For Erin Chandler (SLA ’18) the choice to attend Tulane was an easy one — she is a New Orleans native and her grandfather, uncle and both her parents are Tulane alumni — so TU spirit and pride were a part of her upbringing. However, she didn’t know when she began her education, studying French and quantitative economics, where she would end up after graduation — on a Navy nuclear ballistic missile submarine.

Looking for a good option to fund her education after her first year at Tulane and inspired by her grandfather’s service in the Navy during World War II, Chandler joined the Navy TUROTC at the beginning of her second year. The decision offered undreamed of possibilities.

Following graduation, Chandler was commissioned and underwent 15 months of rigorous school and training to become a submariner.

“While the days can be very long and everyone on board sacrifices a lot to accomplish the mission, at the end of the day I get to see and do some pretty cool things that most people will never get the chance to experience,” said Chandler.

Chandler is now a lieutenant, assistant operations officer on board the USS Maine, stationed in Bangor, Washington, when not out at sea. She is one of only six female officers on the vessel with a crew of 160.

Chandler was recently featured on an ABC News exclusive about life on board a Navy submarine. She was interviewed and was also seen unlocking the code safe for a nuclear missile test during a “War Day” simulation.

“I’ve filled many different positions on these days, from driving the ship, to managing the contact picture, to processing messages and responding to the scene of ‘casualties.’ You learn pretty quickly to wear a lot of different hats in this job,” Chandler explained.

Serving on a vessel carrying ballistic missiles is a weighty responsibility for the crew and also requires great personal sacrifice as the submarine goes out for uninterrupted three-month patrols. During these long days at sea, the crew is cut off from the outside world without phone or TV and only occasional access to email.

“We are a very tight-knit community and lean on each other to handle the long spans underway without much communication with the outside world. ... The most rewarding part of my job, by far, is the people. I love my crew and the sense of trust and camaraderie that they provide,” said Chandler.

After her commission on the USS Maine is over, Chandler is slated to be an operations analyst in Naples, Italy.

“I don’t know what I’ll do from there, but I’m incredibly excited for the job prospect and to see Europe in my free time. I might even be able to put my French degree to use!”