Women Will Serve on Submarines, Navy Secretary Says

[Navy for Moms Admin]

Release Date: 10/7/2009 9:12:00 PM
By John J. Kruzel, American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said Oct. 6 women soon will serve on submarines, suggesting a reversal of the long-standing ban by the Navy.

Appearing on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," Mabus signaled that the Navy is moving closer to allowing coed personnel on submarines.

"It will take a little while because you've got to interview people and you've got to be nuclear trained," he said, referring to prerequisite steps before a Sailor is assigned to a submarine.

Officials previously have cited a lack of privacy and the cost of reconfiguring subs as obstacles to allowing female crew members to serve aboard the vessels.

But Mabus is one of several top Navy officials recently to call for an end to the policy. The Navy secretary's comments yesterday amplify his previous endorsement of ending the ban.

"This is something the [chief of naval operations] and I have been working on since I came into office," Mabus, who was confirmed as Navy secretary in May, said last week. "We are moving out aggressively on this.

"I believe women should have every opportunity to serve at sea, and that includes aboard submarines," he told reporters following a tour of Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Newport News shipyard.

Navy Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, acknowledged that special accommodations would be a factor in the decision, but one that's not insurmountable.

"Having commanded a mixed-gender surface combatant, I am very comfortable addressing integrating women into the submarine force," he said in a statement last month. "I am familiar with the issues as well as the value of diverse crews."

Roughead said he has been personally engaged through the years in the Navy's debate of the feasibility of assigning women to submarines.

"There are some particular issues with integrating women into the submarine force -- issues we must work through in order to achieve what is best for the Navy and our submarine force," he said. "This has had and will continue to have my personal attention as we work toward increasing the diversity of our Navy afloat and ashore."

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed the issue with the Senate Armed Services Committee last month.

"I believe we should continue to broaden opportunities for women," Mullen is quoted as saying in response to written questions posed by the Senate Armed Services Committee. "One policy I would like to see changed is the one barring their service aboard submarines."

Mullen, a champion of diversifying the services, said this month that having a military that reflects the demographics of the United States is "a
strategic imperative for the security of our country."

For more news from the Secretary of the Navy, visit www.navy.mil/local/secnav.

[Cheryl (Matt's mom)]

My son is currently serving on a sub as a nuclear mechanic. On the point made that a sailor may choose an assignment and therefore would know in advance what they were getting in to, I would argue that knowing what it's like on a sub and actually experiencing it are two different things. And the testing that is done doesn't always show accurately which are able to be submariners and which should remains surface dwellers (surface scum, as I've heard them called). I've been told that the first time of being underway on a sub isn't so bad, but for many going back out is a major problem. On my son's sub they've had sailors that injured themselves to avoid going underway again. Some have threatened or attempted suicide.
And I would also, respectively, like to disagree on the point of a determined and well trained woman being just as capable physically as a man to do a job. My son has told me of needing to turn large valves that requires him to use all of his strength and weight to turn. He's about 5' 10", so there are times he's hanging in the air trying to turn them.
The results of a study on the happiness of women just came out this week. Women are less happy. We don't need to compete with men to prove ourselves. We're different than them. Big deal! That doesn't mean we are less than them, just different. And Vive La Difference!

[Debbie]

When I joined the Air Force I was a Jet Engine Mechanic, I was the 32nd female to become a Jet Engine Mechanic. It was formerly an all male field. I went through hell from the "good Old Boys" who had dominated that field from day one. I hope if there are women who want to join the ranks of Submariners that they are treated with respect and not the way I was treated. Women are not just in it for the reasons that jealous wives, fiances' or girlfriends think, they are able to do the job and the pay is better. They should be able if they qualify to assume the jobs that they want. And the green eyed wives, fiances' and girlfriends need to grow up and get over it. It is a job and if they are that insecure in their relationships with their sailors they need to divorce, break up or move on and find a relationship that they can trust in.

[Lauren]

This sounds like a horrible idea to me, but who am I to say anything. Let's watch these pregnancy rates shoot sky high.

[Lauren]

Might I add also that I am, in no way. doubting the ability for a woman to accomplish anything that a man can. All female subs sounds more reasonable to me... I mean... you stick a bunch of men and women at the bottom of the ocean in a small space...... come on... You take a strong, willful, powerful young female sailor...knock her up... is she just as useful? Maybe so. I have no idea. These are just my thoughts.

CAN YOU IMAGINE BEING TRAPPED WITH THOSE HORMONES ?

[Anti M]

Actually, I can. There's a reason the Navy is big on sex ed and birth control. Some sailors pull it together and don't have a problem. The ones who do give in to their baser urges will do so anywhere they are stationed.

[shell]

It's my opinion that a person can have sex where ever they put their minds to it. But I am thinking that it would be a little more difficult in the smaller confines of a sub compared to a larger ship or a base. Come on moms do you think that as soon as the sub goes underwater it is going to be some big free for all? Crews work all day and nite getting things done and keeping the sub running, is there time for sex (where there is a will there is a way) but is it going to be a common thing?
As for the physical part, my son is almost 6 feet tall and weighs 210 pounds, there are a few things and corners that he can't do or get into, as a result someone else smaller does it. The ability to do a et com or et nav job or scrub a toilet really isn't dependant on the sex of a sailor.
My last thought on this, (and I would love to hear from some female sailors) if you are placed in a mostly male job, that you worked hard to get and train for and you are constantly proving yourself that you can do it and are being watched by supervisors, are you going to risk your career for a quickie?

[Mary]

I asked a sailor that I met recently what he thought about this subject. He said it doesn’t really matter what he thinks. He said the Navy doesn’t listen to them anyway. He said that it won’t be any different than any other job a woman does; if she’s dedicated she’ll do a great job, if she wants out of a deployment, she’ll get pregnant. He said he knows several women who have intentionally gotten pregnant to avoid deployment. Men don’t have that option. I guess the saying “it is what it is” comes to mind.

[MJ]

I suggest the Navy Secretary put his OWN daughter on a submarine, then.

[MINETTE]

Leave it to you MJ to respond in a nasty negative way as always!!! Its now 2010 and to my absolute delight WOMEN WILL BE ALLOWED ON SUBS!! God knows exactly what hes doing lady and as usual you do not!! If women can graduate from bootcamp in ALL BRANCHES, then they have more than proven themselves to be as qualified as the men and i might add negative nancy that many many men have not made it through boot camp!! Sounds to me like the women are'nt the WEAKER SEX. Its the individual ,not the gender, that makes some weak!! Great job ladies and one more thing can we stop blaming the women only for the fact that women get pregnant. How absurd. Last time i checked lady MEN WERE PARTYLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT AS WELL!!! Simply discharge anyone involved from the Navy. If you make it a strict penalty, then lets see how many will take the chance! Mj any reason to show how pissed off at the world you really are!!

[MINETTE]

Yes i love the idea of an all female sub but i realize how unrealistic that will be. One can dream;)

[shell]

here is an article from April

One of the first female Prospective Commanding Officers for submarines is Commander Sarah Bentworth.

click here

[Arwen]

Submarines, being all volunteer (you can't just get assigned to subs, you have to request them, and be accepted!) no woman who doesn't want to be there will be assigned to submarines. If you don't want to be on a sub, don't ask! As for men who don't want to serve with women, well, I just hope they don't let the hatch hit them on the backside on their way out of the Navy. It might damage the hatch.

My husband was on submarines (MM2/SS), he says he wouldn't have a problem serving alongside women on his sub. I spent time onboard submarines, both visiting him and working on repair crew in port, and I don't see where the problem would be.