with a fleet unit.
2. E-4/E-6
   Petty Officer YNS
   Lead a Yeoman (Submarine) work-center, qualify in core watchstations and platform-specific tasks.
3. E-7+
   Chief Yeoman (Submarine)
   Senior enlisted leader of the rating in the command; instructor, detailer, or department leading chief assignments.

TYPICAL PLATFORMS & UNITS

• Virginia (SSN-774) class submarines
• Ohio (SSBN/SSGN-726) class submarines
• Submarine squadrons and tenders

EXAMPLE NECs

• YNS-2799 Submarine Administrative Specialist

RELATED RATINGS

• YN · Admin & Logistics
  Yeoman
• LSS · Submarine Force
  Logistics Specialist (Submarine)
• CSS · Submarine Force
  Culinary Specialist (Submarine)

RELATED BASES

• Navy Base · CT
  Naval Submarine Base New London
• Navy Base · GA
  Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
• Navy Base · WA
  Naval Base Kitsap

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SOURCES

• Navy Yeoman (Submarine) (navy.com)
• My Navy HR — Enlisted Community Management
• Navy COOL — Rating Detail