US Navy to Allow Women on Submarines

[twa]

If they really wanted to put women on subs and have them easily transition to the environment, they'd take the USS Memphis, which is scheduled to be decomm'd soon, and turn it into a real "trainer" where nubs would have to live and work for a month or two. Make it a better version of Battlestations at Great Lakes. Get them used to working 12-16 hour days in extremely close quarters, and learn what to do and what not to do onboard.

Sounds like a good idea for all of them ,but certainly for integrating females.

I agree reality is always different than training in any area and certainly in a' subs unique environment.

The Navy's awareness program sounds like a good idea,cause some of ya are too stupid to practice common sense.:pfft:

Kind of like self-defense training instruction for Liberty:evilg:

[twa]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/6981398.html

The U.S. military's ban on women serving on submarines passed quietly into history Thursday morning.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates notified lawmakers in mid-February that the Navy would be lifting the ban, unless Congress took some action against it. And Navy spokesman Lt. Justin Cole said Thursday morning that the deadline for Congress to act passed at midnight.

The Navy plans a press conference later Thursday to talk about the new policy.

“There are extremely capable women in the Navy who have the talent and desire to succeed in the submarine force,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said hours after the congressional deadline passed. “Enabling them to serve in the submarine community is best for the submarine force and our Navy.

“We literally could not run the Navy without women today,” Mabus said in a statement released by the Submarine Force headquarters in Norfolk, Va.

The Navy expanded the number of assignments available to women 15 years ago, allowing them to serve on surface ships but deeming that their service on submarines would cost too much. In preparation for changing the old policy, the Navy has worked out a plan to phase in women by allowing them to begin serving on submarines that will not require costly alterations to accommodate females.

The Navy plans to start by assigning three female officers each in eight different crews of guided-missile attack submarines and ballistic missile submarines. That involves two submarines on the east coast and two on the west coast. Officials said that since more living space is available aboard those subs, it won't require modification to the vessels, allowing the Navy to move faster to include women.

The female officers would be assigned after completing the 15-month submarine officer training pipeline, which consists of nuclear power school, prototype training, and a submarine officer basic course. The first subs to get women each have about 15 officers and roughly 140 enlisted personnel.