Say hello to Seaman Apprentice Doug Flowers

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Seaman Apprentice Doug Flowers, a 2012 Laurence Manning Academy graduate and Manning native, is serving in the U.S. Navy as part of a crew working aboard one of the world's most advanced ballistic missile submarines, the USS West Virginia. He is a yeoman and junior administration specialist on the Kings Bay-based boat, one of 14 Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines. The Navy’s ballistic missile submarines, often referred to as “boomers,” serve as an undetectable launch platform for intercontinental ballistic missiles. They are designed specifically for stealth, extended patrols and the precise delivery of missiles if directed by the President. The Ohio-class design allows the submarines to operate for 15 or more years between major overhauls. On average, the submarines spend 77 days at sea followed by 35 days in-port for maintenance. See more in the Aug. 21 edition of The Manning Times.