Women in submarines face health issues

washingtontimes.com ^ | April 5, 2010 | Rowan Scarborough

[Free ThinkerNY]

On the surface, the Navy's leadership has sounded exuberant in speaking publicly about its recent decision to begin deploying female sailors in the cramped confines of combat submarines by next year.

But behind the scenes, the prospect of coed submarines is presenting medical and ship-construction challenges.

A specialist on undersea medicine is warning Congress that the air inside a submarine can be hazardous to fetal development.

"Atmosphere controls are different between ships and a submarine's sealed environment," retired Rear Adm. Hugh Scott, a former undersea medical officer, told The Washington Times. "There are all types of organic traces that off-gas into the air that have to be removed by mechanical means. You just can't open a window and let them out."

Adm. Scott said the Office of Naval Research contacted him about serving on a panel to study women and submarine issues, but he never heard back. A spokesman for the office said he had no immediate information on any submarine study.

The Navy is following the template it is using to allow gays in the military. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates voiced support for removing the ban on gays, then ordered a study to determine the impact on combat readiness and military families.

During congressional testimony this year, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, enthusiastically endorsed placing Navy women in subs.

[Allegra]

ROFL!!

[freedumb2003]

She sued after she fatally crashed nine times? Wow! The Navy Medical Corps must be outstanding.

[SubMareener]

Unless there have been significant improvements in the past 30 years, we were never able to get CO2 below twice normal. We recirculated air from deep fat fryers, and vented sanitary tanks with air, and the vented that air inboard through carbon filters. That made us very thankful that olfactory nerves are primarily differential. However, when you go home, and smelled your clothes the next day, you understood why your wife had only hugged and kissed you briefly the day before.

[TNdandelion]

If the US Navy has such concerns about women serving on submarines and all the occupational hazards mentioned, I’m sure they can pick up the phone and call NASA for suggestions. If women can orbit the planet on a spaceship, I’m sure cruising the undersea world in a sub won’t be a problem.

[skimask]

From talking to some Marines I know that have been deployed on Carrier duty, which is usually about six months or so, it is the women who usually start shagging men first. Women can last about three months before their hormones go off the scale and quite a few become preggo while deployed on a carrier.

[dayglored]

> From talking to some Marines I know that have been deployed on Carrier duty, which is usually about six months or so, it is the women who usually start shagging men first. Women can last about three months before their hormones go off the scale and quite a few become preggo while deployed on a carrier.

That doesn't surprise me at all.

Hell, put me or any other normal male in a restricted space with group of mostly women, most of whom are in prime health and mating/procreating time of life, and tell me I wouldn't be going nuts to get some action after three months.

I don't doubt there would be "action" on the subs. I just don't think pregnancy has to be the result.

Fistfights, on the other hand, might be more common...

[dila813]

Flying is right, that stuff will float in the air for months.

[LeoWindhorse]

America needs to be led by its warriors ,not the lawyers .
And to hell with all the career officers who will brown nose and agree with anything and everything the CIV’s come up with.

[familyop]

"Maybe the solution is to only allow women that are sufficiently non-feminine, or hyper-athletic, whose menstrual cycles have stopped."

Sure. Require them all to undergo hysterectomies first, then pump some steroids into 'em. They won't look as widely advertised by amazonian feminist weirdos, but our confused, inbred leadership won't care.

Our nation needs the cleansing of a default. The sooner the sexually confused trash is taken out, the sooner we'll see men in charge of government.

[familyop]

Or put only those who are over 50 years of age on board. ;-)

[goat granny]

Now that has me laughing out loud....they are men, no one escapes alive damnit....

[goat granny]

Some subs stay down months at a time....probably much longer that an astronaut circling the earth...

[A.A. Cunningham]

At least spray the bathroom after using it. (My wife’s favorite complaint, by the way.)

TMI

[Check6]

“On the surface, the Navy’s leadership....”

What leadership?

[R. Scott]

I doubt pregnancy will be a problem. There’s not much - if any - privacy on a sub. Maybe the skipper’s quarters, but the first time he went in with a female and shut the door his career would be over.

[Scotsman will be Free]

“But behind the scenes, the prospect of coed submarines is presenting medical and ship-construction challenges.”
Really? Who’d a thunk it?
If the navy feels the need to put women in subs make it an all female crew.

[RetSignman]

Off subject but I have that DVD and, in my opinion, is one of the best war films ever made.

[LTCJ]

Listen, strange women Liberals lying in ponds Congress distributing swords entitlements is no basis for a system of government!

Updated for the New Dark Ages.

[Sender]

Yes, I’ve never seen another war movie that more or less accurately portrays what life would be like in a tin can under the ocean.

[dayglored]

> Updated for the New Dark Ages.

Excellent! Thanks...