Navy: submarine duty to be opened to women

[frigidmagi]

CSMonitor

[quote]The Navy formally announced Thursday its plan to integrate female officers into submarines, ending one of the last men-only bastions that have floated beneath the water’s surface for 110 years.

But top Navy officials do not expect the change to be a difficult one for what’s known as the “silent service.â€

[The Cleric]

I thought one of the problems with women in subs was that they needed separate heads and bunking, and the space required made it sub-optimal to implement? I know they're physically better suited, as they tend to be smaller and consume less recourses and all.

[Cynical Cat]

Women are also psychologically better suited to working in small environments than men. Given that the Norwegians have been doing it since the 80s, the Aussies and Swedes since the 90s, and the Canadians since 2002 I don't think we're due for any serious drama.

[frigidmagi]

I didn't even know the Aussies had subs so I'll defer. I do know that the Swedes don't cruise as long as we do or as far (my understanding is they're mainly operating in the Baltic) so I don't know if that's comparable. The Canadan navy is a bit smaller as well but from I understand does do 6 month underwater cruises.

[Cpl Kendall]

Yeah, Arctic ones as well. The Navy has wanted chicks on subs for a good long time but the old O boats lacked the facilities. With the Victoria boats they have their own berthing and wash facilities. So far I haven't heard even a whiff of anything bad.

[Stofsk]

I didn't even know the Aussies had subs so I'll defer.

They're crappy diesel-electric subs. Pieces of shit.

I'd rather we had a dozen SSNs, or even half a dozen, but I don't trust my government and the department of defence to not fuck it up.

[B4UTRUST]

Chesapeake woman to be one of first to serve on submarine
[quote]A Hickory High graduate has been tapped to become one of the first women to serve in the Navy's submarine force, the service announced..

Midshipman Megan Bittner, 22, will receive her commission on May 14, the day before she graduates magna cum laude from North Carolina State University with a degree in chemical engineering.

Her father, Lawrence P. Bittner, is a retired Navy commander who served as a surface nuclear officer, according to the Navy. She grew up in Chesapeake and while in high school was captain of the swim team and president of the chemistry club.

She attended North Carolina State on a NROTC scholarship and was a top performer in the Wolfpack Battalion, eventually becoming the midshipman battalion commander.

After graduating, she will attend Nuclear Power School in Charleston, S.C. A female classmate, Officer Candidate Karen Achtyl, 25, from Rochester, N.Y., will join her there. Achtyl enlisted in the Navy and was later chosen for the Seaman to Admiral-21 program.

Before being selected, both women went through an extensive interview with the top Navy officer in the submarine force in Washington, Adm. Kirkland Donald.

“I don’t believe the Navy could have picked two finer females to pioneer the entrance of females in the submarine community,â€

[rhoenix]

This is kind of cool to me, there's been some hype about it on local papers and news because she's from my area. I'll see if I can dig up more info if anyone wants it?

Sure, yeah. This is kind of a milestone.

[frigidmagi]

I would definitely be interested.

[LadyTevar]

I myself am very iffy about this move. We know from Iraq and Afganistan that there is "improper fraternization" happening between male and female military personnel. An unusual number of females serving have would up having to return State-side for pregnancy.

We also know that women in the military have been raped, often by their fellow soldiers. There are probably more unreported rapes amongst women in the military than among civilian.

I fear this may not improve matters.

[B4UTRUST]

I myself am very iffy about this move. We know from Iraq and Afganistan that there is "improper fraternization" happening between male and female military personnel. An unusual number of females serving have would up having to return State-side for pregnancy.

We also know that women in the military have been raped, often by their fellow soldiers. There are probably more unreported rapes amongst women in the military than among civilian.

I fear this may not improve matters.

I'm not sure if there's as many as you'd think. Though I will point out that it's not uncommon on Navy ships for prostitution to happen. Would that happen in the close quarters in a sub? *shrugs* I wouldn't say that there's a much higher chance and probably far less of a chance at this
point. I say that based on the idea that at the beginning of such a trial program with so much attention being paid to it that anyone who even thought about either selling themselves to the guys on the ship or raping the women would be used as an example and I'd think it would be a very... harsh... example.

[Cynical Cat]

I have to disagree Lady T. As I've pointed out, other western militaries have been doing this for years. As for rape and sexual harassment, it's a sub. There's no way to do that shit without witnesses

[Cpl Kendall]

It would be pretty hard to rape someone on a sub without the cooperation of a large portion of the rest of the crew. The living quarters are all communal (save a very few whistleheads), and when your not on duty your either eating, sleeping or having a chat in the mess (also communal). It's not impossible but the inevitable cries of "rape" are getting a little ridiculous at this point.