US Navy to ban smoking and allow women and gay sailors to serve on submarines

This'll be interesting. As noted, a lot of what's planned isn't new, but it is all coming together now. I'll be interested to see what my dad thinks.

Perhaps not helping the opposing side's case:

John A. Mason, a bubblehead who served in the Navy from 1977 to 1994, said he plans to submit to Congress written comments he has collected from 380 people opposed to adding women to sub crews. He said he has nothing against female sailors in the rest of the Navy but that underwater is another matter.

"Hormones do not shut down just because you go out to sea and submerge for many months at a time," wrote Mason, 53, of Comer, Ga. He said sailors rely on various coping mechanisms to deal with the stress of extended deployments, including man hugs, rear-end patting and other rituals; another veteran cited a tradition in which submariners who cross the equator for the first time are required to strip to their underwear.

"Serving on board a submarine is not a place to be if you are self-conscious or have any doubts about your sexuality," Mason added. "Silliness, male-bonding, and what might be considered inappropriate or 'politically incorrect' behavior in a civilian environment are all useful techniques that allow a sailor to endure the difficult living conditions and time away from their families and mainstream life."

uh

http://www.lovefilm.com/lovefilm/images/products/4/20734-large.jpg

Are they suggesting that women and gay men don't like rear-end patting?

lol @ "man hugs"

The Pentagon announced in February that it was also preparing for the integration of gay men and lesbians into the military, responding to President Obama's call to end the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that requires them to keep their sexual orientation a secret. That change appears to have submariners less riled than the admission of women or the smoking ban.

"Everybody knows there are already homosexuals on our force, and I don't think them being open about it will change anything on a boat," said another active-duty lieutenant who spoke on condition of anonymity.

They'll have a lot more time to get used to the idea, apparently.

http://www.towleroad.com/2010/04/report-white-house-officials-nixed-dont-ask-dont-tell-repeal-days-after-the-presidents-promise.html

They might have enough time, actually, to get used to never having to get used to the idea.

http://www.impawards.com/1997/posters/mchales_navy.jpg

Ned, you've been on a sub before, right? Was it a hormone-driven atmosphere that was innappropriate for women or gays?

No, that's ILM

i've worked on a deep sea trawler, and tbh i'd maybe tend to agree about the problems with introducing women into the mix. but there you are, change happens.

shit that looks like an onion article but isn't

Can't smoke cigarettes but are encouraged to switch to pole.

One ping only, please.

http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/encyclopediaimages/s/st/stvillage_people.png

https://news.usni.org/2016/07/28/navy-name-ship-gay-rights-activist-harvey-milk
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/29/487944304/u-s-navy-to-honor-gay-rights-icon-harvey-milk

http://i.imgur.com/Pi22hA0.png