The big question in my mind is how to maintain good order and discipline if openly gay sailors are on board Navy ships. Open berthing, very tight quarters, shared heads and showers.
I’ll take a hard-working gay shipmate who kept his sex life to himself over any of the above.
Not disagreeing, notice I said openly gay.
And I’m OLD Navy, work hard play hard. Not too much time off, 6 and 6, port and starboard most of the time away from home port. As to thieves, if I remember correctly, things have a way of working out when no one sees.
Jack
I often hear senior chiefs reminisce about the "old" navy. I don't know when things changed but apparently they did and quite abruptly. I enlisted a little later in age in 2003 and after I had a lot of experience working in the private sector. I can attest that today's navy is run like a corporation. Today's sailor isn't a warrior. He is a technician. Diversity training is common-place. Any sort of hazing or physical punishment will be dealt with severely. When we became Shellbacks last cruise, the old salty chiefs laughed at how restrained the ceremony had become.