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First women qualify as submarine officers
KOMO TV (Seattle ABC affiliate) ^ | Dec 8, 2012 | Kelly Koopmans

Posted on 12/09/2012 10:05:12 AM PST by Salman

For the last century all fully-qualified submarine officers have been men. But that all changed when two women were honored with their Navy dolphin pins.

The ceremony on Wednesday at Naval Base Kitsap was a graduation day of sorts with crowds, caps, and uniforms.

From a cluster of colleagues, two female crew members of the USS Maine ballistic missile submarine were called front and center for a designation that made them qualified submariners. The two junior lieutenants were among the first three women in the submarine force's 112-year history to get their dolphins.

"This is the mark where your command puts their confidence in you," said Lieutenant junior grade Jennifer Noonan.

Fellow submariner Lieutenant junior grade Amber Cowan also got her pin and said she was thrilled.

"I'm a little bit in shock I think," she said.

Cowan, a University of Washington graduate, and Noonan, a Boston native, each reported to the USS Maine nearly one year ago after completing 15 months of nuclear power school and rigorous training.

Now, they're officially part of the team.

"They really become like a family more than just the people you work with every day," said Noonan.

The next group of female submariners will begin arriving at boats in January. That's when they'll begin their training toward earning their own dolphin pins.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: submarine; women
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To: xrmusn
my problem is... is you are NOT a VALUE ADDED ingredient, you are are a DETRIMENT.
41 posted on 12/09/2012 5:41:08 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: Chode

my problem is... is you are NOT a VALUE ADDED ingredient, you are are a DETRIMENT.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Did you ‘intend’ to put the word IF between ... is () you?

I agree with your position 100%.
My concern for this fiasco is if they are not fully qualified we don’t stand the chance of a ‘slight accident’, we stand the chance of losing an entire crew + submarine, SO if they are going to do it DO IT RIGHT - when the SHTF there is no ready place to hide or figure someone else is going to bail your arse out.


42 posted on 12/09/2012 6:11:49 PM PST by xrmusn (6/98 "It is virtually impossible to clean the pond as long as the pigs are still crapping in it")
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To: xrmusn
yes my bad, it should of been IF, and the loss of a boat for a social experiment is several orders of magnitude worse than for any other reason...
43 posted on 12/09/2012 6:20:33 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: Salman

What ever happened to the old tradition of dropping a newly qualified sailor’s dolphins into a tall zombie and making them drink it all and catch the dolphins in their teeth?


44 posted on 12/09/2012 6:28:46 PM PST by antisocial (Texas SCV - Deo Vindice)
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To: Salman

Affirmative action social engineering is never a good thing.


45 posted on 12/09/2012 7:08:50 PM PST by DBeers (†)
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To: Menehune56

That’s just such crap.


46 posted on 12/09/2012 7:18:39 PM PST by Trailerpark Badass (So?)
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To: antisocial

What ever happened to the old tradition of dropping a newly qualified sailor’s dolphins into a tall zombie
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
That, like ALL the good traditions is a thing of the past.
I doubt they can even drink torpedo juice anymore.
Chiefs initiations are gone, replaced with a form of Community Service.
Doubt many fat, greasy bellies get kissed while crossing the Equator.

Couple years ago some USMC Devil Dogs got ‘drummed out’ for ‘pinning one another’.

I ‘drank’ (my) dolphins before I went to Submarine School, while still in Yokosuka while on a ‘Gator’, prior leaving for New London.

Naturally they weren’t mine since I hadn’t qualified yet, but a bunch of ‘bubbleheads’ concocted the cocktail, so I went along with them....


47 posted on 12/09/2012 8:52:43 PM PST by xrmusn (6/98 "It is virtually impossible to clean the pond as long as the pigs are still crapping in it")
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To: antisocial
What ever happened to the old tradition of dropping a newly qualified sailor’s dolphins into a tall zombie and making them drink it all and catch the dolphins in their teeth?

These are officers -much different submarine experience in all regards compared to enlisted. Their quals, their performance requirements, experiences, and the demands upon them are somewhat sheltered and segregated from the typical peer pressure. They eat in the wardroom and sleep in private quarters etcetera...

I suspect this is being heralded as proof that females can cut the mustard; however, it remains to be seen just how female enlisted will be integrated.

Being a qualified submariner having served on two SSBNs during the cold war with more than two years underwater it is my opinion that this experiment will prove an epic failure regardless none of the politically correct and connected officers will admit it so...

A submarine is no place for leftist asexual and homosexual social experimentation. Simply put, the leftists are attempting to castrate our military...

48 posted on 12/09/2012 10:46:40 PM PST by DBeers (†)
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To: DBeers

We had one or two officers that performed the drinking of dolphins during my time on my old diesel boat, the nucs probably wouldn’t allow that.


49 posted on 12/10/2012 4:24:49 AM PST by antisocial (Texas SCV - Deo Vindice)
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