Chief Petty Officer Ryan Zabka

GROTON, CT — A St. James High School graduate and native served onboard the U.S. Navy’s newest Virginia-class fast attack submarine, the USS Colorado, that was scheduled to be commissioned March 17.

Ryan Zabka is a chief machinist mate (auxiliary) who served on the Groton, Connecticut-based submarine. He was responsible for supervising junior personnel while performing tasks throughout the submarine including driving the boat and ensuring crew-member safety, according to the Navy Office of Community Outreach.

“I joined the Navy to see the world,” said Zabka, who enlisted in May 2001. He served on four submarines, including the USS Buffalo, USS City of Corpus Christi, USS Virginia and PCU Colorado.

The Colorado is a multi-mission platform designed to carry out anti-submarine, anti-surface, irregular, mine and strike warfare, special operations delivery, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance.

The submarine is 377 feet long, 34 feet wide and weighs nearly 7,800 tons. A nuclear reactor pushes the boat at speeds greater than 25 knots when submerged.

Zabka said the favorite part of his job is his own job accomplishment and the accomplishments of junior personnel he is responsible for.

“My proudest accomplishment is the training I am able to impart to our sailors,” Zabka said. “Knowing they understand the importance, as well as how to fight casualties (such as potential fires or flooding), and still accomplish the mission at hand is very rewarding to me.”