Sailors!

This is coolbert:

Thanks to the Israeli web site YNET we have this interesting item:

"US Navy welcomes 1st women for sub training"

"A US Navy base is welcoming the first class of female officers selected for assignment to its submarines. Eight women were reporting Monday for an initial training course at Naval Submarine Base New London [CT]."

"The graduates will be the first women to serve on submarines since the Navy repealed a ban. The Navy announced last year that it was lifting the ban. Women had been barred on the theory that the close quarters and long deployments were unsuitable for a coed crew."

First women to be allowed for submarine training. Combat naval vessels previously the presence of women was totally verboten! And this was so for good reason. The accommodations on a submarine are very cramped, this being obviously and intuitively so even to the most casual of observers.

[unless I am wrong about this, the current under-the-sea deployment for an American nuclear powered and nuclear armed submarine is SIX MONTHS! Crew members properly and intensively screened in advance and chosen in large measure for psychological adaptability and an ability to work under harsh conditions for a prolonged period!]

BUT just not ANY U.S. naval women. ONLY those of the officer class! I would have to think nuclear-propulsion specialists, etc.

AND - - I would have to think - - women trained to control a submarine at the helm, in a combat situation as well! That naval officer at the helm of a nuclear submarine relies almost exclusively upon brain and NOT brawn, so this is do-able, and very well so! I would have to think this is not just a noble experiment! Actually has a degree of merit to it.

Let me suggest this also.

Current American submarines have what is called the "Blue" and "Gold" crew. Six months of sea duty for each crew followed by six months of shore duty the two crews rotating assignments.

It might even be feasible to have an all-female submarine crew, the workings of a modern submarine NOT placing a premium on strength, officers and enlisted both again relying more upon brain than brawn, the typical submariner for instance can best be thought of as a machine operator, an artificer, a technician, mechanical device and apparatus being relied upon for even the heavy work, such as reloading of torpedo tubes?

One "Blue" crew - - men, one "Gold" crew women? This might actually work?

Some modern submariners out there would like to comment? Prince Namor - - if you are listening, I await to hear from you?

coolbert.