Navy lifts ban on submariner women

[mikewags]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124015349&ft=1&f=1001

About time, that's all I gotta say.

Looks like America is finally beginning to step out of the 19th century! 

[funky49]

do other nations have successful submariner chicks?

its not cool limiting choices on how someone wants to fight for their country, but with subs especially space is a premium. Is this with both SSBN and SSNs I wonder?

edit: ENLISTED and officers I wonder?

[number six]

Great! Now we're going to have to worry about Submarines crashing into stuff. Awesome.

[jsgtrman]

I'm not sure what the big deal is in this instance...AS LONG AS THEY CAN DO THE SAME JOB THE GUYS DO.  No problem with women serving in any public service role, but if they insist on being police or firewomen, for example, they damn well should be able to carry a 200 lb dude over their shoulder thru a burning building if that's the same requirement as a guy has.  If they can meet the same requirements as guys, then I'm fine with it.  Not sure what the requirements are on a Navy ship, but don't know how much heavy lifting is involved.  I know my brother in Navy cadets said he was recently on board a Navy sub this summer where he had the opportunity to pilot it, as well as the females also. It's a little different than lugging a backpack thru the desert though with the Army.

[funky49]

I'm not sure what the big deal is in this instance...AS LONG AS THEY CAN DO THE SAME JOB THE GUYS DO.  No problem with women serving in any public service role, but if they insist on being police or firewomen, for example, they damn well should be able to carry a 200 lb dude over their shoulder thru a burning building if that's the same requirement as a guy has.  If they can meet the same requirements as guys, then I'm fine with it.  Not sure what the requirements are on a Navy ship, but don't know how much heavy lifting is involved.  I know my brother in Navy cadets said he was recently on board a Navy sub this summer where he had the opportunity to pilot it, as well as the females also. It's a little different than lugging a backpack thru the desert though with the Army.

I'm not a submariner, but I'm a nerd that likes military stuff. The enlisted folk don't get a lot of space on a sub. It's tight quarters for sure. Maybe a female officer on the sub doesn't disrupt things as much but...

[Yosho]

The only problem I can really see is with sex aboard ship and all the problems that go along with it.  The Navy has been really cracking down on that in the surface fleet, so maybe the time is right for this type of move.