Posted on 02/24/2010 7:59:45 AM PST by meandog
Women to Serve on Subs, Gates Tells Congress
By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23, 2010 - The Navy plans to repeal its ban on women serving on submarines, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has informed Congress.
Gates signed a letter Feb. 19 informing Congress of the Navy's plan to lift the policy, which it intends to do through the phased-in assignment of women to submarines, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell confirmed today.
The secretary endorsed the plan, the brainchild of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, Morrell said.
No change can take effect until Congress has been in session for 30 days following the notification, Navy Lt. Justin Cole, a Navy spokesman said.
Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead and other Navy leaders have looked closely at the issues involved with integrating women into the submarine force, including close working conditions and accommodations, he said.
No funds will be spent to reconfigure submarines to accommodate female crew members until the Navy Department presents the phased-approach plan to Congress.
Mabus has been a strong proponent of the policy change since being confirmed to his post in May.
"I believe women should have every opportunity to serve at sea, and that includes aboard submarines," he told reporters in October. Roughead, in a statement issued in September, said his experience commanding a mixed-gender surface combatant ship makes him "very comfortable" with the idea of integrating women into the submarine force.
"I am familiar with the issues as well as the value of diverse crews," Roughead said.
The integration of women into the submarine force increases the talent pool and therefore, overall submarine readiness, Cole said.
"We know there are capable young women in the Navy and women who are interested in the Navy who have the talent and desire to succeed in the submarine force," he said. "Enabling them to serve there is best for the submarine force and our Navy."
The policy change – and the Navy's ability to work through the issues involved -- is not without precedent, he noted. In 1993, the Navy changed its policy to permit women to serve on surface combat ships.
Beats the hell out of riding 12-14 hours in the middle of the backseat of a Humvee doing med coverage for convoys, dodging bombs and bullets in day/dark as my daughter did for two tours. Life on a sub would have been resort accommodations, comparatively.
MABUS...interesting....
Do you know why they call camels the “ships of the desert?” Because they’re full of Arab seamen!
Gates has got to go. This is getting simply stupid.
I see you know nothing about submarines ...
Let me guess.....at a rate of pay that is 75 cents on the dollar that the men are getting? /sarc
There will probably be more than enough volunteers to fill any openings on those subs.
“I believe women should have every opportunity to serve at sea, and that includes aboard submarines.”
Why should it be about the employees? It should be about the mission, and what best serves the mission. Not what serves the employees.
As you may remember there are a lot of systems that we had to learn to become qualified in submarines. Most women don't relate well to electrical systems, high pressure air systems, hydraulic systems, propulsion systems, etc.
What do you think the news release is going to look like when we lose one of our submarines because one woman who was "qualified in submarines" because it was dictated as a must happen event from above? I don't think the general populace realizes that all it takes is one person aboard a sub who doesn't know what they're doing to kill everyone else aboard.
Should we take a chance on losing up to 150 men and a multimillion dollar submarine just to carry out some idiot's politically correct social experiment? I hope I'm wrong on this one....but it doesn't bode well.
I still remember when they started putting women in fighter planes. They meant well, but the ladies had a serious testostrone shortage. As a group, they just did not perform as well. They also had a slight problem with the relief tube (the thing that the pilots stick their talleywacker in to relieve themselves in flight). That didn't stop the people at the top levels of the Defense Dept from continuing the experiment just for the PR. (Before I get flamed, there may well be a hot female fighter pilot out there, but I haven't seen her yet.)
All I can say is that I wouldn’t want my sister going down on a submarine.
Most navies prohibited women from serving on submarines, even after they had been permitted to serve on surface warships. The Royal Norwegian Navy became the first navy to allow female crew on its submarines in 1985. The Royal Danish Navy allowed for female submariners in 1988. Others followed suit including the Swedish Navy (1989), the Royal Australian Navy (1998) and Canadian Navy (2002). In 1995, Solveig Krey of the Royal Norwegian Navy became the first female officer to assume command on a military submarine, HNoMS Kobben.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine
Have fun when they all start cycling together.
Once a month, some 3rd world country gets nuked.
I remember some of the real dodos on submarines and surface ships in the past.
SAN DIEGO (NNS) The Swedish attack submarine HMS Gotland arrived at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif., June 27 to begin a one-year bilateral training effort with the U.S. Navy’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) forces. Gotland will play a major role in the Navy’s ASW training by being an opposing force (OPFOR) during exercises against carrier and expeditionary strike groups, air patrols and other forces.
The 30-person male and female crew is comprised of 19 officers and 11 conscripts.
“This is a small crew, and we are very happy to have been selected to participate in these exercises,” Westas said. With Gotland’s arrival, ships, aircraft and their crews in the Pacific will now have more realistic and effective training, Fleet ASW officials said. “We are ready to get to work and challenge your Navy,” said Westas. “We are the underdog. However, we are ready to show whoever we are up against what we can do.”
http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=18984
Gates is a bit of a stooge sadly
“I wonder what the sub would do if it was on a mission that required it to stay submerged for an extended period of time and they had to deal with a live birth on board?”
well now! I see no reason why that event couldn’t be turned into a “cooperative learning” experience. It’s the latest fad in schools. Individuality is destroyed and the GROUP does the thinking. In this case, the GROUP could watch and heopefully some lone individual would know what to do!
“This is just another reason to have abortion in the health bill. These idiots can’t figure out why women get pregnant aboard ship.”
They will USE this to have YOU pay for their abortions.
I don’t want to PAY or killing babies.
ok so maybe there is a good side.
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