Far East Cynic

There goes the neighborhood…….

Naval leadership casts the last vestige of its manhood down the toilet. Unsurprising, but disgusting  nonetheless:

The Pentagon on Monday notified Congress that women will be able to join submarine crews within 30 legislative working days, making good on the wishes of top Navy commanders announced last fall.

As required by law, Defense Secretary Robert Gates sent a letter to legislative leaders announcing the Navy’s plan to lift its ban on female submariners, giving the House and Senate time to absorb the decision and, if members want, to take action. Congress can pass a law forbidding integration, requiring the Navy to wait or perform a study. If it does nothing, as expected, the ban will expire around the end of April.

Reason number 327 why I am glad I came of age when I did. Serving in all male units was an honor and a privilege-and a lot more fun. Sorry if that bothers some women readers-sue me. There is an order to the universe and women on subs is not in it.

Nonetheless, it will be interesting to watch this all play out. We have seen this script before:

1) First women in submarine training will not be allowed to flunk out.

2) Surface warfare LCDR’s will be persuaded, cajoled, and offered bonuses to change designators. They will be rushed through submarine training and then assigned as department heads on SSBN’s.  No such late transition opportunities will exist for male officers.

3) Three years later, to the day, these same women LCDR’s will make Commander and a couple of them will be screened for command. Great hoopla and fanfare will accompany this announcement. Hordes of VIP’s will show up for the change of command and it will cited as the greatest thing since sliced bread. The Navy diversity industry will kick into high gear-and have ads showing ( a nice looking) woman at the periscope and on the bridge of a submarine.

4) Well before then-several cases of fraternization and rampant sexual activity on and off the boat will make the pages of Navy Times.  The question in the editorial pages, “So its ok for a man to suck a man’s dick, but not to have sex with a woman?” will be buried by the editors.

5) Seven years after first women make Submarine CO, first female ( and hopefully African American and lesbian) woman submariner will be selected for flag. Several well deserving men who worked 24-27 years for the same chance will retire due to non-selection.

6) USS (Fill in the blank name of Virginia class submarine) runs aground entering Hampton Roads harbor. Woman CO is relieved for cause, then re-assigned to command (fill in the blank for out of the way Naval Station).  Male counterpart fired for failing an Operational Reactor Safeguards exam is forcibly retired 3 months after being fired.  “A great victory for equality”

Repeat.

Welcome to the brave new world. You can have it!

  1. Politicians treating the Military as a social experiment has 2 serious consequences, in this civilian’s opinion…..we, as in the U.S.A. and Canada, lose the best of our senior staff/commanders and make all of our enemies really happy.

  2. Skippy,
    I hate to say this but you are correct on all accounts. However, I must correct you on one minor bit. They will not look for the first female sub officers on regular surface ships, but turn to the few female nukes that are out there on CVNs. I am sure just as Darth Sidious kept an eye on young Anakin, somewhere in the upper levels of Big Navy they have been keeping an eye out for the up and coming female nuke to get her in the pipeline. We will see the selection in about 2 months, if it has not been all ready made. If so, at least she is theoretically qualified as a nuke. Or, they will make her a supply type that way she won’t be allowed in the reactor.

    From one of your previous posts on Naval Aviation, and the short-sightedness you descirbe, I also put the blame for this fiasco on Naval Aviation. Thanks a lot for TAILHOOK!

    I recently just took a tour of the old O’clubs of my youth and have had to breathe a sigh of discontent. The Mariner’s club at 32nd St in San Diego is demolished. Now it is a playground. MCRD O’club which was good for a Friday night back in the 80’s and 90’s before Tailhook is no more. Just recently, I looked for the Banyans Club at Pearl Harbor, a good spot to pick one up (or try to at least) before heading down to Waikiki back in the 80’s/early 90’s has recently been demolished. So much for a ship pulling into a Navy port, and the wardroom going out together for a little “male bonding” and not the kind that the left wants us to do now, since we all have to be “sensitive” and can’t do those things anymore or be faced with sexual harassment charges.

    Thanks a lot Naval Aviation! I can’t wait to see the first female go to BUDS.

  3. All you say and more, Skippy, all you say and more….As sure as the sun rises in the East….the Pope is a Catholic (even if most of his N.American followers no longer are), bears do it in the woods and dogs’ dicks are red…

  5. Actually it might be a good thing to have female Special ops.
    The South Koreans have a small all female special ops unit as do the NK’s.
    Its part of their 707th battalion.
    How well they would do in combat is unknown though they maybe deployed to Afghanistan as part of the South Korean contingent soon to be sent to Afghanistan,

  6. When I was on C7F Staff a few years ago, the Flat Lt was a female nuke for both Willard and Greenert. I expect that somehow she will get tapped for the honor.

    So does this mean that they will no longer continue with the “hot racking” method on some SSNs?

    Just remember, for every female onboard, you will need at least a female corpsman attached to ship’s compmay. I hope they figure out the logistics.

  7. Well, well, well…. so the Evil Twin finally escaped, yes Skippy? Outstanding.

    Having been a Nasal Aviator and ET2 (SS) on LA class submarines, I have a few comments:

    1) Senior military leaders, of Principal, seem to be in short supply and will kowtow to the political/social whims of the Congress and President. Protect the career at all costs.

    2) Where are the women going to sleep? The only berthing area (on a LA class) small enough, with limited access, to accommodate the initial small detail of enlisted wymen sailors is the First Class Berthing. So, all you E6(SS) petty officers, who have worked your ass off to get there, move your shit. An, “Oxygen-breathing, Space-taking, Food-eating, NON-Qualified” E3 or E4 is gettin’ your rack. 12 racks gone and shit rolls down-hill. Now the 12 E-6 take the choice racks (from E-5 down) in Forward and Aft Berthing. Now you have qualified (SS) enlisted, back sleeping (more than likely hot racking) in the torpedo room.

    They would never reduce weapons loads for this equal oportunity, would they?

    Here’s a pic of the lovely and spacious LA class torpedo room:
    http://www.ctf74.navy.mil/imagery/2009/01/090112-N-7705S-079.jpg

    Officer berthing is 3 to a state room. Then I guess they will be bringing 3 female officers on board–or–the XO or CO will give up their single bunk cabins in the name of equal rights. Perhaps the Officers will bunk with the enlisted in down on the 3rd deck?

    I haven’t the slightest idea what they will do about the Goat Locker–send the female chiefs down to the 3rd deck also?

    3) This tour brings down to the 3rd deck. A ladder (stairway, landlubber) brings you down to the 3rd deck passage way (it’s bout 10 feet in length): to the port side is the First Cl…. Female Berthing, across the passage way (hall) is the (now) Female Head. Forward is the Torpedo Room and aft is the AMR (axillary machinery room). Are they going to limit access on this deck for ‘privacy’? This will be a logistics nightmare.

    I can’t recall (’cause I, as a E-5, didn’t use it) but the First Class Head has one: shitter, urinal, sink and shower in an area about 6’x6′. I guess it will be under-utilized by the females (I don’t expect 12 to show up all at once). This will increase the load on all the other heads. Now, all of the increased male crew, berthing in the Torpedo Room will be traversing the 3rd deck passage way, going to the head. Good thing there is plenty of room on the boat to bring your favorite bathrobe–NOT.

    4) There are not regular ‘working hours’ on a sub like the rest of the Navy. The ‘days’ are built on 18 hours. Ideal watch standing is 3 qualified per position (it never happens) 6 hours on – 12 hours off. If you are (SS), your gear is working, and PMS is done: stand your watch, eat a meal, relax, sleep, get up and repeat. You learn the time of day by which meal is being served–i.e. bacon and eggs means it’s morning. This means that you have quite a bit of off time–right now, there isn’t any make-work while under way on a sub. Which makes it the greatest duty for an enlisted, qualified, sub sailor. But, with all the idle time, comes idle hands, “…well I know where I’d to put them, Seaman Sweetchest.”

    Don’t worry, smart young 20-somethings would never be able to find a place to fuck on a submarine. Especially when they are off the coast of Shhhhhhh and can’t get back to port to be discharged for said dalliance.

    5) I am certain there is an ex-congresswoman for the state of Colorado, who is in near-orgasmic rapture at this news.

    6) How many people will the Navy kill by pushing non-qualified personnel into these positions? They sure as hell killed Kara Hultgreen on the temple of gender equality.

    7) Bah! I’m glad I don’t have to salute and say, “I’ll get it done sir.”

  8. Yes, the evil twin finally escaped. Good to see you here at my humble homestead.

    Your perspective is a unique one-and I admit, I had forgotten about it. However, you won’t find me disagreeing with anything you said.

    So how’s things in your neck of the woods these days?

  9. Things are working out well… your recent Dilbert cartoon..well I own one successful start-up (~5 years) and am starting a second with 2 partners.

    After being fired from the Navy (RIF or in today’s terms; downsized) then fired from the Reserves (another RIF – Thanks Bubba) ..mumble mumble….’underground’ anti-PC newsletter very well received by Navy (and certain folk at the 5-Sided Follies building)…mumble… sales jobs…. mumble mumble…. CBT for E2….. mumble ….. M&S for 10 years -another downsize. ‘Damn, I better invent a job so I can decide who works.’

    The Navy flying seemed to be getting dangerous, anyway. 15 dead while I was active and 1 crew did successfully bail out. Hell, my last fleet flight was an on-board fire (screamer fan). Bubba increased ops while decreasing funding–not good for old planes. So, I got to see my kids grow up – turns and twists in life. Now, I can say ‘been there …’ that and $4.25 will get 2 pieces of maguro at my favorite sushi restaurant here in the Beach.

    If you get back here to the Beach, send me an email and I’ll buy the beer and nigiri.

    By the way, Mark told about your blog here. Maybe if he’s not saving lives we can all have a beer.

    Richard Fitzwell

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