Subs to get first women in less than 2 years - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

Subs to get first women in less than 2 years

KINGS BAY NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE, Ga. — The first women to serve on submarines will report for undersea duty in less than two years, a top admiral said Thursday, as the Navy ended one of the military's few remaining gender barriers.

Rear Adm. Barry Bruner said the Navy hopes its first group of 24 female submarine officers will begin training by summer. They should be ready to join the sub fleet late next year or by early 2012.

The U.S. military's ban on women serving on submarines passed quietly into history after the Navy received no objections from Congress. Bruner announced the expected timeline at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in coastal Georgia.

Bruner said the first group of women will all be officers. The Navy has no timeline for integrating female enlisted sailors onto subs, which will require modifications to give them more privacy.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates notified lawmakers in mid-February that the Navy would lift the ban unless Congress took some action against it. Navy spokesman Lt. Justin Cole said Thursday morning that the deadline for Congress to act passed at midnight.

"There are extremely capable women in the Navy who have the talent and desire to succeed in the submarine force," Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said hours after the congressional deadline passed. "Enabling them to serve in the submarine community is best for the submarine force and our Navy.

"We literally could not run the Navy without women today," Mabus said in a statement released by the Submarine Force headquarters in Norfolk, Va.

The Navy expanded the number of assignments available to women 15 years ago, allowing them to serve on surface ships but deeming that their service on submarines would cost too much. In preparing to change the policy, the Navy has worked out a plan to phase in women by allowing them to begin serving on submarines that will not require costly alterations to accommodate females.

The Navy plans to start by assigning three female officers each in eight different crews of guided-missile attack submarines and ballistic missile submarines. That involves two submarines on the East Coast and two on the West Coast. Officials said that since more living space is available aboard those subs, it won't require modification to the vessels, allowing the Navy to move faster to include women.

The female officers would be assigned after completing the 15-month submarine officer training, which consists of nuclear power school, prototype training, and a submarine officer basic course. The first subs to get women each have about 15 officers and roughly 140 enlisted personnel.

Women make up 15 percent of the active duty Navy — there are 52,446 out of the force of 330,700.

"Today, women earn about half of all science and engineering bachelor's degrees," said Vice Adm. John J. Donnelly, commander of submarine forces. "There are capable women who have the interest, talent, and desire to succeed in the submarine force. Maintaining the best submarine force in the world requires us to recruit from the largest possible talent pool."