Women Have Been on Subs for Years: It's Time to Integrate the Service

Admiral Mike Mullen, Joint Chiefs chairman, stirred up a bit of controversy in September by proclaiming his support for integrating women into submarine service. The Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations have joined Mullen, the nation's top military official, in this stance -- but critics have come up with a laundry list of objections, citing everything from bathroom space and sanctity of marriage to fetal health of pretend babies.

Here's a little news flash: Women have been serving on subs for a long time in the United States Navy. Maybe not in the capacity in which they are about to be, but they have been there for years, serving in short stints, and they have somehow managed to not destroy the Navy as we know it with all of their girly bits.

Women have served on submarines as Undersea Medical Officers, military trained doctors who have been qualified in basic Submarine Systems, Damage Control (shipboard firefighting and emergency repair), and physical fitness standards. They become certified divers, and learn all it takes to become the medical professional on hand for SEAL divers or Submariners. They earn their "twin dolphins," the insignia worn on their uniform that proclaims to all sailors that they have earned their sub qualifications.

Laurel Clark of the Spaceship Columbia was an Undersea Medical Officer and Diving Medical Officer, working with SEALs before she became an astronaut.

Captain Victoria Anne Cassano, MD, was one of the first women to earn her dolphins.

Lieutenant Commander Marilisa Elrod has earned her submarine quals and ridden along with several crews.

Today there are 12 women in the Navy proudly sporting twin dolphins on their uniforms.

They don't serve the same length tours as their male counterparts today, but their achievements and participation could help smooth the way for the transition to a fully integrated submarine force. They have proven that women, and the rest of the fleet, can go this far -- and are ready to go farther.

The Navy has accepted women in its ranks for a long time, despite what some overly vocal and slightly dishonest critics would have you believe. Sailors, both men and women, are capable of being the trained professionals that we expect and need them to be in order to make this transition complete and nigh seamless. The time is long past for full integration into every aspect of service aboard Naval vessels, and only Navy policy is standing in the way. We trust them to defend our freedom. Now we need to trust them to do their jobs.

Photo: Laurel Clark via Wikipedia Commons