Navy Will Allow Women to Serve on Submarines

Female officers will be the first to join sub crews

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 6, 2009 3:41 PM CDT

(Newser) – The Navy is going to start allowing women to serve on submarines, with the first female officers reporting for duty in 2011. The close confinement of subs has kept co-ed crews at bay, but that's going to change, reports the Honolulu Advertiser. “I believe women should have every opportunity to serve at sea, and that includes aboard submarines,” said Navy Secretary Ray Mabus.

Integration will be gradual, at first covering only officers and only the larger submarine types. Some military spouses have voiced concerns about mixed-gender crews, but a Navy spokesman noted that "a lot of those same concerns were voiced early on with integrating women in the surface fleet, which we've been doing now for 16-plus years."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

In this undated photo released by the U.S. Navy, the Los Angeles class nuclear-powered fast attack submarine USS Hartford (SSN 768) is seen anchored off the US Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Md. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Don S. Montgomery)

This is a March 5, 2008 file photograph of former Mississippi Gov., current Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus shown in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

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This is something I have been working on since I came into office. I believe women should have every opportunity to serve at sea, and that includes aboard submarines.
- Ray Mabus, Secretary of the Navy

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 16 comments

riffran

Oct 8, 2009 3:50 AM CDT

ALRIGHT TARANTALAS....I aint heard that lingo since 1990...thanks for the reflash, and in tribute....."There are men working aloft do not rotate any device while men are working aloft in the aft stack"....lol

riffran

Oct 7, 2009 6:16 AM CDT

we always referred to the subtenders as "love boats".....Was having a good ole time chasing college skirts from SDSU once in Tiajuanna, and hooked up..(unknowingly) with a LTJG...three days later I pass her up on the way to my boat while we both were in uniform.....(panic)...Her eyes got real big I went pale...then I saluted and simply "maam" she returned the salute......(she was walking with about six other officers!!) and we just kept walking......THAT could have been an ugly mess

riffran

Oct 7, 2009 6:10 AM CDT

hadn't heard the "bubblehead " description in a while...almost went subs myself, but went surface instead....didnt like the lack of sunlight aspect

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Navy Will Allow Women to Serve on Submarines