Sitting on cake? Damn Sailor, aren't you freaky? Just kidding of course. My daughter is in Navy ROTC, and I could not be more proud of her. My father was Gunner on a Sub chaser in the Pacific, during WWII, and you have my utmost respect for what you do. Yeah, um, right, beer, that's it! I routinely leave my beers in the primary, sometimes 5 or 6 weeks, depending on what else is going on at that time, and if my fermenter is in a compatible mode temperature wise. I start (pitch) all my beers@ 62* F, see what they do for a week or so gravity wise, and either leave them there for another week, or every other day raise the temp 1* F I solely use ESB 1968 London Ale yeast for everything I brew. If I want some of the classic esters a particular ale is known for, then I raise the temperature to generate some of those esters early on, then reduce the temperature gradually back down for the rest of the fermentation. Note: if the temperature falls too fast, the yeast get lazy, and sometimes fall out of suspension so the fermenter getting an occasional swirl to break up the yeast cake. Of course with the lid sealed and air locked the bucket will have a nice layer of CO2 above the wort to prevent oxidation.
I would not dry hop this early in the game as some of the aroma compounds will leave with the CO2 bubbles of any active ferment. Patience is the most effective tool to lead to the path of BeerNerva like beers. I wish you luck and safety, every minute of every day
