Because of their rigorous duty, the officers and crew receive incentive pay, as well as a higher level of food service than their counterparts aboard other naval ships. The bonuses are well-deserved, as tight quarters and long stretches away from family and daylight would test the perseverance of most.

Ten submarines call Kings Bay home, and each comes back to the base every three months for a monthlong period of repainting and reconditioning, and reloading provisions on the missile-bearing subs. When the submarine is ready, it's pulled by a tug down the St. Mary's and heads out to sea. The Louisiana has two crews, or teams, the Gold and the Blue.

Every job aboard the ship has a duplicate on each crew, said Lt. j.g. Brian Michalek, the ship's supply officer.

While one crew is at sea, the other crew arranges for the provisions needed for the next tour.

"Trident submarines are unique in how provisions are loaded," said Mess Management Specialist Chief Cary Robidoux, a chief petty officer and the ship's supply department officer. "All provisions are (stacked in modules) in a warehouse," then are lowered over to the ship by cranes. "The modules are placed on an air lift. We turn the air off and drop it down," he added. "We load 17 modules, and we're the only class of ship that does it this way."

Navigating aboard the ship is a game of "watch your head, watch your step," Lt. j.g. Michalek said. The portals and halls are narrow and winding, the ladders from floor to floor, narrow and steep.

The halls and ladders are not the only narrow things aboard the ship. The nine-man berthings, the naval term for bunk rooms, allow a mere 30 inches between bunks.

"There's just enough room to roll over. Sometimes the top rack has a little more headroom, but you have to use a pull rail to enter and exit. The preferred racks are the middle outboard ones," Lt. j.g. Michalek added.

Berthings are kept dark at all times, as men work alternating shifts of watch around the clock. "We don't hot-rack aboard this ship," Lt. Michalek said, referring to ships that require men to share a bunk with a crewmember on an alternate shift.

The berthings are nestled between large cylinders that house the 24 Trident ballistic missiles aboard the ship.

"Sleeping between the missiles isn't a big deal," Lt. j.g. Michalek said. "They're usually quiet, but when they're not you're in trouble," he added jokingly.

When under sea it's smooth sailing for the most part, according to Chief Robidoux. "At worst it feels like an airplane. Sometimes you get a little turbulence."

The days aboard the ship are packed with work shifts and watch shifts, but there's still time to miss family and friends.

Crewmembers began communicating through e-mail this year, and homeward communication "is now allowed when the ship is not under heightened postures," Lt. j.g. Michalek said. Still, e-mails are sent sparingly. "Two-way communication to a satellite can give our position away," Lt. j.g. Michalek said, "so communication from us to home is minimal."

Family members can send the men "familygrams," 50-word text messages, but these are limited in number and are screened before delivery, Lt. j.g. Michalek said.

More personal letters and photographs can be sent from home to ship or vice versa through a mail drop "but we must be near home port," he added.

The messages from home keep their spirits up, but Chief Robidoux, who has three daughters and Lt. j.g. Michalek, the father of two daughters, agree that their families are greatly missed during their months at sea.

"I was able to be present when both girls were born," Lt. j.g. Michalek said, noting that the Navy tries to allow leave for important family events.

In general, however, leave can only be taken when your crew is in port. "We earn two and a half days a month, about 30 days a year," Chief Robidoux said. Even with their leave, they must fit it into certain cycles of the refitting month.