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 Mixed-Sex Crews on Submarines?

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Military Readiness - Mixed Sex Crews on Submarines?

Adm. Dan Cooper requested this be passed on.

"Decisions on what roles women should play in war must be based on military standards, not women's rights."

GEN Norman Schwarzkopf, Washington Times, October 28, 1999

Mixed-Sex Sub Crews Planned By Navy Study

Report fails to sway Pentagon panel, By Rowan Scarborough, The Washington Times

A confidential Navy-financed study concluded mixed-sex crews ``could increase risks'' for submarine sailors, but the finding failed to deter a Pentagon advisory committee this week from recommending an end to an all-male ``silent service.''

The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services DACOWITS) urged that future submarines accommodate female crew members, meaning the Navy would have to redesign Virginia-class ships now under construction.

The 27 women and two men on the panel unanimously approved the non-binding recommendation. The Navy, whose senior admirals oppose putting mixed-sex crews in such tight quarters for months at sea, had no immediate comment.

DACOWITS voted in favor of female submariners after reviewing a confidential report commissioned by the Navy in 1994 when it was removing barriers to women on combat aircraft and ships. The Navy pointedly exempted submarines from the order.

Prepared by Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), the report laid out a series of potential problems the undersea Navy would face if women broke the sex barrier.

``A mixed gender crew will complicate submarine life -- from simple things like shipboard supplies, watch [duty] and bunk management to the far more complex areas of potential fraternizations and harassment which would be difficult to deal with in the uniquely confining environment of a submarine,'' said the analysis by the private defense contractor.

``These added burdens could increase risk where the object has been to minimize unnecessary risk in order to provide the trained crew with the maximum advantage to cope with the stress and special demands of the submarine combat environment.''

The study comes to light at a time when some Navy officials are urging the submarine service to rethink its all-male domain.

Earlier this year, Navy Secretary Richard Danzig, in a speech to the Naval Submarine League, warned the close-knit service it is running a ``white-male preserve.''

``The most Narcissus-like thing about creating something in your own image, about being in love with your own image, is the continued and continuous existence of this segment of the Navy as a white-male preserve,'' he told the audience.

Now, the women's advisory committee, made up of civilians appointed by the defense secretary, is adding to the pressure.

``DACOWITS recommends that, beginning now, plans for future submarine platforms incorporate appropriate berthing and privacy arrangements to accommodate mixed gender crews,'' the panel said in its approved resolution. ``Because submarines currently in the fleet are expected to stay in service as long as 40 years, plans must be made now for gender integrated crews. This would allow the assignment of the most highly qualified personnel regardless of gender.''

A Navy spokesman said accommodating women would add up to $4 million to the cost of each Virginia-class attack sub. It would cost the Navy$5 million to remodel each Los Angeles-class submarine and $3 million for Trident ballistic-missile boats.

The Navy's most senior leaders, including Adm. Jay Johnson, an aviator and chief of naval operations, are firmly against female submariners.

Opponents cite the ships' extremely tight living quarters, the alternating sharing of bunks and the sexual tensions that can develop during long months underwater.

Elaine Donnelly, director of the Center for Military Readiness, said the consultant's report should end the debate.

"The obstructions are just so great I can't imagine why the issue wasn't put to rest then," said Mrs. Donnelly, who recently obtained a copy of the 1994 report and provided it to The Washington Times.

``This report should have been made public at that time. To continue to bring it up as Secretary Danzig did earlier this year, wasn't very helpful." added Mrs. Donnelly, who opposes women in combat.

The SAIC study backs the reasoning behind the Navy's decision to keep submarines all-male.

Among its findings:

"The total living area for more than 130 people is equivalent to a medium-size house. Unencumbered deck space in sleeping areas, toilets and showers is about one-half to one-third that afforded to a crew member on a small surface ship."