Shannon Sulmasy ( Dept. 463)
July 11, 2018
I am the daughter of mariners; my mother was a Naval surface warfare officer and my father was a Coast Guard officer. They both served on ships in theater during Operation Shield/Operation Storm and the Persian Gulf War. When I first started college at Boston University, I wanted to work on prosthetics and eventually start a nonprofit to help create prosthetics for veterans. This was my passion since I had grown up around the military, and as my father spent the later part of his career at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy here in New London. I wanted to support those who served.
When I interned at EB, I thought it would be a great way to gain solid experience for a future job designing and analyzing mechanical systems. But while working here that summer, I realized that what could be even better than helping wounded veterans is helping to ensure military members are not wounded in the first place. Creating complex machines that help protect our country and guarantee that our soldiers return safely home to their loved ones in one piece is the ideal. I decided to accept the EB job offer working with shock analysis, and I am proud to come to work every day knowing that the work I do helps those serving our country return safely to home port.
For example, when the USS San Francisco collided with an undersea mountain in 2005, my department’s work with transient shock analysis was critical to ensuring that the losses endured were limited and the ship itself was sound enough to be repaired. My department had completed work that ensured that the submarine’s structure was prepared for underwater explosions or collisions. Even when faced with massive damage, the submarine survived.
That is a tangible example of why the work my department performs matters to me, to Electric Boat, the Navy, the United States, and all those families anxiously awaiting their mother, father, sister, brother, friend, or child.
We deliver the advantage that protects our sailors, our families, and our freedom.
Some imagine the future. We deliver it now.
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We are just one week away from the 2026 AHA Eastern Connecticut Heart Walk on October 3, 2026, at UConn Avery Point and this is our moment to finish strong. We’ve built incredible momentum, and now we’re within striking distance of something big. Right now, Electric Boat is holding second place, behind Mohegan Sun by...Continue reading→
PCU Arizona’s (SSGN 803) Section 2B/5 was successfully delivered to Groton from Quonset Point. At 184 feet in length, this section – which includes the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) – is the largest Virginia-class shipment ever transported. Arizona, the first submarine to incorporate VPM, will be about 460 feet long upon final construction. Section 2B/5...Continue reading→