Submariners world wide are a special breed, rarely understood by mere mortals and never understood by skimmers.  Submariners of all nations understand this and show respect to each other, knowing the hardship and danger that each has faced to achieve membership to that elite club to which belong.

Australia, like most  countries that maintains a submarine force, has an Association to which submariners may join to keep contact with old shipmates, enjoy the occasional social event and to commemorate our departed comrades.  Ours is known as the  Submarines Association Australia (SAA), a national association with branches in all  states. 

The Association's aims and goals are: 

•To keep alive the unique "esprit  de corps" of the Submarine Service; 
•To establish and maintain a charitable trust, being a welfare foundation;
•To assist one another as occasion may require and to encourage social activities;
•To liaise with kindred organisations, both nationally and internationally.
•To educate members of their entitlements and provide access to Department of Veterans' Affairs advocates 
 
The Association a close relationship with several overseas Submariners' Associations.

Membership is open to all submariners, regardless of the navy in which they served.

Like the destroyer,  the submarine has created its own type of officer and man, with language and  traditions apart from the rest of the service, and yet at the heart,  unchangingly of the Service".

Rudyard Kipling, The Fringes of  the Fleet, 1915